Votes at a glance: Utah Senate clears fireworks, device‑filter, water and other measures Feb. 7

SALT LAKE CITY — During its Feb. 7 floor session the Utah State Senate approved a package of bills on consent and on third reading and transmitted them as required. Major outcomes on the floor included:

House Bill 333 — Fireworks modifications (sponsor: Senator Bramble): The bill permits fire districts to issue permits to discharge fireworks, makes technical updates to state fireworks law and modifies classification of explosives. Sponsor Bramble told senators the bill "didn't have strong opposition and contention" in committee. The clerk recorded 25 yea, 0 nay, 4 absent; the bill passed and will be returned to the House.

Second substitute Senate Bill 104 — Children’s Device Protection Act (sponsor: Senator Weiler): The measure would require manufacturers to include and activate a filter on smartphones and tablets used by minors to restrict access to obscene material; activation may be password‑protected and penalties would apply to noncompliant manufacturers. Senator Weiler cited research, saying "93 percent of boys and 65 percent of girls are exposed to explicit content before the age of 18" while urging the chamber to advance the bill. The Senate passed the measure by roll call (clerk recorded 25 yea, 3 nay, 1 absent) and it will be sent to the House.

House Bill 67 — First Responder Mental Health Services Grant (sponsor: House floor sponsors/committee): First substitute HB 67 clarifies and amends the First Responder Mental Health Services Grant Program. The floor recorded 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent; the bill passed and will be returned to the House.

House Bill 61 — Water Measuring and Accounting Amendments (sponsor: Senator McHale): Aimed at enabling telemetry and real‑time data tracking for water systems to improve efficiency, the bill passed by vote (clerk recorded 26 yea, 0 nay, 3 absent) and will be returned to the House.

Second substitute Senate Bill 139 — Competency Amendments (sponsor: Senator Pitcher): The bill allows county jails greater tools to maintain inmate competency locally and passed (clerk recorded 27 yea, 0 nay, 2 absent).

Senate Bill 92 — Student Communication Methods (sponsor: Senator Pitcher): Requires student outreach plans to include a communication method that does not require student ownership of a cell phone. Passed by roll call (28 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent).

Second substitute Senate Bill 144 — Public art funding amendments (sponsor: Senator Milner): The bill redistributes a portion of public art funding over a limited 10‑year period to support public art projects tied to the 2034 Olympics; sponsor said 20% would be allocated for this purpose and that the provision would expire in 10 years. The bill passed on the floor and will be sent to the House (vote narration in the transcript contained garbled text; clerk announced passage).

House Bill 34 — Tax refund claim amendments (sponsor: Senator Pitter): HB 34 corrects an inconsistency in the appeals process for tax refund claims involving taxes versus penalty/interest. The bill was moved from the floor and passed.

Procedural notes: Several bills were "circled" (postponed) or uncircled for floor consideration throughout the session. The Senate recognized visiting groups (Snow College, Boys & Girls Club youth award recipients), read a citation honoring Redmond Minerals, and adjourned to meet again at 10 a.m. the next day.

The measures above are based on floor presentations and the roll‑call announcements read into the Feb. 7 Senate record; some ballot lines in the transcript include brief garbling and where vote tallies were unclear the clerk's summary was used or the tally was listed as "not specified."