Utah Senate advances multiple bills including property-tax deferral, paid leave and firearm preemption

The Utah State Senate on Thursday advanced a slate of bills on third reading and adopted accompanying amendments, moving measures on property-tax deferral, paid family leave, licensing reforms and firearm preemption toward final enactment.

Senators voted on or circled a large number of bills during the afternoon session. Major floor actions included:

- Second Substitute Senate Bill 25 (property tax deferral): Sponsor Senator Fillmore said the bill establishes a tax-deferral (not abatement) program enabling low-income seniors with most wealth tied up in their homes to defer property tax with interest payable by the estate upon transfer. The sponsor also described a one-time $10,000,000 restricted state fund to assist counties during initial revenue impacts. The floor roll call recorded 1 nay and 4 absences; the transcript does not state an explicit yea count.

- First Substitute Senate Bill 100 (paid leave modifications): Senator Weiler said the bill expands the paid-leave benefit the Legislature approved last year to include adoptive and non-birthing parents and provides a pro rata benefit for part-time employees. Senators adopted Amendment 1 to extend eligibility to legal guardians of minor children or incapacitated adults. The roll call showed 24 yeas, 0 nays and 5 absences.

- First Substitute Senate Bill 115 (firearm preemption amendments): Senator Wilson described language to reinforce state preemption over local firearm regulations, to prevent local governments from using venue or vendor contracts to regulate firearms, to waive municipal immunity for illegal local firearm rules and to provide a private right of action for citizens. The floor produced extended debate on whether the bill would limit local land-use controls or affect suicide prevention efforts. The transcript records the final roll call as 22 yeas, 5 nays and 2 absent.

- Other bills passing third reading or moved toward committee included SB 103 (Special Education licensing amendments, 25–0–4), SB 75 (caps municipal revenue from traffic citations at 25%; vote recorded as 24 yeas, 4 nays, 1 absent), SCR 7 (encouraging municipalities to treat above‑trend revenues as one-time; 28–0–1), SB 83 (cosmetic manufacturing certificate program, 26–0–3), SB 43 and SB 16 (licensing/occupational bill actions), SB 90 (tax administration technical changes) and SB 111 (community impact board amendments).

Quotes from the floor highlighted sponsors’ intent: “Rather than abating tax … this allows the property tax to be deferred with interest,” Senator Fillmore said about SB 25. On paid leave, Senator Weiler said the update is intended to “keep our best employees” by modernizing state benefits. On SB 115, Senator Wilson said the measure is intended to “close loopholes” used by local governments to regulate firearms.

Next steps: Bills read for a third time were advanced under Senate procedure toward enrollment and transmission as applicable. Several items were marked for substitute language or further committee action on third reading. The Senate adjourned until 11 a.m. the next day.

Votes at a glance (selected items):
- SB 103 (Special Education Licensing Amendments): 25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent — read a third time.
- SB 25 (Property Tax Deferral Amendments): 1 nay, 4 absent — read a third time; yea count not specified in the transcript.
- SB 75 (Fine amendments — cap traffic citation revenue at 25%): recorded as 24 yea, 4 nay, 1 absent (as announced on the floor).
- SB 100 (Paid leave modifications, as amended): 24 yea, 0 nay, 5 absent — read a third time.
- SB 115 (Firearm Preemption Amendments): 22 yea, 5 nay, 2 absent — read a third time.
- SB 83 (Cosmetic Manufacturing Certificate): 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent — read a third time.

(Where the transcript did not provide an explicit yea tally, the article notes that omission.)

The Senate concluded its afternoon session and adjourned until the next day at 11 a.m.