Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It’s been a busy week as we’ve focused on drafting and passing legislation to make it possible for Utahns to thrive now and in the future. In the last few years, we have seen explosive growth in our district and across the state. This session, in addition to making Utah more affordable, we are focusing on quality of life by:
- Investing in infrastructure
- Securing our water resources
- Keeping energy prices low
Finding solutions to make Utah affordable and increase the quality of life for families in our district is my top priority.
Each Friday, I post a video recap of the week on my Facebook page. You can watch last week’s recap below.
Thank you for trusting me to represent our district in the Legislature and fight for your priorities. I look forward to hearing from you and am excited to continue working to represent you and your family in the Utah Senate.
Balancing Utah’s Budget
Each year, the Legislature is required to pass a balanced budget, ensuring your tax dollars are spent wisely on essential services like education, transportation and social programs.
Balancing the state budget isn’t all that different from managing a household budget. In the early weeks of the session, appropriations subcommittees set up base budgets to cover these core services—much like a family prioritizing rent, groceries and utilities. As the session progresses, we assess available resources and make additional investments. In the final week, we pass the “Bill of Bills,” finalizing the budget and making sure Utah remains financially strong.
Protecting Utahns from Unlicensed Life Coaches
In addition to working on long-term issues with my colleagues that focus on the future, I am sponsoring a few bills this session to address immediate needs. This past week, I presented and passed S.B. 48 Behavioral Health Amendments in committee. This bill strengthens guardrails and protects mental health professionals in our state. S.B. 48 prevents unlicensed life coaches from practicing mental health therapy. Read more here.
Aerospace Innovation
This week, we took a giant leap toward making Utah the center for aerospace innovation. We passed S.B. 62 Space Exploration Committee, launching efforts to explore the potential of building a spaceport right here in our state—opening new doors for research, industry and economic growth. We also advanced S.B. 96 Advanced Air Mobility Amendments, paving the way for air taxis to revolutionize transportation across the state by reducing road congestion and preparing to carry fans and athletes during the 2034 Olympics.
Utah has always been a place of innovation, from the grit of our pioneer ancestors to our rise as a leader in business, energy and infrastructure. That same forward-thinking spirit is driving us into the future as we soar to even greater heights.
Cellphones in Classrooms
The growing link between cellphone use, mental health challenges and academic focus in youth is hard to ignore—97% of students with phones use them during school hours, and teens receive an average of 237 notifications daily.
Right now, the state’s baseline policy allows unrestricted cellphone use in schools. S.B. 178 Devices in Public Schools, would simply shift that baseline to restrict cellphone use during classroom hours unless districts choose to set a different policy. This change would not remove school districts’ authority to create their own cellphone guidelines; rather, it adjusts the default for them to build upon, maintaining the flexibility to craft policies tailored to their needs.
S.B. 178 would reframe the conversation regarding cellphone use in schools—how can technology enhance learning rather than disrupt it? Instead of focusing solely on how to limit screen time, school districts have the opportunity to consider how devices can be used intentionally to support educational success. By making engaged learning the standard, this bill aims to give students a better chance to succeed—both in the classroom and beyond.