On Wednesday morning, the Utah Senate elected Stuart Adams to another term as President for the next two years.

Or did they?

After the newly elected and returning members of the Utah Senate were sworn in, Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, moved to nominate Adams as president by acclamation. Minority Whip Karen Kwan, D-Salt Lake City, seconded the motion. Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, who was in charge of the chamber, declared that the motion passed.

Here's the problem. Sen. Daniel Thatcher, R-West Valley City, clearly said "no" when Stevenson put the motion up for a vote. Stevenson brushed off Thatcher's objection and declared that Adams had been elected "by acclamation."

Under parliamentary rules, if there's a single "no" vote during an acclamation vote, the motion fails. Technically, nobody was elected, and the Utah Senate does not have a leader.

A Senate spokesperson did not respond when asked if they intended to re-vote on Adams's nomination.

If Stevenson's ruling stands, it means Thatcher will be inaccurately recorded as having voted "yes" when he clearly didn't.

Committee Meetings

On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate Business and Labor Committee will take up a bill to make major changes to the process for putting a citizen initiative on the ballot. SB73, sponsored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, requires that the backers of any ballot initiative to explain how they intend to pay for it - either by raising taxes or by detailing which programs would be cut to fund the new law.

The House Government Operations Committee will consider a bill to end the twice a year clock switching ritual for daylight savings time. HB120 from Rep. Joseph Elison, R-Toquerville, would switch Utah to standard time year round, meaning clocks would not "fall back" in November. Utah would switch to daylight time if that move is authorized by Congress.

HB72 is before the House Public Utilities, Energy and Technology committee tomorrow afternoon. The bill from Rep. Carl Albrecht, R-Richfield, requires the Public Service Commission to prioritize Utah ratepayers when allocating costs and prohibits utilities from making Utahns pay for facilities and programs that primarily benefit other states.

Tomorrow morning, the appropriations subcommittees begin digging into the budget and hearing presentations from various state agencies.

The Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee already has some noteworthy spending requests to consider:

  • $5.2 million to provide free school meals for K-12 students who currently get reduced-price meals.
  • $3.6 million to fund a grant for local education agencies to purchase locking pouches or other methods for managing students' use of smartphones.
  • $3.25 million to fund a provision in HB84, which lawmakers passed last year, requiring armed guards in every public school. The money would fund a program providing information on volunteer school security to law enforcement. It would also fund $500 stipends for those volunteer guards.

Other funding requests:

Newly public bills that caught my attention

  • HB291, sponsored by Rep. Nelson Abbott, R-Orem, creates a process for recalling an elected Mayor. If organizers of a recall petition can collect signatures from registered voters equal to 50% of the voters in the last mayoral race, the recall question will be placed on the next ballot.
    Currently, Utah does not have any laws allowing the recall of elected officials.
  • HB292 from Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, makes it a misdemeanor if someone "removes, alters, defaces, or otherwise vandalizes a political sign."
  • SB145 slightly moves the boundary between SD01 and SD11. The current dividing line cuts through the middle of about a dozen houses in Stansbury Park. This bill from Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, moves the line south, but keeps those homes in SD01.

Headlines

  • Preserving the "Utah Dream": Legislative leaders outline bold plans on nuclear energy and higher ed. [Deseret News]
  • A nuclear-powered future? Utah leaders look to fund energy boom during 2025 legislative session. [Tribune]
  • 8 issues Utah's Democratic lawmakers will focus on this session. [Deseret News]
  • Utah legislative bill targets apps to protect minors online. [KUTV]
  • Utah lawmakers introduce transgender bills, address pronoun use in schools. [ABC 4]
  • Utah lawmakers will again consider dropping the state portion of food tax. [KSL]