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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Thursday,
February 5, 2026
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3:40 p.m.
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215 Senate Building
Members Present:
Sen. Ann Millner, Chair
President J. Stuart Adams
Sen. John D. Johnson
Sen. Karen Kwan
| Sen. Derrin R. Owens
Sen. Jerry W Stevenson
Staff Present:
Sivan Nizan, Policy Analyst
Cassie Sudekum, Committee Secretary
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Millner called the meeting to order. |
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| MOTION:Sen. Stevenson moved to approve the minutes from the January 28, 2026 meeting.The motion
passed
with a vote of
3-0-3.
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| Yeas -
3 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
3 | |
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
| | Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Owens
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| 1.S.B. 225 Utah Inland Port Authority Amendments(Stevenson, J.) |
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| Sen. Stevenson presented the bill with the assistance of Ben Hart, Executive Director, Utah Inland Port Authority. |
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| MOTION:Sen. Stevenson moved to replace SB0225 with SB0225S01.The motion
passed
with a vote of
3-0-3.
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| Yeas -
3 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
3 | |
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
| | Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Owens
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| Katie Pappas, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Bruce Anderson, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Bruce Williams, Professional Land Surveyor, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Rhonda Lauritzen, resident, Weber County, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Joan Gregory, resident, Salt Lake City, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Jennifer Garner, Davis County, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Courtney Henley, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| Charles Akerlow, Lead Developer, Tooele Valley Inland Port Project, spoke in favor of the bill. |
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| MOTION:Sen. Owens moved to pass SB0225S01 out favorably.The motion
passed
with a vote of
5-0-1.
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| Yeas -
5 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
1 | |
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
| | Sen. J. Adams
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| 2.S.B. 214 Home-based Childcare Solutions(Escamilla, L.) |
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| Sen. Luz Escamilla presented the bill with the assistance of Shannon Thoman-Black, Director, Division of Licensing and Background Checks, Department of Health and Human Services, and Emily Bell McCormick, President, The Policy Project. |
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| Sen. Owens assumed the chair. |
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| Sarah Stone, Director, Utah Association for the Education of Young Children (UAEYC) Care for Kids Program, spoke to the bill. |
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| Abby Ivory, Economic Development Director, Eagle Mountain City, spoke in favor of the bill. |
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| Kory Holdaway, Utah Private Child Care Association (UPCCA), spoke to the bill. |
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| Kristy DeGraaf, President, Professional Family Childcare Association of Utah, spoke to the bill. |
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| Katie Ricord, Executive Director, Utah Association for the Education of Young Children (UAEYC), children spoke to the bill. |
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| Jefferson Curtis, parent, spoke in favor of the bill. |
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| Elizabeth Garbe, Vice President of Public Policy, United Way of Salt Lake, spoke in favor of the bill. |
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| Colette Cox, Rural Utah Chamber Coalition, spoke in favor of the bill. |
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| Lori Nickerson, parent, spoke in favor of the bill. |
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| MOTION:Sen. Kwan moved to pass SB0214 out favorably.The motion
passed
with a vote of
5-0-1.
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| Yeas -
5 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
1 | |
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. D. Owens
Sen. J. Stevenson
| | Sen. A. Millner
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| 3.S.B. 224 Vital Records Access Amendments(Plumb, J.) |
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| Chair Millner resumed the chair. |
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| Sen. Jen Plumb presented the bill. |
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| Jennifer Garner, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill. |
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| MOTION:Sen. Kwan moved to pass SB0224 out favorably.The motion
passed
with a vote of
4-0-2.
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| Yeas -
4 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
2 | |
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. D. Owens
| | Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Stevenson
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| MOTION:Sen. Johnson moved to adjourn.The motion
passed
with a vote of
4-0-2.
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| Yeas -
4 | Nays-
0 | Abs-
2 | |
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. D. Owens
| | Sen. J. Adams
Sen. J. Stevenson
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| Chair Millner adjourned the meeting. |
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