Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, there is much to be thankful for. I am grateful for the opportunity I have been given to serve District 25. We have an incredible community of service-minded individuals who continue to show up and make Utah the best state in the nation. Wishing you and your families a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
November Elections
Tomorrow is the last day to vote in the general election. We are lucky to live in a nation that values citizens’ right to choose their local, state and national leaders. Please exercise your freedoms by voting. All mail-in ballots need to be postmarked today or you can submit your ballot at a dropbox location or vote in-person tomorrow. Find a dropbox location here or voting location near you here.
Mexico Trade Mission
In October, I joined Gov. Cox on a trade mission to Mexico. Our delegation met at the United States Embassy in Mexico City to learn about their nation’s economy and how it relates to U.S. trade.
Mexico is connected to 60% of the world’s GDP, offering unparalleled overland access to the United States and Central America, as well as strategic ports in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. From a national and economic security perspective, Mexico has become an attractive destination for nearshoring the manufacturing of essential goods, notably as a viable alternative to China. This recent trade mission affirmed Utah’s commitment to fostering global partnerships and driving economic prosperity.
Utah Enforces Immigration Laws
Recently, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Salt Lake City Field Office circulated a memo that implied Utah is a “sanctuary state” and accused Utah sheriffs of not enforcing the policies of ICE. I want to assure you that Utah is not and has never been a “sanctuary state.” ICE withdrew the memo following a meeting with lawmakers, the governor’s office, and locally elected county sheriffs. We have outstanding sheriffs throughout our state who work hard to enforce immigration law, but they are justified in declining new agreements with ICE when requirements become unreasonable. The crisis at the U.S. border has not resulted from the failure of local enforcement. Instead, the federal government’s failures have led to an immigration crisis throughout the nation.
Utah is a state that welcomes immigrants who join our communities through legal channels. I am grateful for the hard work of our sheriff departments and their work to maintain law and order in our state. Together, we will continue to protect the integrity of our state and its commitment to the rule of law, ensuring the safety and well-being of those who choose to call our country home.
October Interim Highlights
During October’s legislative interim meetings, we met to discuss a range of issues from road rage to school safety. Below are summaries of a few of the topics the Legislature debated as we continue to look at items to address during the 2024 General Legislative Session.
Road Rage Legislation
In an effort to reduce the number and severity of road rage incidents on our highways and streets, the Transportation Committee met to discuss the issue of aggressive driving. The Utah Highway Patrol presented data on reported road rage incidents, crashes and fatalities. Unfortunately, the number of cases has increased from previous years. Our committee heard potential strategies to address the growing concerns of road rage and aggressive driving, including recommendations of enhanced incident evaluation and possible administrative sanctions as suggested by the Division of Public Safety and the Roadway Safety Committee.
School Threat Penalty Amendments
The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee held a presentation on the draft legislation, “School Threat Penalty Amendments,” which would require a student to be suspended or expelled from a public school if the student makes a false emergency report targeted at a school. The bill would enhance the penalties for threatening violence against a school, making it a second-degree felony for an individual who submits a false emergency report in certain circumstances.
The Statewide Information and Analysis Center was invited to inform the committee on school hoax and threat incidents, providing data on the prevalence of school threats and lending insight into the severity and quantity of threats our schools and districts face. The committee approved “School Threat Penalty Amendments” as a committee bill file to be considered for passage in the upcoming 2024 General Legislative Session. This is another step in our continual effort to implement security measures and protocols to protect students in the event of an emergency.
Golden Spike Monument
In 2019, we celebrated the 150th anniversary celebration of the transcontinental railroad completion in Utah. The railroad was an incredible achievement for our country, and it established Utah as the crossroads of the West. To honor the legacy and impact of the transcontinental railroad, the Golden Spike Foundation has commissioned a 43-foot-tall gold monument that will be placed at the Golden Spike Park at Reeder Ranch in Brigham City, Utah, in 2024.
The Golden Spike Monument is a memorial to the men and women who built the system that connected our entire country and made Utah the crossroads of the West. Like those who built the railroad, the spike represents perseverance to take on today’s challenges to build a better tomorrow while honoring them for their work that changed the world.