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Senate advances and passes multiple committee bills, including municipal-incorporation and procurement changes
Summary
The Utah Senate passed SB 35 (municipal incorporation amendments) and moved several additional bills (SB 36, SB 13, SB 40, SCR 1) under suspension of rules; most passed unanimously and were referred to the House. SB 13 (domicile definition) was discussed in detail; the transcript does not record its final floor tally.
The Utah Senate used suspension motions to move a block of committee bills through the floor. Key actions included:
• SB 35, Municipal Incorporation Amendments (sponsor Sen. Harper): The bill — requested by the lieutenant governor’s office — standardizes procedures for city and town incorporations and allows the lieutenant governor to impose a fee for certification and feasibility work; Senator Hilliard pressed the sponsor on the fiscal note and whether beneficiaries should pay fees rather than the general fund. The Senate recorded 28 yay votes, 0 nay, 1 absent; the bill will be referred to the House.
• SB 36, Department of Transportation Procurement Authority (sponsor Sen. Buxton): The bill broadens the DOT executive director’s procurement authority to purchase items necessary to achieve statutory functions and clarifies procurement determinations. President Adams announced the vote as 27 yay, 0 nay, 2 absent; the bill will be referred to the House.
• SB 13, Domicile definition for state income tax (sponsor Sen. Bramble): The sponsor described multiple examples where the 2012 domicile definition produced unintended tax outcomes (purchasers unaware of principal-residence status, joint filers, 183-day rule) and said the bill would give the Tax Commission a reasonableness standard. The transcript records sponsor explanation and a motion to read for second and third times under suspension, but a clear final floor tally or recorded passage is not provided in the transcript and is therefore not reported here.
• SB 40, Child Welfare Sunset Provisions (sponsor Sen. Christiansen): The bill requires a new biennial report to the child-welfare oversight panel and extends a pilot program sunset to Dec. 31, 2021. The Senate recorded 26 yay, 0 nay, 3 absent; the bill will be referred to the House.
• SCR 1 (concurrent resolution urging extension of Medicaid inpatient-payment period): Sponsor Sen. Fillmore described the resolution and the body passed it; the recorded vote was 27 yay, 0 nay, 2 absent; it will be transmitted to the House.
Floor remarks included multiple expressions of personal privilege recognizing visiting students and museum day and administrative motions to reassign bills to different committees and set time-certain hearings (SCR 2). President Adams closed the day’s business and the Senate adjourned until 11 a.m. the following day.
