MINUTES OF THE
SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Thursday, February 23, 2023 • 4:00 p.m. • 450 State Capitol


Members Present:
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton, Vice Chair
Sen. David G. Buxton
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher
Sen. Jen Plumb
Sen. Evan J. Vickers

Members Absent:
Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher, Chair
President J. Stuart Adams
Sen. John D. Johnson

Staff Present:
Nathan W. Brady, 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 Winterton called the meeting to order at 4:16 p.m.
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to approve the minutes of the February 22, 2023 meeting..The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
1.S.B. 272 Funds Amendments (Ipson, D.)
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to replace S.B. 272 with 1st Substitute S.B. 272.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. Don Ipson presented the bill.
Steven Allred, Deputy Fiscal Analyst, Legislative Fiscal Analyst's Office, answered questions from committee members.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 272 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
2.S.B. 273 State Settlement Agreements Requirements (Ipson, D.)
Sen. Ipson presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to pass S.B. 273 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
3.S.B. 266 Government Records Requests Amendments (Riebe, K.)
Sen. Kathleen Riebe presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to pass S.B. 266 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
4.H.C.R. 4 Concurrent Resolution Addressing Service Members in Japan (Clancy, T.)
Rep. Tyler Clancy presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to pass H.C.R. 4 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
5.H.B. 68 Petition Amendments (Rohner, J.)
Rep. Judy Weeks Rohner presented the bill.
Brody Bailey, Elections Coordinator, Lieutenant Governor's Office, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to pass H.B. 68 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
6.1st Sub. H.B. 377 Prison Health Care Services Retirement Amendments (Acton, C.K.)
Rep. Cheryl Acton presented the bill with the assistance of Brett Peterson, Senior Advisor, Utah Department of Health and Human Services and Utah Department of Corrections; and Brian Nelson, Executive Director, Utah Department of Corrections.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 377 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-5.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
7.S.B. 262 Government Records Amendments (McKell, M.)
Sen. Mike McKell presented the bill with the assistance of Geoff Landward, Deputy Commissioner, Utah System of Higher Education.
Brian McKenzie, Davis County Clerk and Clerks of the State of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Fred Hayes spoke against the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to amend S.B. 262 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-4.
Amendment 1
S.B. 262
1 .        Page 9, Lines 249 through 251 :  Page 9, Lines 249 through 251
249                 { (c) If a respondent fails to submit a written statement under this Subsection (4), the
250         respondent may not testify, present evidence, or comment on the issues at a hearing held under
251         this section. }

2 .        Page 9, Lines 255 through 261 :  Page 9, Lines 255 through 261
255                 (6) If a respondent fails to submit a written statement under Subsection (4) { , whether or
256         not the respondent appears at a hearing scheduled under Subsection (3), or if the respondent
257         submits a written statement under Subsection (4) but } or fails to appear at the hearing, the
258         committee shall:
259                 (a) cancel the hearing; or
260                 (b) hold the hearing { without the respondent testifying, presenting evidence, or
261         commenting on the issues considered at the hearing } in accordance with Subsection (7) .

3 .        Page 9, Lines 266 through 267 :  Page 9, Lines 266 through 267
266                 (ii) allow the respondent to testify, present evidence, and comment on the issues if the
267         respondent { has submitted a written statement under Subsection (4) and } appears at the hearing.

Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to pass S.B. 262 as amended out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Thatcher
Chair Winterton announced the committee would saunter.
8.1st Sub. H.B. 418 Canine Body Armor Restricted Account Modifications (Dunnigan, J.)
Rep. James Dunnigan presented the bill with assistance of Beau Mason, Major, Utah Highway Patrol.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 418 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Thatcher
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to place 1st Substitute H.B. 418 on the Consent Calendar.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Thatcher
9.1st Sub. H.B. 414 Records Management Amendments (Snider, C.)
Chair Winterton announced that HB 414 will be heard on Monday.
MOTION:Sen. Buxton moved to adjournThe motion passed with a vote of 0-0-8.
Yeas - 0Nays- 0Abs- 8
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. D. Buxton
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. S. Pitcher
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Chair Winterton adjourned the meeting at 5:02 p.m.