Senate Re-Amends, Then Passes, Domestic Registry Bill

Mar 04, 2008 by Eric Ray

(KCPW News) Utah's Senate pulled an about face yesterday, voting to amend First Substitute Senate Bill 299, otherwise known as the domestic registry bill, and remove the language allowing hospital visitation rights that had just been included during a previous amendment of the bill on Friday. Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker had pushed for the language to be included. Senator Greg Bell of Fruit Heights, sponsor of measure, says hospital visitation is still included, albeit implicitly.

"Moreover, the bill we are talking about really is a conceptual bill. This is a 30,000 foot type policy decision and I didn't want to get into a laundry list of things that were or were now permitted under a registry because this is a flavor of the month situation and things could change," says Bell.

Senator Curtis Bramble, of Provo, asked for yesterday's amendment. He also asked for Friday's amendment, however he apologized for doing so while Bell was not present on the floor. Both the amendment, and First Substitute Senate Bill 299 passed the Senate yesterday. Following the vote, Senator Bell moved that the intent language of the bill, which orders the bill not disturb any hospital visitation rights provided by a city registry, be placed in the Senate record. That motion passed unanimously. The measure now moves on to the House for consideration. Click here to view the bill and listen to audio of debates surrounding the measure.

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