The Utah Senate approved a bill Monday that would relieve emissions-inspection shops of fines or shutdowns when health departments bust their technicians for passing vehicles that should have failed.

SB186 requires the technician to go through a new round of training with the health department after a first offense and to pay a $500 fine after a second offense. After a third offense, the technician would lose certification for two years. If the shop owner knowingly participates in passing dirty vehicles, though, the shop could face a $10,000 fine.

Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Eagle Mountain, sponsored the bill because, he said, shop owners are being fined for offenses that should be borne by the technician or fixed by training. As it is, he said, shops sometimes are fined up to $20,000, depending on negotiations with health departments.

"It places accountability where it should [be]," Madsen said.

The bill faced some opposition from senators who said $10,000 is too high a fine. Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, said he has relatives in the business and they never have been fined that much.

"It's too extreme," he said.

The bill passed 15-11 and goes to the House.