MINUTES OF THE
SENATE TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC UTILITIES, ENERGY, AND TECHNOLOGY STANDING COMMITTEE
Friday, February 28, 2025 • 4:00 p.m. • 220 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Wayne A. Harper, Chair
Sen. Don L. Ipson
Sen. Karen Kwan
Sen. Ann Millner
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Sen. Chris H. Wilson
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton

Members Absent:
President J. Stuart Adams

Staff Present:
Rachel Brooks, Policy Analyst
Calvin Cruz, Committee Secretary

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

Chair Harper called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m.
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to approve the minutes of February 27, 2025.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-3.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
1.S.B. 340 Protected Person Amendments (Ipson, D.)
Sen. Ipson presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to pass S.B. 340 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. C. Wilson
2.6th Sub. H.B. 162 Transportation Funding Amendments (Shipp, R.P.)
Rep. Shipp presented the bill.
Barbara Tidwell, council member, Cache County Council, spoke in opposition of the bill.
David Erickson, council member, Cache County Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Sandi Goodlander, chair, Cache County Council, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Greg Jensen, county commissioner, Sevier County, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Lee Perry, county commissioner, Box Elder County, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Michael Smith, sheriff, Utah County Sheriff's Office, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Winterton moved to pass 6th Substitute H.B. 162 out favorably.The motion failed with a vote of 1-6-1.
Yeas - 1Nays- 6Abs- 1
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Adams
3.2nd Sub. H.B. 261 Towing Modifications (Maloy, A. Cory)
Rep. Maloy presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to amend 2nd Substitute H.B. 261 with Amendment #5.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Amendment 5

1 .        Line 238 through 238b :  Line 238 through 238b
238238a238b

2 .        Line 238e through 239 :  Line 238e through 239
238e238f238g 239

3 .        Line 408 through 410 :  Line 408 through 410
408409410

Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. R. Winterton
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 261 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. Ipson assumed the chair.
4.3rd Sub. H.B. 407 Mini-motorcycle Amendments (Matthews, A.)
Sen. Harper presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Harper moved to pass 3rd Substitute H.B. 407 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. A. Millner
5.2nd Sub. H.B. 425 Department of Public Safety Fee Amendments (Dunnigan, J.)
Sen. Ipson presented the bill with the assistance of Jason Ricks, Director for Bureau of Criminal Identification, Department of Public Safety.
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 425 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. A. Millner
6.1st Sub. H.B. 392 Unlicensed Driver Amendments (MacPherson, M.)
Rep. MacPherson presented the bill.
Unlicensed Driver Amendments - H.B. 392
Michael Rapich, Colonel, Utah Highway Patrol, spoke in favor of the bill.
Liliana Bolanos, Immigrant Family Policy Analyst, Voices for Utah Children, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Nate Mutter, co-chair, Law Enforcement Legislative Committee, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to replace 1st Substitute H.B. 392 with 2nd Substitute H.B. 392.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. A. Millner
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 392 out favorably.The motion failed with a vote of 3-3-2.
Yeas - 3Nays- 3Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. A. Millner
7.H.B. 492 Drinking Water Utilities Amendments (Jack, C.)
Rep. Jack presented the bill with the assistance of Nathan Lunstad, director, Department of Drinking Water.
MOTION:Sen. Winterton moved to replace H.B. 492 with 1st Substitute H.B. 492.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. A. Millner
Debbie Johnson, Utah Cyber Center, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 492 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-2.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. A. Millner
8.2nd Sub. H.B. 241 Solar Power Plant Amendments (Jack, C.)
Rep. Jack presented the bill with the assistance of Amber Brown, Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
Shelby Stults, Government Affairs Manager, AES corporation, spoke to the bill.
Marie Archibald, Utah Chapter Sierra Club, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Abby Missler, resident, spoke in opposition of the bill.
Josh Brown, InterWest Energy Alliance, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to pass 2nd Substitute H.B. 241 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 3-1-4.
Yeas - 3Nays- 1Abs- 4
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. C. Wilson
MOTION:Sen. Ipson moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-4.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. W. Harper
Sen. D. Ipson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. C. Wilson
Chair Harper adjourned the meeting at 5:17 p.m.