MINUTES OF THE
SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, March 1, 2021 • 8:10 a.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher, Chair
Sen. David G. Buxton
Sen. David P. Hinkins
Sen. Jani Iwamoto
Sen. John D. Johnson
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Sen. Evan J. Vickers

Members Absent:
President J. Stuart Adams

Staff Present:
Samantha D. Brucker, Policy Analyst
Lorna Wells, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Thatcher called the meeting to order at 8:10 a.m.
1. S.B. 243 Political Subdivisions Amendments (Stevenson, J.)
Sen. Jerry Stevenson explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to replace S.B. 243 with 1st Substitute S.B. 243. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays-0Abs-2
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Victoria Ashby, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke to the bill.
Stanley Holmes spoke to the bill.
Andrew Johnson, Salt Lake City Council, spoke to the bill.
Jonny Vasic spoke against the bill.
Brandy Grace, Utah Association of Counties, spoke in favor of the bill.
Deeda Seed, "Stop the Polluting Port Coalition", spoke against the bill.
Katie Pappas spoke against the bill.
Tracy Taylor, Wasatch Tax Payers Association, spoke against the bill.
Chris Campbell, private citizen, spoke to the bill.
David Scheer, Chair, Capitol Hill Neighborhood Council, spoke against the bill.
Jack Hedge, Executive Director, Inland Port Authority, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Buxton moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 243 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 6-1-1.
Yeas - 6Nays-1Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
2. S.B. 240 County Recreational Area Amendments (Bramble, C.)
Sen. Curtis Bramble explained the bill.
Letter in Support of SB 240
Carl Fisher, Save Our Canyons, spoke against the bill.
Danial E. Knopp, Mayor of Brighton spoke in favor of the bill.
Dee Taylor, Salt Lake County Council, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Riebe moved to pass S.B. 240 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
3. 2nd Sub. H.B. 326 Performance Reporting and Efficiency Requirements (Ballard, M.G.)
Rep. Melissa Ballard explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Riebe moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 326 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
4. 2nd Sub. H.B. 368 State Planning Agencies Amendments (Spendlove, R.)
Rep. Spendlove explained the bill with the assistance of Sophia DiCaro, Executive Director, Governor's Office of Management and Budget.
Andrew Gruber, Executive Director, Wasatch Front Regional Council, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 368 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
5. 3rd Sub. H.B. 115 Municipal Boundary Modifications (Waldrip, S.)
Rep. Steve Waldrip explained the bill.
Jake Garfield, Utah Association of Counties, spoke in favor of the bill.
HB 115 Handout from Rep. Waldrip
MOTION: Sen. Riebe moved to pass 3rd Substitute H.B. 115 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
6. H.J.R. 12 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - Special Session Appropriations (Last, B.)
Rep. Bradley last explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Riebe moved to pass H.J.R. 12 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
7. 1st Sub. H.B. 75 Municipal Alternative Voting Methods Pilot Project Amendments (Stenquist, J.)
Rep. Jeffrey Stenquist explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to replace 1st Substitute H.B. 75 with 3rd Substitute H.B. 75. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
Nancy McHugh, Salt Lake Indivisible, spoke to the bill.
Ricky Hatch, Weber County Clerk Auditor, spoke to the bill.
Dirk Burton, West Jordan Mayor, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor of Millcreek, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to pass 3rd Substitute H.B. 75 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
8. 1st Sub. H.B. 136 Initiative and Referenda Modifications (Teuscher, J.)
Rep. Jordan Teuscher explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to replace 1st Substitute H.B. 136 with 2nd Substitute H.B. 136. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
HB 136 Handout from Rep. Teuscher
Kris Campbell, citizen, spoke to the bill.
Olivia Dawn, Utah Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Kim Santiago spoke against the bill.
Jonathan Bejarano spoke in favor of the bill.
Tracy Taylor, Wasatch Tax Payer's Association, spoke against the bill.
Justin Lee, Director of Elections, Lieutenant Governor's Office spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 136 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 5-2-1.
Yeas - 5Nays-2Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
MOTION: Sen. Vickers moved to approve the minutes of the February 26, 2021 meeting.. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
MOTION: Sen. Hinkins moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays-0Abs-1
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Iwamoto
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Adams
Chair Thatcher adjourned the meeting at 9:48 a.m.