Also, a new Women's History Initiative and a bill that would impact teenage drivers | | | 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 | Feb. 3, 2025 It's Monday and National Carrot Cake Day. Boo for Punxsutawney Phil who says 6 more weeks of winter. âï¸ Happy birthday yesterday to Congressman Mike Kennedy! ð ð ð Three things today: SB161 by Sen. Scott Sandall would, among other things, create a Womenâs History Initiative to educate the public on the contribution of women to Utah history, including their stories and history, and stimulate research, study, and activity in the field of women's history. This bill will be heard in the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee at 2:30 pm. HB308 by Rep. Jill Koford would allow a newly licensed teen driver younger than 18 years old to drive one passenger who is not an immediate family member. Current law prohibits new teenage drivers from having non-family passengers for six months. This bill will be heard in the House Transportation Committee at 2:30 pm. HB312 is a big criminal justice reform bill that does a number of things, including permitting city prosecutors to file charges after a county or district attorney has declined to do so; and creates a criminal offense for wearing a mask that conceals oneâs identity in a public gathering. Halloween parties are excluded. This bill will be heard in House Judiciary at 2:00 p.m. On the Hill Today, Day 14 of 45 8:00 am: Economic and Community Development Appropriations; Transportation & Infrastructure Appropriations; Public Education Appropriations; General Government Appropriations 11:00 - 11:50: Senate floor time 11:00 - 12:00: House floor time 2:00 pm: House Judiciary; House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment; Senate Government Ops & Political Subdivisions; Senate Rev & Tax 2:30 pm: House Transportation; Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services 5:00 pm: Rules Review and General Oversight | | |
| | A strong community begins with opportunity. At SLCC, we offer students the chance to create bright futures filled with promise and prosperity. By providing affordable education and career training in high-demand fields, we help build a skilled workforce that Utahâs employers rely on. SLCC students are the future leaders, innovators, and workforce of our community. | | |
Utah Headlines Legislative session There are 611 bills available. âWe have zero and zeroâ: Legislature passes base budget with no new revenue for supplemental spending (Deseret News) Second week of the legislative session: What will lawmakers fund? (Hinckley Report) Luz Escamilla: Back to basics â every Utah family deserves a chance to thrive (Deseret News) Education Utah bill remaking higher ed clears hurdle (Deseret News) A Utah bill would let parents control what their child can discuss with a school therapist (Salt Lake Tribune) This Utah lawmaker was the only one to vote against $60M cuts to higher education (Salt Lake Tribune) Arts program exempt but language immersion isnât? Utah bill sparks oversight debate (UPR) âThe pressure workedâ: Lawmakers change bill to allow public unions to collectively bargain (Daily Herald) Energy Lawmakers say ending this âbadâ policy will improve Utahnsâ utility bill (Salt Lake Tribune) Government Operations âBy Utahns, for Utahnsâ: Bill would exempt Utah from orders by international groups (Deseret News) Utah lawmakers are eyeing signature gathering tweaks and runoff elections (KUER) A lawmaker wants to make state election oversight less controversial. Will it backfire? (Deseret News) Health and Human Services Opinion: Newborn blood retention policy raises constitutional concerns in Utah (Deseret News) Opinion: Utahâs medically fragile children belong at home. We need the stateâs lawmakers to make this happen (Deseret News) A GOP lawmaker wants to protect drug discounts in Utah. A dark money group is fighting his bill. (Salt Lake Tribune) Judiciary Will disbanding Utahâs public records committee streamline the appeals process? (Salt Lake Tribune) Natural Resources Utah wants to co-manage the âMighty 5â national parks with the federal government (Fox13) Other Utah News Politics Rep. Burgess Owens champions bill offering tax credits in exchange for funding school-choice scholarships (Deseret News) Audit: Utah AG Reyesâ office lacked transparency and his involvement in the office was minimal (Deseret News) Sen. John Curtis says he has âdeepened concernsâ about Tulsi Gabbard nomination (Deseret News) Sen. Curtis pushes to enforce sanctions on Chinese companies engaging in US intellectual theft (Deseret News) US lawmakers introduce bill to honor rights activist held in Utah internment camp during WWII (KSL) Utah news Man trying to prove he could dodge bullet dies after friend shoots him in chest (KUTV) Extremist group marches near Herriman City Hall to protest âinvadersâ (ABC4) Courts Phil Lymanâs lawsuit against fellow write-in candidate Richard Lyman dismissed by Utah judge (Salt Lake Tribune) Gerrymandering case: Will Utah get new congressional maps before 2026? (Salt Lake Tribune) Culture From Sudan to Sundance: A coup, a film and an unlikely family (Deseret News) Education University of Utah training will focus on (inter)faithful connections (KSL) Environment Ex-Ogden City Council member lands role advocating for Great Salt Lake (Standard-Examiner) Housing Will deportations affect the housing supply in Utah? (Deseret News) | | |
National Headlines General Unanimous 9th Circuit panel dismisses Huntsman tithing lawsuit, church responds (Deseret News) Legal gambling is killing sports (Deseret News) Political news Trump puts tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, spurring trade war as North American allies respond (AP) Global stocks slide as Trump imposes tariffs on imports (NPR) Trump says potential pain caused by tariffs âworth the price that must be paidâ (The Hill) How Jeff Flake helped secure NATOâs newest member (Deseret News) How many members of Congress receive money from pharmaceutical company PACs? (Deseret News) Trumpâs refugee ban leaves Afghan allies abandoned (Deseret News) Hereâs why a 6-year-old deadly measles outbreak in Samoa came up in the RFK Jr. hearing (Deseret News) USAID staffers told to stay out of Washington headquarters after Musk said Trump agreed to close it (AP) Elon Muskâs DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems (AP) Trumpâs talking about shutting down FEMA. Republicans hate that idea. (Politico) Ukraine and Russia UN body reports 'alarming rise' in Russian execution of captured Ukrainian soldiers (Reuters) Israel and Gaza Israelâs Netanyahu heads to US to discuss âvictory over Hamasâ with Trump (AP) Other world news At least 19 killed mostly women in a car bomb explosion in northern Syria (AP) | | |
Upcoming Feb 3 â Building Bridges: Leading as Women in Local Government with the Utah Women and Leadership Project, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 5 â Women and Policy, Strategy, Politics, and Change with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 10 â Gail Miller: Making a Difference with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 11 â "Heart on the Hill" Day with the American Heart Association, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm, Copper Room in the Senate Building Feb 12 â Navigating the 2025 Tax Reconciliation Bill webinar with the Hatch Center, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, MST, Register here Feb 12 â Crossing the Divide: Making an Impact in Career and Community with UWLP, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Register here Feb 20 â BioHive Live, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Hale Centre Theater, Sandy, Register here Mar. 7 â Utah legislative session ends | | |
On This Day In History 1821 - Elizabeth Blackwell is born. She became the first fully accredited female doctor in the U.S. (1849) 1870 - The 15th Amendment passes, granting suffrage to Black men. 1874 - Blanche Kelso Bruce, born a slave, is elected to a full six-year term in the U.S. Senate by the Mississippi legislature. He is the first Black senator to serve a full term. 1878 - Hattie Wyatt Caraway is born. She was the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate (1932, D-AR) and the first woman to preside over the Senate (1943). 1930 - Ruth Ross is born. She became a magazine editor and helped found âEssenceâ (1970), the first magazine to celebrate the intellect and beauty of Black women and published articles from leading Black scholars and writers. However the magazine feared advertising losses and fired her so the magazine could become âless black.â 1956 - Autherine Lucy becomes the first Black American to attend the University of Alabama. By Lucyâs 3rd day, she had been threatened by angry white mobs and had to lock herself in a classroom. The University eventually expelled her. In 1988, they apologized. 1981 - The US Air Force Academy drops its ban on applicants with sickle cell trait, following class action lawsuits by cadets who were forced to resign or who were not admitted based on that trait alone. Sickle cell trait is present in approximately 2 million Black Americans. 1994 - President Clinton ends trade embargo with Vietnam. 2005 - Alberto Gonzales becomes the first Hispanic U.S. Attorney General. 2009 - Eric Holder confirmed as the first Black US Attorney General Quote of the Day "When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."
âHenry J. Kaiser On the Punny Side Do you know why I make puns? Because it's my respunsibility. | | |
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