MINUTES OF THE
SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 • 2:00 p.m. • 220 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton, Chair
Sen. Nate Blouin
Sen. Michael K. McKell
Sen. Jen Plumb
Sen. Scott D. Sandall
Sen. Daniel W. Thatcher
Sen. Evan J. Vickers

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 2:07 p.m.
MOTION:Sen. Thatcher moved to approve the minutes of the January 24, 2025 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-4.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
1.S.B. 152 Local Land Use Regulation Restrictions (Blouin, N.)
Sen. Blouin presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to replace S.B. 152 with 1st Substitute S.B. 152.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to hold 1st Substitute S.B. 152.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
2.H.B. 25 Retirement Amendments (Acton, C.K.)
Rep. Cheryl Acton presented the bill.
Kory Holdaway, Utah Public Employees Association, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Thatcher moved to pass H.B. 25 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
3.S.B. 127 Municipal Elections Amendments (Weiler, T.)
Sen. Todd Weiler presented the bill with the assistance of Kelleen Potter, Executive Director, Utah Ranked Choice Voting.
S.B. 127 RCV Flyer
SB 127 Summary Report
Christy Henshaw, Board of Utah Election Integrity, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jeff Silvestrini, Millcreek Mayor, spoke in favor of the bill.
Wendy Hart, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Karson Eilers, Policy Director, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke in favor of the bill.
Chad Saunders, resident of Stansbury Park, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Helen Moser, League of Women Voters of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Marilyn Monimy, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Maxwell Clemens, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Aaron Davidson, Utah County Clerk, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Mark Roberts, former Legislator, spoke in favor of the bill.
Leah Hansen, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
David Hinckley, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Amelia Powers Gardner, Utah County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill.
Carola Michel, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Greg Duerden, State Chair, Independent American Party, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Sarah Hansen, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Suzanne Hansen, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Tom Schumann, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Thatcher moved to to hold the bill in committee.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. E. Vickers
4.S.B. 169 Governmental Immunity Act Amendments (Weiler, T.)
Sen. Todd Weiler presented the bill with the assistance of Jake Lee, Utah Association for Justice.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to replace S.B. 169 with 1st Substitute S.B. 169.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 169 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
5.H.J.R. 4 Joint Rules Resolution - Amendments to Joint Rules (Dunnigan, J.)
Rep. James Dunnigan presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass H.J.R. 4 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to place H.J.R. 4 on the Consent Calendar.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
6.H.B. 12 Division of Purchasing and General Services Amendments (Peterson, V.)
Rep. Val Peterson presented the bill with the assistance of Windy Aphayrath, Division Purchasing and General Services.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to replace H.B. 12 with 3rd Substitute H.B. 12.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass 3rd Substitute H.B. 12 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
7.S.B. 143 Legislative Activities Amendments (McKell, M.)
Sen. McKell presented the bill.
S.B. 143 Talking Points Legislative Activities Amendments
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to replace S.B. 143 with 1st Substitute S.B. 143.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass 1st Substitute S.B. 143 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to reconsider action on S.B. 127.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to adjourn.The substitute motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. D. Thatcher
Sen. E. Vickers