Friends and Neighbors,
Thank you to those who participated in Saturday’s Bills and Bagels event. We had over 130 in attendance and discussed a range of topics including education, DEI, law enforcement, energy, Highway 6, and more. The next Bills and Bagels will be on February 24th at the Nebo School District Office.
A total of 707 bills have been numbered this legislative session with 44 bills passing both the House and Senate. With four weeks remaining, there’s still a substantial workload, but significant progress has been made. Below I have highlighted legislation and events that occurred this past week.
Each Friday, I post a video update about the session on my Facebook page. This week, I discuss water conservation, tax cuts and education. Watch the video below.
Tax Cuts
For the past three years, the Legislature has cut taxes by over $1 billion while ensuring funding for the most vital parts of our society, including historic funding for education and social services. S.B. 69 Income Tax Amendments reduce the state income tax, making it possible for Utahns to keep more of their hard-earned money. S.B. 69 passed the Senate and will now be considered by the House.
Protecting Children from Abusive Parents
Last year, Om, a 16-year-old Utahn, was murdered by his father during court-ordered, unsupervised parent time. Despite 14 years of his mother warning the court of his father’s violent abuse, Om was senselessly killed. Om’s story isn’t unique. Abusive parents regularly use the family court system to harm children, often with little oversight. Our goal is to change that.
I am sponsoring H.B. 272 Child Custody Proceedings Amendments (Om’s Law) which puts children’s safety first. The bill makes it so the court must consider evidence of abuse and domestic violence and why a child is refusing contact with a parent. The bill will be heard this week in the House Judiciary Committee.
Energy Independence
Investing in the state’s energy capabilities is a top priority this session. Utah is making considerable progress toward energy independence and a secure energy future.
Securing Utah’s energy future is about more than keeping the lights on – it’s about ensuring we have reliable energy resources for generations to come. When it comes to energy, we’re applying an “all of the above” approach. We cannot rely on one energy source alone. We’re looking at any and all energy resources to ensure power remains affordable and reliable.
Learn more about our energy objectives and bills here.
National Hockey League Expansion
Utah is the state of sports. Following last week’s resolution supporting a Major League Baseball team, we passed S.J.R. 12 Joint Resolution Supporting a National Hockey League Franchise in Utah. With our state’s strong ties to winter sports and the renowned “greatest snow on earth,” Utah presents an ideal destination for a National Hockey League (NHL) expansion.
The resolution highlights Utah’s robust economy and tight-knit communities, perfectly positioned to sustain major league sports franchises. Our proud legacy of hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics further underscores our suitability as a NHL location.
Recognizing Utah’s Service Members of the Year
The Utah Service Member of the Year award recognizes outstanding performers from the state’s major military entities, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Space Force. The Senate honored these fine service members and their families for their ongoing service and sacrifice. These service members represent the best of the military in Utah and I am grateful for their dedication. Watch the recognition here.
Utah Leaders Visit Texas Border
The crisis at the border continues to be a growing concern for states. President Biden’s open border policies threaten our national security. This weekend, Gov. Cox and other state leaders visited our nation’s border and witnessed first-hand the tough decisions Texas has had to make because the federal government has failed to act.
Securing our nation’s borders should be one of the federal government’s top priorities. In the Utah Legislature, we have no control over national immigration policies. However, we will continue to support local law enforcement to keep Utahns safe.