S.B. 306 Special Districts Modifications: transcript

Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, Feb 23, 2026

1. Committee chair40:56

   Senator Cullimore.

2. Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore40:58

   Okay. Thank you. Chair and Committee. Uh, when the Utah legislature approved the creation of slaa, and I'm gonna explain this because I've met with many people that say slaa and don't know what it stands for, but it stands for the Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Service area. Uh, so in the, when we approved slaa and the Unified Fire Service area in the early two thousands, municipalities were given an explicit ability to withdraw from those districts. Uh, Salt Lake County at that time chose not to secure a statutory withdrawal process for itself. Uh, and so there was intentionally no mechanism in law for the county to ever exit these districts. What this does, um, it gives Utah, it updates Utah statute to allow county of the first class, so Salt Lake County, to withdraw from a first responder district on the same terms as municipalities. It does not change funding services or core operations of first responder districts. It only aligns the county's withdrawal rights with those that the cities already have. So, that is my question as presentation. Got lag grande here, if you wanna speak to it at all. Okay. See, thank you.

3. Committee chair42:10

   Uh, we'll bring it to the committee for questions on the bill, Senate Bill 3 0 6. Seeing no questions will go to the public for public comment. Anybody here to speak on this bill? Okay. Come forward, introduce yourself. Tell us where you're from.

4. Frank Pignanelli, White City Water District42:29

   Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the Revenue and Tax Committee. My name is Frank Elli. I represent the White City Water District. We're grateful that Senator Colmore is doing this, and we are members of SOLE and we appreciate, uh, providing clarity as to how VIS moves forward on these issues. Thank you.

5. Committee chair42:45

   Okay. Thank you. Next up.

6. Kory Holdaway, Utah Public Employees Association42:53

   Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Corey Holdaway. I am representing the communities of Kearns, Magna and, uh, Copperton, uh, this morning of which they are participants in Slovis. We're very interested in this and thank the Senator for, uh, uh, the clarification that this bill provides as far as the county withdrawal. Um, we think it's, uh, a good move in terms of just identifying fiscal, uh, impact, uh, should that happen. So thank you.

7. Committee chair43:21

   Thank you very much. Anyone else? Okay. Seeing no one else, I'll bring it back to the committee, uh, for action or questions on the bill. Senator Harper.

8. Sen. Wayne A. Harper43:32

   Thank You. Um, I'd move that we pass out favorably Senate Bill 3 0 6.

9. Committee chair43:37

   Okay. Would you like to speak to that?

10. Unknown speaker43:39speaker not certain

    I think it's a good clarification.

11. Committee chair43:40

    Okay. It's helpful. Uh, we'll go to Senator Cullimore

12. Sen. Kirk A. Cullimore43:43

    for clar for summation on the bill. I'll waive Appreciate the motion.

13. Committee chair43:48

    The motion before us is to pass Senate Bill 3 0 6 with a favorable recommendation. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That passes unanimously five to zero, assuming Senator Colmore, you voted yes.

14. Unknown speaker44:00speaker not certain

    Aye. Okay. Yep. Okay. Awesome. Thank you.