“4th substitute House Bill 261, having received 23 yay votes, six nay votes, zero being absent, passes this body and will be returned to the House for further consideration,” said Senate President Stuart Adams, reading the votes for House Bill 261, the Equal Opportunity Initiatives bill.
With the amendments passed in the Senate, the bill prohibits mandatory programs that discuss personal identity characteristics like race, ethnicity and gender identity, effectively eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs in publicly funded institutions.
Following that vote, hundreds of demonstrators met on the steps outside the Capitol to show their opposition to House Bill 257 which critics said unfairly targets transgender people by restricting their ability to use a restroom or changing room that aligns with their gender identity.
Inside the Capitol building, the Senate voted to pass H.B. 257, titled Sex-based Designations for Privacy, Anti-bullying and Women’s Opportunities, with a vote of 21 for and eight against. Proponents, including the bill’s sponsor Senator McCay of Salt Lake and Utah Counties, said the bill will protect women from assaults in bathroom facilities.
Both bills are scheduled to be read in the House of Representatives on Friday and are expected to receive final votes.
