Utah's Senate Bill 96, sponsored by Senator Chris Buttars (R-District 10), was passed by the Senate on January 23, 2006, by a 16-12 vote. If enacted, SB 96 would direct the Utah state board of education to require "that if instruction is given to students on any theory regarding the origins of life, or the origins or present state of the human race, then that instruction shall stress that not all scientists agree on which theory is correct" and to "ensure that all policies and positions of the State Board of Education relating to theories regarding the origins of life or the origins or present state of the human race: (i) do not endorse a particular theory; and (ii) stress that not all scientists agree on which scientific theory is correct." (The emphasized phrases were added by a floor amendment during the Senate's debate.) The bill was subsequently introduced in the House of Representatives on January 24.
The Salt Lake Tribune (January 21, 2006) reported although Buttars attempted to eliminate any possibility that SB 96 might allow religious advocacy in the classroom, "religion is the reason he proposed the bill and religion drove most of the debate," adding, "Comments on the Senate floor commending God's creation of man and condemning atheists for pushing their "religion," could potentially end up as evidence in court should the bill become law." Senate Majority Leader Peter Knudson (R-District 17) was reported to have objected to comments by Buttars the opposition to the bill is driven by "secularists and atheists" and to have explained that it is possible for religious people to accept evolution. "I will tell you that is not the spirit by which we should be debating this legislation," Knudson said.
In its January 24, 2006, editorial "Not fit to survive: A bad bill was made even worse", the Salt Lake Tribune objected especially to the addition of "scientific" in the bill, writing, " By adding the word 'scientific' at critical points, the bill stopped saying that there were other ideas about the origins and development of life on Earth and started saying that there were other 'scientific' ways of explaining those things. There are not. There are religious, philosophical and mythical alternatives to evolution, none of them in conflict with scientific thinking unless someone is stubborn enough to demand a fight to the death where none need exist." And the Provo Daily Herald (January 24, 2006) commented, "Buttars and his Senate colleagues want to push creationism into the public school curriculum. In truth, this is an attempt to insert a state-endorsed brand of religion into secular life."