Votes at a glance: key bills the Utah Senate passed (and returned) during late session action

In a late-night floor session the Utah Senate considered and returned numerous bills to the House for enrollment or signature. Below are selected items that received final action on the floor, with outcomes and short descriptions based on floor explanations.

- House Bill 520 (second substitute, follow-land/greenbelt): Passed 24–0 with five absent. Sponsor Senator McKay said amendment 1 converted a mandate into permissive language to allow flexibility for farmers managing land during drought.

- House Bill 478 (first substitute, animal shelter definition): Passed 18–5 with six absent. Sponsors said amendment 2 clarified the definition of "animal shelter" and excluded private impoundments associated with residences.

- House Bill 497 (school plant capital outlay reporting): Passed 24–1 with four absent. Sponsor Senator Hinkins said the bill removes certain annual reporting requirements.

- House Bill 71 (behavioral health crisis response modifications, second substitute): Passed 24–0 with five absent. Senator Vickers said the second substitute removed fiscal components to begin a stakeholder negotiation process addressing non-emergency secured behavioral health transports.

- House Bill 159 (Bears Ears visitor center advisory committee): Passed 24–0 with five absent. Sponsor described a sunset and technical changes; the project will rely primarily on federal and charitable funds according to the sponsor.

- Senate Bill 233 (third substitute, medical cannabis amendments): Passed 24–1 with four absent. The house amendment adds language treating medical cannabis use equivalently to certain other prescription medications for employment-related issues.

- Senate Bill 245 (third substitute, county sales and use tax amendments): Passed 28–0 with one absent. Sponsor said the House’s changes increased a timeframe in the statute (two to five years) with no policy change.

- House Bill 3 (appropriations adjustments): Passed 28–0 with one absent. Full floor summary and funding totals given by Senator Stevenson; the package includes multiple line-item investments in infrastructure, education and housing.

- Multiple other measures across criminal justice, health, transportation and local government were also passed by recorded roll call and will be returned to the House for the Speaker’s signature or further consideration. The Senate appointed conference committees where the House refused to concur on amendments.

The chamber concluded several final votes and conference committee adoptions late into the evening, then adjourned sine die for the session.