Also, interim day, record-breaking heat and a "searing audit" of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. Send news tips or feedback to [email protected]. | | |
Situational Analysis | June 16, 2021 It's Wednesday, we're 5 days away from the official start to summer and we set new heat records at the SL airport yesterday - 107°. ð¥ That ties the hottest it's ever been in SLC. (And it's only happened twice before, in 147 years of record-keeping.) Be in the Know Today is interim day. Committee meetings begin at 8:30 am. You can follow along at le.utah.gov. The Business and Labor committee will be hearing a proposal for a "Systematic Licensure Review Process" and the Education Committee is hearing a "Standards Review" presentation from the State School Board. And there's more.... Governor Cox and Lt. Governor Henderson shared a message of inclusion and welcome to the refugees in our state: "We love and support the refugees in Utah, and want to help them succeed. By lifting each other, we all rise." A searing audit says the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food let slide hundreds of âcriticalâ food violations. Agency leadership has previously shown âunwillingness to ensure accountability,â according to the report. President Biden is meeting with Putin today. We're told not to expect any major agreements. At least they're still talking. | | |
Utah Headlines General Robert Redfordâs âThe Horse Whispererâ Utah ranch hits the market for $4.9M (ABC4) Governor Cox proclaims World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Utah (AARP) Opinion: Church initiatives with NAACP are an example to the nation needed now more than ever (Deseret News) America is in crisis. Many Christians are making it worse. Amid racial unrest, social upheaval and an unprecedented pandemic, Christians need to clean up their act (Deseret News) Doctors warn of burns from asphalt as heat wave hits US West (St. George News) The power of reinvesting in community relationships (Deseret News) Politics He was probably hangry, too. âI was awakened from a napâ â assistant Utah A.G. apologizes for angry email he sent to council member (Salt Lake Tribune) Utah lawmaker attempts to revive bill restricting gender affirming healthcare for transgender and gender diverse youth. It will be heard in interim committee meetings today. (KUER) COVID Corner 237 new cases, zero new deaths in Utah Large study says nearly 25 percent of COVID-19 patients have long-lasting symptoms (The Hill) CDC classifies delta as 'variant of concern' (USA Today) NIH study suggests coronavirus may have been in U.S. as early as December 2019, before most of us knew it was a thing (Washington Post) Drought/Wildfires The #PackCreekFire was started by an abandoned campfire in the Pack Creek Day Use Area on 6/9/21. A tip line has been set up for info about the incident and/or potential subjects. If you have info, please call 775-355-5337. (Utah Fire Info) Pack Creek fire exceeds more than 8,000 acres (San Juan Record) Is the American West in a megadrought? Here's what they are and what causes them. (The Economist) The large fireworks shows scheduled for July 3 and July 4 at Park City Mountain Resort have been canceled because of worries about fire risk and drought conditions. (Park Record) Economy Utah leads the U.S. in personal income growth (Utah Foundation) Education President of Southern Utah University â a champion for not increasing tuition â will step down this year. Utah Board of Higher Education says it will immediately begin search for Scott Wyattâs replacement. (Salt Lake Tribune) SUU students looking for off-campus housing due to high numbers of students enrolling (Iron County Today) âHeartbrokenâ: School faces scrutiny for publishing one of two photos of the cheerleading squad - the one without the cheerleader with Down Syndrome. (ABC4) Elections Weber State's Walker Institute offers education certificate for election officials (WSU) Park City Council candidateâs signs âstomped into the groundâ (Park Record) Candidates queue up for local municipal elections in Cache Valley (Cache Valley Daily) Ranked Choice Voting coming to Cottonwood Heights (Cottonwood Heights Journal) Family Perspective: Move over Big Tech, Big Oil â itâs time for Big Family (Deseret News) Health The surprising good news on how menopause changes your brain - but there's a caution for women at risk of Alzheimer's (Wall Street Journal) Nearly 40 children die each year due to being left unattended in hot vehicles. With temps soaring this week, safety experts remind Utahns about dangers of hot cars. (Intermountain Healthcare) Legal Some states, including Utah, are working to make your rap sheet disappear with âclean slateâ laws to automatically expunge criminal records (Deseret News) Local Communities Provo Municipal Council adopts $300 million fiscal year budget (Daily Herald) South Ogden ice cream shop makes new, unique flavors, three quarts at a time (Standard-Examiner) Service When MacKenzie Scott promised in 2019 to give âuntil the safe was empty," people had little reason to take her at her word. Many of the world's wealthiest people have made lofty promises of giving. But she has now given away more than $8 billion. (New York Times) Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott makes $3 Million transformational gift to Utah nonprofit Spy Hop (Spy Hop) Nonprofits team up to donate 1,000 new shoes, 1,000 books and 1,000 bagged lunches to Kearns families (Deseret News) National Headlines General Navy's highest-ranking officer confronts Republican critics and stresses importance of combating racism and misinformation (CNN) Charitable giving in the U.S. rose in 2020 to a record $471.4 billion, with civil rights and environmental groups seeing big increases in donations. (New York Times) Researchers say they have unmasked a major QAnon influencer: Jeremy âJ.J.â Sicotte, a documentary filmmaker (The Hill) Proud Boys descended into dysfunction and finger-pointing as members were arrested in US Capitol riot, new messages show (CNN) Politics ð³ Capitol rioter who raided Pelosiâs office makes Kremlin TV debut ahead of Putin summit (Daily Beast) A bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday passes the Senate unanimously. It now heads to the House. If it passes, it would be only the 11th holiday recognized by the federal government. (New York Times) Congressional Gold Medal vote for January 6 police officers overwhelmingly passes House as 21 Republicans vote no. All Utah Reps voted yes. (CNN) Big Tech critic Lina Khan becomes U.S. FTC chair (Reuters) Courts In landmark case, Supreme Court rules LGBTQ workers are protected from job discrimination. The decision said Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which makes it illegal for employers to discriminate because of a person's sex, also covers sexual orientation and transgender status. (NBC) Economy Lumber prices are falling fast, turning hoarders into sellers (Wall Street Journal) The Girl Scouts have an unusual problem this year: 15 million boxes of unsold cookies. The 109-year-old organization says the coronavirus shut down in-person sales at cookie booths. (AP) Education A recent graduate of the University of California, San Diego decided to honor her parents by taking graduation photos in the farm fields where they worked to support her education. (Good Morning America) Elections Past criticism of Trump becomes potent weapon in GOP primaries (The Hill) Energy Biden's ban on new oil and gas leases is blocked by a federal judge (NPR) Oil price hits pandemic high as investors bet on green energy (Wall Street Journal) Environment A burning ship. Tons of toxic cargo. An ecosystem in the balance. (Washington Post) Immigration Sen. Mike Lee says now isnât the time for Congress to consider citizenship for âDreamersâ (Deseret News) On the 9-yr anniversary of DACA, one recipient calls on Sen. Romney to pass the American Promise Dream Act. (KUER) Harris calls for pathway to citizenship for Dreamers on DACA anniversary (The Hill) International Israeli airstrikes target Gaza sites, first since cease-fire (AP) North Korea's Kim warns of âtenseâ food situation, longer COVID lockdown (AP) Security Afghan translators waiting for U.S. visas allegedly being hunted down, killed by Taliban (CNN) Business Headlines This Mexican hotel group is coming for Utah (Utah Business) U.S. IPOs hit annual record in less than six months (Reuters) Ford's luxury Lincoln brand aims for half of sales to be electric vehicles by 2026 (CNBC) TikTok is replacing YouTube as the title sponsor of VidCon this year (Buzzfeed) A silver lining for retail sales (Axios) | | |
Policy News Utahâs Goal of Achieving 70% Vaccination Rate by July 4th in Reach Leadership from the Salt Lake Chamber, in partnership with the State of Utah, sent a letter to 10,000 businesses today requesting support for employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. These businesses took the âStay Safe to Stay Openâ pledge last year during the height of the pandemic, committing to remaining safe and open by following public health best practices, which now include employee vaccination. In his first four months in office, President Biden has delivered historic progress for American families and the American economy. The American Rescue Plan has provided every state with much needed funding including Utah with $1.4 billion for recovery efforts â and that is just the beginning. The American Families Plan is a once-in-a-generation investment in the foundations of middle-class prosperity: education, health care, and child care. As the Public News Service reports, the American Families Plan would address the food insecurity that Utah families are experiencing. The latest Show UCAIR clean air program removed 1,500 high-emitting gas cans from our state as Utahns exchanged old gas cans for environmentally-safe gas cans. The exchange was made possible by Boeing, Union Pacific, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and the Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR). Utahns exchanged their leaky standard cans for EPA-compliant SureCan gas cans at the Show UCAIR Gas Can Exchange program on Saturday, June 12. In just hours, 1,500 old gas cans were exchanged to help improve our air quality. Today, Representative John Curtis (R-UT), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, reintroduced bipartisan legislation to put American consumers in the driverâs seat by giving them clearer knowledge about the technology they are purchasing. The Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, also cosponsored by Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA), requires the creation of reasonable disclosure guidelines for products that have audio or visual recording components that are not clearly obvious to a reasonable person, such as a kitchen or another household appliance. The Utah Governorâs Office of Economic Development announced today that Utah-based businesses continued to perform at the top of their game in the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). From July 2020 to June 2021, 19 companies participated in the stateâs EDTIF program and are collectively projected to create 8,595 new jobs, $456,295,800 in capital investment, over $330,773,204 in new state revenue, and $5,239,056,381 in new state wages in the coming years. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Native Species Protection Act Tuesday, a bill that would allow states to manage species that exist entirely within their border.
âThere are real benefits to protecting endangered species from extinction, but the federal law intended to establish such protections â the Endangered Species Act â is in serious need of reform,â Sen. Lee said. âThe Native Species Protection Act is a commonsense reform that would limit the damage caused by federal mismanagement of protected species and their habitats, while empowering state and local officials to pursue sensible conservation plans with their communities.â Tomorrow, during a hearing for the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) will deliver remarks on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act, bicameral legislation introduced by Senator Romney and Representative John Curtis (R-UT) earlier this year, would enable the construction of high priority sections of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) to enhance recreation opportunities near Utahâs most urban areas. The BST is planned to eventually connect the Idaho border to Nephi, Utahâstretching over 280 miles. The legislation is cosponsored by the Utah congressional delegation, including the subcommitteeâs Ranking Member, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT). The Second District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected nominees for a vacancy on the Second District Court. The vacancy results from the retirement of Judge Robert J. Dale, August 16, 2021. The nominees for the vacancy are: Yvette Donosso, assistant city attorney, Bountiful City; Richard Gallegos, adult defender, Davis County Public Defenderâs Office; Craig Hall, attorney, Intermountain Healthcare; Matthew Hansen, deputy county attorney, Davis County Attorneyâs Office, judge pro tempore, 2nd District Court, special assistant attorney, United States Attorneyâs Office; Blaine Rawson, partner, Ray Quinney & Nebeker. | | |
Deep Dive: Reforming occupational licensing in Utah By Holly Richardson The Center for Growth and Opportunity (CGO) at Utah State University has released a policy paper with suggestions for a framework to reform occupational licensing in the state. The Cox-Henderson administration issued an executive order for each licensing agency to review licensing requirements âways to remove barriers to licensing and limit unnecessary government regulation" on their first day in office. Requiring a license to work in 1950 was imposed on just 5% of the nation's workers. Today, that number is greater than 20%, with much variation across the country. Touted as a means of consumer protection, research on the actual effects of licensing show it to instead be more about industry protection and creating barriers to entry that reduce market competition. With those factors in mind, the CGO proposes the following three steps for conducting that review: Regulators should compare Utahâs licensing laws to other states, Utah should implement a Fresh Start initiative, and The state should create a robust sunrise review process.* To read the full report, go here. (*The state legislature already has an "Occupational and Professional Licensure Review Committee" with a sunrise review provision.) | | |
Upcoming Ready to Welcome: States Lay the Foundation. World Refugee Day virtual Summit â June 22 @10:00 MDT. Register here Fire in the West - Appreciating the Inevitable with USU Research Landscapes â June 22 @11:30 Register here Zions Bank Community Speaker Series: LGBTQIA+ panel â June 22 @ noon. Register here Utah Democratic Party Organizing Convention â June 26 Securing the American Dream: A conversation with Tim Scott presented by the Hatch Foundation â Aug 11 @ noon. Register here Utah Foundation Annual Luncheon with Shaylyn Romney Garrett â Sept 23 @ 12 pm. Register here | | |
On This Day In History From History.com 1723 - Adam Smith is born. A Scottish economist and moral philosopher, he is well-known for his work âWealth of Nations.â 1829 - Geronimo, Apache leader and resistance fighter, born in No-doyohn Canon, Mexico 1884 - The first roller coaster in the US opens at Coney Island. 1858 - Senate candidate Abe Lincoln warns that America is becoming a âhouse divided.â 1944 - 14 year-old George Stinney (a small Black boy) is executed for the murder of 2 white girls. His trial by an all-white jury lasted one day and deliberations lasted 10 minutes. From his arrest to execution was 83 days. Years later, he was found innocent. 1945 - First atomic test 1963 - Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman to travel into space. 1996 - Natalie Coleâs Unforgettable is released Wise Words "No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable."
-Adam Smith Lighter Side "A teenager lost a contact lens while playing basketball in his driveway. After a brief, fruitless search, he gave up. His mother took up the cause and within minutes found the lens.
âHow did you do it?â he asked.
âWe werenât looking for the same thing,â she explained. âYou were looking for a piece of plastic. I was looking for $150.â | | |
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