End of Life bill up today at 2, congrats to Rep. Welton 4 being named outstanding speech coach,curriculum transparency bill passes committee | | | 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 | January 28, 2022 We made it to Friday! It's National Have Fun At Work Day,National Kazoo Day, and National Big Wig Day. Now THAT is a party waiting to happen! Be in the Know Rep. Stephanie Pitcher's bill to create a statewide address confidentiality program to protect victims of sexual and domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking has passed out of the House Judiciary Committee unanimously. It is now headed to the House floor. Rep. Dailey-Provost's End of Life bill, which would allow for an individual with a terminal disease to obtain a prescription to end their life, will be heard in the House Health and Human Services committee today at 2 pm. | | |
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2022 Legislative Session 10 days down, 35 to go General Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks out about taxpayer-funded security project at his Fairview home (Deseret News) Utah lawmakers say they're being threatened more often; state unit investigates (KUTV) Barry W. Poulson and David M. Walker: How the Utah Legislature can address inter-generational fiscal inequity. The legislature should support push for a federal constitutional amendment to control federal spending. (Salt Lake Tribune) Today Appropriations Subcommittees, 8 am Executive Offices and Criminal Justice, Higher Education, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality, Social Services Floor Time Senate - 11:00 - 11:50 House - 11:00 - 12:15 Committee Meetings, 2 pm House Business and Labor, House Education, House Health and Human Services, House Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology, Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Monday Appropriations Subcommittees, 8 am Business, Economic Development, and Labor, Infrastructure and General Government, Public Education, Social Services Floor Time Senate - 11:00 - 11:50 House - 11:00 - 11:50 Economic Development New bill aims to help Summit County and other rural areas attract film and TV productions (Park Record) Education Utah teachers fight against curriculum bill that would require materials be posted online 30 days in advance. The bill passed committee, 4-2 (Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Dan Johnson: Refugees face many obstacles in Utah public schools (Deseret News) Lawmakers debate first of two âtransparencyâ bills to approve classroom materials (KUER) Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Animal fighting bill fails to pass Utah House of Representatives (KUTV) Natural Resources Bills unveiled to deal with Utah Lake restoration and any future islands (Fox13) Utah Headlines General Stan Christensen: Five reasons Utah should reject a gondola up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Itâs a high-risk solution that would end up complicating and lengthening the skier commute â worsening the problem it is designed to solve (Deseret News) Should there be a âParental Bill of Rightsâ guiding clashes involving public schools? (Deseret News) Utah is one of the best states to retire, says WalletHub (Deseret News) A statewide count of Utahâs homeless population is underway (KUER) Education New $5 million University of Utah investment fund set to turbocharge startups and real-world student experiences (Deseret News) Elections 'I'm going to build bridges,' says Ally Isom, a Republican challenger to Sen. Mike Lee (The Spectrum) COVID Corner 7033 new cases, 6 new deaths Utah undercounted COVID hospitalizations by scores of patients, new data reveals (Salt Lake Tribune) Why this Utah doctor says rampant COVID-19 is a pandemic of âpersonal moral characterâ (Deseret News) There's one population that gets overlooked by an 'everyone will get COVID' mentality: the immunocompromised (NPR) Hospitalizations soar to the highest of the pandemic and many patients will not return home (KSLTV) Attention to COVID-19 news increased slightly amid omicron surge; partisans differ in views about the outbreak (Pew Research) National Headlines General More than 70 million prep for 'bomb cyclone' winter storm set to hit the Northeast (The Hill) Court revokes oil and gas leases, citing climate change. A federal judge ruled that the Interior Department must consider the climate effects of oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico before awarding leases. (New York Times) A Pittsburgh bridge collapsed this morning, hours before Biden was due to visit the city and talk infrastructure (Washington Post) As Hunger Spreads in Afghanistan, Hospitals Fill With Premature, Dying Babies (Wall Street Journal) Politics Protect us from antisemitism; confirm this special envoy. Utah Sens. Lee and Romney should help confirm professor Deborah Lipstadt to help combat growing violence here and abroad (Deseret News) Schumer finds unity moment in Supreme Court fight (The Hill) Senator Mark Kelly pushes back on Arizona Democrats' move to censure Sinema (The Hill) Elections Trump faces MAGA revolt over endorsement. The former president's pick in an open congressional primary has sparked pushback from some of Trump's closest House allies and MAGA activists. (Politico) Say what? Arizona bill would allow legislature to overturn election results (The Hill) Soros pours $125M into super PAC ahead of midterms (Politico) Crypto super PAC backed by Anthony Scaramucciâs firm targets midterms (Politico) Did Trump just accidentally reveal heâs running in 2024? Trump said while golfing that he would be the â45th and 47thâ president. (Deseret News) Biden leading Trump, DeSantis by similar margins in new poll (The Hill) Russia/Ukraine In standoff with Putin, Biden makes sure European allies are with him (New York Times) Russia vows retaliation if key demand on Ukraine unmet, as France tries another shot at diplomacy with Putin (Washington Post) 'We don't want wars': Russia softens tone on Ukraine, weighs US answers (Reuters) Ukraineâs citizen fighters train for a war that once seemed unlikely (Washington Post) Russia Sends Medical Units to Ukrainian Front (Wall Street Journal) | | |
News Releases Rep. Doug Welton wins Outstanding Speech Coach Award Doug Welton, debate coach at Salem Hills High, was selected by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Speech Advisory Committee to receive a Section award representing five states of Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Only eight Section awards are given throughout the United States. Jon Oglesby representing the UHSAA said, âCongratulations to Doug for winning the Outstanding Speech Coach Award for the 2021-22 school year. Thank you, Doug, for your outstanding service to our state.â NFHS services to music, speech, debate and theatre programs include instructional video packages, regional clinics, music adjudication forms, speech and debate booklets and coordination of the selection of the national high school debate topic. (Read More) Utah Senate committee assignments updates President J. Stuart Adams appointed Minority Whip Sen. Luz Escamilla to the Senate Rules Committee as Sen. Karen Mayne fights cancer. Sen. Mayne, with the support of President Adams, made the following changes to committee assignments: Sen. Luz Escamilla will now serve on the Senate Rules Committee. Sen. Kathleen Riebe will continue serving on Senate Education Committee and Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee. Sen. Derek Kitchen will continue serving on Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee and Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee. (Read More) Sen. Lee celebrates National School Choice Week Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) recognized National School Choice Week an editorial piece he authored and published in the Deseret News. This is a continuation of his advocacy for parentsâ ability to choose where their children attend school. The editorial highlights Sen. Leeâs CHOICE Act, a bill that allows parents to redirect federal education dollars to the schools where they choose to send their children. Full text of the bill can be read HERE. A press release on its introduction is available HERE. Of school choice, Sen. Lee said, âFamilies are what make Utah great. In every choice from strollers to schooling, the wellbeing of the child is the parentâs primary concern. So, letâs put parents in charge. This bill is part of a movement in which parents are taking back choices that are rightfully theirs. Students, communities, and our nation will benefit.â Civic engagement toolkit released The Better Utah Institute released a newly-revised version of their Civic Engagement Toolkit, which includes a new course entitled âUtah Legislature 101.â The toolkit can be found here. Designed to answer frequently-asked questions about how the Utah Legislature works, new lessons will be rolled out weekly over the course of the current 45-day Legislative General Session. Lessons will include information about the structure of the Legislature, how committees work, and how bills become laws... The Civic Engagement Toolkit is designed to educate Utahns on the importance of civic knowledge and participation. With the passage of H.B. 327 â Civic Thought and Leadership Initiative last year, and the call for additional funding to the program this year, Better Utah aligns with the need for greater civic engagement and seeks to remedy civic illiteracy through the launch of its Toolkit. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Legislative Bootcamp with Americans for Prosperity and Libertas Institute â Jan. 29, 9 am - 1 pm. Register here. The Emergence of the Crypto Economy with the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation and special guests â Feb. 16, 10 am MST. Register here. State of the Union address â Mar 1, 7 pm MST Utah legislative session ends â Mar 4, 2022, midnight Fireside chat with Justice Clarence Thomas hosted by the Hatch Foundation â Mar 11, 2022, 7 pm Campaign Management Training with Utah Farm Bureau â Mar 24-25, registration deadline March 1. Register here | | |
On This Day In History From History.com 814 - Charlemagne dies at age 71 1225 - Saint Thomas Aquinas is born. 1521 Emperor Charles V opens the Diet of Worms in Worms, Germany which lasts until May 25th; Produced the "Edict of Worms" which denounced Martin Luther 1547 - King Henry VIII dies at age 55. 1813 - Jane Austenâs âPride and Prejudiceâ is published. 1887 - Work begins on the Eiffel Tower. 1913 - Hazel Garland is born. A journalist, she became the first African American woman to serve as editor-in-chief of a nationally circulated newspaper (The Pittsburgh Courier). 1915 - President Woodrow Wilson refuses to prohibit immigration of âilliteratesâ 1936 - Alan Alda is born. 1958 - The Lego company patents their design for their famous bricks. 1981 - Actor Elijah Wood is born. 1985 - Music stars gather to record âWe are the World.â It goes on to sell more than 7 million copies. 1986 - Space Shuttle Challenger explodes after liftoff. Did teachers give 5 days notice they would be changing the curriculum?? 2021 - The mittens Bernie Sanders wore to the inauguration sell for $1.8 million, which is donated to Vermont charities after images of Bernie on a chair go viral Wise Words âThese are successful people who had the same obstacles placed in their way as others, but instead of complaining, or finding excuses they went out and did something about it.â -Hazel Garland Lighter Side âNo one is talking about Minnie Mouse on the other channels. If Minnie Mouse getting a new outfit upsets you, I would recommend turning 4 years old.â â JIMMY KIMMEL | | |
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