Gov. Herbert Takes Action on Remaining Bills to Conclude Signing Period
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – April 1, 2015 – (Gephardt Daily) – Gov. Gary R. Herbert took action on the final day of the bill signing period. With a total of 16 bills remaining, he signed eight, vetoed five and allowed three to go into law without his signature. In total, 528 bills were passed during the 2015 General Legislative Session, 495 of which required action by the governor.
“I believe it is more productive to work on bills with the Legislature during the session so the bills that come to my desk are more likely to be signed into law,” said Gov. Herbert. “Overall, I am very pleased with the results of this session. Working together for the good of the people of our state is the Utah way.”
Among the bills vetoed by the governor is HB385, Memorial Highway Designation. This bill would have designated a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 15 as the “Rebecca D. Lockhart Section of the Veterans Memorial Highway,” in honor of former House Speaker, the late Becky Lockhart. The entirety of I-15 in Utah is currently designated as Veterans Memorial Highway.
“This afternoon, I received a phone call from Stan Lockhart who requested I veto the bill and I have opted to honor his wishes,” said Gov. Herbert. “While I am disappointed by the controversy that seemed to diminish the Legislature’s recognition of Speaker Lockhart, I am committed to working with lawmakers and the Lockhart family to find an appropriate memorial to honor the memory of this historic leader.”
The governor also vetoed three line items in SB3, Appropriations Adjustments. The legislation authorizing these expenses was not enacted.
The governor vetoed the following bills:
| Bill Number | Bill Name | Bill Sponsor |
| HB197 | Educator Licensing Amendments | Coleman, K. |
| HB0385 | Memorial Highway Designation | Stratton, K. |
| SB94 | Corporate Franchise and Income Tax Amendments | Stephenson, H. |
| SB249 | Trax Crossing Bars Operations Amendments | Jenkins, S. |
| SB278 | Motion Picture Incentive Amendments | Bramble, C. |
| *SB3 | Appropriations Adjustments | Hillyard, L. |
*Contains line item vetoes
The governor signed the following bills:
| Bill Number | Bill Name | Bill Sponsor |
| HB42 | Annexation Amendments | Westwood, J. |
| HB115 | Public Safety Retirement for Dispatchers | Powell, K. |
| HB291 | Procurement Changes | Stratton, K. |
| HB351 | Mountainous Planning District Amendments | Dee, B. |
| HB406 | Natural Gas Vehicle Amendments | Handy, S. |
| SB2 | New Fiscal Year Supplemental Appropriations Act | Hillyard, L. |
| SB79 | Impeachment Amendments | Adams, J.S. |
The governor allowed the following bills to go into law without his signature:
| Bill Number | Bill Name | Bill Sponsor |
| HB368 | Executive Office Compensation | Wilson, B. |
| SB71 | Tax Commissioners’ Compensation | Weiler, T. |
| SB116 | Public School Dropout Recovery | Osmond, A. |
