Senate strikes enacting clause on nurse‑anesthetist prescribing bill, signaling end for session

Sen. Bramble moved on the Senate floor Feb. 14 to strike the enacting clause from Senate Bill 239, a procedural step he and other senators said would ensure the nurse‑anesthetist prescribing amendments could not reappear later in the session. The motion carried on a voice vote.

“Striking the enacting clause is the best way to communicate to the public that the bill is not going to move this session,” Sen. Graham said during debate, saying the measure had prompted discussion and ‘‘turf’’ concerns within the Utah Medical Association. Sen. Bramble described the move as a way to close the door on a bill that, if left intact, could be lifted and debated again.

Senators noted the motion is a procedural mechanism: removing the enacting clause prevents future enactment during the current session but does not itself revise the bill’s policy language. Lawmakers debating the motion framed it as a signal to stakeholders rather than a substantive judgment on the merits. There was no roll‑call tally in the transcript for the voice vote on the enacting‑clause motion; senators adopted the motion and moved on with the calendar.

The Senate continued with its second‑reading calendar after the action. No amendment or alternate text for SB 239 was adopted on the floor during this session, and sponsors did not request further floor debate after the enacting‑clause motion passed.