Karen Kwan

• H.B. 420 Municipal Office Vacancy Modifications · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Presents H.B. 420, which lets municipalities use a random, fair selection method to break ties among three or more candidates in municipal vacancies, citing recent tie-break coin tosses in Midvale and West Valley City, and says the League of Cities and Towns supports it.

  Read what they said

  Thank you Mr. President. So this is a, uh, bill that we saw last year, um, and it was vetoed, but we made it better. It's, uh, in a municipal vacancy when there is a tie of three or more candidates, this gives the, uh, locals, uh, the control to use a random and a fair selection way. Uh, to break a three-way, this three-way tie, um, it, you still can use a coin toss for a two-way tie. Uh, but the need for this was Midvale just, uh, had this happen where they went 12 rounds of coin tosses. West Valley City had the, the same issue. And I've heard of other municipalities having the same issue as well. …

  ▶ Watch at 2:04:38

• H.B. 420 Municipal Office Vacancy Modifications · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Yields to Senator Fillmore's question and responds briefly, saying she has no particular answer for it.

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  I I will, You don't need to on that one, but if you want to that's okay. I, I will yield, but I have no clever retort for that. So, uh, if maybe we can take it off, uh, offline. Thank you, Mr. President. Now it's going.

  ▶ Watch at 2:05:51

• H.B. 420 Municipal Office Vacancy Modifications · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026

  Gives closing summary that coin tosses remain an option for two-person ties, notes that choosing by lots has ancient origins, and calls the question.

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  Thank you, Mr. President. The coin toss is still an option, uh, for two or, or, uh, for, for a tie between two people. Coins coin toss is still in, uh, play there and, uh, municipalities can choose to use a coin coin toss if they, uh, would like to do that. Um, but this is a, a choosing by lots is actually something that came about by ancient e uh, ancient, uh, Athens. And I'm, so, it has been around for a long time. Uh, but I'm not gonna go into the whole history of this and I will call the question, Mr. President.

  ▶ Watch at 2:07:52

• H.B. 48 Criminal and Juvenile Justice Changes · Senate floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Asks leave to change her vote on a bill to no, saying the change will not alter the outcome.

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  I do. Thank you Mr. Uh, president, I ask leave of the body to, uh, change my vote on house Bill 5 0 2 4 sub Tell me that change. Uh, I'm sorry. Yes. I'd like to change it to a no and it won't change the outcome of the bill. Thank You. It won't change the outcome.

  ▶ Watch at 1:30:50

• H.B. 565 City Library Property Tax Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Explains that H.B. 565 lets Salt Lake County separate the city library tax from the property tax on a residence, which had made the property tax appear to increase substantially.

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  Senator Kwan, Thank you very much. Uh, Mr. President, this is a bill that came to us from Salt Lake County. Uh, the tax bill, property tax Bill Uintah our residence, uh, that included city, uh, the city library tax and that, uh, made it appear as though, uh, property tax increased by a lot, but it really was the city tax that was included in what this does is it allows, uh, Salt Lake County to separate the two onto in, in the, uh, the bill. And that's what it does. Thank you.

  ▶ Watch at 1:37:05

• H.B. 531 Scarification Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Presents H.B. 531, saying it adds safety standards for scarification facilities, makes scarification on a minor unlawful, and directs LER to review the practice.

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  Senator Kwan. Thank you Mr. President. This was a, uh, issue that the health department brought to us and last year we put in safety stand, uh, safety standards. This year we're putting additional safety standards on the facilities, uh, for safety. It this bill also makes it unlawful to perform scarification on a minor and it directs LER to review the practice. That concludes my presentation. Thank you. Looking for discussion to your bill.

  ▶ Watch at 2:36:03

• H.B. 531 Scarification Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 44) · Mar 5, 2026

  Responds to the question by offering to explain privately rather than answer on the floor.

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  Senator Kwan. Thank you. I'm going to answer that with a, with a question. I'm wondering, uh, if he really wants to know there are pictures, but I will. Senator, Senator ml, do you really wanna know? I'm gonna take this conversation offline clearly.

  ▶ Watch at 2:36:47

• H.C.R. 14 Concurrent Resolution Supporting the Transfer of Federally Managed Lands · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Asked what the resolution's language about remote and environmentally sensitive areas means and what its intent is.

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  Thank you, Madam Chair. I see here, line and 41, um, the phrase, uh, without expanding development into remote and environmentally sensitive areas, and naturally that is an, an area that I'm concerned about. And I'm wondering if you could talk a little bit more about what that means and what the, uh, intent is in that.

  ▶ Watch at 32:22

• H.C.R. 14 Concurrent Resolution Supporting the Transfer of Federally Managed Lands · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Said her concern is that the land could be expanded into later, and she appreciated the clarity in the language.

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  Great. Thank you very much. That would, you know, my, my concern would be that that is what would happen, not, maybe not today, but maybe later on. Um, and it sounds like you're very thoughtful about keeping that, uh, preserved And on a federal, on a federal level to try and be clear about that. That's really important. We know that there's suspicion on a federal level because in the past we have asked for her for all of it, uh, back. So we're trying to clarify that as best we can in the language that that's not this ask. Thank you. I appreciate it.

  ▶ Watch at 33:24

• H.B. 408 Data Sharing Amendments · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Moved to favorably recommend HB 408 first substitute to the full Senate.

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  Thank you. I move that we favorably recommend HB 4 0 8, uh, first sub, uh, to the full body of the Senate.

  ▶ Watch at 53:36

• H.B. 572 Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Services Amendments · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Moves to delete the title and body of the third substitute of H.B. 572 and replace it with the fourth substitute.

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  Somebody wanna move? Oh, I'll, okay. Senator Quant. I move that we delete title and Body of House bill or third sub house bill, uh, 5 20 72 and replace it with four sub 5 72.

  ▶ Watch at 1:35:33

• H.B. 572 Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Services Amendments · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Moves to favorably recommend the fourth substitute of H.B. 572 to the full Senate.

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  Thank you Madam Chair. I move that we favorably recommend, uh, house Bill 5 72 4 sub to the full body of the Senate.

  ▶ Watch at 1:45:40

• H.J.R. 4 Resolution Regarding Prison Security and Successful Inmate Reentry · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Moves that the committee favorably recommend HJR 4 to the full Senate.

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  Thank you Madam Chair. I move that we favorably recommend HJR for, uh, to the full body of the Senate.

  ▶ Watch at 1:54:12

• H.J.R. 4 Resolution Regarding Prison Security and Successful Inmate Reentry · Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Moves to adjourn and thanks Chair Millner for her work, mentorship, and service.

  Read what they said

  I would love to make that motion. Madam Chair. Thank you. Once I say how much I appreciate your work here in the, not only in this committee, but also in the, uh, in the Senate. And I appreciate your decades of work, uh, in the community, uh, as, uh, president of Weber and and beyond that. And so I just wanted to thank you for, uh, being a mentor to me and all of the, um, the vision that you've had for higher ed. Thank You. Thank you. We all miss you. Oh, well, thank you. I will miss all of you, uh, as individuals, so, absolutely. So, it's been a pleasure to work and it's been a great …

  ▶ Watch at 1:55:58

• H.B. 411 Human Trafficking Hotline Amendments · Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee · Mar 3, 2026

  Expresses sympathy for survivors, says more funding, programs, and prevention efforts are needed, and notes that the Attorney General may already be able to act without this bill.

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  Thank You Mr. Chair. Um, first of all, I'd like to say also give my apologies for what has happened, what happened here in Utah to the two witnesses. I mean, it's such terrible, um, situations that we know is still happening to young women and, and, and young men as well. Um, and it's terrible, uh, to think, you know, that isn't there more that we can do? And I, I share Senator Winton's thoughts here. Um, I would like to see an appropriation. I would like to see programs. I would like to see more for our survivors, and I would like to see more programs for prevention. I and I, I have been in contact with the …

  ▶ Watch at 59:19

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