Amy Joi O Donoghue writes: "A special session convened Wednesday by lawmakers who took up two key issues that are top priorities in Utah, securing enough energy for the state’s future growth and retaining access to federal lands for purposes of multiple use — such as grazing, recreation, transmission lines, renewable energy and wildfire mitigation and more.

"HB3004 by Sen. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, revamped provisions of an earlier bill dealing with the Intermountain Power Agency’s Delta power plant that plans to transition to natural gas in a little more than a year ...

"The measure, HB3002 by Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George sets aside $6.7 million for the next fiscal year drawing mostly on funds allocated to the Utah Attorney General’s Office and Utah Department of Natural Resources.

"It renames the Public Lands Litigation Restricted Account the Federal Overreach Restricted Account for the purpose of litigating or defending state and local government interests on federal land issues, consolidating the different pots of money being used in legal rights under one umbrella."

Read more about HB3004 and HB3002.

The invention — and reinvention — of Amy Coney Barrett

Mariya Manzhos writes: "Both Democrats and Republicans expected Barrett to fall in lockstep with conservative legal priorities. But looking at Barrett’s four terms on the bench, it’s hard to describe them in a singular way. She did fulfill the hopes of conservatives by casting the crucial fifth vote to overturn Roe v. Wade and voted to limit affirmative action and sustain rights to hold firearms. But she’s been surprising in other cases, exhibiting caution and restraint when, for instance, in the Catholic foster agency case, she refused to overrule the precedent before knowing what would replace it.

"During hearings, she’s been an incisive interrogator (her questions make headlines) and in court opinions, a thorough and precise writer, shaped by years in academia. Ideologically, she’s fallen alongside Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts in the relatively moderate middle, which makes Barrett an influential vote in cases split between the conservative and liberal wings on the court."

Read more about Amy Coney Barrett.

More in Politics

Democrats move to the left on social issues (Deseret News)

Justice Department finds Utah allegedly violated Americans with Disabilities Act (Deseret News)

Glenn Beck explains why Sen. Lee and Trump fall on opposite sides of Utah, Virginia endorsements (Deseret News)

Trump and Biden debate next week. Will RFK Jr. join them? (Deseret News)

Utah

Utah health care payment innovator Waystar crushes IPO with $1B raise (Deseret News)

What Utah Sen. Mitt Romney says about the origins of COVID-19 (Deseret News)

Salt Lake police arrest man in connection with fatal May shooting (KSL)

The U.S.

Louisiana becomes the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in public school classrooms (ABC News)

Moment baby moose is rescued from Alaska lake (BBC)

The Post Fire in Los Angeles County has consumed more than 15,000 acres (CNN)

The World

Climate activists arrested after spray painting UK’s Stonehenge monument (FOX News)

Hundreds died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia amid intense heat, officials say (Associated Press)

Nine Million People Have Fled. Up to 150,000 Are Dead. No One Is Talking About It. (Slate Magazine)

Sports

Will Puka Nacua’s rookie records remain in place this season? Not if it’s up to this young receiver (Deseret News)

What’s next for Taysom Hill? (Deseret News)

Demin, Catchings additions put BYU hoops in completely different conversation (Deseret News)

3-star offensive lineman Soren Shinofield commits to Utah (Deseret News)

Faith

The relationship between Church of Jesus Christ and Community of Christ — and what it means going forward (Deseret News)

Relief Society global initiative for women and children seeks to provide the Savior’s relief (Church News)

Health

How to sleep well in the heat, according to experts (Deseret News)

Entertainment

Why ‘Baby Reindeer’ and Other ‘True Story’ Netflix Shows Keep Landing in Legal Trouble (Variety)

Celine Dion film shows unfiltered impact of stiff person syndrome (USA Today)