Situational Analysis | February 28, 2022

Good Monday morning to you. It's the last day of February and the last week of the legislative session. It's also the first day to file to run for office. Expect a flurry of filings today and then again on Friday....

Kyiv still stands. 🇺🇦

Be in the Know

1. Was there news besides the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shown his ability to lead his country under attack while hundreds of murderers-for-hire are hunting for Zelenskyy.
   Ukrainian citizens around the country have shown remarkable bravery and they are being joined by volunteers from around the world. The European Union and other countries have implemented no-fly zones and imposed stiff sanctions, sending the ruble into free-fall and causing Russia to hike its key interest rate to 20%. Even Switzerland broke its traditional neutral stance and has condemned Russia's actions.
   Protests are occurring around the world, including in Russia where thousands have been arrested. Some half a million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, countries that have thrown open their borders and welcomed them in. Right now, peace negotiations are underway in Belarus, one of the few countries aligned with Russia. 
   There is a #StandWithUkraine rally at the Capitol tonight at 5 pm, with brief remarks from Governor Cox and Lt. Governor Henderson.

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2022 Legislative Session

40 days done, 5 days to go

General

• How the Utah Legislature plans to spend an extra $2 billion — part of the ‘largest budget in state history’ (Deseret News)
• ‘Magic mushrooms’ task force, a ‘desire’ to host future Winter Games move ahead at Legislature (Deseret News)
• Legislative session, week 6 with Rep. Suzanne Harrison, Derek Brown and Doug Wilks (Hinckley Report)
• The ACLU of Utah on the final week of the legislative session (ABC4)
• The Libertas Institute on the final week of the legislative session (ABC4)
• Week 6 Legislative Recap: Election security, education funding and brine shrimp (KUER)

Today

Committee Meetings

• 7:45 am: House Rules
• 8:00 am: House Judiciary, House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, House Transportation, Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services
• 8:15 am: Senate Gov Ops
• 8:30 Senate Rev and Tax
• 10:15 am: Conference Committee for SB43S05
• 4:00 pm: House Econ Development and Workforce Services, House Government Ops, House Political Subdivisions, House Rev and Tax, Senate Business and Labor, Senate Education, Senate Health and Human Services

Floor Time

• House - 10:00 - 12:00, 2:00 - 3:50
• Senate - 10:00 - 11:50, 2:00 - 3:50

Tomorrow

Committee Meetings

• 8:00 am: House Education, House Public Utilities, Energy and Technology, Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
• 9:00 am: House Business and Labor, House Health and Human Services
• 915 am: Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology

Floor Time

• House - 10:00 - 12:00, 4:00 - as needed
• Senate - 10:00 - 11:50, 4:00 - as needed

Education

• In the battles over banned books, Utah librarians are on the front lines (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Bill spurred by 10-year-old Izzy Tichenor’s suicide would require Utah schools to track race of bullied students (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Protesters say Utah’s transgender sports bill is an act of legislative ‘violence’ (Salt Lake Tribune)

Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

• Utah Lake bills discussed in the natural resources committee (Daily Herald)

Revenue and Taxation

• Brad Wilson: Why Utah needs to unleash its income tax funds (Deseret News)

Utah Headlines

General

• Why Mitt Romney praised a ‘world hero,’ denounced a ‘feral-eyed’ man and referred to some fellow Republicans as ‘morons’ (Deseret News)
• 5 questions for a USU professor who is ethnic Russian and grew up in eastern Ukraine (Deseret News)
• Church says all American Latter-day Saint 'volunteers' have left Russia (KUTV)
• Gov. Cox orders removal of Russian products from Utah liquor stores (KUTV)
• House rich, cash poor: How some Utahns cope with rising values, property tax (Deseret News)
• How a Utah city fed senior citizens and helped restaurants with pandemic relief money (Deseret News)
• Derek Miller: Surprise! Utah is a leader in diversity efforts. Utah was a leader in giving women the right to vote, and in protecting the rights of LGBTQ citizens while also protecting the religious liberty of believers (Deseret News)

Elections

• Complaint alleges Salt Lake City councilman broke campaign laws to get elected (Salt Lake Tribune)
• Ex-Pleasant View mayor to seek Weber County clerk-auditor post (Standard-Examiner)

COVID Corner

• Friday's numbers: 425 new cases, 11 new deaths
• CDC drops COVID-19 masking recommendations for most of the country (Deseret News)

National Headlines

Politics

• 10 consequential days: How Biden navigated war, Covid and the Supreme Court (New York Times)
• Biden wanted to use the State of the Union speech to pivot to his agenda. Then Russia started a land war. (Washington Post)
• Russia invasion of Ukraine could play unusual role in midterms (The Hill)

Ukraine

• “Show this to Putin,” a Ukrainian doctor angrily said while trying to save a 6-year-old girl mortally injured in Russian shelling. “The eyes of this child, and crying doctors.” (AP)
• Russia ramps up war efforts in Ukraine as talks begin at Belarus border (CNN)
• The war in Ukraine isn’t working out the way Russia intended. Tactical blunders and fierce resistance from the Ukrainians risk ensnaring the Russians in a protracted conflict, military experts say (Wall Street Journal)
• U.N. General Assembly to hold rare emergency session on Ukraine (CBS News)
• Biden administration expands sanctions against Russia, cutting off U.S. transactions with central bank (CNBC)
• Russia’s Ruble, Financial Markets Are Hammered by Sanctions (Wall Street Journal)
• Perspective: God bless the Ukrainian people. Their fight must inspire a new era of global engagement (Deseret News)
• Russians and Ukrainians meet as sanctions rattle Russia (NPR)
• Western firms head for the exit in Russia as sanctions tighten (Reuters)
• Airbnb to house up to 100,000 Ukrainian refugees (Reuters)
• Veteran interpreter breaks down in tears after Zelensky remarks (The Hill)
• The West declares economic war on Russia (Politico)

News Releases

Romney: Ukraine crisis is one of the greatest demonstrations of good versus evil we’ve seen in our lifetimes

U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today joined CNN’s State of the Union with Dana Bash to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.

Look, this is one of the greatest demonstrations of good versus evil that we’ve seen during our lifetimes, and the demonstration of courage. Look at Vladimir Putin. Here he is behind this huge table in this big white room. It looks like a mausoleum where honesty and honor have gone to die. Contrast that with Zelenskyy, with his courage, his passion, with his true leadership. This is remarkable, and it’s having an impact. I hope it makes us a better people and makes us more committed to the principles of freedom. Look, you recognize that in the history of the world, authoritarianism has been the default setting. To have freedom, it requires people to stand up and protect it. You’re seeing the terrible miscalculation by Vladimir Putin causing the kind of commitment to freedom that we hoped we’d see....

(On Republican House members appearing at a white nationalist gathering.) Look, there’s no place in either political party for this white nationalism or racism. It’s simply wrong. As you’ve indicated, speaking of evil, it’s evil as well. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar, I don’t know them but I’m reminded of the old line from the Butch Cassidy where one character says, “Morons, I’ve got morons on my team.” I think anybody who would sit down with white nationalists at their conference is certainly missing a few IQ points. (Read/Watch More)

Executive Appropriation Committee recommends Utah state budget

The Executive Appropriations Committee (EAC) made final recommendations for the fiscal year 2022-23 budget. This year’s recommendations include record-level funding for education and social services, a generational opportunity to fund water and infrastructure, and a significant tax cut for the second consecutive year.

In fiscal year 2023, the Legislature increased the education budget by $383 million in ongoing revenue, a 9% increase. The EAC budget recommendations also include $350 million to address the state’s water conservation efforts, $21 million to expand broadband access and $38 million for improved access to outdoor recreation and state parks. (Read More)

January Walker announces candidacy for U.S. House of Representatives with United Utah Party

Businesswoman and cybersecurity professional January Walker announced today that she will run for U.S. House of Representatives in the 4th Congressional District with the United Utah Party. “Utah is the youngest state in the nation and deserves to have a seat at the table that’s representative of them in both age and technological expertise,” says January.

In 2021, January set out on a Listening Campaign across the state to find what issues were most important to Utahns of all ages, political affiliations, and cultures. “At the end of the day, constituents told me that they want someone who cares, who displays real leadership, who engages with them, and who makes meaningful progress towards delivering on campaign promises,” January says. “They want someone who will actually lead a discussion of solutions, not just throw sound bites at the other side.” (Read More)

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Upcoming

• Campaign filing period: Feb 28-March 4 (early this year!)
• State of the Union address – Mar 1, 7 pm MST
• Utah legislative session ends – Mar 4, 2022, midnight
• Fireside chat with Justice Clarence Thomas hosted by the Hatch Foundation – Mar 11, 2022, 7 pm. Register here.
• Campaign Management Training with Utah Farm Bureau – Mar 24-25, registration deadline March 1. Register here
• Last day for a registered voter to change voter affiliation before the regular primary election.  - Mar 31
• Ballots are mailed - June 7
• Primary election day - June 28
• General election  - Nov 8

On This Day In History

• 1525 - Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec Emperor, is tortured and killed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés
• 1708 - A slave revolt in Long Island results in seven White deaths. Two Black male slaves and an Indian slave were hanged and a Black woman was burned alive.
• 1850 - The University of Utah opens in Salt Lake City.
• 1859 - The Arkansas legislature requires free Blacks to choose between exile and enslavement.
• 1861 - Congress creates the Colorado Territory.
• 1909 - First National Women’s Day is observed in the United States.
• 1953 - James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin discover the double-helix structure of DNA. Watson and Crick get the credit and win a Nobel prize.
• 1983 - The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, concluding an 11 season run. A whopping 77% of the television-viewing audience tuned in. I know I did. Did you?
• 1987 - Gorbachev calls for nuclear weapons treaty.
• 1994 - First NATO military action as US fighter planes shoot down 4 Serbian warplanes in Bosnia's no-fly zone.
• 2012 - Discovery of the largest prehistoric penguin, Kairuku grebneffi, at nearly 5ft tall.
• 2013 - Pope Benedict resigns.

Wise Words

"The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride." 

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy

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