Utah House approves base budget bills totaling billions and sends measures to Senate

The Utah House of Representatives approved a set of base budget bills on Feb. 5, sending the measures to the Senate as part of the session’s rapid budget schedule.

Representative McKell, sponsor of House Bill 1, described the higher education base budget as a foundation for the session’s work, saying the bill “appropriates $30,000,000 from the general fund, $766,000,000 from the education fund and $885,000,000 from dedicated credits” and urged members’ support. Debate on HB1 was waived and the bill passed 75–0.

Other base budgets cleared the chamber by voice or roll-call votes with no recorded opposition: HB4 (business, economic development and labor appropriations; passed 74–0), HB5 (retirement and independent entities; passed 73–0), and HB7 (National Guard, Veterans Affairs and the Legislature; passed 73–0). Each bill was transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.

Representative Sagers led discussion of HB6, the infrastructure and general government base budget. He proposed and the House adopted an amendment authorizing that, as resources allow, the Department of Transportation may transfer up to $5,600,000 from the Transportation Investment Fund of 02/2005 to the Inland Port Authority for port infrastructure. After adopting the amendment, the House passed HB6 as amended 74–0.

Sponsors said the base budget bills generally reflect ongoing appropriations from the prior year, remove one-time funding, and incorporate a small number of executive appropriations and statutory adjustments such as deposits to the education and general fund reserve accounts and required capital maintenance appropriations. Leaders said these base budgets are intended as a stable foundation should the session encounter impasses later in the process.

All bills passed during floor time will proceed to the Senate where further consideration and potential amendments may follow.