Fallen Officers Scholarship program; expanding Medicaid coverage and a huge Texas Instruments expansion in Lehi | | | 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 | February 16, 2023 What You Need to Know Yesterday, HB374, a bill that would eliminate the Unified Police Department and HB137, the bill to designate brine shrimp as the state crustacean both passed out of committee.
Today, HJR18, a proposal to amend the state constitution to change the limit on annual distributions from the State School Fund from 4% to 5% will be heard in the House Education committee; HB332, Fallen Officer Memorial Scholarship Program, will be heard in the Senate Law Enforcement committee and SB133, a bill to expand Medicaid coverage for postpartum women, will be heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee Rapid Roundup Utah struck a deal with Texas Instruments for an $11B expansion in Lehi; Peeps-flavored Pepsi makes a comeback (how is that a thing?!); Lori Vallow requested that her case be dismissed. It was denied.; Raquel Welch dies at age 82; 'Eggs-travagent theft': man convicted of stealing nearly 200,000 chocolate eggs | | |
2023 Legislative Session 30 days down, 15 days to go! Today 8:00-9:50 am: House committees: Business & Labor; Education; Health & Human Services; Economic Development & Workforce Services 8:00-9:50 am: Senate committees: Judiciary, Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice; Natural Resources, Agriculture & Environment; 9:00 am: Senate Transportation, Public Utilities & Technology 10:00-12:00 pm: House floor time 10:00-11:50 am: Senate floor time 2:00-5:00 pm: House floor time 2:00-5:00 pm: Senate floor time Tomorrow 8:00-9:50 am: House committees: Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice; Public Utilities, Energy, & Technology 9:00 am: House Transportation 9:00 am: Senate Economic Development & Workforce Services 10:00-12:00 pm: House floor time 10:00-11:50 am: Senate floor time 2:00-5:00 pm: House floor time 2:00-5:00 pm: Senate floor time Utah Headlines General Legislative News House committee advances bill to eliminate Salt Lake Countyâs Unified Police Department (KSL) Bill seeking to add sexual violence prevention to state health curriculum on hold. The billâs sponsor and high-profile sexual abuse survivors argue more education would push back against Utahâs high rates of child sexual abuse and sexual violence (Deseret News) Bill to shutter abortion clinics advances to Utah House (Deseret News) Utah lawmaker pushing a bill to mandate voting (KSL Newsradio) âLong overdueâ: Utah lawmakers push to end school grading (Salt Lake Tribune) Senator pivots to pilot program to legalize 'magic mushrooms' in Utah (KUTV) Bill decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips as 'drug paraphernalia' passes House (KUTV) Utah lawmakers pressure county jails over suicide prevention barriers (Standard Examiner) Bill designating brine shrimp as Utahâs crustacean passes first test (Standard Examiner) Local legislator Casey Snider trying to balance valley needs with ecological needs of the Great Salt Lake (Cache Valley Daily) Declaring Utah a 2nd Amendment sanctuary state among these gun-related bills moving through Legislature (St. George News) Utah House passes bill allowing Dakota Pacific development at Tech Center without county approval (KPCW) Utah Senate passes social media regulation bill, without government ID verification requirement (KSL) Other political news Lawmakers to set up working group to review problems at Utah's new $1 billion prison (KUTV) NBA All-Star Weekend Everyone can hoop it up at these NBA All-Star Weekend festivities (Fox13) Sneak peek: Vivint Arena floor transformed into All-Star Game court (Fox13) How to take part in the All-Star Weekend atmosphere, even without a ticket. From The Gateway to Gallivan Center, events and âactivationsâ are aimed at tourists and locals (Salt Lake Tribune) General Utah news Utah missionary unaccounted for in New Zealand amid cyclone (ABC4) Business Utah strikes deal with Texas Instruments for $11 billion expansion in Lehi. Deal will save microchip manufacturer up to $34.6 million in taxes over 20 years and bring about 800 jobs to Silicon Slopes, officials say (Deseret News) Environment Will climate change increase the spread of diseases like malaria? A study published by The Royal Society suggests that a warmer climate broadens the reach of mosquitoes and thus the diseases they carry (Deseret News) Upper Colorado River program to get large cut of 'historic' drought spending (KSL) Survey measures Utahnsâ depth of worry on Colorado River, parks, wildlife (Deseret News) Family Most states are seeing more couples marry, though rate is still below pre-pandemic days. CDC reports that marriage rates have been dropping since 2016, but 2020 was the lowest in decades as COVID-19 isolation raged (Deseret News) A demographic winter is coming (Deseret News) Caregivers can create a village of support with apps (Deseret News) Health Utah sees 291% increase in STD cases since 2000; 2nd highest in the nation (ABC4) Narcan is safe to sell over the counter, advisers to the FDA conclude (New York Times) | | |
National Headlines General White supremacist gets life in prison for Buffalo massacre (AP) Most Americans think college admissions should not consider race -Reuters/Ipsos poll (Reuters) U.S. retail sales rebounded sharply in January. Last monthâs 3% rise in spending followed two months of declines and adds to growth signals (Wall Street Journal) US on track to add $19 trillion in new debt over 10 years, report says (New York Times) Politics Haley calls for generational change in launching 2024 bid (AP) Haley calls for âmental competency testsâ for politicians over 75 (The Hill) Messages: Officer often fed information to Proud Boys leader (AP) Justice Dept. won't bring charges against Matt Gaetz (New York Times) CBO projects higher unemployment, slow exit from inflation (AP) U.S. could face debt-ceiling crisis this summer without deal, CBO warns (Reuters) Election deniers face a nationwide wave of pushback (Washington Post) Trump celebrates Scottish leaderâs plan to resign: âGood riddanceâ (The Hill) Ukraine ðºð¦ Russia placed an estimated 6,000 Ukrainian children in âre-educationâ camps. Russia sends Ukraineâs child population as young as 4 months into âpro-Russiaâ programs, report says (Deseret News) Ukraine, Russia set to launch spring offensives (Wall Street Journal) Khodorkovsky warns West of war with China if Russia wins in Ukraine (Washington Post) Russian journalist Maria Ponomarenko sentenced to 6 years in jail over post on Mariupol strike (Politico) World Istanbul's mayor warns 90,000 buildings are at risk if a major earthquake strikes (NPR) David Malpass is stepping down as president of the World Bank (NPR) | | |
News Releases Texas Instruments to build new chip factory in Lehi, bringing hundreds of jobs to the state The $11 billion investment will create 800 direct TI jobs and thousands of indirect jobs Today, the Utah Governorâs Office of Economic Opportunity awarded Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) a post-performance tax reduction for its new semiconductor factory in Lehi, Utah. The corporate incentive is part of the stateâs Economic Development Tax Increment Financing (EDTIF) program. âThe federal government recognized at the front end of the pandemic that our countryâs reliance on overseas semiconductor manufacturing is a national security issue. This project represents a significant step toward strengthening the U.S. supply chain,â said Scott Cuthbertson, president and CEO of EDCUtah. âTexas Instrumentsâ commitment of this transformational investment will have a lasting impact on Lehi and Utahâs manufacturing industry for generations.â (Read More) Romney applauds largest economic investment in Utah history U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today applauded an announcement by Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) that it has selected Lehi, Utah, for its next 300-millimeter semiconductor wafer fabrication plant (or fab). This landmark $11 billion investment marks the largest economic investment in Utah history, and was made possible by the passage of the Romney-backed CHIPS and Science Act. Romney supported the CHIPS and Science Act to advance and solidify the United Statesâ leadership in scientific and technological innovation through increased investments in the discovery, creation, and manufacturing of technology critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. (Read More) Despite challenges, Utahâs tourism industry reports record visitation and spending in 2021 Utahâs travel and tourism industry saw record visitation and spending in 2021, according to the latest annual industry report released today by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The report notes that 2021 visitor spending was up 49.5% from 2020 to a record $10.56 billion. (Read More) Hatch Foundation to recognize Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and former Transportation and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao with inaugural âTitan of Public Serviceâ award Today, the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation announced that it will recognize Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and the Honorable Elaine Chao, the 18th U.S. Secretary of Transportation and the 24th Secretary of Labor, with the âTitan of Public Serviceâ award at a special gala to be held in Salt Lake City on the evening of April 14. (Read More) Weber State, Hill Air Force Base partner to train military spouses for IT careers Weber State University is partnering with Hill Air Force Base and Catalyst Campus to offer the Rosie Project, a tuition-free information technology program aimed at getting military spouses plugged into jobs within the Department of Defense. (Read More) Romney: We must get serious about reducing global emissions Today, at a Budget Committee hearing titled, âClimate-Related Economic Risks and Their Costs to the Federal Budget and the Global Economy,â U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) urged the need for the U.S. to prioritize investments in innovation and technology to combat the effects of climate change, as opposed to feel-good efforts by Washington Democrats that donât put a dent in lowering global emissions. Romney also stressed that the U.S. must get a handle on its debt and rescue its federal trust funds before they become insolvent. His bipartisan and bicameral TRUST Act would create a process to do this. (Read/Watch More) Sen. Lee makes debut at Senate Budget Committee Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) debuted at the first Senate Budget Committee hearing of the 118th Congress. Sen. Leeâs appointment to the Budget Committee comes at a time when our federal budget has ballooned to levels not seen since World War II. Of his appointment to the Budget Committee, Sen. Lee expressed his optimism for bipartisan collaboration and deliberating ways to reduce our budget deficits, stabilize our debt, and put our budget on a pathway to balance. (Read/Watch More) Sutherland announces 2023 Annual Gala headline entertainment Sutherland Institute announced today that the Caleb Chapman Crescent Super Band will be headlining its annual Gala on March 23 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Ditch Your Debt and Transform Your Net Worth with the Utah Women and Leadership Project â Feb. 28, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, Virtual, Register Here Legislative session ends â Mar. 3, le.utah.gov Provo Women's Day â Mar. 4, more information here. Women in International Business Conference with World Trade Center Utah â Mar. 8, 8:30 am - 2:00 pm, Register Here Teaching Your Child Consent with the Utah Women and Leadership Project â Mar. 16, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm, Virtual, Register Here Sutherland Institute Annual Gala honoring Lowry Snow & Ian Rowe â Mar. 23, 7 pm, Hyatt Regency, More Information Here MWEG Spring Conference with keynote speaker Becky Edwards â Mar. 25, 9:00 am - 3:30 pm at UVU or virtual, Register Here Hatch Foundation Gala with special guest Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sec. Elaine Chao â April 14, 7:00 pm, Grand America, Register Here | | |
On This Day In History 600 - Pope Gregory the Great decrees saying "God bless You" is the correct response to a sneeze. 1838 - Kentucky passes law permitting women to attend school under certain conditions. Way to be forward-thinking, Kentucky. 1840 - American Charles Wilkes discovers Shackleton Ice Shelf in Antarctica. 1861 - Abraham Lincoln stops his train at Westfield on his way to Washington to thank 11-year old Grace Bedell in person for her advice to grow a beard to gain more votes 1870 - Leonora OâReilly, is born. She was a labor organizer, founding member of the Womanâs Trade Union League and helped found the NAACP. 1878 - Silver dollars made legal. 1883 - Ladies Home Journal begins publishing. 1905 - Louise Larson is born. She became the first Chinese American and first Asian American reporter in a mainstream daily paper (The Los Angeles Record) and also wrote for the San Francisco News, the Chicago Times and the LA Times magazine over her 51-year career. 1923 - Archeologist Howard Carter opens the tomb of King Tut. He had been searching since 1891. 1951 - New York City Council passes bill prohibiting racial discrimination in city-assisted housing developments. 1957 - LeVar Burton is born. An actor for all seasons, he played in Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation and as the host of Reading Rainbow. 1959 - Fidel Castro sworn in as prime minister of Cuba. 1968 - The first 9-1-1 call is placed. 1984 - Bill Johnson becomes the first American to win Olympic gold in downhill skiing. Heard on the Hill âI think they had their mind made up before we had the meeting.â Magna Mayor Dan Peay, speaking against the bill doing away with the Unified Police Department On the Punny Side I can tolerate algebra, maybe even a little calculus. But geometry is where I draw the line. | | |
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