A bill allowing for concealed carry without a permit will be heard today; full agenda in Economic Development Approps | | | 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 | Jan. 24, 2025 It's Friday and National Peanut Butter Day There are 486 bills available. Three things today: The theme of last nightâs State of the State address was that it is time to build in Utah. Gov. Cox named five key areas: Housing attainability, energy abundance, infrastructure and permitting reform, community safety and support, and family strength. Special guests included members of the Borgstrom family, the Utah family who lost four of their five sons in WWII. There is a full agenda in the appropriations subcommittee for economic development at 8:00 am. Legislators will hear from the Inland Port Authority, Point of the Mountain Land Authority, State Fairpark Authority, the Utah Fairpark Area Investment and Redevelopment District and the Utah Sports Commission. HB133 will be heard in House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice at 2 pm and addresses âdangerous weapons.â The bill removes the criminal provision for law-abiding citizens to possess a loaded rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading rifle in a vehicle, or on a public street, and provides that individuals can conceal a firearm in most public places without a concealed carry permit On the Hill Today, Day 4 of 45 8:00 am: Economic and Community Development Appropriations; General Government Appropriations; Public Education Appropriations; Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations 11:00 - 11:50: Senate floor time 11:00 - 12:00: House floor time 1:30 pm - 1:50 pm: House and Senate floor time 2:00 pm: House Judiciary; House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment; House Transportation; Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services; Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions | | |
| | A strong community begins with opportunity. At SLCC, we offer students the chance to create futures filled with promise. By providing affordable education and career training in high-demand fields, we help build a workforce that Utahâs employers rely on. When you support SLCC, youâre investing in our studentsâthe workforce of our community. | | |
Utah Headlines Legislative session Jay Evensen: Is the end of time change on the horizon? (Deseret News) 'State of the People;' Utahns share what they'd focus on in year ahead (Fox13) Business and Labor Utah bill targeting squatters, one of several aimed at illegal immigration, gets committee support (KSL) After extensive public comment period, lawmakers advance bill on public labor unions (Deseret News) Could Utah be the next US hub for space exploration? (Salt Lake Tribune) Criminal Justice House bill rules that AI-generated porn qualifies as sexual extortion (Deseret News) Education Lawmakers debate the value of liberal studies amid possible cuts to higher ed (Deseret News) Budget breakdown: Utah lawmakers share dollar amount that each public university could see cut. The University of Utah will see the largest share of the cut and Snow College the smallest. (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah lawmakers introduce transgender housing guidelines for state universities (KUER) Energy Legislature discusses how to split higher energy costs (KSL Newsradio) Government Operations Itâs been 10 years. These lawmakers are ready for another primary election overhaul (Deseret News) Natural Resources Lawmakers want to keep wildlife refuges open during a shutdown (Deseret News) Other Utah News Politics 'Promise fulfilled': Utah Republicans celebrate Trump's emergency declaration at the border (KSL) Utah news Feds directed $122.8M in drought spending across Utah. Will it be held up by freeze? (KSL) Tabithaâs Way in Pleasant Grove partners with local group to gather donations for Southern California wildfire victims (Daily Herald) Crime/Courts Settlement with Sackler family may offer Utah vital funds to combat drug overdose epidemic (Deseret News) Utah County Alpha Influence owner pleads guilty to security fraud charges involving 530 victims (KSL) Nearly 50 years after Honolulu teenâs killing, police arrest an ex-schoolmate in Utah (Salt Lake Tribune) DNA match leads to arrest in 19-year-old cold case homicide in Magna, police say (KSL) âIâll bury youâ: Assault, harassment allegations emerge against ex-Iron County Sheriff's lieutenant (St. George News) Education This Utah school enlisted parents to help their kids succeed. The result? Proficiency rates more than double the state average (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Tech launches lectures for local history buffs celebrating former times (St. George News) Health Trump mutes CDC, other public health communications temporarily (Deseret News) Maternal health awareness: Lowering risk for pregnancy-related complications (KSL TV) How to cope when disasters strip away photos, heirlooms and other pieces of the past (AP) | | |
National Headlines General Tom Christofferson: The Rev. Budde wasnât lecturing. She was encouraging the mercy we all need more of right now (Deseret News) Colorado DNA analyst accused of forging evidence leaving over 500 cases in doubt (AP) Wall of ice the size of Rhode Island heading toward penguin-packed island off Antarctica (AP) Political news Trump takes aim at Fed in economic forum comments (Deseret News) Judge blocks Trump's order curtailing birthright citizenship (Reuters) Trumpâs rapid changes in U.S. government stun federal workers (Reuters) Hegseth told senator he paid $50,000 to woman who accused him of 2017 sex assault (AP) Trump revokes protections for former Secretary of State Pompeo and top aide threatened by Iran (AP) Trump mandates assassination records be released for the Kennedy brothers and MLK Jr. (NPR) Health researchers alarmed as Trump administration pauses travel, communications (Washington Post) GOP leaders in debt limit quandary between Trump, fiscal hawks (The Hill) Constitutional amendment to allow Trump third term introduced in the House (CNBC) Ukraine and Russia Ukraine intel chief says North Korean weapons are flooding into Russia (Washington Post) Ukraine sends volley of drones at Russia, hitting oil refinery (New York Times) Israel and Gaza Why Netanyahuâs political future is as fragile as the ceasefire (AP) Other world news Opinion: Itâs time for a reset for India-Bangladesh relations (Deseret News) | | |
| | News Releases âBuilt here.â Gov. Cox outlines ambitious plan for Utahâs prosperity Gov. Cox delivered his 2025 State of the State address tonight in the Utah House Chamber, calling on Utahns to unite behind a vision of building a stronger, more prosperous future for the state. Emphasizing the theme âBuilt here,â Gov. Cox outlined key policy priorities to address housing attainability, energy abundance, permitting reform, community safety and family strength. (Read More) Utah House and Senate Democrats respond to the State of the State "We are approaching a challenging legislative session and weâre doing it with determination and resolve. We remain committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all Utahns, not just some. We will push back on reactionary policies that are punitive to working families and will fight for solutions that uplift all communities and address the real challenges Utahns face every day. We will safeguard the constitutional rights of Utahns, ensuring their due process, freedom of speech, and values that our state and nation are built upon." (Read More) President Adams responds to the State of the State address President J. Stuart Adams: âGov. Cox and I share a common vision for our great state. Utahâs success isnât by chanceâit is the result of foresight and determination to shape it. We know that Utahns are truly the backbone of our state. By embracing innovation and working together, we will chart a path forward to ensure enduring prosperity for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Building a future to secure affordable energy, ample water and abundant housing is essential to keeping Utah as the best state in the nation and the Utah Dream alive.â Faith and Community Groups to ask Utah legislators to fund operations for new family shelter One Friday, January 24, 2025, at 3:00 PM members of faith and community groups from many different parts of the state will gather in the Board Room of the Utah Capitol Building to present state legislators with a new report on child and family homelessness and ask them to support Governor Coxâs budget proposal to fund staff and operations at a new homeless shelter for families with children located in South Salt Lake City. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Jan 27 â The Impact of Womenâs Health on Work and Life with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Jan 29 â A Conversation with Pat Jones on Women's Leadership with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 3 â Building Bridges: Leading as Women in Local Government with the Utah Women and Leadership Project, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 5 â Women and Policy, Strategy, Politics, and Change with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here 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 1848 - Gold discovered at Sutterâs Creek. 1925 - Maria Tallchief is born on the Osage reservation. She began dancing as a child and became the nationâs first major prima ballerina. 1956 - Emmett Tillâs murderers confess in a detailed article published in âLookâ magazine. They were never brought to justice. 1965 - Winston Churchill dies at age 90. 1984 - Apple Computer unveils the Macintosh personal computer. 2003 - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation. 2006 - Walt Disney International announces it is buying Pixar. 2011 - Becky Lockhart is sworn in as Utahâs first female Speaker of the House. 2018 - After years of unhindered assaults, Larry Nassar is sentenced to prison for sexual assault. 260 women alleged that Nassar abused them while they were minors and the FBI found more than 37,000 images of child porn on his computer. He will spend the rest of his sorry life in prison. Quote of the Day "Generations of Utah entrepreneurs and leaders have fought through unfavorable conditions; and built in the face of cynicism. Today, we can renew our forebearsâ tradition of true grit." âGov. Spencer Cox, 2025 State of the State On the Punny Side We do not throw away perfectly good food in this house. We put it in Tupperware & wait for it to go bad & then we throw it away. | | |
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