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🌧️ 38 – 50° Logan | 🌧️ 46 – 55° Salt Lake

🌦️ 40 – 52° Manti | ⛅ 55 – 73° Moab

🌦️ 42 – 60° Cedar City | ⛅ 53 – 75° St. George

Good morning!

If you live near Salt Lake City, there’s a good chance you’ve recently been approached by someone gathering signatures to repeal HB267, which bans public sector collective bargaining.

The Protect Utah Workers coalition has been canvassing for weeks, and its efforts have paid off. Caitlin Keith reports the coalition exceeded its stated goal and submitted thousands of signatures supporting a referendum against HB267 on Wednesday.

If enough signatures are verified, a referendum to repeal HB267 will go on the ballot in 2026.

Read more about how Utahns feel about the new law.

Also on our minds:

Elder Christofferson dedicates new BYU Music Building
U.K. Supreme Court issues ruling on the definition of ‘woman’
Gov. Cox signs bill expanding Utah’s school lunch program for struggling families

Do Utahns support the flag ban? A new poll shows what they think

A recent Utah law banning most flags in public schools and government buildings has drawn considerable attention across the nation. How do Utahns feel about it?

According to the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll, 62% said they approved, 28% said they disapproved and 9% said they didn’t know when asked whether they supported or opposed the law.

The new law limits the flags that can be publicly displayed in schools and on government property to a narrow list. Country, state, military and a few other flags can still be displayed. The rainbow — or pride — flag associated with the LGBTQ movement is effectively banned.

“The results are clear,” House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told the Deseret News in a statement. “A strong majority of Utahns agree that symbols displayed in classrooms and government buildings should represent unity, respect for our nation and state, and a focus on education — not political or ideological distractions."

Meanwhile, critics of the bill worry about the effect of removing pride flags from some classrooms.

“What matters most are, especially in classrooms, the policies and practices and school rules that ensure that every child feels welcome,” Equality Utah policy director Marina Lowe told the Deseret News. “The reason the (pride) flag started getting hung in the first place was because there were particular populations that were feeling marginalized and unwelcome.”

Read more from Brigham Tomco about how Utahns have responded to the new law.

BYU Ph.D. student’s international student visa revoked over apparent fishing license violation

Jason Swensen writes:

A Brigham Young University Ph.D. candidate from Japan has had his international student visa revoked — perhaps because of a fishing violation from years ago.

Outside of a couple of speeding tickets, Suguru Onda — a husband and father of five — has had only one legal hiccup during his six years of study in the United States. He was reportedly cited for harvesting more fish than his fishing license allowed during a 2019 outing with his Latter-day Saint church group.

The fishing charge was later dismissed, according to Adam Crayk, Onda’s attorney.

Still, earlier this month Onda, who is a year away from earning his BYU doctorate in computer science, received notice that his student visa was being revoked.

He is counted among the two dozen or more international students attending Utah colleges and universities who have had their visa revoked in recent weeks — and have been directed to leave the country without delay.

Read more about Onda’s visa revocation notice and the legal options that he hopes will keep him and his family in the U.S.

Utah Business 2025 Executive Excellence Nominations

It’s time to recognize executive team members for their strategic vision, resilient leadership, and profound influence. Nominate before April 18!

Politics

Renae Cowley & Frank Pignanelli: The new politics of food and health (Deseret News)
The highs and lows of Joe Biden’s first post-presidency speech (Deseret News)
Moderate Republicans draw the line on Medicaid cuts in upcoming tax bill fight (Deseret News)
Peace by piece: Quilting as a form of political activism (Deseret News)

The U.S.

Scott Condie: The U.S. is at greater risk of recession now than at any point since COVID (Deseret News)
Judge finds probable cause to hold Trump administration in contempt for violating deportation order (The Associated Press)

The World

U.K. Supreme Court issues unanimous ruling on the definition of ‘woman’ (Deseret News)
Israeli troops will remain in Gaza 'security zones' after war, minister says (BBC)

Sports

Former BYU athletic director receives ‘Hero Samaritan’ gift from son. Here’s why it’s so meaningful (Deseret News)
Roster limits in the spotlight as plan for revenue sharing with college athletes nears final approval (Deseret News)
BYU basketball is in the midst of making history (Deseret News)
The Dallas Mavericks are set for the play-in. When might Alex Jensen take over Utah basketball full time? (Deseret News)

Faith

‘A special gift’: Apostle dedicates stunning new BYU Music Building (Deseret News)
Pope Francis puts Antoni Gaudí, architect of Sagrada Família, on path to canonization (Religion News Service)

Health

Jennifer Graham: Ozempic and the disappearing dinner table (Deseret News)
CDC says measles cases are most likely underreported as outbreak swells in Texas (NBC News)

🗓️ Events Calendar

We put together a list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah in April. Check it out and let us know if we are missing anything!

Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:

April 17 — Easter Dog Bone Hunt | Wheeler Historic Farm, Murray
April 17–18 — America 250 Freedom Pageant | Washington County Legacy Park, Hurricane
April 17 — BYU baseball vs. Arizona | 4:30 p.m.
April 17 — BYU softball vs. U of U | 6:30 p.m.
April 17 — USU men’s tennis vs. New Mexico | 11 a.m.
April 17 — UVU baseball vs. Tarleton State | 6:05 p.m.
April 17 — Utah Tech baseball vs. Grand Canyon | 6:05 p.m.

Check your inbox tomorrow morning for more news from the Beehive State and beyond!

And reply to this email or email [email protected] to tell us what you think of Utah Today.

Thanks for reading!

— Ariel