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Senate approves a slate of bills; several measures circled or advanced to the House
Summary
On Day 22 the Senate approved multiple bills across education, veterans, youth safety, vehicle regulation and adoption policy and circled others for later consideration. Passed measures include SB50 (aggravated-assault clarification), SB45 (license plate revisions), SB65 (online student funding), SB143 (military licensing), SB158 (youth volunteer background checks) and others; several bills were circled or scheduled for later consideration.
The Utah Senate cleared a broad package of bills on Day 22, advancing measures across criminal law, education, veterans’ licensing, child-safety and transportation and moving them to the House where required.
Among the bills that passed on the floor were:
- SB50 (Aggravated-assault modifications): Sponsor Sen. Kennedy described the bill as a negotiated compromise to clarify aggravated-assault language involving strangulation; the Senate passed it 27–0 and will transmit it to the House.
- SB45 (License plate revisions): Sen. MacKay said the bill removes the front license plate requirement, returns half of the projected savings to taxpayers and directs the other half to highway safety; the Senate passed SB45 (26–0, 3 absent).
- SB143 (Military Occupational Licensing Renewal Amendments): Sen. Baldry said the bill lets deployed service members reactivate expired professional licenses temporarily and waives a small fee; it passed 25–0 (4 absent).
- SB158 (Youth Service Organization background checks): Sen. Grover said the bill requires organizations with youth under 18 and groups of 25+ to run volunteer names through state or federal offender/kidnap registries; it passed 26–0 (3 absent).
- SB65 (Online Student Funding Amendments): Sen. Fillmore described the bill to adjust funding flows when students transfer to online schools in other districts; SB65 passed 27–0 (2 absent).
The Senate also took procedural actions: several bills were circled (held) for later consideration, including SB30, SB151 and a proposed constitutional amendment (SJR2) on a real-estate transfer tax. The Senate issued a formal citation honoring several Utah wildland firefighting crews for extensive wildfire response and project work.
Floor activity included committee-report approvals and numerous roll-call votes. Several measures were adopted unanimously or with only minor absences; a small number of bills were circled while sponsors refine language or substitutes are prepared. The Senate recessed until 2 p.m. to continue business later in the day.
