Should Election Day be a state holiday; and should medical debt become a "family debt" when one spouse dies? | | | 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. 10, 2025 It's Monday and National Cream Cheese Brownie Day! There are 731 bills available. Congrats to all you Eagles fans out there! Three things today: Speaker Mike Schultz will be presenting his bill on âCatalyst Centersâ in the House Education committee this afternoon. HB477 would establish a $65 million grant program to support local school districts and charter schools in expanding career and technical education offerings that align with current labor market needs. Sen. Stephanie Pitcher is running a bill that would exempt a deceased spouseâs medical debt from becoming a âfamily expense.â Family expense is a centuriesâ old law, dating back to when women were not allowed to own property or carry debt in her own name. Rep. Ryan Wilcox is proposing a bill that would create a new state holiday: Election Day. If passed, HB351 would become effective on January 1, 2026. On the Hill Today, Day 21 of 45 8:00 am: Criminal Justice Appropriations; Higher Education Appropriations; Social Services Appropriations 11:00 - 11:50: Senate floor time 11:00 - 12:00: House floor time 1:00 pm: Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Confirmation Committee 2:00 - 3:30 pm: Senate and House floor time 3:40 pm: House Business & Labor; House Economic Development & Workforce Services; House Education; House Health and Human Services; Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice; Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment; Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology | | |
| | 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 Members of MWEG gather at Utah Capitol for training (Deseret News) An abortion ad got this long-standing guidebook banned from most of the Utah Capitol (Salt Lake Tribune) Here's how Utah lawmakers want to change public employee unions and mail-in voting (Hinckley Report) Business and Labor Utah lawmakers race against the clock to help franchisees facing Sunday mandate deadline (Deseret News) Economic Development and Workforce Services Donât call us Utahans! (Deseret News) Utahâs been called a child care âdesert.â State lawmakers look at ways to increase access (Deseret News) Education âVeto, veto, vetoâ UEA members call on Gov. Cox to veto labor unions bill (Deseret News) Lawmakers ask for another $80 million for Utahâs school voucher program (Salt Lake Tribune) A $65 million bill to expand career, technical education in Utah (Fox13) Government Operations Should Utah have runoff elections? (Deseret News) Health and Human Services A funding request in the legislature to help Utah families with diapers (Fox13) Utah policymakers could play a stronger role in student's mental health (St. George News) Law Enforcement Utah bill would add extra protections for child welfare workers (Deseret News) Kids are getting propositioned in virtual reality, and right now itâs legal (Deseret News) Utah House advances bill to ban polygraph tests for sexual assault victims (UPR) Natural Resources Opinion: HB355 is special interest legislation on steroids (Deseret News) Utah lawmaker proposes Big, Little Cottonwood canyons state parks (Fox13) Political Subdivisions Are tiny lot sizes, âgranny flatsâ the solution to Utahâs housing crisis? (Deseret News) Other Utah News Politics Mike Lee wants to put Congress in charge âand make DOGEâs job easier (Deseret News)
Rep. Burgess Owens pushes to expose financial ties between universities and foreign adversaries (Deseret News)
Editorial Board: New Utah A.G. is wrong to back Trumpâs move to gut the 14th Amendment (Salt Lake Tribune) St. George issues public apology for denying drag show performance (Fox13)
Utah news Utah just got a shoutout in a Super Bowl commercial (Deseret News) 'You're being detained': Woman recounts brother's arrest in Magna by immigration officials (KSL) Biz/Tech Pluralsight settles class action suit for $20M after dismissal and appeal (KSL) Crime/Courts BYU baseball player arrested on child lewdness charge (KUTV) Education University of Utah med school apologizes for erroneous email implying admission to âlarge groupâ of applicants (Deseret News) Environment Thousands of birds along Great Salt Lake shoreline die from avian flu, DWR says (Fox13) Southwest Utahâs record dry winter is setting off alarm bells for the snowpack (KUER) Family Utah pediatric hospitals full but not turning away patients (KUTV) | | |
National Headlines General The government's computing experts say they are terrified (The Atlantic) Political news Vance and Musk question the authority of the courts as Trumpâs agenda faces legal pushback (AP) America debates muscular executive power (Deseret News) Trump executive order halts $5 billion meant for EV stations (Deseret News) Trump says he is serious about Canada becoming 51st state in Super Bowl interview (AP) Trump to announce 25% steel and aluminum tariffs in latest trade escalation (Reuters) New CFPB chief closes headquarters, tells all staff they must work remotely for the week (NPR) Musk calls for impeachment of judge who blocked DOGE access at Treasury (The Hill) Democratic senator says his party is ready to shut down government over Trumpâs actions (The Hill) âAmericans Can and Will Die from Thisâ: USAID Worker Details Dangers, Chaos (Politico) Ukraine and Russia Trump plan to end Ukraine war must prevent new Russian aggression, Zelenskiy says (Reuters) âBe Cruelâ: Inside Russiaâs Torture System for Ukrainian POWs (Wall Street Journal) Israel and Gaza Trump repeats pledge to take control of Gaza even as pressure mounts to renew ceasefire (AP) Jordan, home to millions of Palestinians, fears Trumpâs Gaza proposal (Washington Post) Other world news 2 German cities honor faithful life of youngest executed Nazi resistance member (Deseret News) 3 Baltic states disconnect from the Soviet-era grid to merge with the European energy system (AP) | | |
| | Guest opinion: Protecting democracy â a personal commitment to safeguard elections from foreign influences by Sen. Kirk Cullimore Our republic faces a mounting threat: foreign money and influence infiltrating our electoral system. As legislators, we must address this issue head-on and ensure that our elections remain free, fair, and reflective of the values of the people. I have recently introduced a resolution that supports a constitutional amendment to restore state authority over campaign finance lawsâa critical step to safeguarding the integrity of our democratic process and reaffirming Utahâs commitment to federalism and self-governance. The Urgency of This Moment The need for this amendment has never been more apparent. According to The Problem of Foreign Money in Politics, a recent report by American Promise, foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran are seeking opportunities to influence our elections, including exploiting loopholes in our campaign finance system. These actors may use dark money networks to funnel millions into elections, spreading misinformation and destabilizing our democratic processes.... A Call to Action This resolution declares our values as Utahns and Americans. Protecting our elections from foreign influence should not be a partisan issue. I urge my fellow lawmakers and citizens to support this resolution and join the movement to restore state sovereignty and defend our elections. Together, we can ensure that our democratic processes remain free from undue influence and true to the principles that define our great state. Let us rise to this challenge and protect the future of our republic. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Feb 10 â Gail Miller: Making a Difference with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 11 â "Heart on the Hill" Day with the American Heart Association, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm, Copper Room in the Senate Building Feb 12 â Navigating the 2025 Tax Reconciliation Bill webinar with the Hatch Center, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, MST, Register here Feb 12 â Crossing the Divide: Making an Impact in Career and Community with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 20 â BioHive Live, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Hale Centre Theater, Sandy, Register here Mar. 7 â Utah legislative session ends | | |
On This Day In History 1846 - LDS exodus begins, leaving Nauvoo and heading to the Rocky Mountains. 1870 - The Utah Territorial Legislature passes a bill allowing women to vote and they do it unanimously. Go, Utah! 1964 - The US House passes the Civil Rights Act of 1964 1989 - Attorney Ron Brown was elected chairman of the DNC, the first Black person to hold the post. He later became the Secretary of Commerce. He died in 1996 when the plane he and 32 others were in crashed while on a diplomatic mission in Croatia. 2011 - Jerry Sloan resigns as head coach of the Jazz. Quote of the Day âThese basic rights ... are the foundation of a just society. Rights such as freedom of opinion, expression, thought, conscience and religion are essential for communities to thrive.â âElder Ulisses Soares On the Punny Side I ran into a lamppost yesterday. Luckily, I only sustained light injuries. | | |
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