Utah House advances multiple committee bills to second reading, circles SB 92 and takes short recess

The Utah House convened Feb. 15, 2023, received communications from the Senate and adopted several standing committee reports that advanced multiple bills to second reading or placed them on the appropriate calendars.

Clerk read Senate communications dated Feb. 15 reporting actions including the substitution and passage of second substitute House Bill 258 (motor vehicle light amendments) and that the Senate had passed substitute House Bill 157 (county office consolidation amendments). The presiding officer placed some items on the concurrence calendar and referred other transmitted Senate bills to the House Rules Committee for consideration.

The House adopted a Feb. 14 Business and Labor Committee report recommending that House Bill 401 be replaced and favorably recommending first substitute HB401 (Homeowners Association requirements) with amendments by Representative Acton; the substitute was read for the second time and placed at the bottom of the House third‑reading calendar. The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee report, presented by Representative Ryan Wilcox, was adopted and advanced substitute HB254 (penalty for false statement during drug arrest), substitute HB374 (county sheriff amendments) and HB404 (juvenile interrogation modifications); SCR 3 was placed on the consent calendar. The Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee report, presented by Representative Walt Brooks, advanced HB92 (state mushroom designation), HB137 (state crustacean designation), second substitute HB384 (outdoor recreation infrastructure amendments) and reported favorably on second substitute SB75 (sand and gravel sales tax amendments). The Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Committee report (vice chair Colin Jack) advanced HB425 (energy security amendments) and recommended replacing HB426 with a third substitute (statewide energy policy amendments); those items were read for the second time and placed on the House third‑reading calendar.

On the Senate third‑reading calendar, the clerk read Senate Bill 92 (special license plate designation) by Senator Plumb and noted a prior transportation committee vote of 10‑0‑2. Representative Cutler asked to have the bill circled; the House approved a motion to circle SB92 for later consideration.

Shortly afterward the presiding officer announced a technical issue with the floor system. Members agreed to a brief recess; a motion to recess for about five minutes was approved and the House stepped away from the floor.

No roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript for the voice votes adopting committee reports and approving motions; the record shows those actions passed by voice vote. The House proceeded by calendar placement and circling rather than by final passage for the bills listed.