Three bills, including proposals to expand regulation of midwives, extend tax breaks for Delta Air Lines and increase the language programs offered in Utah schools were all stamped as having passed the Senate after midnight.

That likely would have negated the legislation, since legislative rules require the Senate to adjourn by midnight on the 45th day of the session.

But after inquiries from The Salt Lake Tribune and a test of the system, Senate staff discovered that the clocks on the Senate's computer system weren't synchronized when they were reinstalled in the chamber.

The clerks tested the system and found a 3-minute and 9-second discrepancy between the clerk's official time and the timestamp on the vote printouts - just enough that the final piece of legislation passed by the Senate made it through with four seconds to spare.

The secretary of the Senate and the Senate docket clerk each signed sheets attesting to the validity of the tests that show the disparity.

"I chalk that up to growing pains, trying to work all the bugs out of our new systems," said Senate Majority Leader Curtis Bramble, R-Provo. "I don't think anyone ever considered there may be a different clock in different points [in the system]."

Bramble said the official journal will likely continue to reflect that the bills passed after midnight, but a footnote will be added indicating the time difference.