Utah Policy: Maternal Health Month, Post-secondary success and #utleg updates

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Utah Policy Daily Newsletter

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 [email protected]

Situational Analysis - February 18, 2021

Hello Thursday - we've almost made it to the weekend!

In case you missed it, Rush Limbaugh passed away from lung cancer yesterday, Jason Chaffetz says he's open to challenging Mitt Romney in 2024 and a Texas mayor resigns after a fiery message on Facebook telling people "No one owes you or your family anything...Sink or swim, it's your choice!" and "Only the strong will survive!"

If you only have time for one thing today: Check out this preview of RootsTech Connect, the world's largest family history conference to be held virtually Feb 25-27. This free online conference already has 315,000 registered participants from around the world - 10X the typical in-person attendance. There are 13 keynote speakers, speaking from locations around the world and often in their native languages, 1100 classes offered in as many as 40 languages and the ability to find relatives attending RootsTech worldwide. If you can make the time to attend next week, it will be worth your time.

Countdown

15 days to the end of the 2021 Utah Legislature (3/5/21)
55 days until the end of the Cox/Henderson administration's first 100 days (04/14/2021)
71 days until the Biden/Harris administration's first 100 days are up (04/30/2021)

Today At Utah Policy

Maternal Mental Health Month in Utah
By Holly Richardson
Governor Cox has declared February Maternal Mental Health Month in Utah and yesterday, a virtual press conference was hold to mark both the announcement and the strides that Utah has made in awareness and more importantly, available and accessible resources.Tweets of the day: #utleg roundup
By Holly Richardson
Wednesday's Utah Legislature, in tweets: Veteran recognition, emergency powers, consent, prescriptive authority, porn filters, birth control and BYU police.Beating the Odds: Post-secondary success for adult, first-generation and lower-income students
By Holly Richardson
Boosting post-secondary educational attainment is critical to Utah's future and the Utah Foundation has released a report exploring how to increase success in students who traditionally have been less likely to complete higher ed degrees. Key findings include:

Utah Headlines

Deseret News

Religious diversity belongs in the public square - and in your business - Many companies are finding that employees who can bring their whole, authentic selves into the workplace are happier, more productive and more likely to deliver on company objectives. Fair or foul? Transgender athletes debate heats up as Utah moves to ban them from girls sports - The bill passed the House 50-23 mostly along party lines after those who supported it said it's needed to ensure fairness for female athletes, and those against it expressed fears of unconstitutionality and potential economic ramifications. Utah activist in Capitol riot sold his video to CNN, NBC for $35K each, court docs say - Prosecutors contend Sullivan was not a bystander but a "brazen, vocal" participant in the riot. Deondra Brown reveals rape as she lobbies for teaching consent in school sex ed courses - Bill advances in Utah House committee on 6-5 vote. 'Enough's enough': Utah lawmakers move to toughen penalties on 'rioters' - Sen. David Hinkins' SB138 seeks to toughen penalties on rioters while drawing a clearer distinction for when a protest crosses the line into a violent or destructive riot. Utah Sen. Mike Lee poised to lead antitrust charge against Big Tech, which he calls 'nightmare of censorship and hypocrisy' - Lee also promised to work toward curbing the behaviors of those tech company operators who he said "are no longer content simply to profit off of us - they want also to control what information we are allowed to access."

Salt Lake Tribune

As maternal anxiety continues to rise in Utah, advocates say help is available - In 2012, 12.8% of mothers reported that they had anxiety before pregnancy. In 2019, it was 27.8%, the report shows. Leaders of armed groups advocate for Utah bill increasing punishment for rioters - Prosecutors, defense attorneys and civil rights advocates identified a host of problems in Hinkins' legislation, calling it overly punitive and saying it could infringe on First Amendment rights. Bill would let Utah schools spend special education funds on students without special needs - Critics said SB175 dilutes the pool of money for kids who need support the most. Noncitizens could serve as police officers in Utah under a bill that's nearly on its way to the governor -Proponents of the bill say it could help with recruiting diverse candidates to serve within law enforcement agencies. Rep. Burgess Owens blasts the idea of reparations for slavery to Blacks - Says it is 'unfair and heartless to give Black Americans the hope that this is a reality. Lawmakers again asked to stop surprise fees in rental agreements - Rep. Judkins says the bill she is sponsoring this year is simply meant to require landlords to identify all fees renters would be responsible for before they sign their lease and to allow renters to get their application fees refunded if they decided there were more charges than they could afford.

Other

'It's been chaos for everyone;' UDOT talks snow storm, road conditions (FOX 13) - When there is a lot of snow and ice on the roads, things can quickly become treacherous. Behind locked doors of a decades-old Salt Lake City secret (FOX 13) - It was built around 1900 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served as the 15th Ward up until the late 1960's. But for the last 40 years or so it's been used as a recording studio. Is online learning the future of 'Snow Days' in Utah? (FOX 13) - Spokeswoman Kirsten Stewart with Canyons School District said this was the first time they were implementing remote learning in place of a snow day -- a program made possible by the pandemic.

COVID Corner

Health districts reschedule vaccinations as winter weather delays COVID-19 vaccine shipments (Deseret News) - The hope is that the weather will clear so the remaining shipments will arrive Thursday, although there's a chance they'll have to wait until next week. Fauci: 'Non-workable' to vaccinate teachers before schools open (Politico) - "You should try to get as many teachers as you possibly can vaccinated as quickly as you possibly can," Fauci said. "But to make it a sine qua non that you don't open a school until every teacher is vaccinated, I think is not workable." 7 COVID-19 symptoms that should trigger a test (Deseret News) - Fatigue, headache, sore throat and diarrhea, cough, fever or loss of smell or taste. Lab studies suggest Pfizer, Moderna vaccines can protect against coronavirus variant (CNN) - While the blood serum samples produced less neutralizing antibody activity, it was still enough to neutralize the virus. Pfizer says South African variant could significantly reduce vaccine protection (NBC News) - A lab study suggests that the South African variant of the coronavirus may reduce antibody protection from the Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE vaccine by two-thirds, and it is not clear if the shot will be effective against the mutation

National Headlines

Trump-McConnell rift threatens GOP's Senate hopes (Politico) - Republicans need to pick up only one seat in next year's midterms to win back the majority, but the GOP could be mired in a protracted civil war over the former president's role in the party. Facebook Blocks News In Australia Over Government Plan To Force Payment To Publishers (NPR) - Under the proposed Australian legislation, tech platforms would have to negotiate with publishers over access to links to news stories. Rush Limbaugh has died. Here's what he said on one of his final broadcasts (Deseret News) - "I wasn't expected to be alive today," he said. "I wasn't expected to make it to October, and then to November, and then to December. And yet, here I am, and today, got some problems, but I'm feeling pretty good today." Low-income Californians to receive $600 state stimulus (USA Today) - The state proposal will be expedited for legislative approval next week. Also included is more than $400 million in new federal funds for stipends of $525 per enrolled child for all state-subsidized providers of child-care and preschool. U.S. attorney, FBI investigating Cuomo's handling of nursing home deaths (NBC News) - In recent weeks, the administration revealed that 15,000 long-term care residents have died, up from the 8,500 previously disclosed. Mostly united over covid relief, Democrats face divisions over Biden's massive second economic plan (Washington Post) - Fights loom on infrastructure, climate and other major - and competing - agenda items. Biden says he's uncomfortable with how much he's waited on in the White House. Trump had bragged about the opulence at a similar point in his presidency. (Business Insider) - "I was raised in a way that you didn't look for anybody to wait on you," he said. "I find myself extremely self-conscious," I called into the 'Rush Limbaugh Show,' and it didn't go as intended (Deseret News) - "It was fitting that I was at my grandmother's house the day I embarrassed myself on national radio."

Policy News

Rep. Curtis has 2 broadband bills introduced in a package of 28 bills
Today, Representative John Curtis (R-UT), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement after two of his bills were introduced in a comprehensive package of 28 bills that aim to turbocharge public and private investment by promoting new and upgraded infrastructure deployments, boosting competition, streamlining permitting processes, facilitating broadband deployment on federal lands, and closing the digital divide in both rural and urban areas.Rep. Moore on Natural Resources subcommittee assignments
Today, Congressman Blake Moore issued the following statement on his assignments to serve as Vice Ranking Member on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations as well as on the National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee. Virtual Summit: Utah's annual Entrepreneur and Investor Summit
This year's summit will be presented virtually on February 25 and 26.BioUtah in partnership with the University of Utah's Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center and BioHive, has announced its agenda and distinguished keynote speaker, J.P. Morgan's Monica DiCenso, for the 2021 Virtual Entrepreneur & Investor Life Sciences Summit. Ms. DiCenso is the managing director and head of Global Investment Opportunities Group at J.P. Morgan Private Bank.Black History Month: An evening with Professor William Smith
On Tuesday, February 23, from 4-5 pm, you are invited to join Dr. William Smith as he discusses "The history of racial justice and racial battle fatigue." Dr. Smith is a professor of Education Culture and Society at the University of Utah, will honor us with the opportunity to discuss the history of racial justice in our country and the impact that has on people of color. Our conversation will be hosted by Shawn Newell, Vice President of Industrial Supply, and Co-Chair of the Salt Lake Chamber's Diversity Council and James Jackson III, President and Founder of the Utah Black Chamber.You can register for this no-cost event here. Utah Inland Port Authority 'in complete compliance,' says audit
An independent audit concluded the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) has complied with all state requirements for financial reporting, budget, and the Open and Public Meetings Act. Squire & Company, PC reported that the financial statements audited "present fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the governmental activities and the general fund" of UIPA.UIPA is required by law to provide an annual audit of its financial statements and state compliance by a Certified Public Accountant in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The report is designed to provide citizens, taxpayers, customers, and investors and creditors with a general overview of the finances of the Authority."We embrace these independent audits to make sure we're meeting our financial requirements, as well as meeting the public expectations of a public agency," said Jill Flygare, Chief Operating Officer for UIPA. "A key objective of ours is to be a responsible custodian of public resources and this audit confirms we are on track."The Authority's revenues totaled $3.4 million for the budget year ending in June 2020, resulting in a net position of $2.4 million.

Business Headlines

So what's going on with the stimulus checks? (Deseret News) - Per CNN, the House Budget Committee will create a final bill this week based off measures approved by nine other committees in Congress. Tesla CEO Elon Musk slams Texas energy agency as unreliable: 'not earning that R' (Fox Business) - Musk tweeted that Texas' power grid manager, the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), is not earning the "R" in the acronym.

On This Day In History

(From History.com)

1879 - Sculptor Frdric-Auguste Bartholdi is awarded a patent for his design for the Statue of Liberty. 1885 - Mark Twain publishes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 1901 - Winston Churchill makes his maiden speech in the British House of Commons. 1916 - Mabel Stark, one of the world's first female tiger trainers, is mauled in California. 1931 - Toni Morrison is born. The Pulitzer Prize winning novelist was the first Black American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. 1934 - Activist and poet, Audre Geraldine Lorde is born. 1965 - Church deacon Jimmie Lee Jackson is beaten and shot during a peaceful march in Marion, Alabama. His death 8 days later inspires the Selma to Montgomery marches. 2001 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. killed in crash at the Daytona 500. 2010 - WikiLeaks publishes the first documents leaked by Chelsea Manning. 2011 - Green River serial killer Gary Ridgeway pleads guilty to 49th murder.