| Zelenskyy to attend NGA meeting in Salt Lake City today; doctors caution against exercise in triple-digit heat; Shelley Duvall dies at 75 .png?width=1200&upscale=true&name=Utah_Policy_Logo_Email_Full%20(1).png) | 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. If you're a candidate in 2024 and want to advertise on UtahPolicy.com, contact Suzanne Benitez. | | |
Situational Analysis | July 12, 2024 It's Friday and National Eat Your Jello Day, a day made just for Utah. If doughnuts are more your thing, you can get a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts for 87 cents today with purchase of any dozen at the regular price. What you need to know - Utah Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a gerrymandering lawsuit can move forward. The court ruled that when Utah voters pass initiatives, the ability for the Legislature to intervene or make changes to the initiatives is limited. Those initiatives are protected from âunfettered legislative amendment, repeal or replacement.â Plaintiffs were thrilled, while Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and Senate President Stuart Adams called the Utah Supreme Court decision âone of the worst outcomesâ theyâve ever seen.
Rapid relevance | | |
.jpg?width=1200&upscale=true&name=12824-8_PLPCO_DesNews_Photo%20(1).jpg) | Stand for Our Land Recently, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has significantly restricted access to Utah public lands and continues to restrict access. We need you to get involved. Learn how your access is being affected and voice your concerns to the BLM. Your input will help shape the future of Utah. | | |
Utah Headlines Political news - âDisagree Betterâ by the numbers. Did Gov. Coxâs initiative work? (Deseret News)
- Opinion: âConfident pluralismâ is the key to finding peace in diversity (Deseret News)
- Former Davis County Republican Party officers fighting allegations of ethical violations (Deseret News)
- Jay Evensen: Why Utah's father of initiatives and referendums would be pleased today (Deseret News)
- 12 U.S. governors presented family histories after meeting with Latter-day Saints apostle (Cache Valley Daily)
Election news - Heâs Utahâs youngest Democratic delegate. He doesnât care about Bidenâs age (Deseret News)
- Logan Monson projected to narrowly defeat Lynn Jackson in House District 69 race (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Washington County clerk/auditor urges voters to use ballot drop boxes, vote in person following postmark issues (St. George News)
Utah news - Major Salt Lake County road could be closed for up to 1 year for highway project (KSL)
- Moab faces âmassive undertakingâ as it faces myriad flood issues (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Utah County community feels ignored over gun range near homes (KUTV)
- Hildale City declares emergency after major drinking water well found damaged (Fox13)
Business - Fatburger, famous West Coast burger chain, coming to Utah (ABC4)
- More than 1 in 4 Utah workers makes less than $17 an hour, analysis finds (ABC4)
- Work friends can be hard to find. How to combat loneliness in the workplace (AP)
Crime/Courts - Man offered to pay teen for sex in Sandy, where he was confronted by 20 teens, police say (KSL)
- Grand County deputies striving to combat human trafficking on top of drug smuggling (KUTV)
Environment - Records fall as heat wave grips Utah (Deseret News)
- Utahâs still-burning Silver King wildfire is one of the biggest in the nation (Salt Lake Tribune)
- 8 Utah counties now under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions â possible jail time if violated (ABC4)
- La Niña is coming. Hereâs how it could change the weather. (Washington Post)
Family - Would you go into debt to make your child happy? (Deseret News)
- Utah women do a disproportionate share of unpaid labor â and they're paying the price (UPR)
- More than 6 in 10 U.S. adults support protecting access to IVF, AP-NORC poll finds (AP)
Housing - Heat wave increases homeless outreach; donations desperately needed (KSL)
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National Headlines General - College campuses âare roiledâ with protests. Hereâs why phones are to blame, according to former Sen. Ben Sasse (Deseret News)
- The case for religious liberty hinges on restoring âfaith in faithâ (Deseret News)
- Other countries have safety nets. The U.S. has women (The Atlantic)
Political news - Perspective: Was the media complicit in concealing Bidenâs struggles? (Deseret News)
- Biden mixes Harris with Trump, insists he is staying in the presidential race (Reuters)
- Watch: Biden accidentally refers to Ukraineâs Zelenskyy as âPresident Putinâ (AP)
- Trump lawyers press judge to overturn hush money conviction after Supreme Court immunity ruling (AP)
- Hawaii isnât protected by NATO. Some senators are trying to change that. (Washington Post)
- GOP bill to fund legislative branch fails on House floor (The Hill)
Election news - Foreign meddling in U.S. elections has a longer history than you might think (Deseret News)
- Debt - the subject presidential candidates ignore (Deseret News)
- Two weeks after his debate disaster, Biden is on probation in the court of Democratic opinion (AP)
- Biden shows foreign policy depth in news conference with a few stumbles (Washington Post)
- Do political conventions still matter? (AP)
- After Biden's debate performance, the presidential race is unchanged (NPR)
- Dissenting Republican delegates sign protest of Trump platform (Washington Post)
- Editorial Board: Donald Trump is unfit to lead (New York Times)
Ukraine ðºð¦ - Being Volodymyr Zelenskyy: How war has changed Ukraine's leader (Reuters)
- NATOâs pledges to Ukraine fall short for a counteroffensive this year (New York Times)
Israel and Gaza - Israeli forces pull back after Gaza City offensive, leaving dozens of bodies, rescue service says (Reuters)
- âDepression, emptiness, no hope.â Life as an Israeli hostage in Gaza (Wall Street Journal)
World news - Intensifying Congo conflict puts 1 million children at risk of acute malnutrition (Reuters)
- Germany says it wonât be intimidated by Russian threats after report on alleged assassination plot (AP)
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 | News Releases Zelenskyyâs visit highlights aid support from Utah to Ukraine Utah Governor Spencer Cox welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Utah today, stating that âUtah stands behind Ukraine.â Utah nonprofit Lifting Hands International (LHI) plays a key role in providing aid to Ukraine from and within the Beehive State. Two years since the start of the war in Ukraine, this local humanitarian organization has built a comprehensive array of highly impactful programs helping displaced Ukrainians and Ukrainian refugees in Ukraine and Utah. Lifting Hands International also operates 7 Community Centers across Ukraine that provide healing therapy and social-emotional support." (Read More)
Romney secures Utah priorities in annual defense bill U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) this week secured several measures in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the Senate Armed Services Committee last month. The bill would authorize funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military and other critical defense priorities, ensuring Americaâs forces have the training, equipment, and resources they need to carry out their missions. The bipartisan Senate NDAA includes twelve Romney requests aimed at protecting against threats from China, reaffirming the critical role Utah plays in our national security, and addressing the military recruiting crisis. The legislation is expected to be considered on the Senate floor in the coming weeks. (Read More)
Utah Global Diplomacy to empower Utah nonprofits through marketing masterclass Utah is home to over 13,000 nonprofits, many of which are directly uplifting Utah communities by delivering critical services and driving global change right here at home. These nonprofits are improving social conditions for underserved communities, solving food insecurities, increasing degree attainment, supporting the stateâs veteran community and much more. Utah Global Diplomacyâs Cutting Through the Noise Symposium will help nonprofits stand out and showcase their impact. The event brings together experts, visionaries, and changemakers to share invaluable insights, strategies, and tools to help amplify an organizationâs message and create meaningful change. (Read More)
NGA Chair Utah Gov. Spencer Cox invites âExhausted Majorityâ to get engaged to help America âDisagree Betterâ During the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting, NGA Chair Utah Gov. Spencer Cox shared the top takeaways from his year-long Disagree Better campaign and unveiled study results indicating the initiativeâs message is effective in reducing polarization among voters. Launched in July 2023, the Disagree Better initiative aims to help Americans learn the skills of healthy conflict and to change the political behavior of both voters and elected officials â showing that the right kind of conflict often leads to better policy, can be more successful politically than negative campaigning, and is the pathway to restoring trust in our political institutions. (Read More)
Utah Senate Democrats applaud Supreme Court decision The Utah Senate Democratic Caucus releases the following statement in regard to the Utah Supreme Court Decision in âLWVU v. Legislatureâ, published today: âToday, the Supreme Court of Utah issued a landmark decision in âLeague of Women Voters of Utah v. Legislatureâ, affirming the constitutional protections of citizen-led initiatives. The courtâs ruling underscores the fundamental principle that the power to alter or reform our government is inherent in the people of Utah and must be safeguarded against undue legislative interference." (Read More)
Utah House Democratic leadership team on the Utah Supreme Courtâs decision The Utah House Democratic Leadership Team released the following statement in response to the Utah Supreme Courtâs decision on League of Women Voters of Utah, et al., v. Utah State Legislature, et al.: âWe commend the Utah Supreme Courtâs decision allowing the lower courts to proceed with the lawsuit challenging the legislatureâs redistricting boundaries. We urge the court to thoroughly examine the issues at hand and promptly resolve the case before the next election cycle. This timely action is crucial to prevent prolonged uncertainty and to uphold the integrity and public confidence in our democratic election process." (Read More)
Utah Supreme Court sides with voters Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis and Salt Lake County Democratic Party Chair Jade Velazquez released the following joint statement today: âThe Utah Democratic Party and the Salt Lake County Democratic Party celebrate the Utah Supreme Courtâs Decision to respect the result of the 2018 Better Boundaries Initiative. Referendums are meant to act as a check on the power of the legislative branch. For too long, MAGA extremists in the Utah legislature have overridden the will of Utah voters for partisan political gain. Today, the courts have reaffirmed that the Republican supermajority cannot override the will of the voters. While the lower court must still rule on whether the state must redraw legislative and congressional districts, todayâs ruling is a victory for Utah voters against hyper-partisan gerrymandering and will protect future ballot initiatives from legislative overreach.â
President Adams and Speaker Schultz respond to Utah Supreme Court decision President J. Stuart Adams and Speaker Mike Schultz release the following statement regarding the Utah Supreme Courtâs decision: âUtah has been recognized as the best-managed state in the nation, with a strong spirit of collaboration known for solving tough issues for the citizens of the state. This is one of the worst outcomes weâve ever seen from the Utah Supreme Court. Rather than reaching the self-evident answer, today the Court punted and made a new law about the initiative power, creating chaos and striking at the very heart of our republic. This ruling will have profound and lasting ripple consequences that could negatively impact the stateâs future...Despite this inaccurate interpretation, we remain committed to crafting policies that strengthen statutes and protect Utahns." (Read More)
Gov. Spencer Cox issues statement on League of Women Voters case "The issues addressed in todayâs opinion by the Utah Supreme Court are significant â so significant that I filed an amicus brief with the Court last year. While I disagree with some of the Courtâs analysis and determinations, I respect the role of the Court in our system of government. Ultimately, what matters is that we craft policy that keeps Utah the #1 state in the nation to work, live, and raise a family. We look forward to continuing Utahâs pattern of careful and deliberate policymaking with the best interests of Utahns as the top priority." | | |
Tweet of the Day  | | |
Upcoming - August 14 â Hatch Foundation "Titan of Public Service" recognizing Sen. John Thune, Grand America
- August 20-21 â Interim Days
- September 17-18 â Interim Days
- October 4 â Conservative Climate Summit, 7:30 am - 3:00 pm, UVU, Register here
- October 15-16 â Interim Day
- November 19-20 â Interim Days
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On This Day In History - 1389 - Geoffrey Chaucer is named chief clerk to the king by Richard II
- 1849 - Dolley Madison dies. She was the 4th First Lady of the United States
- 1862 - President Abraham Lincoln signs a law that creates the Medal of Honor
- 1909 - 16th Amendment (income tax) was passed by congress
- 1984 - Geraldine Ferraro named vice presidential candidate, the first woman to be named on a major political ticket
- 1990 - Boris Yeltsin quits the Soviet Communist Party
- 1997 - Malala Yousafzai is born. She is a Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate known for human rights advocacy, especially the education of women and children in her native Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan, where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school. In 2012, they shot her in the head for teaching other girls to read.
- 2013 - Malala Yousafzai addresses the United Nations and calls for worldwide access to education
- 2022 - Twitter sues Elon Musk after he pulls out of a deal to buy the social media site, accusing him of "trashing it" and "a model of bad faith.â
Quote of the Day âThe peopleâs constitutional right to alter or reform their government is protected from government infringement. We could not hold otherwise.â âUtah Supreme Court
On the Punny Side If you drive a Subaru in reverse, what are you? Ur a bus. | | |
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