SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate voted to preliminarily approve a bill that would abolish the death penalty, an attempt to end Utah's vehicle safety inspection failed and a Senate panel rejected a bill that would ban discrimination against public breastfeeding.

Here's what's happening on the hill:

Utah Senate casts preliminary vote to repeal death penalty

Utah took a step toward abolishing the death penalty Tuesday.

The Senate voted 20-9 to preliminarily approve a bill that would ban prosecutors from seeking capital punishment, limiting them to life without parole. It still needs a final debate, but Sen. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, said he believes the vote would hold and the bill will move to the House.

Urquhart argued that capital punishment is too expensive, turns killers into "rock stars" and "tortures" victims' families who have to endure decades of appeals.

"There's no closure. The wounds don't heal," he said.

SB189 says aggravated murder committed before May 10, 2016, and for which the death penalty has not been sought, may not be charged as a capital offense. It would also outlaw capital punishment in aggravated murder cases from that date forward.

Indigenous Peoples Day bill fails in Utah Senate

A bill that would have changed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day was voted down Tuesday by the Utah Senate.

"It is meant as no disrespect to any holiday or any person, but our history did not start with pioneer days and the celebration we have then," said Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City, the sponsor of SB170. "Before Father Escalante got here, before the LDS pioneers arrived, there weren't just people; there was a thriving, incredible, amazing civilization that was here, and we do not pay tribute to that civilization."

The bill faced strong scrutiny Tuesday in the Senate.

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, shared a speech about Columbus, calling the deaths of Native Americans a "complicated issue" and protesting the word "genocide" used by Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City.

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to history being rewritten. We have a great history in this country, and we can honor Columbus and indigenous people without disparaging either side," Weiler said.

The bill failed on a 10-15 vote.

Daylight saving time bill killed in committee

A legislative proposal that would have kept Utah on Mountain Standard Time year-round was voted down Tuesday by lawmakers weary of the issue that keeps returning to Capitol Hill.

"This is kind of like 'Groundhog Day' all over again," said Rep. Doug Sagers, R-Tooele. "I am kind of tired of it."

Yesterday's roundup:

Anesthesia abortion bill advances; Gail Miller speaks out about homelessness

A committee has approved a bill expanding Medicaid in Utah, a bill requiring anesthesia for abortions was advanced and Jazz owner Gail Miller says Utahns have "an urgent, moral responsibility" to address homelessness.

Sagers' comment came after Rep. Fred Cox, R-West Valley City, presented HB65 to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee, and the Utah Farm Bureau testified against the measure.

Cox said the issue of changing the clocks for daylight saving time or keeping to Mountain Standard Time elicits passion from both sides and particularly draws interest among farmers and parents of school-age children.

Advocates, police derail bill they say discounts Utah crime victims

Victims' rights advocates derailed legislation Tuesday that they say would undermine hard-fought laws designed to make sure crime victims have a voice in the judicial system.

Several dozen victims, victim advocates, prosecutors, academics and police packed the House Judiciary Committee meeting to oppose HB399, sponsored by Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper.

After hearing from the group outside the meeting, Christensen agreed to set the bill aside for study over the summer.

Christensen proposed adding provisions to the state's victims' rights law that require victims, witnesses and victim advocates to be advised of the consequences of making false allegations. The bill would limit the role of people who work with police agencies on behalf of crime victims. It would affirm that defendants are presumed innocent until proved guilty and entitled to due process.

Senate rejects repeal of Salt Lake City's ability to raise taxes for prison costs

The state Senate rejected a bill Tuesday that would take away Salt Lake City's ability to raise sales taxes to help offset costs associated with the relocation of the state prison.

"It's like a loaded gun. It could be used anytime in the future," Senate Budget Chairman Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, told members of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. He is the sponsor of SB180.

Hillyard earlier said being able to add up to a half-cent to Salt Lake's current 6.85 percent tax rate would "make the sales tax really an unbearable amount," especially combined with the potential for another local sales tax increase for transportation needs.

The Senate voted down SB180, 13-15.

Utah Senate panel rejects bill banning discrimination against public breastfeeding

A fear of lactating women baring their breasts in a public protest helped doom a Tuesday bill that would have banned discrimination of breastfeeding in public.

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Wood Cross, said he's "legitimately concerned" that scenario would happen in Utah if SB240 became law.

"As long as she's lactating and bringing her baby with her, she and maybe some friends to protest the business, they could sit there and publicly display their breasts as long as they want, and there's nothing the business could do about it," Weiler told the Senate Business and Labor Committee.

The bill, sponsored Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City, would have added pregnancy, childbirth and lactating to the definition of sex in Utah's public accommodations law. The committee vote ended in a 2-2 tie, meaning the measure failed.

Related:

Lawmakers pass bill requiring workplace accommodations for breastfeeding women

The Utah Legislature has passed a bill that requires businesses to make accommodations for pregnant and breastfeeding workers.

Committee OKs bill naming 2 official Utah hashtags

A resolution designating two official state hashtags was passed unanimously by the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee on Tuesday.

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said SCR18 is inspired by Texas, which recently passed a resolution designating a state hashtag.

Unlike Texas, Utah would have two hashtags — #Utah as the official state hashtag, and #VisitUtah as the official state tourism hashtag. The bill will now move to the full Senate.

Resolution calling for a constitutional convention passes House

After nearly an hour of debate Tuesday, the House approved a resolution that would express support of a constitutional convention.

"We've got a president who's legislating with a pen and courts that decide everything under the sun," said HJR8 sponsor Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan.

Seven other states, Ivory said, have already taken such action.

HJR8 lists three objectives for a potential convention: imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government, imposing jurisdictional limits, and considering term limits for federal officers.

The House voted 41-33 in favor of the resolution. It now moves to the Senate.

Attempt to end Utah vehicle safety inspection program fails

An attempt to end Utah's vehicle safety inspection program met with much opposition Tuesday from station owners who offer the service.

And the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee decided to put off HB319 for further study.

Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, proposed doing away with the program because he said there's no evidence it improves highway safety or prevents fatalities. The state should redirect the nearly $1 million it spends on the program to other public safety needs, he said.

Utah requires safety inspections for 4-, 8- and 10-year-old cars. Cars more than 10 years old require an inspection every year.

Contributing: Emily Larson, Dennis Romboy, Amy Joi O'Donoghue,

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