Senate advances a slate of bills on local referenda, consumer finance, e-cigarettes and education on Day 21

SALT LAKE CITY — On the 21st day of the 2024 Utah legislative session, the Utah Senate moved a broad set of bills forward, approving substitute and final measures on local referenda, consumer protections, e-cigarette regulation, higher-education access and scholarship consolidation.

President Adams and the chamber processed committee reports and House communications early in the day before taking final action on multiple bills. Several measures were handled under substitution on the third- and second-reading calendars and then adopted by roll-call votes.

Votes at a glance

- Second substitute Senate Bill 100 (Local referendum amendments). Sponsor: Senator Baldry. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 29–0–0. Senate action: motion to substitute and motion to pass (SEG 521–604).

- Second substitute Senate Bill 25 (Financial institution and consumer modification amendments). Sponsor: Senator Bramble. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 29–0–0. The second substitute returned the bill to the interim committee version after questions about fiscal concerns (SEG 624–717).

- Senate Bill 133 (Electronic cigarette and other nicotine product amendments). Sponsor: Senator Bramble. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 29–0–0. The bill requires the tax commission to report suspected illegal e-cigarette sales to local health departments, directs health departments to investigate and directs the tax commission to publish licensing lists (SEG 725–839).

- Senate Bill 78 (Higher education for incarcerated youth). Sponsor: Senator Reby. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 29–0–0. The bill extends higher-education opportunities to youth in certain detention and home-detention settings (SEG 940–989).

- Senate Bill 31 (Insurance amendments — annual cleanup). Sponsor: Senator Bramble. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 27–0–2 (two senators absent). Members described the bill as a routine statutory cleanup covering many minor revisions (SEG 1067–1137).

- Senate Joint Resolution 3 (Success sequence). Sponsor: Senator Fillmore. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 21–4–4. The resolution urges teaching a three-step "success sequence" in education settings (finish high school, obtain employment, marry before having children); the measure drew some dissent about scope and messaging (SEG 1054–1233).

- First substitute Senate Bill 44 (Alternative education scholarship combination). Sponsor: Senator Fillmore. Outcome: Passed; recorded vote 20–8–1. The bill consolidates two existing scholarship programs for special-needs students; sponsor and opponents disagreed over whether the bill changes policy or only consolidates administrative structures (SEG 1248–1487).

What it means

The votes move a set of bills to the Utah House for consideration. Several items were substitute versions that altered language or fiscal assumptions before passage. The most contested floor debate of the day centered on combining two scholarship programs (SB44) and the SJR3 resolution; both drew extended floor discussion about accountability and policy implications.

Notable floor moments

Senator Bramble described SB133 as an effort "to go after" bad actors selling illegal vaping products and to ensure licensed distribution and local health investigation of suspected illegal sales (SEG 729–737). On SB44, sponsor Senator Fillmore repeatedly said the consolidation "does not make any policy changes" and described the bill as a government-efficiency measure to ensure funding gets to students (SEG 1255–1263; SEG 1450–1456). Opponents pressed for guardrails and accountability for students with Individualized Education Programs, noting loss of IDEA-era protections when students leave public schools (SEG 1314–1322; SEG 1336–1340).

What’s next

Bills passed by the Senate will be transmitted to the House for its consideration. The Senate recessed and planned to reconvene at 2 p.m. the same day (SEG 1488–1515).