MINUTES OF THE
SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Friday, January 23, 2026 • 2:00 p.m. • 220 Senate Building


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

Staff Present:
Devon Schechinger, Policy Analyst
Zoe Adams, 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 02:05 PM.
1.S.B. 39 Investment Zones Amendments(Harper, W.)
Sen. Wayne Harper presented the bill.
Cameron Diehl, Executive Director, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jen Brown, President, Utah Citizens for the Constitution, spoke to the bill.
Andrew Gruber, Director, Wasatch Front Regional Council, spoke in favor of the bill.
Cristy Henshaw, Utah County Republican Party, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Jennifer Garner, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Laurene Starkey, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass SB0039 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-1-1.
Yeas - 5Nays- 1Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to approve the minutes from March 4, 2025.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
2.S.B. 140 Election Adjustments(Sandall, S.)
Sen. Sandall presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass SB0140 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-0.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
3.S.B. 100 Federal Guidance Letter Amendments(Stratton, K.)
Sen. Stratton presented the bill with the assistance of Bill Duncan, Sutherland Institute and Ken Williams, Director, Utah State Archivist.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to replace SB0100 with SB0100S01.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-0.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to amend SB0100S01 with Amendment #1.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Amendment 1

1 .        Line 187 through 193 :  Line 187 through 193
187188189190191192193

Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Alan Wessman, Utah Forward Party, spoke to the bill.
Ken Williams, Director, Utah State Archivist, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass SB0100S01 as amended out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. Sandall assumed the chair.
4.S.B. 28 County Classification Modifications(Winterton, R.)
Sen. Ronald Winterton presented the bill.
Marilyn Momeny, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Winterton moved to pass SB0028 out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Acting Chair Sandall moved to hold SB0028.The substitute motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Chair Winterton resumed the chair.
5.S.B. 155 Unclaimed Property Amendments(Weiler, T.)
Sen. Todd Weiler presented the bill with the assistance of Marlo Oaks, Treasurer, Utah State Office.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to replace SB0155 with SB0155S01.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Brooke Stephens, resident, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass SB0155S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
6.S.B. 160 Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Amendments(Weiler, T.)
Sen. Todd Weiler presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass SB0160 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
7.S.B. 153 Voter Registration Records Amendments(Johnson, J.)
Sen. John Johnson presented the bill.
Brian McKenzie, Clerk, Davis County, spoke in favor of the bill.
Ronald Mortensen, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Aaron Davidson, Clerk, Utah County, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Marilyn Momeny, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Helen Moser, Director, Voter Services, League of Women Voters, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Aaron Davidson, Clerk, Utah County, spoke in favor to the bill.
Seth Stewart, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Alan Wessman, Utah Forward Party, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass SB0153 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-2-1.
Yeas - 4Nays- 2Abs- 1
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. J. Plumb
8.S.B. 144 Relocation Assistance Amendments(Balderree, H.)
Sen. Heidi Balderree presented the bill.
Peter Asplund, Deputy Director, Legislative Affairs at UDOT, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass SB0144 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
9.S.J.R. 4 Joint Resolution Concerning Federal Term Limits(Stevenson, J.)
Sen. Jerry Stevenson presented the bill with the assistance of Constantin Querard, Western Regional Director, U.S. Term Limits.
Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Colin Smith, Utah Forward Party, spoke in favor of the bill.
Robert Brown, resident, spoke to the bill.
S.J.R 4.pdf
Laura Johnson, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Steven Robertson, resident, spoke to the bill.
Brent Hunt, resident, Brigham City, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Shauna Walker, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Courtenay Ellison, resident, spoke to the bill.
Tom Schumann, resident, Provo, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass SJR004 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
10.S.B. 148 General Oversight Amendments(McCay, D.)
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to replace SB0148 with SB0148S01.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. Daniel McCay presented the bill.
Alan Wessman, Utah Forward Party, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass SB0148S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-1-1.
Yeas - 5Nays- 1Abs- 1
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Plumb
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Chair Winterton adjourned the meeting at 4:33 P.M.\