Roads legislation is amended but passes out of Senate panel

A bill that would have required the state to bond for $500 million to buy land for future roads passed out of committee Friday, but not before being amended substantially.

Under the amended SB12, the Utah Department of Transportation would submit requests each year to the state for funding preservation of future road routes. The state could then bond to buy the land or use general fund monies.

Sponsoring Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, amended the bill after receiving complaints about bonding during a year of surplus. "I believe that it is important this be a formal budgeting process," Stephenson said about requiring UDOT to ask for corridor preservation money.

SB12 is one of several bills that Stephenson is running that involve transportation. The measure passed unanimously out of the Senate Transportation Committee. It now moves to the Senate floor for debate.