Senate adopts PSC appointment clarification, a tax-residency presumption and county jail reimbursement changes

The Utah Senate on the floor adopted several measures in quick succession, approving an amendment to clarify Public Service Commission appointment timing, passing a tax-residency measure, and considering changes to county correctional facility reimbursements.

Senator Harper moved an amendment to Senate Bill 99, saying the governor's office requested a last-minute procedural clarification; Senate members adopted the amendment and then passed SB99 as amended. Sponsors said the measure clarifies midterm or vacancy appointments to the Public Service Commission so the Senate will always have the opportunity for "advice and consent," even for midterm appointments.

On tax policy, Senator Bramble presented Senate Bill 33, which he said "clarifies that if a person votes in Utah, it's a non rebuttable presumption of residency or domicile for purposes of income tax." Supporters described the bill as a tool to address attempts to evade Utah income tax; the Senate voted to pass SB33 and transmitted it to the House.

The chamber also considered Senate Bill 48, which would change county reimbursement for state probationary and parole inmates to pay counties based on the actual number of days such inmates spend in county facilities rather than a five-year average. Sponsors described details including reimbursement at 50% of the state's daily rate for certain credit-for-time-served days. The question was called and senators voted in favor on the floor; the transcript does not record a final tally for SB48 in the excerpt.

Procedural business included lifting SCR 3 (a concurrent resolution supporting Major League Baseball in Utah) to a time-certain calendar and scheduling other time-certain recognition resolutions. The Senate recessed for lunch and planned to return at 1:30 p.m. for advice-and-consent business.

Votes at a glance: SB99 (PSC appointments) — passed as amended (recorded 27 "yay" votes); SB33 (individual income tax residency presumption) — passed (recorded 28 "yay" votes); SB48 (county correctional facility reimbursement) — floor motion passed, final tally not specified in transcript excerpt.