| Interim schedule released; Utah's annual "shakeout" event is today; and the Salt Lake City marathon will close roads this weekend .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 | April 18, 2024 It's Thursday and National Animal Cracker Day. ðµ What you need to know - Gov. Spencer Cox took âDisagree Betterâ to the TED Talk stage in Vancouver, Canada, which featured nearly 80 "bridge-builder" speakers. He was the only elected official. He had four specific steps for Americans to take: spend less time with polarizing headlines, spend more time with people who think differently, spend more time serving and develop the classical political virtues of humility, patience and moderation. He received a standing ovation.
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Utah Headlines Political news - Sens. Mike Lee, Mitt Romney raise concerns over precedent of Democrats killing Mayorkas impeachment without debate (Deseret News)
- Utahâs anti-DEI law âlights a fireâ under nonprofits as public resources stand to dismantle (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Ogden-Hinckley Airport is costing taxpayers millions, legislative audit finds (Salt Lake Tribune)
Election news - Vivek Ramaswamy endorses Trent Staggs for U.S. Senate (Deseret News)
- The race to fill Mitt Romneyâs senate seat is getting expensive (KSL Newsradio)
Utah news - What Kevin Young said at his BYU introductory press conference (Deseret News)
- How Kevin Young went from âjust wanting to be a high school basketball coachâ to the head job at BYU (Deseret News)
- The Womenâs Leadership Institute shares positive news about womenâs progress in Utah (Deseret News)
Business/Tech - Dr Pepper channels Utah-favorite dirty soda flavors in limited-edition release (Deseret News)
- There were a record-breaking amount of new businesses in 2023. Hereâs what to know (Deseret News)
- Leaving Park City? Sundance Institute seeks proposals for future location of film festival (KSL)
Crime/Courts - Lori Daybell emptied daughterâs bank account right after girl was last seen alive, officer says (KSL)
- Rapper NBA YoungBoy arrested in Utah after federal agents search home (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Family files lawsuit against neighbor over repeated racial harassments (KUTV)
Culture - How you can see epic views of the stars during Utah Dark Sky Month (Fox13)
Education - USC canceled its valedictorianâs remarks. Does the decision promote public safety â or hurt free speech? (Deseret News)
- Cyberbullying, filming fights: Why Granite School District may ban cellphones (Salt Lake Tribune)
- School district plans presentations to teach K-12 students about new bathroom bill (KUTV)
- Cedar Hills teacher gets special surprise to celebrate 50 years in the classroom (Fox13)
- Community responds to Trailblazer Day of Giving as Utah Tech doubles fundraising goal (St. George News)
Environment - Free park admission this Saturday to kick off National Park Week (Fox13)
- What new pricing means for oil and gas leasing on federal lands (Deseret News)
- âGreat Salt Lake is our futureâ: Utah youth aim to inform, collaborate and inspire change (KSL Newsradio)
Family - Back from the brink: The intellectual tide is turning on marriage and civil society (Deseret News)
- Avoid these words when you talk to your kids (Deseret News)
Health - University of Utah researchers part of $50M commitment to âuntangle addictionâ (Deseret News)
- The gender disparities in alcohol-related health risks (Deseret News)
- Working late, âvolatile hoursâ in young adulthood can lead to depression, illness later: Study (Deseret News)
Housing - Many baby boomers own homes that are too big. Can they be enticed to sell them? (NPR)
- A Huge Number of Homeowners Have Mortgage Rates Too Good to Give Up (New York Times)
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National Headlines General - Sierra Jensen: No matter the subject, we can learn to disagree with respect (Deseret News)
- How to protect yourself against SMS scams (Deseret News)
- NBA player banned for life for betting on games (Wall Street Journal)
Political news - Free speech and campus speech codes: Columbia presidentâs testimony before House on campus antisemitism (Deseret News)
- Red states threaten librarians with prison â as blue states work to protect them (Washington Post)
- Senate kills articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas (NPR)
- Moskowitz confronts Greene on Ukraine, Nazi remarks (The Hill)
Election news - Kennedy family members will endorse Biden at Philadelphia event (Washington Post)
- Noncitizen voting isnât an issue in federal elections, regardless of conspiracy theories. Hereâs why (AP)
Ukraine ðºð¦ - Houseâs Ukraine, Israel aid package gains Bidenâs support as Speaker Johnson fights to keep his job (AP)
- Putin is bombing Ukraine into darkness â and leaving Europe short of power (Politico)
Israel and Gaza - Gaza's IVF embryos destroyed by Israeli strike (Reuters)
- Netanyahu brushes off calls for restraint, saying Israel will decide how to respond to Iranâs attack (AP)
World news - A real-life 'Weekend at Bernie's' when a woman in Brazil took a dead man into a bank to try and get a loan (Deseret News)
- Russia jails hypersonics scientist for seven years in treason case (Reuters)
- Massive Mt. Ruang eruption sends plumes nearly 70,000 feet high (Washington Post)
- This lava tube in Saudi Arabia has been a human refuge for 7,000 Years (New York Times)
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 | News Releases Utah legislature announces 2024 interim schedule, study items and committee assignments Yesterday, the Legislative Management Committee approved the 2024 interim committee schedule and study items. Interim meetings allow legislators to review and study policy items for the next general session. Interim proceedings will be live-streamed, recorded and shared publicly on le.utah.gov. Meetings are open to the public, allowing Utahns to provide input virtually or in person. Interim meetings begin in May and will occur every month through November. (Read More)
Utahâs economy continues to advance with low unemployment and strong labor market The Salt Lake Chamber, in partnership with the University of Utahâs Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, has released the March 2024 Roadmap to Prosperity Economic Dashboard to inform business leadersâ understanding of Utahâs economy. âAt the end of this first quarter, we see Utahâs economy continuing to advance,â said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. âOur particularly strong labor market allows Utahâs unemployment rate to remain low and increased capacity offered at the airport enables more individuals to travel to and from Utah, driving our economy upward.â (Read More)
Economic contributions of Utahâs ski industry Utah is home to 15 ski resorts, including the nationâs largest (Park City). A new fact sheet from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute shows that Utahâs ski industry contributed $1.94 billion in nonresident visitor spending during the 2022/23 ski season, generating $197.9 million in state and local tax revenue. The industry directly supported 25,980 statewide jobs and experienced a record 7.1 million skier days during this same ski season. (Read More)
Salt Lake County is runoff ready Salt Lake County stands ready to handle this yearâs above average runoff as mountain snow starts to melt this spring. Although the snowpack this year is lower than last yearâs historic levels, the snow water equivalent in areas surrounding the Salt Lake Valley is still at 130% of normal. The likelihood of a major flooding event is low based on current conditions, but itâs still possible to face some flooding issues this runoff season. (Read More)
Gov. Cox appoints two judges to Third District Court Gov. Spencer Cox has announced the nominations of Richard Pehrson and Richard Daynes to serve as judges in Third District Court. Both appointments are subject to approval by the Utah Senate. If approved, they will fill vacancies left by the retirements of Judge Richard McKelvie and Judge Andrew Stone. (Read More)
Utah Senate requests public comment on 3rd District Court nominees The Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee is seeking public comment on Richard Pehrson and Richard Daynes, whom Gov. Spencer J. Cox nominated to serve as judges in the 3rd District Court. Those who desire to comment should contact the Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee electronically or by mail at the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel by5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, 2024. Electronic comments can be emailed to senatejudicialnominees@le.utah.gov. Written comments can be mailed to the Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee at the Utah State Capitol, Suite W210, PO Box 145210, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-5210. All statements should include the respondentâs name, telephone number and mailing address. (Read More) | | |
Tweet of the Day 
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Upcoming - April 18 â Utahnsâ Perceptions of the Challenges Facing Women and Girls, 12:00-1:15 pm, Register here
- April 20 â United Utah Partyconvention
- April 23 â WTC Innovation Summit, 8:30 am-12:00 pm, Register here
- April 26 â YWCA Leader Luncheon, Grand America Hotel, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, Purchase tickets here
- April 27 â State GOP and Democratic Conventions
- May 13-15 â Interim Days
- June 6 â Bolder Way Forward 2nd Annual Summit, Zions Technology Campus, 9:00 am-2:00 pm, Register here
- June 18-19 â Interim Days
- August 20-21 â Interim Days
- September 17-18 â Interim Days
- October 15-16 â Interim Day
- November 19-20 â Interim Days
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On This Day In History - 1775 - âThe British are coming!â Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott ride through the countryside, warning the militiamen that British troops were on their way.
- 1898 - Ruth Bunzel is born. An anthropologist, she studied the art and culture of southwest Native American women starting in 1924, learned Zuni language, pottery and sewing to understand and preserve the culture.
- 1906 - The Great San Francisco Earthquake, estimated to be close to 8 on the Richter Scale topples buildings and kills an estimated 3000 people.
- 1942 - Doolittle leads air raid on Tokyo
- 1955 - Albert Einstein dies at age 76.
- 1983 - A suicide car bomber destroys the US embassy in Beirut, killing 63.
- 2012 - Dick Clark, host of âAmerican Bandstandâ and âNew Yearâs Rockinâ Eve,â dies at age 82
Quote of the Day "To put it bluntly, I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys...This is not a game, this is not a joke." âSpeaker Mike Johnson
On the Punny Side If you ever think English is not a weird language just remember that read and lead rhyme and read and lead rhyme. But read and lead don't rhyme, and neither do read and lead. | | |
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