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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 [email protected].

 

Situational Analysis | May 22, 2025

It's Thursday and National Buy A Musical Instrument Day. 🎻

Happy birthday to Rep. Cheryl Acton and Rep. Celeste Maloy! 🎈🎂 🎉

What you need to know

  • As we head into Memorial Day weekend, be prepared for crowds if you are planning to visit one of Utah's state or national parks. More than 11 million people visited Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks last year and Memorial Day weekend is typically the busiest of the year. If you are planning a trip to Arches between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., you will need a timed entry reservation unless you have a camping, hiking or special use permit or a Fiery Furnace tour ticket, or are taking a commercial tour.

Rapid Relevance

On the Hill

 

Utah OKs Tech to Boost Grid Power

The state’s aging electric grid is about to get more efficient, thanks to a unanimous vote and Governor Cox’s signature. The Advanced Transmission Technologies law helps squeeze more power from the grid to meet growing electricity demand and save consumers money. Thank you, Governor Cox, for signing H.B. 212. Learn more.

 

Utah Headlines

Political news

  • Is Mike Lee the establishment now? Here’s why some Lyman Republicans think so (Deseret News)
  • Central Utah Project may not see deep cuts in Trump budget (Fox13)
  • Republicans won't sell Utah's public lands in Trump's budget in last-minute change (Deseret News)
  • Mississippi attorney general nearly collapses, is aided by Utah AG Brown during GOP tour of the southern border (Deseret News)
  • ‘Mind-boggling’ amounts of fentanyl in Utah comes from the southern border, A.G. Derek Brown says (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • ‘In government we never want to be frantic,’ Democratic lawmakers say about university cuts (Daily Herald)
  • Utah Gov. Cox joins gushing letter to Trump supporting his ‘big, beautiful’ bill (St. George News)
  • Utah lawmakers start process designed to more effectively address housing crisis (KSL TV)

Municipal news

  • Local businessman Mark Anderson announces his intent to file as candidate for Logan mayor (Cache Valley Daily)

Utah

  • Will the Arizona Diamondbacks relocate to Utah? At least 1 Arizona leader is worried about Utah swooping in (Deseret News)
  • Utah County first responders prepare for busy season (KSL TV)

Biz/Tech

  • How the White House is looking to Utah as an example of promoting trade jobs (KSL)

Crime/Courts

  • BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff accused of sexual assault in civil lawsuit (Deseret News)
  • Utah National Guardsman arrested on several child sexual abuse charges (KUTV)

Education - K-12

  • Utah’s new state superintendent was just selected. Here’s what we know about Dr. Molly Hart (Salt Lake Tribune)
  • Granite School District considering closing east-side elementary schools (KSL)
  • A lion’s share of emotions: Payson celebrates new high school, says goodbye to the old (Daily Herald)
  • Westlake students celebrate high-school graduation at former elementary schools (KSL)

Energy

  • Utah commission chairman defends approval of Rocky Mountain Power 4.7% rate increase (KSL)

Health

  • Medicaid cuts could restrict access to rural Utah maternity care (UPR)

Housing

  • Are U.S. home prices finally dropping? What a new analysis found (Deseret News)
 

National Headlines

General

  • 2 staff members of Israeli Embassy killed in shooting near Jewish museum in DC (AP)
  • Lincoln’s blood-stained gloves from the night of his assassination among 144 artifacts on auction (AP)

Political news - Trump

  • Editorial Board: Trump’s budget would pile on more debt (Deseret News)
  • Trump administration drops police oversight spurred by Floyd, Taylor killings (KSL)
  • Army has no plans to celebrate Trump's birthday on 250th anniversary (KSL)
  • Talks fall apart on Trump’s budget bill as members of Freedom Caucus revolt (Deseret News)
  • Trump confronts South Africa's Ramaphosa with false claims of white genocide (Reuters)
  • Second Oval Office ambush by Trump could make foreign leaders think twice (Reuters)
  • Trump administration officially accepts jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One (NPR)

Other federal political news

  • Supreme Court returns Maine lawmaker’s right to vote following censure for post about transgender athlete (Deseret News)
  • Republicans consider reining in power to fire certain government positions (Deseret News)
  • Exclusive: State Department refugee office to assume USAID's disaster aid role, says cable (Reuters)
  • House passes Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ in massive win for GOP agenda (Deseret News)

Immigration/deportation

  • ‘Unquestionably in violation': Judge says US government didn’t follow court order on deportations (AP)

DOGE/Musk

  • The decline and fall of Elon Musk (The Atlantic)
  • Musk was once a political force on X. Now he’s back to business. (Washington Post)

Ukraine/Russia

  • Exclusive: Ukraine pitches tougher Russia sanctions plan to EU as US wavers (Reuters)
  • Trump tells European leaders in private that Putin isn't ready to end the war (Wall Street Journal)

Middle East

  • Aid trucks enter Gaza after delays, as pressure mounts on Israel (Reuters)
  • Israel draws outcry from Europe as soldiers fire near diplomats on West Bank visit (Reuters)

World news

  • Torrential rain ravages Australian towns, thousands brace for isolation (Reuters)
 

Number of the Day 

Number of the Day, May 22, 2025 (1200 x 1000 px)

 

News Releases

Dr. Molly Hart named State Superintendent of Public Instruction

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) has named Dr. Molly L. Hart as the next State Superintendent of Public Instruction, following a month-long recruitment process by the Board’s Selection Committee, and interviews with the full Board. 

“Education is the promise we make to the future,” said Dr. Hart, “as I step into this role, my mission is clear: to ensure every child in Utah, no matter their background or circumstance, has access to an excellent education. That work begins with listening—to students, to educators, to families—and building a system where every voice matters and every student can thrive.” (Read More)


Paid fellowships in energy available through OED

The Utah State Office of Energy Development (OED) has been selected by the Department of Energy (DOE) to be a host organization for two 2025 Energy Innovators Fellowships (EIF). The EIF is a DOE-funded, year-long program with the chance to extend the fellowship for a second year. (Read More)


Utah business community applauds legislators with 2025 Legislative Business Champions Awards

The Salt Lake Chamber recognized the achievements of Utah legislators today with the presentation of the 2025 Legislative Business Champion awards. These awards honor those who have notably supported the Chamber’s priorities for building and preserving Utah’s business-friendly climate during the 2025 General Legislative Session.

This year, efforts on the hill included tackling topics like education and workforce development, homelessness and public safety, energy and other pressing issues. The Salt Lake Chamber tracked and monitored 334 business-related bills and proudly secured a 100% passage rate for all 13 of the Chamber’s priority bills in the 2025 session. (Read More)

 

Tweet of the Day

Screenshot 2025-05-22 at 6.36.05 AM

 

Upcoming

  • May 20-22 â€” Interim Days
  • May 31 â€” Utah Democratic Party Organizing Convention, Ogden High School
  • Aug 7 â€”  Titan of Public Service gala with Sen. Tom Cotton hosted by the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation at the Grand America Hotel. More Information Here
 

On This Day In History

  • 1802 - Martha Washington dies at age 70.

  • 1843 - The first major wagon train heads west to Oregon

  • 1844 - Mary Stevenson Cassatt is born. An American painter and printmaker, Cassatt often created images of the social and private lives of women, with particular emphasis on the intimate bonds between mothers and children.

  • 1856 - Southern congressman Preston Brooks beats Northern senator Charles Sumnet with a cane in the halls of Congress

  • 1900 - The Associated Press organizes in NYC as non-profit news cooperative

  • 1960 - The strongest earthquake ever recorded hits Chile. The 9.5 quake killed 1,655 and left 2 million homeless. The resulting tsunami killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines.

  • 1964 - LBJ formally present specific goals for the Great Society

  • 1972 - President Nixon arrives in Moscow for historic summit with Soviet leaders

  • 1977 - Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500.

  • 2020 - Coach Jerry Sloan dies at age 78


Quote of the Day

“You can go back to antiquity to find women doing extraordinary things, but their history is forgotten. Or denied to have ever existed. So women keep reinventing the wheel. Women have always done these things, and they always will.”

—Janet Guthrie


On the Punny Side

What is the most musical part of a snake?

The scales.

 

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