Utah Senate approves long consent calendar, sending dozens of House bills to the House for enrollment

The Utah State Senate on Feb. 15 approved a broad consent calendar that moved dozens of House and Senate measures forward, with many bills passed by unanimous or near‑unanimous recorded votes.

President Niederhauser opened the session and announced a quorum was present. Committee reports and rules assignments filled the morning; the clerk read a long list of House bills transmitted for Senate consideration before senators moved through votes on the consent calendar.

Notable actions on the consent calendar included: - House Bill 63 (Cosmetology and Associated Professions Amendments): sponsor Senator Bramble said the bill allows required cosmetology examinations in languages other than English. The Senate recorded 22 yea votes, 0 nays and 7 absent; the president directed the bill be signed and sent to the House for the speaker’s signature. - House Bill 192 (Professional Licensing Boards Amendments): Senator Ibsen said the bill permits occupational licensing boards to recommend statutory changes. The bill passed with 23 yea votes, 0 nays and 6 absent and was ordered returned to the House. - House Bill 200 (Dental licensure board changes): sponsor said the bill removes a statutory reference to the Western Regional Examining Board so Utah’s Dental Board can set examination requirements; the motion to pass carried and the bill was transmitted for enrollment. - House Bill 245 (Charter School Proximity Amendments): the bill adjusts the definition of proximity for charter enrollment boundaries; the motion to pass was approved by the body. - SJR10 (Dissolving certain justice courts): passed on consent and recorded as 24 yea votes, 0 nays and 5 absent. - House Bill 121 (Regulation of alkaline hydrolysis process) and other bills addressing school programs, trust lands, and state agency housekeeping were also considered on the calendar and passed on recorded votes or unanimous direction.

Many bills were moved under unanimous direction of the chair with the president instructing that the unanimous vote of the senators present be cast and recorded. Where recorded tallies appear in the transcript, the article lists them as provided; other bills were adopted by voice or by unanimous direction and sent for signature and enrollment.

The session also included committee reports recommending favorable substitution on bills across education, health and human services, natural resources, transportation and judiciary matters.

The Senate recessed until 2 p.m. following an announcement about a luncheon with the Utah Association of Realtors.