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House passes package of bills ranging from fertility coverage to school technology; key votes and outcomes
Summary
On Feb. 17, 2021 the Utah House approved a broad set of bills including measures on fertility preservation (HB 192), ticket resellers (HB 242), school technology and filters (HB 38; HB 72), lead testing (HB 259) and protective-order reforms (HB 255). Several passed unanimously or with large margins; HB 302 was the day’s most contested vote.
SALT LAKE CITY — During its Feb. 17 session the Utah House advanced a slate of bills addressing health care, consumer protection, education technology and legislative procedures. Several measures passed with wide margins; the House transmitted these bills to the Senate for further consideration.
Highlights and outcomes
• Second substitute House Bill 192 (fertility treatment amendments): Sponsor Representative Ward said the bill directs the state Medicaid program to apply for a waiver to cover fertility preservation for cancer patients and includes a provision prohibiting providers from using reproductive material without written consent. The House passed the bill 53 yes, 16 no; it will be transmitted to the Senate.
• House Bill 242 (ticket reseller amendments): Representative Snow said the bill requires ticket resellers to accurately represent tickets and creates consumer-enforcement remedies, including fines and a private right of action. The House passed HB 242, 71 yes, 0 no.
• First substitute House Bill 124 (civics engagement pilot program): The substitute narrows how federal citizenship-test questions are selected for high-school civic testing; the House passed the substitute and HB 124, 74 yes, 0 no.
• Second substitute House Bill 312 (candidate residency and challenges): The bill clarifies evidence for candidates who left the state six months or longer, extends the challenge window and adds a perjury penalty to declarations of candidacy; the House passed the second substitute 72 yes, 0 no.
• Second substitute House Bill 255 (protective orders amendments): Sponsor Representative Snow described technical changes to unify and improve protective-order procedures; the House passed HB 255, 73 yes, 0 no.
• House Bill 259 (Lehi lead exposure education and testing amendments): Representative Barlow said the bill would expand routine lead screening at 12 and 24 months and support hot-spot identification; the House passed HB 259, 71 yes, 1 no.
• Second substitute House Bill 72 (device filter amendments): Representative Pulsipher presented a measure to have default parental-content filters enabled on devices manufactured for Utah when market conditions are met; the bill passed 41 yes, 30 no after debate about technology feasibility and speech concerns.
• House Bill 38 (school technology amendments): Representative Seigmiller described contract- and compliance-based requirements for vendors of digital school resources to block unlawful pornographic material; the House passed HB 38, 70 yes, 0 no.
• Other floor business included committee reports, introduction of new bills and routine motions; the House adjourned to Feb. 18 at 10:00 a.m.
Each of the bills above will be transmitted to the Utah Senate; the record on the House floor provides the motions, sponsor presentations, debate and vote tallies listed here.
