House passes HB 410 and designates March 3 as National Speech and Debate Education Day

The 2023 General Legislative Session in Utah continued on February 21, 2023, with a focus on several key legislative items. The meeting began with a vote on the first substitute of House Bill 14, which successfully passed with a unanimous vote of 69 in favor and none against. This bill will now be sent to the Senate for further consideration.

Following this, the agenda shifted back to the consent calendar. The reading clerk was instructed to uncircle House Joint Resolution 1 (HJR 1), which designates March 3 as National Speech and Debate Education Day. Representative Welton spoke in support of the resolution, emphasizing the importance of understanding one’s audience in speech and debate, and encouraged fellow representatives to support the bill.

Voting on HJR 1 concluded with another unanimous outcome, receiving 69 votes in favor and no opposition. This resolution will also be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.

The meeting then moved to the concurrence calendar, with Representative Koehler set to address the next items on the agenda. Overall, the session demonstrated a productive day with significant legislative progress, as both bills received strong bipartisan support. Further discussions and votes are anticipated as the session continues.