Utah Senate consents to wide slate of gubernatorial appointments

The Utah Senate on June 2021 consented to an extensive list of appointments and reappointments transmitted by Governor Spencer J. Cox, covering trustees for colleges and universities, members of commissions and advisory boards, and a range of regulatory and advisory positions.

The secretary read the governor’s communications and certified that the nominees met the legal requirements for appointment under Utah Code (sections cited in the communication). The appointees include new and reappointed trustees to Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, Weber State University and the University of Utah among many others; appointments to the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission; the Drinking Water Board; the Permanent Community Impact Board; the Quality Growth Commission; and multiple technical college trustee positions.

Committee chairs reported hearings and recommended consent for nominees in their jurisdictions. Senator Bramble moved that the Senate consent to the appointments as read and amended by the secretary. The Senate proceeded to a roll call and the secretary reported that the Senate had consented to the governor’s appointments. The transcript contains a garbled numeric roll-call tally; the action on the floor was recorded as consent to the slate.

Because the list was lengthy and was approved as a package by consent, floor time did not include extensive debate on individual appointees; committee chairs summarized vetting and recommended confirmations.

Speakers quoted in this report appeared on the record representing committee chairs, the secretary and the Senate president.