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Senate approves scores of bills and resolutions in wide-ranging Feb. 27 session
Summary
The Utah Senate moved dozens of bills and resolutions on Feb. 27, 2019, advancing construction-code updates, public-safety and education measures, and several concurrent resolutions. Several items passed unanimously; a handful drew divided votes.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 27 advanced and passed a broad set of bills and resolutions on consent and third-reading calendars, sending most measures back to the House or to enrollment.
Among the measures approved were SCR 7, a concurrent resolution urging federal action to resolve banking barriers for the medical-cannabis industry (recorded vote: 26-0); a second substitute to House Bill 218 updating state building codes (27-0); House Bill 155 on controlled burns and fire management (26-0); and a fourth substitute to Senate Bill 154, technical amendments to the Utah Communications Authority and related telecom provisions (26-0). Several commemorative and policy resolutions also passed unanimously or by voice vote.
Not all votes were unanimous. House Bill 118, which allows districts and schools options to incentivize statewide assessment participation while preserving parental opt-out, passed 16-9. House Bill 166, the Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Abortion Act, passed 20-6 and includes a delayed effective date contingent on litigation. House Bill 149 (traffic code amendments establishing lane-filtering rules for motorcycles) passed 23-3 after floor debate and a verbal amendment to lower a speed threshold from 50 to 45 mph.
Several procedural motions and substitutions were recorded during the session, including reconsideration and substitution of earlier actions on consumer ticket-protection legislation (House Bill 128) and victim-rights amendments (House Bill 15). Multiple bills were encircled (set aside) and later taken up; the Senate recessed to caucus and scheduled a rules committee meeting before adjourning to recess until 2 p.m.
Votes at a glance (selected): SCR 7 — 26-0; HB 218 (second substitute) — 27-0; HB 155 — 26-0; SS SB 62 — 25-0; HB 105 — 24-0; HB 157 — 25-0; HB 118 — 16-9; HB 128 (second substitute) — 25-0; SB 154 (fourth substitute) — 26-0; HB 86 — 25-0; HB 166 — 20-6; SS HB 15 (after reconsideration) — 26-0; HB 149 — 23-3; HJR 14 — 25-0; HB 16 (first substitute) — 26-1.
The Senate recessed for lunch and caucus and planned to return at 2 p.m. for further business.
