2026 General Legislative Session Day 31 (2/20/2026) Part 1 [Source] Translate

The meeting commenced with an opening prayer by Superintendent Jason Young and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Senator Winterton. A roll call confirmed the presence of 18 senators, establishing a quorum. The President announced communications from the House, including the signing of First Substitute Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 regarding oil, gas, and mining, and several bills passed by the House for consideration, including amendments related to school cybersecurity and criminal use of cryptocurrency. Standing Committee reports were presented, recommending several bills, including Senate Bill 298 on programmable money amendments and Senate Bill 267 on software in education, both of which were adopted unanimously. Additional committee reports included favorable recommendations for House Bill 130 on employment medical examination expenses and House Bill 142 on school fee waivers, which were also adopted. Senate Bill 313, concerning recidivism amendments, was introduced and sent to the Rules Committee. Senator Sandel mentioned the distribution of wool socks from the Utah Wool Growers Association. Sydney Price, a senior at the University of Utah, was introduced as an observer of the session. The meeting then moved to the concurrence calendar, where Second Substitute Senate Bill 191 on tow yard amendments was passed. The consent calendar included First Substitute House Concurrent Resolution 6 regarding the Utah Housing Strategic Plan, which passed with 22 votes in favor. A motion to lift First Substitute House Bill 139 from the table also passed. Senate Joint Resolution 13, honoring Irish and Irish American contributions to the founding of the United States, was presented by Senator Harper and passed with 26 votes in favor. Senator Ibsen took a personal privilege to honor Utah's fallen first responders, recognizing their sacrifices and the impact on their families. An official citation was read, and a moment of silence was observed in their memory. The meeting then transitioned to legislative business. House Bill 192, which eliminates a 20-year-old fee cap on vehicle safety inspections, passed with 24 votes in favor. House Bill 143, requiring school districts to notify parents 30 days in advance of boundary changes affecting special education students, passed with 23 votes in favor. Senator McKell introduced House Bill 38, part of a recodification effort for county government laws, which passed with 19 votes in favor. Senator Baldry recognized students from UVU for their initiative in creating Utah's Civic Engagement and Service Day. House Bill 299, addressing school responses to sexual offenses, passed with 24 votes in favor. House Bill 214, protecting firearm manufacturers from liability for misuse of their products, passed with 19 votes in favor. House Bill 291, aimed at protecting land and infrastructure from foreign adversaries, passed with 23 votes in favor. House Bill 314, which removes duplicate language from a report required by a state agency, passed with 18 votes in favor. Senator Winterton discussed House Bill 330, which creates an affirmative defense for businesses acting under government regulations. Concerns were raised by Senator Weiler regarding a bill affecting power plants and its implications for nursing homes and youth treatment centers. Senator Cullimore echoed these concerns, and the committee agreed to circle the bill for further refinement. Subsequent bills discussed included House Bill 215, allowing homeowners in wildland urban interface areas to remove vegetation for defensible space, which passed with 24 votes in favor. House Bill 148, creating a mechanism for citizens to donate to a school lunch debt fund via tax returns, passed unanimously. House Bill 172, simplifying food safety regulations for restaurants catering charitable events, passed with 25 votes in favor. House Bill 220, improving public safety data reporting, passed with 25 votes in favor. Senator Blumen questioned the relationship between a bill allowing landlords to designate housing based on biological sex and existing protections for gender identity. The bill passed with 19 votes in favor and 7 against. Senator Baldry presented First Substitute House Bill 139, removing the statute of limitations for cases of female genital mutilation, which passed unanimously. Senator Stevenson provided an update on Utah's economic growth, projecting significant new state tax revenue and discussing budget allocations, including proposed tax relief for citizens. He emphasized the importance of balancing the budget by the end of the session. The meeting concluded with a motion to recess until 1:30 p.m., with a reminder of upcoming events and the likelihood of the Senate staying until around 5 or 5:30 p.m. to run Senate bills. The motion passed, and the Senate recessed.