Senate Business and Labor committee advances bills on local food, building codes, eviction records and health-care review process

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate Business and Labor Standing Committee met Feb. 3 and advanced a package of bills affecting small producers, housing applicants, builders and health-care regulators.

Senators approved substitute or amended versions of most items on a long agenda; floor consideration remains the next step. The meeting produced a mix of technical fixes and policy debates, including a contentious drafting issue over raw milk and a larger discussion of how to modernize licensing in the face of new clinical technology.

SB 217: Local food and raw milk drafting issue

Senator Mike Cullimore told the committee SB 217 is intended to ‘‘make locally grown and homemade food more readily available to Utah consumers’’ by simplifying farmers‑market signage and clarifying when sales tax applies. Cullimore acknowledged a drafting error that could have inadvertently deregulated raw milk; he said deregulation of raw milk was not the bill’s intent and pledged to work with other sponsors and the Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) to resolve the language before the bill reaches a floor vote.

Amber Brown, deputy commissioner at UDAF, urged caution. ‘‘If raw milk is considered under the Home Consumption and Homemade Food Act, we would not have information about products that are being sold and where they’re being sold,’’ Brown said, warning that traceability for outbreaks would be difficult without agency oversight. Supporters — including small producers, the Utah Farm Bureau and Utahns Against Hunger — said the bill will expand access for rural communities and reduce confusing tax rules for farmers markets.

SB 217 was favorably recommended by the committee on a unanimous voice vote after the sponsor committed to address raw‑milk language and outstanding tax questions.

SB 157: Motorboat distributor/franchise framework

Senator Wilson presented a first substitute to SB 157, which would establish a new statutory scheme for motorboat distribution and dealer relations similar to existing auto‑franchise rules. The sponsor and Todd Solberg, president of the Utah Boat Dealers Association, argued dealers invest heavily in facilities and equipment yet sign short, largely nonnegotiable yearly contracts with manufacturers. Solberg said the bill would create a statutorily defined appeal path and regulatory enforcement by the Department of Commerce.

Frank Pignanelli, speaking for the National Marine Manufacturers Association, said the association appreciates the conversations but has concerns about government intrusion into manufacturer–dealer contracts and asked for specific examples of unfair manufacturer behavior so adjustments can be tailored. The committee adopted the substitute and later gave the bill a favorable recommendation unanimously; sponsors indicated further substitutions were likely as negotiations continue.

HB 65: Building code, energy and air‑tightness provisions

Representative Peterson presented the legislature’s three‑year building‑code update (House Bill 65, fourth substitute). Key changes include a targeted rollback of a statewide ultra‑low NOx water‑heater requirement so that only nonattainment areas keep the ultra‑low standard, immediate adoption of an ACI concrete standard upon gubernatorial signature (to capture cost savings for tilt‑up construction), and a residential energy‑code approach that restores a measurable air‑leakage path (five or six air changes per hour) as an option alongside prescriptive insulation requirements. The substitute also clarifies when existing, serviceable roof insulation can remain in place.

Builders’ groups and energy‑efficiency advocates both testified in support of the compromise language. The committee adopted the substitute and recommended it favorably.

SB 215: Eviction records and expungement timeline

Senator Pitcher presented a change to the eviction‑record statute to allow automatic expungement of dismissed eviction filings after a time period. After stakeholder negotiation with housing advocates and rental providers, the sponsor moved a verbal amendment altering the bill’s timeline from 90 days to one year; advocates (Utah Housing Coalition and Rental Housing Association) said that timeframe balances housing‑provider records needs and renters’ ability to secure housing. The committee passed the amended bill unanimously.

SB 139: Notary journals and ID verification

Senator Musselman sponsored changes to require most notaries to keep a journal entry for each notarization (name, last four of ID, type of notarization and signature) while carving out exceptions for certain institutional or title‑company transactions. The bill also clarifies acceptable identification and preserves a qualified‑witness procedure in settings such as nursing homes. The committee adopted a substitute and recommended it favorably.

SB 150: OPLER review of scope‑of‑practice changes for health care

Senator Vickers presented a first substitute to create a structured, public review pathway at the Office of Professional Licensure and Review (OPLER) for proposed scope‑of‑practice or licensure changes tied to new technology. Under the substitute, any requester could ask OPLER to convene a temporary expert group (in consultation with the applicable professional board) to prepare a preliminary report; that report would go to the Business and Labor Interim Committee, which may take action or recommend draft legislation.

Hospital systems, the Utah Chamber, OPLER, Division of Commerce and innovation groups supported the process as a way to study technology‑driven practice changes transparently and with safety considerations. The Utah Medical Association expressed caution and asked for safeguards to protect patient safety; the sponsor agreed to continue work with stakeholders. The committee adopted a small technical fix and recommended the substitute favorably.

Votes at a glance (committee actions recorded Feb. 3)

- Minutes (Jan. 29) — approved (unanimous). - SB 157 (first substitute) — substitute adopted; substitute favorably recommended (unanimous 6–0). - SB 217 (Local Food Amendments) — favorably recommended as amended (unanimous 7–0); sponsor to refine raw‑milk language. - SB 192 (Legislative management) — amendment and bill as amended favorably recommended (unanimous 7–0). - HB 65 (building codes, fourth substitute) — substitute adopted; favorably recommended (unanimous). - HB 98 (residential‑treatment neighbor notification, first substitute) — substitute adopted; favorably recommended (unanimous 7–0). - SB 215 (Eviction record amendments) — verbal amendment (90 days → 1 year) adopted; favorably recommended (unanimous). - SB 139 (Notary amendments, sub 1) — substitute adopted; favorably recommended (unanimous 8–0). - SB 150 (OPLER scope‑of‑practice process) — substitute adopted with technical wording change; favorably recommended (unanimous).

Why it matters

The committee’s actions move a broad set of technical and policy changes toward the Senate floor. SB 217 could affect how small food producers sell at farmers markets statewide while raising public‑health and tax‑collection questions about raw milk. HB 65’s energy and construction changes affect builders, housing affordability and air‑quality compliance in defined nonattainment areas. SB 150 creates a formal review path for scope‑of‑practice changes tied to new clinical tools, potentially accelerating the state’s ability to respond to software, device and AI innovations — a point that drew support from health systems and caution from physician groups.

What’s next

Most measures were favorably recommended to the full Senate; sponsors said several bills will continue to be refined in consultation with agency staff and stakeholders before floor debate. The Business and Labor Committee adjourned after recommending the package to the floor.