MINUTES OF THE
SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, March 2, 2026 • 8:10 a.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 08:11 AM.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to approve the minutes from February 26, 2026.The motion passed with a vote of 3-0-4.
Yeas - 3Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
1.1st Sub. H.B. 195 Precious Metals Amendments(Ivory, K.)
Rep. Ken Ivory presented the bill with the assistance of Marlo Oaks, Utah State Treasurer.
H.B. 0195S01.pdf
H.B. 195S01.pdf
Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass HB0195S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-2-1.
Yeas - 4Nays- 2Abs- 1
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. M. McKell
2.H.B. 530 State Permitting Council(Kyle, J.)
Sen. Jason Kyle presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Sandall moved to pass HB0530 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
3.1st Sub. H.B. 540 Judicial Transparency, Information Access, and Transition Amendments(Monson, L.)
Rep. Logan Monson presented the bill.
Michael Drechsel, Assistant State Court Administrator, Administrative Office of the Courts, spoke to the bill.
Linda Smith, Attorney and Retired Law Professor, spoke to the bill.
Seth Stewart, resident, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to replace HB0540S01 with HB0540S02.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. Vickers moved to pass HB0540S02 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 6-1-0.
Yeas - 6Nays- 1Abs- 0
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
4.1st Sub. H.B. 455 Peace Officer and Dispatcher Standards Amendments(MacPherson, M.)
Rep. Matt MacPherson presented the bill.
Nate Mutter, Chief Investigator, Law Enforcement Legislative Committee, Spoke to the bill.
Columba Gonzalez, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Buss moved to pass HB0455S01 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. 487 Legislative Branch Amendments(MacPherson, M.)
Rep. Matt MacPherson presented the bill.
Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass HB0487S01 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-2-1.
Yeas - 4Nays- 2Abs- 1
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
6.H.B. 554 State Debt Collection Amendments(Burton, J.)
Rep. Jefferson Burton presented the bill with the assistance of Paul Bowers, Manager, Office of State Debt Collection.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass HB0554 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
7.2nd Sub. H.B. 422 Public Infrastructure Districts Amendments(Koford, J.)
Rep. Jill Koford presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to replace HB0422S02 with HB0422S03.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass HB0422S03 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
8.H.B. 294 Employer Verification Amendments(Auxier, T.)
Rep. Tiara Auxier presented the bill.
Robert Babcock, President, Construction Law Firm, Babcock Scott and Babcock, spoke in favor of the bill.
Seth Stewart, resident, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Buss moved to pass HB0294 out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to hold HB0294.The substitute motion failed with a vote of 2-4-1.
Yeas - 2Nays- 4Abs- 1
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. S. Sandall
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to amend HB0294 with Amendment #2.The substitute motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Amendment 2

1 .        Line 6 through 12 :  Line 6 through 12
6789101112

2 .        Line 23 through 27 :  Line 23 through 27
23242525a2627

Yeas - 6Nays- 0Abs- 1
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. S. Sandall
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass HB0294 out favorably.The motion failed with a vote of 3-4-0.
Yeas - 3Nays- 4Abs- 0
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
9.2nd Sub. H.B. 508 State Facilities Modifications(Brooks, W.)
Rep. Walt Brooks presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to replace HB0508S02 with HB0508S03.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 2
Sen. N. Blouin
Sen. E. Buss
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. J. Plumb
Sen. S. Sandall
Shawn Guzman, Director, Government Affairs, City of St. George, spoke in favor of the bill.
Gavin Gilbert, Director, Government Affairs, Associated General Contractors of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Will Kieffer-Sompo, Vice President, Sompo International, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Vickers moved to pass HB0508S03 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
10.H.B. 529 Secretary of State Amendments(Shepherd, L.)
Rep. Lisa Shepherd presented the bill.
H.B. 529-Establishing_the_Utah_Secretary_of_State.pptx
Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in favor of the bill.
Dalane England, United Women's Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Aaron Davidson, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Seth Stewart, resident, spoke in favor of the bill.
Ellen Brady, resident, spoke in opposition to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Blouin moved to table HB0529.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. S. Sandall
Sen. E. Vickers
Sen. R. Winterton
11.H.J.R. 25 Proposal to Amend Utah Constitution - Secretary of State(Shepherd, L.)
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to adjourn.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
Chair Winterton adjourned the meeting at 10:07 AM
NOTE: 01st Substitute H.B. 0405 was not discussed in the meeting.