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Votes at a glance: key bills the Utah Senate acted on March 12, 2020
Summary
The Senate considered and recorded votes on a wide slate of measures including circuit breaker tax clarifications, jail data and reporting bills, an emergency funding bill, and multiple House concurrence items; several bills passed unanimously while a few measures failed.
The Utah Senate recorded roll-call votes on dozens of measures on March 12, 2020. Below are the key outcomes and short context for each measure the Senate debated or formally processed on the floor that day.
Key outcomes
- Third Substitute Senate Bill 35 (circuit breaker amendments): Concurrence motion passed; Senate recorded 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent. Sponsor said the text aligns with Tax Commission clarification.
- Second substitute Senate Bill 115 (bonding amendments): The Senate moved to not concur and appointed a conference committee (Cullimore, Sandell, Maine) to meet with House conferees.
- Senate Bill 174 (abortion prohibition amendments): After addressing a drafting error, the Senate concurred and passed the bill (22 yeas, 5 nays, 2 absent); it will be returned to the House for signature.
- First Substitute Senate Bill 193 and First Substitute Senate Bill 223 (jail data; insurance renewal amendments): Both were brought back from the House and passed by recorded votes (SB193 28-0 and SB223 27-0 on their recorded counts).
- First Substitute House Bill 240 (Driver's license revision — disability sticker): The Senate debated concerns about verification and protections; the measure failed on a roll-call vote (9 yea, 19 nay, 1 absent) and was sent to staff for filing.
- House Joint Resolution 24 (extend COVID-19 state of emergency): Passed 24-0; sponsor said the extension is necessary to protect health and welfare through June 30, 2020.
- House Bill 494 (Emergency Disease Response Funding Amendments): Sponsor explained the bill authorizes administrative transfers of previously appropriated emergency funds; after substitution and reconsideration the first substitute passed recorded (unanimously on the final recorded vote) and will be returned to the House for enrollment and signature.
- House Bill 3 (Appropriations adjustments): Passed 27-0; bill contains multiple budget increases for education, higher education, public health emergency response, rainy-day funds, mental health services, affordable housing and air quality.
- House Bill 48 (Acquisition Cost Definition): Recalled to insert missing keyword, amended, and passed as amended (26-0, 3 absent) on third reading.
- Second substitute House Bill 350 (impaired driving amendments) and related DUI/drug-driver provisions: After extensive floor debate about testing, secondhand smoke and penalty tiers, the measure failed on the recorded vote and was sent to staff for filing.
The Senate also handled many concurrence calendar items, substituted a number of House bills, appointed multiple conference committees, and ultimately struck enacting clauses on outstanding bills on the calendar before adjourning sine die. Bills that passed in the Senate will be returned to the House for signature or enacting steps as recorded.
Because the Senate processed dozens of measures in the evening session, this roundup highlights recorded roll-call outcomes and notable debates; full enrolling and enrolling numbers will be available from the Senate—s enrollments and the secretary of the Senate.
