MINUTES OF THE
SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 28, 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 02:00 PM.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to approve the minutes from January 23, 2026.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
1.H.B. 85 State Sovereignty Amendments(Shepherd, L.)
Rep. Lisa Shepherd presented the bill.
Marilyn Momeny, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass HB0085 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
2.S.B. 163 Municipal Prosecutor Amendments(Pitcher, S.)
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher presented the bill with the assistance of David Spatafore, resident.
Cristy Henshaw, resident, spoke to the bill.
Jared Tingey, Legal Director, Utah League of Cities and Towns, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass SB0163 out favorably.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
3.S.B. 176 Landscaping Procurement Amendments(Pitcher, S.)
Sen. Stephanie Pitcher presented the bill with the assistance of Michelle Brown, Coordinator of Resource Stewardship, Utah Department of Government Operations.
S.B. 176.pdf
Bryce Bird, Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality, spoke in favor of the bill.
Cristy Henshaw, Chair, Utah County Republican Party, spoke to the bill.
Andy Marr, Director, Division of Facilities Construction and Management, spoke in favor of the bill.
Anna Graff, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to replace SB0176 with SB0176S01.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. Plumb moved to pass SB0176S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-1-0.
Yeas - 6Nays- 1Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
4.S.B. 166 Line-of-Duty Death Benefit Amendments(Owens, D.R.)
Sen. Derrin R. Owens presented the bill with the assistance of Beau Mason, Commissioner, Utah Department of Public Safety.
MOTION:Chair Winterton moved to pass SB0166 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
5.1st Sub. H.B. 26 Voting Equipment Amendments(Cutler, P.)
Rep. Paul Cutler presented the bill.
Ricky Hatch, County Clerk/Auditor, Weber County, spoke in favor of the bill
MOTION:Sen. Plumb moved to pass HB0026S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
6.H.B. 33 Political Signs Amendments(Teuscher, J.)
Rep. Jordan Teuscher presented the bill.
H.B. 33.pdf
Ricky Hatch, County Clerk/Auditor, Weber County, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass HB0033 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
7.S.B. 194 Election Modifications(McKell, M.)
Sen. McKell presented the bill with the assistance of Tom Vaughn, Managing Associate General Counsel, LRGC. .
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to replace SB0194 with SB0194S01.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
Phillip Boileau, Communications Director, Utah Forward Party, spoke in opposition to the bill.
S.B. 194.pdf
Maleah Blisscautford, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Ron Mortensen, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Amanda Roos, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
TJ Ellerbeck, Co-Executive Director, Stewardship, spoke to the bill.
Marilyn Momeny, resident, spoke to the bill.
Helen Moser, Director, Voter Services, League of Women Voters, spoke to the bill.
Cristy Henshaw, Utah County Republican Party, spoke to the bill.
Russ Rampton, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Aaron Davidson, Utah County Clerk, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Ricky Hatch, County Clerks Association, spoke to the bill.
Fred Hayes, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Michelle Quist, Chair, Forward Party of Utah, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass SB0194S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-1-0.
Yeas - 6Nays- 1Abs- 0
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. E. Buss
8.H.B. 53 Community Rehabilitation Program Amendments(Miller, G.)
Rep. Grant Miller presented the bill.
Marilyn Momeny, resident, spoke to the bill.
Anna Graff, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to pass HB0053 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to place HB0053 on the Consent Calendar.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
9.H.B. 73 Public Employee Retaliatory Action Amendments(Walter, N.)
Rep. Neil Walter presented the bill.
H.B. 73.pdf
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass HB0073 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. Vickers motioned to adjourned.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 3
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Chair Winterton adjourned the meeting at 4:05 PM.
NOTE: S.B. 0028 was not discussed in the meeting.