| Taylor Swift's boyfriend plays at an Usher concert; it's Day 28 of 45 and water, raw milk and election funding are in committee today .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. | | |
Situational Analysis | Feb. 12, 2024 It's Monday and the first day of National Jell-O Week. A very happy birthday to Sen. Karen Kwan. ðð ð And congratulations to Taylor Swift's boyfriend and his teammates on a very exciting last-second overtime win. Three things to watch today: - SB211 Generational Water Infrastructure Amendments carried by Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz, creates a Water District Development Council and a Utah Water Agent to manage water projects in the state, with a view toward future generational needs. This bill will be heard in the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee at 8 a.m.
- HB281 Raw Milk Testing Amendments by Rep. Cheryl Acton would update the labeling requirements on raw milk to include warnings about individuals who are at greater risk from consuming raw milk and clarifies actions related to a foodborne illness outbreak. This bill will be heard in the House Business and Labor Committee at 8 am.
- SB178 Election Funding Amendments by Sen. Keith Grover would prohibit a government entity from accepting or using funds for an election if those funds are provided by an individual. The first substitute would also prohibit an election officer from joining, purchasing a service from, or attending a program or seminar offered by an electoral organization. This bill will be heard in Senate Government Operations at 4 p.m.
On the Hill Today, Day 28 of 45 - 8:00 am: House Business and Labor; House Education; House Health and Human Services; Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice; Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment
- 8:30 am: House Economic Development and Workforce Services
- 9:00 am: Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology
- 10:00-11:50 am: Senate floor time
- 10:00 am-12:00 pm: House floor time
- 12:00 pm: House Rules Committee
- 12:15 pm: Senate Education Confirmation Committee
- 2:00-3:50 pm: Senate floor time
- 2:00-3:50 pm: House floor time
- 4:00 pm: 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; Senate Revenue and Taxation
- 6:15 pm: Executive Appropriations
| | |
Utah Headlines Legislative session Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice - Utah House Judiciary Committee approves bill that would allow clergy to report child abuse (Deseret News)
Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment - The future of Utahâs water resources: A proposal for greater planning (Deseret News)
Other Utah News Political news - Resolution calls on school boards, elected bodies to demand Natalie Clineâs resignation (Deseret News)
- Granite School District Board approves resolution calling on Natalie Cline to resign (KSL TV)
- 3 years of controversy, complaints preceded latest public outcry against Natalie Cline (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Editorial Board: Cox and friends are wrong to turn their backs on Utahâs tradition of humane immigration policy (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Cox orders Utah National Guard troops to southern border (Fox13)
Utah news - Sunday Edition: Yeonmi Park (KSL TV)
- We asked you to suggest signs poking fun at the SLC airportâs long walk. Hereâs what you sent. (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Tribuneâs new board chair Tom Love: Weâll still pursue the truth and tell the stories that others wonât (Salt Lake Tribune)
Crime/Courts - 'I do forgive you;' Mother brings court to tears during sentencing of daughter's killer (Fox13)
Culture - 6 months after the Maui fires, survivors share how they have seen Godâs hand, felt His love (Church News)
- Mad at an ex this Valentineâs? This company will turn their love letters into toilet paper (Deseret News)
- Perspective: The weight of being the first and only. Trailblazers are always under scrutiny, like a specimen in a petri dish. But they didnât get to their position by being weak (Deseret News)
Education - An Afghan motherâs poignant message to students at BYU (Deseret News)
- Derek Miller: The benefits of a college education may surprise you (Deseret News)
- Utah Tech presidential search committee seeks âinspirational leaderâ (St, George News)
Environment - Healthy soil can save water. And for Utah farmers, thatâs pay dirt (KUER)
- Lake Powell bounces back â but for how long? (Salt Lake Tribune)
Family - Gen Z and millennials are moving back in with their parents â hereâs why (Deseret News)
- âThe Soulmate Trapâ: Why Utah researchers believe the notion of soulmates is âharmfulâ (ABC4)
- Hey, parents, this SLC plan may help you lock down that coveted child care spot (Salt Lake Tribune)
- These families are shutting down the bank of Mom and Dad. Parents are supporting their adult children for far longer than in prior generations, leading to tough conversations about cutting the financial cord (Wall Street Journal)
Health - Worrisome link between teen substance abuse, mental health trouble (Deseret News)
- Largest survey of transgender people in the US reveals key insights at a time when trans rights are under attack (KSL Newsradio)
| | |
National Headlines General - How Andy Reid picked up a historic third Super Bowl win (Deseret News)
- âI believe heâs the best coach of all-timeâ: Andy Reid adds to his legacy (Deseret News)
- Woman firing long gun in Joel Osteenâs church killed by 2 off-duty officers (AP)
- Violent crime is dropping fast in the U.S. â even if Americans don't believe it (NPR)
- U.S. investigates alleged Medicare fraud scheme estimated at $2 billion (Washington Post)
- Wealth disparities by race grew during the pandemic, despite income gains, report shows (AP)
Political news - The myth of left and right (Deseret Magazine)
- The listener: How empathy begins with curiosity (Deseret News)
- Perspective: The case for being compassionate again (Deseret News)
- âUnbelievable hypocrisyâ: Democrats hope to turn the tide on border security (Politico)
- Lee filibusters against Ukraine funding (Fox13)
- Senate advances Ukraine aid bill despite Trump opposition (Reuters)
- Defense Secretary Austin hospitalized with bladder issue, transfers powers to his deputy (AP)
Election news - Republicans work to recruit female and minority candidates even as they criticize diversity programs (AP)
- The Forward Party wonât run a presidential candidate in 2024. It still plans on influencing the election (Deseret News)
- Donald Trump said that, as president, he warned NATO allies that he âwould encourageâ Russia âto do whatever the hell they wantâ (AP)
- NATO leader blasts Trumpâs suggestion he would encourage Russian invasion of U.S. allies (Wall Street Journal)
- The former president and his aides are formulating plans to deport millions of migrants. (The Atlantic)
- Trump says âthereâs no wayâ Taylor Swift will endorse Biden (The Hill)
- Nikki Haley hits back hard as Trump mocks her husband's military service (Business Insider)
- Biden defends Nikki Haleyâs husband, bashes Trump (Politico)
Ukraine ðºð¦ - Armenia's PM: 'We are not Russia's ally' in war against Ukraine (Reuters)
Israel ð®ð± - Israel frees two hostages, Gaza officials say airstrikes kill 67 at Rafah refugee camp (Reuters)
- Hamas military compound found beneath U.N. agency headquarters in Gaza (Wall Street Journal)
- As hunger stalks Gaza, humanitarian aid is politicized in Israel (NPR)
World news - Marathon world record holder Kiptum dies in road accident (Reuters)
| | |
Number of the Day 
| | |
 | News Releases Utahâs tax burden heads up after years of decreasing Today, the Utah Foundation released a report showing that Utahâs overall tax burden and the property tax burden hit record lows over the last five years while the income tax burden hit a record high. Highlights of the report: - Utahnsâ 2021 overall tax burden was up from 2016 when it was $104.50 per $1,000 of personal income â the lowest tax burden in at least 60 years.
- Utahnsâ property tax burden in 2021 was $22.76 per $1,000 of personal income â the lowest property tax burden in the past 100 years.
- Utahnsâ personal income rose the fastest of any state from 2016 to 2021. Utahnsâ tax burden also rose over the same time period meaning the tax collections increased even faster than the residentsâ record personal income growth (Read More)
Annual travel and tourism report shows strong industry performance Visitors spent a record $11.98 billion in Utahâs economy in 2022, generating 98,600 direct travel-related jobs and $1.37 billion in direct state and local tax revenue, according to the latest annual industry report released today by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The report notes that overall, state visitation and other tourism-related economic indicators remained strong despite surging inflation, high gas prices, and fears of a possible recession. (Read More)
ULCT fourth & seventh grade essay contest now open Utah League of Cities and Towns has launched its annual Why I Like My Community Essay Contest for Utah fourth and seventh graders.Students who win the first, second, or third prize will receive a cash prize ranging from $100 to $500 and their individual schools will receive a prize ranging from $500 to $1,000. Award winners will also be featured in a video highlighting their writing and their community during the ULCT Annual Convention for Utahâs municipal leaders. (Read More) | | |
Tweet of the Day 
| | |
Upcoming - Feb. 21 â Women in Leadership Executive Speaker Series: Women Focused Organizations, 11:30 am-12:30 pm,Register here
- Feb. 22 â Understanding Utahâs Caucus-Convention System, with GOP Chair Rob Axson and Dem. Chair Diane Lewis, sponsored by Utah Women Run, 6:00-7:30 p.m., Register here
- Mar. 1 â Legislative session ends
- Mar. 5 â Caucus night
- Mar. 20 â Utah Foundation Annual Lunch, 11:45 am-1:30 pm; Grand America, Purchase tickets here
- Apr. 20 â United Utah Partyconvention
- Apr. 27 â State GOP and Democratic Conventions
| | |
On This Day In History - 1793 - First Fugitive Slave law passed by Congress.
- 1809 - Abraham Lincoln is born. So is Charles Darwin.
- 1865 - Born a slave, Pastor Henry Highland Garnet became the first Black person to speak in the U.S. Capitol when he delivered a sermon on the abolition of slavery to the House of Representatives.
- 1870 - Utahâs acting territorial governor signed the suffrage bill into law.
- 1884 - Alice Roosevelt Longworth, âPrincess Alice,â is born. When her father Theodore Roosevelt was asked why he could not discipline her, he explained that he do that or rule the country but he couldnât do both.
- 1909 - The NAACP is founded.
- 1912 - The last emperor of China abdicates.
- 1930 - In Tuskegee, Alabama, the Rosenwald Fund made grants to the Alabama State Board of Health to help meet the cost of a study of syphilis in Black men - and the women they infected - living in rural Georgia and Alabama. Over 400 men were allowed to carry the disease without medical treatment for nearly 40 years.
- 1948 - First Lt. Nancy C. Leftenant became the first Black nurse accepted in the regular Army Nursing Corps.
- 1973 - The release of US POWs from Hanoi begins.
- 1999 - President Bill Clinton acquitted on both articles of impeachment.
- 2000 - Charles Schulz dies at age 77 from colon cancer.
- 2002 - Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic goes on trial for war crimes.
- 2007 - Gunman kills 5 people at Trolley Square
Quote of the Day âNever lie in bed at night asking yourself questions you can't answer.â
â Charles M. Schulz
On the Punny Side Are you a locksmith? Because you have the key to my heart. | | |
â Advertise With Us â Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. |
|
