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The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Send news tips or feedback to editor@utahpolicy.com Situational Analysis - April 14, 2021 Welcome to Wednesday. Half-way through this week! It's National Gardening Day, America's favorite pasttime! Don't plant your tender plants quite yet though - the last averge frost-free date in Utah is right around Mother's Day. Happy Day 100 to Governor Spencer Cox and Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson! News you need to know - Officer Kim Potter and Police Chief Tim Gannon have both resigned, two days after the death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center.
- Former Senate President Wayne Neuderhauser is the new homeless chief.
- Today is day 100 of the Cox/Henderson administration. Here's what LG Henderson had to say about it.
- Biden says all US troops will be out of Afghanistan by Sept. 11.
- And, Matt Gaetz's house of cards continues to collapse as more people talk to investigators about their experiences with him.
Countdown 10 days until the United Utah Party Organizing Convention (04/24/2021)
16 days until the Biden/Harris administration's first 100 days are up (04/30/2021)
17 days until the in-person Utah GOP Organizing Convention (05/01/2021)
150 days until half-way through the Cox/Henderson's administration's 500-day plan (09/11/2021)
Today At Utah Policy  Lt. Gov Henderson talks with Utah Policy about the administration's first 100 days
By Holly Richardson
Lt. Governor Henderson recently sat down with Utah Policy's Holly Richardson to talk about the first 100 days of the Cox-Henderson administration. From vaccines to rural outreach and from diversity to the legislative session, she had a chance to share some highlight of the last 3-plus months.
 Sen. Lee introduces bipartisan bill to help military families
By Holly Richardson
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) today introduced the Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act, bipartisan legislation that would give military spouses with valid professional licenses in one state reciprocity in the state where their spouse is currently serving on military orders.
Utah Headlines Deseret News - Reflections on President Oaks' conference talk on the Constitution from the worlds of politics and law - The U.S. Constitution's crowning purpose is to provide, protect moral agency, including freedom to vote one's conscience instead of for party loyalty, he said
- Utah's new prenatal financial support law is believed to be far-reaching, but is it enough? - There is an aspect of a new law that could have unintended consequences - there are no protections or guidelines in place for vulnerable pregnant women.
- What's on the minds of Utah's youth? Gov. Cox finds out in teen town hall - "I think as adults, we undervalue or under appreciate the capacity of our young people, and especially the capacity to do good," Cox said during the first teen town hall of his administration, held virtually.
- How is state doing with justice reforms nearly year after summer of protests? - Discussion is part of three-day conference for Utah attorneys
- Governor hopes new homelessness chief can keep Legislature 'involved' in solving problem - Cox tapped a familiar face, former Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, to serve as state homeless services coordinator
Salt Lake Tribune
Other
COVID Corner - What to do if you got the J&J vaccine as CDC, FDA call for pause (ABC4) - The FDA and CDC are recommending that those who have gotten this vaccine monitor themselves for three weeks after receiving the shot.
- Utah pharmacies cancel hundreds of appointments after J&J vaccine pause (KUTV) -
- Are pandemic work practices here to stay? Study finds employees want flexibility to continue post-COVID (KSL) - Qualtrics surveyed 4,000 employees living in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand and found that the majority want to see a flexible option when it comes to returning to the office.
- Utah Department of Health warns of fraudulent face mask exemption cards (KSL) - UDOH reminded the public that the state of Utah, the department of health, or local health departments don't provide medical exemption cards for masks.
- Covid cases are rising in more than half of U.S. states, despite ramp-up in vaccinations (CNBC) - The U.S. is reporting a seven-day average of nearly 69,000 daily new Covid cases and about 960 deaths.
- With 100 days until the Tokyo Olympics, Japan has vaccinated less than 1% of its population. That's a problem (CNN) - When 2020 Tokyo Olympics volunteers have in recent weeks asked officials how they'll be protected from Covid-19, given the foreign athletes pouring into Japan for the event and the country's low vaccination rate, the answer has been simple: They'll be given a small bottle of hand sanitizer and two masks each.
- Deaths outpace births in some Brazilian cities, as Covid-19 resurges (CNN) - For the sixth month in a row, the city of Rio de Janeiro has seen more deaths than births -- a devastating indicator of the nation's unceasing Covid-19 crisis.
National Headlines - North Texas pitcher throws a perfect game with a twist, striking out all 21 batters (Washington Post) - Hope Trautwein pitched what is believed to be the first perfect seven-inning game in NCAA Division I history in which every out was a strikeout.
- Biden outreach on infrastructure met with Republican skepticism (The Hill) - In addition to publicly announced group meetings, the White House and Cabinet secretaries are privately reaching out to GOP senators but Biden's overtures are being met with mixed reviews by Republicans.
- McConnell seeks to end feud with Trump (The Hill) - McConnell (R-Ky.) is seeking to end his running feud with President Trump, which escalated this weekend when the former president insulted him as a "dumb son of a bitch" and a "stone-cold loser" for not backing his false claims about the election.
- Senate poised to advance rare bipartisan measure aimed at hate crimes against Asian Americans (Washington Post) - Democrats and Republicans alike signaled their willingness to merge a few different proposals, though they cautioned that the tentative framework still could fall apart.
- Slain Capitol Police officer William 'Billy' Evans honored at Capitol (Washington Post) - Evans was killed April 2 when he and another Capitol Police officer, standing in front of a barricade near the Russell Senate Office Building, were struck by a car whose driver intentionally rammed the barrier, authorities said.
- Biden moves to leverage corporate America's falling out with GOP (Politico) - While the president and his team see a traditional foe, they also see an opportunity to leverage increasingly socially-conscious boardrooms.
- Expert testifies cop was justified in pinning down George Floyd (Politico) - Barry Brodd, a former Santa Rosa, California officer, stoutly defended Chauvin's actions because he kept struggling.
- Texas students created Snapchat group to 'Slave Trade' their Black classmates, activists said (Washington Post) - In addition to using racial slurs with the words "Farm" and "Auction," the group had also been named with emoji of a Black man, a gun and a White police officer, the screenshots showed. One student suggested a classmate "would be better if his hair wasn't so bad."
Policy News  Former Senate President Wayne Niederhauser to serve as state homeless services coordinator
Gov. Spencer Cox announced former Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser as his choice to serve as the new state homeless services coordinator. As outlined in HB 347, this position serves as the chief administrative officer of the Office of Homeless Services.
Business Headlines
On This Day In History (From History.com) - 1775 - The first American abolition society is founded in Philadelphia.
- 1818 - Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language is printed.
- 1865 - John Wilkes Booth shoots Abraham Lincoln in the head.
- 1866 - Anne Sullivan Macy is born today. She was Helen Keller's teacher.
- 1935 - 'Black Sunday' Dust Bowl storm strikes, kicking up millions of tons of dirt.
- 1939 - John Steinbeck's novel, "The Grapes of Wrath" is published.
- 1975 - Operation 'Baby Lift' concludes after flying 2,600 South Vietnamese orphans to the US.
- 1983 - Ronald Reagan signs $165 billion Social Security rescue.
- 2003 - The Human Genome Project is completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to an accuracy of 99.99%.
"We as a society must make an ironclad commitment to providing a safety net for those who can't make one for themselves." ~Ronald Reagan
Lighter Side "And today if you had a Johnson & Johnson appointment in New York, they gave out Pfizer instead. Yeah, it's like going to a restaurant and hearing, 'We're out of Coke; is Dom Prignon OK?'" - ~JIMMY FALLON Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers. Advertise With Us |
