Votes at a glance: key bills the Utah Senate advanced March 5, 2026

The Utah Senate advanced a range of bills on March 5, approving conference reports and passing multiple substitute measures before adjourning. Major floor actions included:

- First substitute House Bill 4 10 (water leasing amendments): Conference committee report adopted; passed the Senate 25–0 with 4 absent and will return to the House for further consideration.

- Sixth substitute House Bill 3 12 (school curriculum and standards modifications): Conference committee substitute adopted; passed the Senate 19–5–5 and will be returned to the House.

- First substitute House Bill 3 52 (higher education alignment): Passed 29–0; bill asks the Board of Higher Education to formalize regional alignment and encourages shared programs and services.

- Second substitute House Bill 4 98 (Utah App Store Accountability Act amendments): Passed 29–0 after clarification of family‑account definitions and age verification requirements.

- Sixth/Seventh substitutes and corrections: The Senate moved several substitutes and corrective substitutions across bills (including nicotine product tax amendments and budgetary modifications) and returned corrected versions to the House.

- Fifth substitute House Bill 4 38 (AI companion chatbots): Following extended debate over definitions and scope, the Senate rejected the substitute (12 yea, 15 nay, 2 absent). Sponsors said the bill sought to protect minors and create transparency rules for companion chatbots; opponents warned the definition could sweep in tools used for education and mental‑health access.

Procedural notes: the floor included numerous ‘‘encircle’’ and ‘‘uncircle’’ motions (temporary holds or scheduling changes), multiple conference committee appointments, and a handful of motions to recall bills from committees for reconsideration. The Senate adjourned until Friday, March 6 at 9 a.m.

A table of select roll-call outcomes (Senate counts as stated on the floor):
- HB 4 10 (first sub): passed 25–0, 4 absent
- HB 3 12 (sixth sub): passed 19–5, 5 absent
- HB 3 52 (first sub): passed 29–0
- HB 4 98 (second sub): passed 29–0
- HB 2 59 (sixth sub): passed 22–6, 1 absent (see separate article)
- HB 4 38 (fifth sub, AI companion chatbots): failed 12–15, 2 absent
- HB 3 37 (nicotine product tax, substituted/corrected): passed 27–0
- HB 5 45 (budgetary modifications, force substitute): passed 29–0

What to watch: House responses to Senate substitutes and the conference committees scheduled to reconcile outstanding differences.