[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6348362,"mediaKeyId","2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd","parentId",2242516,"title","Committee clarifies DUI sentencing language to include veterans courts","audioSeconds",298,"startMs",1128000,"endMs",1426000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd&start=1128&end=1426","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd/thumbnail_1128000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6348362/Utah/Committee-clarifies-DUI-sentencing-language-to-include-veterans-courts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348362-ff1de97570346a11aae6ed6798ac4e5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447998&Signature=BJquI-7TzJXtgNfAVA~y7YaIGhDDWolPLsGF76syndRH3Eqrt8gtpphoRg0lFndyPRd3zWX8oLHWoo62AZ6cXE97IXm4DdzOGhLppDNmlubYrSdLjlObwzIHIowIuKJB5zp9CMUE8AW1fhmpXuQBenrUsrf0Zae7gU~JT9kRvHRM5ytSPiZVmWYsLlHiUrUPrcOkNfzFZZjjEqWY0pMbnVutz5KdjRUQrkOtd47P1dJK-oj4DKqbLJtmD6Muq3FmuING~x9cZZIpRSq3ihfRtD0DLBybo-KlV3gmfY7ww~CbstP8lUABusOtTH4o-hHuxSWjWn5gvKCfIJxLKSibjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah State Legislature","date","2025-02-06T00:00:00Z","article","A legislative committee advanced Senate Bill 87 to clarify that veterans courts qualify as problem-solving courts for the purposes of potential early reinstatement of driving privileges following DUI or drug-related convictions.

Sponsor Senator Pitcher said the bill \"adds a clarification to the code addressing problem solving courts, essentially ensuring that veterans court is recognized as one of the included problem solving courts for purposes of a potential early release of a suspension for a DUI or a drug related criminal conviction.\" He said the bill does not create new court programs but clarifies statutory language to avoid confusion.

Committee members asked how prevalent veterans are in the criminal justice population and how veterans courts differ from other problem-solving courts. A committee member cited data that about 8% of individuals in the criminal justice system are veterans and noted there are several veterans courts in the state. Senator Pitcher described veterans court as tailored to participants' service-related experiences and treatment needs.

Liz Kelch, criminal justice policy director for the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), testified in support and called the bill a clarification that will help veterans access existing supports. \"We fully support this bill and we appreciate the senator making this clarification,\" Kelch said.

Representative Matthews moved that the committee pass SB 87 with a favorable recommendation. The motion carried; the chair ruled the motion passed unanimously.

The bill's sponsor and supporters told the committee there is no fiscal note because the change simply clarifies existing statutory language and does not create additional programs or costs. If enacted, the change would allow veteran participants in qualifying problem-solving courts to be eligible where statute allows early reinstatement of driving privileges as part of program completion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Transportation Committee - February 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A legislative committee advanced Senate Bill 87 to explicitly include veterans courts among problem-solving courts that can affect eligibility for early driver's-license reinstatement following DUI or related convictions.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6348367,"Committee advances bill to study feasibility of Utah spaceport",1070,56000,1126000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd&start=56&end=1126","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd/thumbnail_56000.jpg","/articles/6348367/Utah/Committee-advances-bill-to-study-feasibility-of-Utah-spaceport","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348367-207d075abb9298487b32ca0718e70791/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447998&Signature=SR0gHh0fUs52WgT2N46KoQuJq4a65NpFqxm5x6mERiuc4Ghh3OPxsCbDqjp895BjKwebLBHZqdfFRUoiDPw1tVnowf1YvvVNkF1WePd1~V4RfLBW4pv5jtZEFG9Eyp8qtQkaFlt~5mGitlV9w7UoIiFyJ3dNsMyonpu9qC4hfOV3k0BxcchLYtsOsBgooXJ8H3zTrC5PB5guTZLhFxnTZ4h9F2fhboLuuUIjCCuzk0Rh2rkP2jNqSe96EnT-HS0y-uVYpp4gqOo7guImtTdAoAKDHlziQTAIRyshhKdpPToTXiGa5m9k0ui3gX1dol1YslirLYFNEqBUm7m~fdaBtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A legislative committee on space and economic development voted to advance first substitute Senate Bill 62, which would create a Spaceport Exploration Committee to study whether Utah should host a spaceport and what infrastructure, environmental and economic steps would be required.

Sponsor Senator Stevenson told the committee the initiative is intended to assess whether a state-supported effort could attract private aerospace activity and expand high-paying jobs. \"This initiative represents a forward thinking approach to innovation and economic growth,\" Stevenson said, adding that the bill would fund a feasibility study using $1 million from the Industrial Assistance Account administered by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity.

The bill's backers argued Utah already has workforce, runway and recovery-area advantages that merit a formal study. \"We already have large runways,\" Stevenson said, naming Hill, Dugway and Wendover as sites with military-designated runways, and noting the presence of major contractors such as Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Lockheed. He said private-sector launch methods — including air-launch from airplanes — make a Utah spaceport feasible without the giant gantries associated with Florida launches.

Ryan Starks, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (GOEO), told the committee the Industrial Assistance Account is intended to support industry initiatives and that the money earmarked in the bill would be used for workforce and feasibility analysis. \"The purpose of the fund, the way it's governed, is to support industry initiatives,\" Starks said. \"We think that this would help with workforce studies, with feasibility studies, pulling together the data to help guide kind of this next generation of development.\"

Committee members asked about the balance between federal and private-sector involvement and about whether the GOEO fund was already appropriated. Representative Ivory asked how the state would maintain the proper balance with federal partners; Stevenson responded that the committee is intended to define roles and that much modern space activity is private-sector led. Ivory also asked why the proposal did not appear in the governor's proposed budget; Starks said the Industrial Assistance Account is governed and used for special projects and that the money has been set aside for such initiatives.

Representative Peterson pressed for a clearer description of how the $1 million would be used; Stevenson and Starks said the funds are intended for meetings, studies and data collection rather than any construction. \"So the million dollars is for folks to meet and talk and research. It's not — there's no construction of anything,\" Stevenson said.

After public comment was closed (no public comments were offered during the record), Representative Kristofferson moved that the committee pass out first substitute Senate Bill 62 with a favorable recommendation. The committee voted in favor; the record shows the motion passed and the chair ruled it passed unanimously.

The bill designates GOEO to distribute the funds and calls for an exploratory committee of industry and technical experts to report back to the legislature on feasibility, potential sites, workforce needs and environmental considerations. The committee will determine membership and deliverables if the bill proceeds.

Because the proposal uses the Industrial Assistance Account rather than a general-fund appropriation, committee members said it will not require a new appropriation in the budget process at this stage. The committee forwarded the bill with a favorable recommendation to the next legislative step.","A legislative committee moved first substitute Senate Bill 62 forward with a favorable recommendation to create an exploratory committee to study the feasibility of a Utah spaceport and authorize a $1 million feasibility effort funded from the Industrial Assistance Account and administered by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6348358,"Committee adopts substitute limiting new teen drivers to one passenger during initial period",972,2065000,3037000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd&start=2065&end=3037","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2242516-505c8991147db5dda3caa1a3a5d15fcd/thumbnail_2065000.jpg","/articles/6348358/Utah/Committee-adopts-substitute-limiting-new-teen-drivers-to-one-passenger-during-initial-period","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348358-38d717ba012e599267c5e94b2f938c42/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447998&Signature=JzoQkn5ROxgEmdrQvdW3HHLcponSZrOlY0isQfh~k-9R0S15WRwoExKoSjJeroajT4LsVPY855Xul925V~DZKR2G3Jhz28qwVxnfhEfp6izK5tSKc5LkOdT9sZnmMRvXIt4O9MjwbdDrpwRvaOaqn9abfj0SLk96KJcV7s6ufz0IGV9GJKu0duYhK8a3oTqDE7VtQqSKwjflYnmymu3m8I2ZL3IEhyCOycIucM6mIpsUPskX-mxuKy29ZilgO8ggr7IRSM7I4tcgqw2jPcAYRJoIJxSH5G2LLsMwn3EzZDBJFHv4c6AVBg2n3zJbHKgMTX16G5ORCJ57FJzLpA73UQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A legislative committee adopted the third substitute to House Bill 308, which limits newly licensed teen drivers to one passenger during the initial months of unsupervised driving and clarifies parental designation rules so parents without a current license can name an adult to supervise required practice hours.

Sponsor Representative Covert said the substitute aligns with national graduated-driver licensing best practices and that the change is intended to give new drivers time to develop safe driving habits. \"My second sub clarifies that, to be in line with best practices across the nation of allowing one passenger in the vehicle with our new teen drivers,\" Covert said, adding that the substitute also fixes language allowing parents who do not hold a current license to designate another adult to help meet required practice hours.

Committee members asked whether the substitute would allow a nonrelated teen to ride with a new driver; the sponsor confirmed the change allows one passenger during the first six months and that the one passenger could be an unrelated teenager under the third substitute.

Testimony included industry and safety witnesses. Dave Kalas, representing the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMEC), urged retaining the existing law that allows family members but not non-family teen peers, and cited a 2012 camera-based national study his organization referenced to explain risk differences. Kalas told the committee that the study found the baseline rate of risky driving behavior for a new driver was about 5.7 percent with no passengers, rose to 13 percent with one teenage peer and to about 15.5 percent with two teenage peers. \"With one peer, it went from 5 to 13 percent,\" Kalas said, describing the risk increase for peer passengers.

Sherry Maddell, representing Utah PTA, said the organization opposed the substitute in its current form. She cited research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and said allowing a non-family passenger increases fatal-crash risk. \"Research ... showing that allowing just one passenger increases the risk of fatal crashes by 19 percent,\" Maddell said, and told the committee Utah PTA remained opposed.

Supporters of the third substitute emphasized the provision clarifying how parents who cannot drive can designate an adult to help student drivers accumulate required hours. Representative Matthews moved adoption of the third substitute and then moved that the committee pass the third-substitute House Bill 308 with a favorable recommendation. Both motions carried and the chair ruled that each passed unanimously.

Committee discussion and public testimony focused on the balance between safety research and parental flexibility for meeting required driving practice. The third substitute keeps a one-passenger limit during the early period while creating a path for parents who cannot directly supervise practice hours to designate another adult.","The committee adopted the third substitute for House Bill 308 to limit newly licensed teen drivers to one passenger during the early months of unsupervised driving and to clarify who can be designated to supervise practice driving hours; testimony included safety research cited by insurers and Utah PTA before the bill passed unanimously.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee clarifies DUI sentencing language to include veterans courts

Committee advances bill to study feasibility of Utah spaceport

Committee adopts substitute limiting new teen drivers to one passenger during initial period