Utah Senate advances broad slate of bills on third reading, including county jail reimbursement and juvenile justice changes

The Utah State Senate on day 7 of the 2024 legislative session advanced a large group of bills on third reading, voting to pass measures ranging from county jail reimbursement to revisions in juvenile sentencing and evidence-retention rules.

Senators passed Senate Bill 48, a county correctional facility reimbursement bill presented by Senator Owens. The measure sets county reimbursement at 50% of the state daily rate for each eligible day a state probation or parole inmate spends in a county correctional facility and changes payment to be based on actual days rather than an arbitrary number. The Senate recorded 26 yeas, 0 nays and 3 absentees; the bill will be sent to the House for consideration.

Senate Bill 76, introduced by Senator Harper, was approved to update evidence-retention rules for felony cases. Sponsors said the bill clarifies how long different types of evidence — including biological samples and large physical items — must be retained, the formats for retention, and processes for disposition or return. The Senate passed SB 76 by voice and recorded vote as announced (29 yeas, 0 nays, 0 absent).

Lawmakers also approved a first substitute to Senate Bill 88, described by Senator Pitcher as a clarification of juvenile sentencing and DNA collection provisions. The substitute narrows the interpretation of a juvenile sentencing provision to make clear juveniles should be detained in juvenile detention facilities rather than mixed into adult jail populations and includes clarifications related to DNA collection for juvenile offenses. The substitute passed on a roll call (27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent).

The Senate moved and advanced several other items on the third-reading calendar, including measures to:
- Align the statute of limitations for dog-related injuries with other torts (SB 62), read a third time (26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent);
- Update evidence and criminal-procedure provisions (SB 76, passed);
- Increase or adjust judicial positions and related appropriations in the judiciary bill (SB 70), which sponsors said carries a significant fiscal note and was read a third time (28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent);
- Revert a recent statutory change on water temporary change applications to prior law (SB 39, 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent);
- Expand a mineral exploration tax credit to encourage critical-minerals development (SB 75, advanced for further process);
- Allow up to 5% of deposits in the Water Rights Restricted Account to be used for measurement devices (SB 77, passed as announced);
- Raise road-construction bid thresholds and tie them to construction-cost indices for B and C roads (SB 51, passed 26 yeas, 1 nay, 2 absent);
- Amend public-thoroughfare rules (first substitute SB 67 with amendment to extend lookback from 30 to 50 years and clarify RS 2477/service-road treatment, passed 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent);
- Align vehicle-weight rules at a joint port of entry with Arizona (SB 74, passed 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent).

Sponsor statements and committee reports indicated many of the bills came from multi-stakeholder work groups or reflected technical fixes. For example, SB 48 was described as the final piece of a multi-year CCJJ effort; SB 76 grew from work with law enforcement, defense, prosecutors and the attorney general’s office; and SB 75 builds on a 2022 mineral exploration tax-credit statute.

The Senate also used the circle calendar to defer additional review of some items (including SB 70 earlier in the day and SB 79 pending consultation with the estate section of the bar).

Recognitions and procedural notes: Senate members recognized visiting students (Union High National Honor Society and Bonneville Elementary) and honored Surya Kapu of South Jordan for finishing third in the Scripps National Spelling Bee; the chamber also welcomed a diplomatic delegation from Uzbekistan. The body adjourned until 11 a.m. the next day.

Votes at a glance (as announced on the floor): SB 48 — 26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent (to House); SB 62 — 26 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent (third reading); SB 66 — 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent (advanced); SB 76 — 29 yeas, 0 nays, 0 absent (passed); SB 88 (first substitute) — 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent (read third); SB 70 — 28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent (read third); SB 39 — 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent (passed); SB 77 — aye votes announced, 0 nay, 2 absent (passed); SB 51 — 26 yeas, 1 nay, 2 absent (passed); SB 67 (first substitute as amended) — 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent (passed); SB 74 — 27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent (passed). Where the floor record gave a numerical tally, it is reported above; where the record used colloquial phrasing (“aye votes”), those outcomes are reported as announced.

What happens next: Bills that passed the Senate will proceed to the House or to the next steps in the legislative process as applicable; circled bills will be returned to the calendar for further committee or floor action. The Senate reconvenes at 11 a.m. the following day.

Sources: Floor proceedings of the Utah State Senate, day 7 (transcript entries provided to the reporter).