Utah Senate advances wide package of bills; votes send measures to House

Salt Lake City — The Utah Senate on day 21 of the 2022 session approved a series of bills and resolutions and sent them to the House for consideration, adopting measures that span criminal code recodification, election schedule adjustments, health-care licensure and procedural rule changes.

The body opened with a ceremonial prayer and the pledge of allegiance, completed roll call and then moved through reports and first readings. Committee reports were approved by voice vote and a number of bills were placed on the second- and third-reading calendars for further action.

Among the items that passed on roll call were: Senate Bill 123 (Criminal Code Recodification), passed as amended; Senate Bill 124 (cross references to the recodification); First substitute Senate Bill 95 (limitations on employer liability); Senate Bill 28 (creating an Office of American Indian/Alaska Native Health and Family Services); Third substitute Senate Bill 81 (affordable housing tax amendments); Senate Bill 121 (licensing for anesthesiologist assistants); Senate Bill 132 (child-welfare cleanup and clarifications); Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 (state pickup of certain retirement contributions); Senate Bill 76 (targeted business income tax credit amendments); and First substitute Senate Bill 14 (consumer alcoholic beverage purchasing). Several other bills were circled for later consideration.

Votes at a glance (outcome, yea / nay / absent as announced on the floor):
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 (fiscal sustainability): passed 24 / 0 / 5 (absent).
• First substitute Senate Bill 95 (limitations on employer liability): passed 25 / 0 / 4 (absent).
• Senate Bill 123 (criminal code recodification, as amended): passed 27 / 0 / 2 (absent).
• Senate Bill 124 (cross references for recodification): passed 27 / 0 / 2 (absent).
• Second substitute Senate Bill 28 (Office of American Indian/Alaska Native Health and Family Services): passed 24 / 3 / 2 (absent).
• First substitute Senate joint resolution 5 (electronic meeting modifications): passed 26 / 1 / 2 (absent).
• Third substitute Senate Bill 81 (affordable housing tax amendments): passed 27 / 0 / 2 (absent).
• Senate Bill 121 (anesthesiologist assistant licensing): passed 19 / 5 / 5 (absent).
• Senate Bill 132 (child welfare amendments): passed 27 / 0 / 2 (absent).
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 (state pickup of retirement contributions): passed 27 / 0 / 2 (absent).
• Senate Bill 76 (targeted business income tax credit amendments): passed 27 / 0 / 2 (absent).
• First substitute Senate Bill 14 (consumer alcoholic beverage purchasing): passed 28 / 0 / 1 (absent).

Several bills were circled (held) for further drafting or to be taken up later, including the election schedule amendment (first substitute Senate Bill 170) which the president placed at the top of the second-reading calendar for timely consideration.

What’s next: The Senate recessed until 2 p.m.; several measures sit on the second- and third-reading calendars and will return for final consideration and possible amendments. Bills that passed on final reading will be transmitted to the House for its consideration.