Utah lawmakers threw up a stop sign for a bill that would restrict some of Salt Lake City’s traffic-calming efforts.

While none of the lawmakers on the House Transportation Committee explained their decision, those who voted against the bill questioned other parts of the legislation, including sections related to data sharing by towing companies and the placement of mobile food businesses, like food trucks.

The measure failed to advance Monday after a 4-4 vote, with four other committee members absent.

SB242, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, would allow a private towing dispatcher to create a database of tow requests. It also would put limits on the inclusion of personally identifiable data and make selling the data illegal.

Rep. Kristen Chevrier, R-Highland, questioned why the legislation did not include a penalty for those that do sell that data.

“I am just wondering what kind of auditing will be done to make sure that the information is not being sold,” she said. “Is anyone going to be looking and also, why not have a penalty? I think it would be a good idea, actually, to have a penalty attached.”

A trio of towing operators shared concerns about the bill, including Neil Schultz, the president of the Ogden Weber Towing Association.

“We don’t want to be compelled by state statute to break federal statute in reporting personal information,” he told lawmakers. “Now I know that that language has been modified within the bill to say, ‘Okay, you’re only going to enter this, this and this,’ which isn’t considered to be personal, but there’s no provision to patrol that or penalize it.”

The bill would also give cities and counties the power to restrict mobile food businesses from operating on a street that is closed for a temporary event, though it does not require it.

That provision piqued the interest of Rep. Rosalba Dominguez, D-Murray.

“I know a lot of businesses don’t have a kitchen,” she said, “and they bring in food trucks and they park them outside of their businesses, and, of course, it uses public walkways.”

Harper said the bill simply gives cities and counties the power to tell food trucks and stands they have to move if the street or sidewalk they are on is closed for a special event.

Reps. Mike Petersen, R-North Logan, and Jake Sawyer, R-West Haven, joined Dominguez and Chevrier in voting down the bill.

The hearing drew a crowd of residents concerned with the legislation’s focus on the capital city’s streets. It would bar any projects that reduce vehicle capacity on major roads, while enhancing the Utah Department of Transportation’s veto power over pedestrian safety measures on those thoroughfares and others. It also directs Salt Lake City and the agency to “mitigate the impacts” of new traffic-calming measures like protected bike lanes and curb extensions installed on 200 South, 400 South and 300 West.

Annie Dayton, of Rose Park, told lawmakers that her son was hit by car while riding his bike in 2019. Even though he was wearing a helmet, her son suffered a traumatic brain injury and a fractured skull.

“We still deal with the repercussions of that today,” she said, “and to see a bill that wants to mitigate those traffic-calming measures is really heartbreaking for me.”

Despite the bill’s failure, Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, told reporters Monday he had spoken with Harper and believed the bill would still pass.

“[Harper is] confident they’re going to bring it back tomorrow, and he thinks it will pass,” Wilson said. “He said there was a couple of no votes that were a little unsure of the policy. He explained it to them what the policy was, and they should be voting yes tomorrow.”