Legislature day 6: Slated votes and Olympic plans that you should know about

Yahoo

28-01-2025

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — One week after the beginning of the 2025 General Session, several key bills and measures proposed by lawmakers are receiving their first votes. Inching them closer in becoming the first laws passed within the session.
For today's update, here are key hearings, bills, and votes that you should be aware of, and consider as you are going throughout your day.
Since session began, several bills have made it past their committee votes with favorable recommendations. This means that they are up for consideration for a floor vote in their respective chambers. After passing, they must then be voted on and passed in the opposite chamber, then reapproved, and then sent to the Governor to either be signed or vetoed.
As of this writing, no bill has passed both chambers of the legislature.
will often take place at 11 a.m. and go till about 12 p.m.. In this time the chambers consider bills that are on their reading calendars as they are called up. Currently, the House has nearly 50 bills waiting for final votes, The Senate has 20 bills waiting for a second reading, and 10 more that are waiting for a final vote.
In the House, we are watching several bills that might be considered in today's session. In particular we are waiting to see when H.B. 269 will be debated and voted on. This bill requires educational and government facilities to comply with sex designations for student housing, and removes medical treatment documentation from evidence lists supporting a student's access to sex-designated spaces.
The bill currently resides at the top of The House reading calendar however it can be voted on anytime during the session, or not at all.
Also on our radar is H.B. 49, which would effectively ban convicted felons from serving as jurors. It resides second on the reading calendar, however it can also be voted on anytime during the session.
Finally, we are also watching H.B. 69, which would penalize county clerks if they reveal how someone returned their ballot to vote, , which would do away with day-light savings time, and finally , which would change how public utilities can raise rates.
In the Senate, we are watching several bills advance through gears of democracy. In the final reading calendar, we are watching S.B. 55, which would give property owners access to the sheriff's department to remove 'trespasser[s] from real property.' Additionally we are watching S.B. 62, which would form a exploratory committee to research putting a space port in Utah.
Though unlikely to be heard today, we are also watching several bills on the 2nd reading calendar in the Senate. In particular S.B. 54, which changes rules on how candidate names appear on ballots. Along with S.B. 24, which declares child torture as a state felony.
The first hearing that we are watching is the Economic and Community Development Appropriations Subcommittee. This is scheduled for 8 a.m., and will hear a presentation from the Utah Sports Commission Sports and Olympic Event Funding, which is asking for $2 million now, and $1 million in on-going funding for the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics.
The second hearing we are watching is the General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. This committee is set to meet at 8 a.m. as well, and will hear a presentation from the Utah Cyber Center (UCC). They are asking for $5 million in improving cyber security across the state. This comes after several high profile hacks, including the recent hack at the Granite School District, which revealed the information of employees and students alike.
Another hearing we are looking at is the Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee. Scheduled to start at 8 a.m. it will hear two proposals including one to improve Olympic venues totaling a little over $7 million. Additionally, Camp Williams will present a request to construct a new entrance, and roads within the compound to meet certain standards for anti-terrorism. This request is for $12 million.
Onto the legislative committees, the first we are watching is the House Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee. Scheduled for 2 p.m., we are watching the fate of H.B. 230. A bill that would authorize the state treasurer to invest public funds into crypto currencies and other digital assets.
The next will be the House Education Committee. Scheduled to start at 2 p.m., we are watching the fate of H.B. 209, which would remove the requirement for parents teaching homeschooling to get a background check.
Also we are watching the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee; which will be meeting today at 2 p.m. to discuss S.B. 13, which adds to the crime of sexual extortion the act of threatening to distribute a counterfeit image of someone.
Finally, the last committee hearing we will be watching is the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee. Set for 2 p.m. today, the agenda includes S.B. 142, which is meant to regulate how children can obtain apps from an app store, and requires age verification and parental consent.
That is all, for more updates on the ongoing 2025 General Session, make sure to visit Inside Utah Politics! To watch or participate in any the aforementioned hearings or votes, visit the Utah Legislatures website.
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