Happy President's Day! The Utah legislature is taking a breather today. | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com. | | |
Situational Analysis | Feb. 17, 2025 It's Monday, Presidents' Day and the Utah legislature is taking the day off. There are 824 bills now available Three things today: Gov. Cox signed HB267, the bill that bans collective bargaining for public labor unions, on Friday night. Cox said he was disappointed that a compromise was not reached. Public labor union representatives say they are looking at a referendum to overturn the new law. Surgical sterilization is on the rise among young American women during a global fertility crisis. According to research published last month in the journal Health Affairs, the incidence of tubal ligation among women ages 19â26 doubled after the Dobbs decision. The US and Russia will have representatives meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy was not invited. Zelenskyy said Ukraine will not recognize any agreements reached without Ukraine at the table. | | |
| | A strong community begins with opportunity. At SLCC, we offer students the chance to create bright futures filled with promise and prosperity. By providing affordable education and career training in high-demand fields, we help build a skilled workforce that Utahâs employers rely on. SLCC students are the future leaders, innovators, and workforce of our community. | | |
Utah Headlines Legislative session Opinion: SB197 threatens the financial stability of Utah seniors (Deseret News) The Utah legislature is considering a historic number of Constitutional amendments (Hinckley Report) Welcome to Utah! *restrictions may apply (State Street podcast) Education Utah lawmaker defends bill allocating extra funds for English-language learners despite pushback (KSL) Your property taxes pay for your local schools. Utah lawmakers might change that. (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah lawmakers agree student hunger is a problem. Theyâve got 2 ideas about it (KUER) Energy Safety, nuclear waste, water use: Hereâs what you need to know about Utahâs nuclear push (Salt Lake Tribune) Government Operations Utah House votes to remove state from voter roll system before next election (Deseret News) If this bill passes, it could cost Utahns thousands to hold government accountable (Salt Lake Tribune) Bill would dismantle key parts of Utahâs open records law and undermine government accountability (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah's black license plate is so popular, the legislature eyes some of the money it makes (Fox13) Health and Human Services Utah bill aims to provide comprehensive cancer screenings to firefighters (KSL Newsradio) Judiciary Top GOP lawmakers looking to potentially expand Utahâs Supreme Court (KSL) Law Enforcement Utah House committee shoots down bill penalizing unsafe storage of firearms (Deseret News) New bill could protect government employees who resign in lieu of discipline (Fox13) This is not âreal collaborationâ â SLC Mayor Mendenhall pushes back against state lawmakers over policing bill (Salt Lake Tribune) Other Utah News Politics Opinion: The predicament of the party-less (Deseret News) Salt Lake City set to explore ânext phaseâ of cherished 143-year-old Liberty Park (KSL) 'This was my decision': Salt Lake City mayor says she asked police chief to retire (KSL) Sen. John Curtis addresses national security, Hill AFB, DOGE, Trump Cabinet picks (Standard-Examiner) Ogden Valley incorporation boosters sue Weber County over ski village development moves (KSL) Presidents's Day Editorial Board: This Presidents Day, read George Washington's farewell address (Deseret News) 20 Presidents Day deals you wonât want to miss (Deseret News) Utah Hereâs who will lead Utahâs 2034 Winter Games (Deseret News) Whatâs next for Utahâs 2034 Winter Games? (Deseret News) Utah woman competes in foot archery (KSL TV) Trina A. Higgins, first woman appointed as U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah, leaves position (ABC4) Culture My hunt for the perfect place to eat chips and salsa in Utah (Deseret News) Post Malone may not have a Grammy, but he makes a mean Oreo (Deseret News) Education Opinion: The true purpose of higher education (Deseret News) Families worry about Section 504 lawsuit, but AG Derek Brown says he will work to protect kids with disabilities (Deseret News) BYU to reopen Jerusalem Center after 18-month closure for Gaza war (Deseret News) Family Better options than marriage? Think again (Deseret News) Move aside tradwives. Hereâs how social media is shaping LDS menâs views of masculinity â for better or worse (Salt Lake Tribune) Health Medicaid is a lifesaving and vital healthcare program (Deseret News) Housing $1K a month to live in a shipping container: SLCâs cautionary tale of making homes out of cargo boxes (Salt Lake Tribune)
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National Headlines General Swallowed by a whale! (Deseret News/AP) Here's what consumers can expect in 2025 as inflation rates continue to rise (KSL) Jan. 6 rioters argue pardons apply to other charges including murder plot, child porn (Wall Street Journal) Political news Trump: If it saves the country, it's not illegal (Reuters) How this New York Times writer is approaching politics differently (Deseret News) DOGE is moving fast. Congress is scrambling to keep up (Deseret News) Trumpâs game of global Monopoly. Why does Trump want to annex Canada, Greenland, Gaza and the Panama Canal? (Deseret News) Muskâs DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS (Washington Post) Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal DC plane crash (AP) A fired national park ranger lost his dream job. He says the public is losing more (NPR) Trump administration fires new immigration judges while the countryâs immigration courts have a seven-figure case backlog. (Politico) Ukraine and Russia Russian troops intensify attacks on Ukrainian forces in east, military says (Reuters) Russia rules out territorial concessions on eve of talks with Trump team (Reuters) UK offers peacekeeping troops to Ukraine ahead of Paris talks (Reuters) US presented Ukraine with a document to access its minerals but offered almost nothing in return (AP) Israel and Gaza Netanyahu signals he's moving ahead with Trump's idea to transfer Palestinians from Gaza (AP) Israel receives shipment of heavy bombs cleared by Trump (Reuters) Hostages freed from Gaza discover personal lives shattered by Hamas (AP) World News Congo says Rwanda-backed rebels occupy a 2nd major city in its mineral-rich east (NPR) Iran says Israel, US 'cannot do a damn thing' against Tehran (Reuters) | | |
| | News Releases U of U forms timely and impactful partnership with Dignity Index At this polarized moment in U.S. politics, the University of Utah and Project UNITE have joined forces to make political and public discourse more productive. Under one of the universityâs first affiliation agreements, the U will join UNITEâs effort to promote the study, teaching, and applied practice of human dignity. (Read More) Gov. Cox signs first bills of the 2025 General Legislative Session Friday, Gov. Cox announced the signing of the first 12 bills of the 2025 General Legislative Session, including HB267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, and HB269, Privacy Protections in Sex-designated Areas. (Read More) Utah Senate Democrats condemn Governor Coxâs signature of H.B. 267 into law The Utah Senate Democrats issued the following statement after Governor Cox signed H.B. 267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, into law: âWith profound disappointment and concern, the Utah Senate Democrats are disheartened by Governor Coxâs decision to sign H.B. 267 into law. This bill not only threatens the safety and well-being of our civil servants but also blatantly disregards the strong opposition voiced by these workers. The ability to negotiate safe working conditions, fair wages, and respect is essential in recognizing the dedication of our public sector employees, who selflessly serve our communities." (Read More) Utah House Democrats oppose bill ending partnership with E.R.I.C. The Utah House Democratic Caucus released the following statement on H.B. 332 Voter Registration Data Amendments: âWe strongly oppose H.B. 332 Voter Registration Data Amendments, a bill that severs Utahâs partnership with the Electronic Registration Information Center (E.R.I.C)âa trusted, nonpartisan network used by 24 states and Washington, D.C. to ensure accurate voter records. E.R.I.C helps Utah identify and correct voter registration inconsistencies, providing county clerks with critical data on approximately 60,000 voter records each year. Eliminating this system would strip clerks of an irreplaceable tool, jeopardizing the integrity of our voter rolls." (Read More) Curtis tours Hill Air Force Base U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) visited Hill Air Force Base today to meet with military leaders and discuss the baseâs critical role in national defense, military readiness, and strategic deterrence. As Utahâs largest military installation and a hub for advanced aircraft engineering and logistics, Hill AFB plays a critical role in maintaining and modernizing the nationâs airpower. During his visit, Senator Curtis received briefings on the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, Minuteman III and Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile systems, 75th Air Base Wing, and 388th and 419th Fighter Wings. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Feb 20 â BioHive Live, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Hale Centre Theater, Sandy, Register here Mar 7 â Utah legislative session ends Apr 24 â Giant in Our City with the Salt Lake Chamber, 6:00-9:00 pm, Register here | | |
On This Day In History 624 - Wu Zetian, the only female Chinese emperor in history, is born. 1621 - Myles Standish is elected as the first commander of the Plymouth Colony. 1801 - Thomas Jefferson is elected 3rd president of the US, after a very acrimonious campaign against Aaron Burr. 1820 - The U.S. Senate passes the Missouri Compromise. 1912 - Alice Mary Norton is born. She wrote under the pseudonym Andre Norton because she thought it would be more salable in science fiction and fantasy and later legally changed her name to Andre Alice Norton. She also used the pseudonyms âAndrew Northâ and âAllen Weston.â 1972 - President Nixon leaves DC for an historic trip to China. 1996 - Garry Kasparov defeats IBM computer âDeep Blueâ 4-2. 2021 - Rush Limbaugh dies of lung cancer at age 70. Quote of the Day âThe alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism.â âPres. George Washington's Farewell Address On the Punny Side Did you hear the joke about the little mountain? Itâs hill-arious! | | |
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