Happy Daylight Saving Week Senate votes unanimously on Monday to make Daylight Saving permanent.
House gives the bill a pass on Thursday
RNC no longer considering Salt Lake as 2024 Host City RNC may have a chance in 2028
Utah COVID numbers keep falling along with hospitalizations Utah COVID cases past 28 days per UDOH
6,288 not vaccinated or partial
4,754 vaccinated 2 shots 2 +weeks out
3,683 vaxed and boosted 2+ week
Utah COVID hospitalizations past 28 days per UDOH
582 not vaccinated or partial
367 vaccinated 2 shots 2 +weeks out
201 vaxed and boosted 2+ weeks
Biden says we need more COVID funding
League of Women Voters sues to block Utah’s new Congressional Maps
Lee, Stewart push back against criticism from Vindman over Ukraine Alexander Vindman, who was born in Ukraine and blew the whistle on former President Donald Trump’s 2019 phone call with Ukraine’s president that led to his first impeachment, told the Salt Lake Tribune that Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. Chris Stewart are complicit in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine because of their support for Trump.
Host: Heidi Hatch
Guests: Maura Carabello & State Senator Kirk Cullimore
Utah Gas prices hit record high: The cost of a gallon of gas in Utah broke the state’s record Thursday. According to AAA, the average cost for a gallon of regular gas was $4.30, jumping approximately 10 cents from Wednesday.
White House calls it “Putin’s Price Hike” is it? Or is this good think tank branding of a much bigger problem?
Can Utah politicians do anything to help?
Utah GOP Caucus night: Turnout after four-year break
Will Democrats follow the lead of Jenny Wilson and refuse vote for a Democrat for US Senate?
In addition to my endorsement, I am calling on Democratic delegates to lend their support as well. We are at a critical juncture, and I am happy to be a part of a novel and inclusive coalition to elect Evan. #McMullinforUtah#VoteNoCandidateAtConvention
Thanks to the tireless efforts of over 800 campaign volunteers and the thousands of hours you have spent collecting, we have gathered over 28,000 signatures. You, our volunteers, are the true measure of the success of our campaign. pic.twitter.com/xoiUQ0cmxQ
Ukraine Aid bill passes House and Senate: Romney and Lee vote against Romney: While I strongly support providing Ukrainians desperately needed aid, I ultimately could not support the rest of this bloated spending bill.
Mitt Romney tells Biden to send fighter jets to Ukraine ASAP. More than 40 Republican U.S. senators called for President Biden to aid “the transfer of aircraft and air defense systems” to Ukraine a day after officials quashed Poland’s offer to send fighter jets with American help. Will the President have to go along?
Listen Ambassador Huntsman on China and Russia
Utah Legislature passes Transgender athlete bill at the 11th hour:
Governor says he will veto.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee Hosts South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul for a fundraiser. Greg Hughes will MC the event
Evan McMullin officially files to run against Lee as an independent
STATE OF THE UNION: How did President Biden do?
Romney sat with Manchin
NO CONFIDENCE DECLARATION – FORMER PROSECUTORS Former prosecutors who worked at the Utah County Attorney’s Office under elected County Attorney David Leavitt issue a public declaration of no confidence. They issued the declaration in a formal letter sent to 2News Investigates.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION:
Hits and misses? Greg and Maura’s picks
Hope Scholarship/vouchers dead
All day Kindergarten
The Senate adjourned Thursday without taking up:
Transgender athlete bill now circled: what does that mean?
EDITOR’S NOTE: After this week’s Take 2 podcast was recorded, the Utah Senate and House passed a different version of transgender athlete bill that would ban all transgender students from participating in school sports. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox immediately announced he would veto the bill.
From @acluutah: "Almost no one involved in #HB11 wanted a discriminatory ban against transgender youth participating in sports. But that is what #HB11 has become due to a flawed and secretive negotiation process." #utpol#utleg
Vaccine passport ban This hearing got wild with an arrest after a man refused to take off his sticker
HB 440 Salt Lake County needs to pick an overflow shelter, or the state will: “That’s just one part of House Bill 440, a hefty measure sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason (R-Sandy) and Sen. Jake Anderegg (R-Lehi) that seeks to lay out the next steps for dealing with homelessness across the state.”
Oil Independence– gas prices are already high- is it time to re-open the Keystone pipeline and drilling on Utah lands?
Biden takeaways:
Won’t talk to Putin
Putin not kicked out of SWIFT
Won’t comment on China
Oligarchs and high-tech imports sanctioned
Hall of Fame boxer, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko intends to fight for Ukraine with brother, Wladimir (Greg’s assigned reading)
ONE WEEK LEFT IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION:
Ballot initiative to end vote by mail dies
Education Earmark: “Utah legislative leaders are looking at a constitutional amendment that could change the longtime practice of using income tax revenue to fund public education. That, in turn, could lead to the eventual removal of the food sales tax, which many have pushed for this legislative session – but which has yet to happen.”
Eviction Expungement HB 359 still on the table
Mental Healthcare for doctors outside network passed house committee unanimously
UDOH has tacked on a large fiscal note to the birth certificate bill.
FILING DEADLINE BUMPED UP
Feb 28- March 4
CDC NEW MASK GUIDELINES EASED
The new metrics will still consider caseloads, but also consider hospitalizations and local hospital capacity, which have been markedly improved during the emergence of the omicron variant.
Governor Cox says state is moving to “steady state” model: March 31st the state will pivot to treating COVID as a seasonal virus in terms of tracking and testing as cases and hospitalizations drop.
Cox signs on to letter addressing Canadian Trucker Protest: Cox joins 15 other Republican Governor’s and 2 Canadian Premiers:
The joint letter reads in part, “The timing of your decision to terminate the vaccine and quarantine exemptions could not have been worse as North America already faces grave supply chain constraints.”
Governor Cox to Outdoor Retailers: We don’t miss them. “That threat of a boycott will do absolutely nothing to change any policy that’s happening here in the state of Utah,” Governor Cox said. “Not even an inch. We won’t give it another thought.”
Host: Heidi Hatch
Guests: Maura Carabello, Exoro Group & John Dougall, State Auditor
Clean Slate Law goes into effect: Passed in 2019 delayed by pandemic
Individuals must remain conviction-free for five to seven years (depending on the level of the offense) to qualify.
Covered offenses include misdemeanor A drug possession, most misdemeanor B, and C level offenses, and all infractions.
Utah’s Clean Slate law will not clear any felony records, domestic violence related offenses, registered sex offenses, simple assault, or DUI offenses. Some of these cases may be eligible for clearance under the petition-based process but will not be automatically cleared.
Digital Driver’s License debate stalls in in Committee after strong opposition:
Utah already has a pilot project.
Community members warned of slippery slope, mark of the beast, vaccination passport.
Could be more secure, one-time QR code, lose your phone get new license on new phone without going to DMV.
State Tax Cut passed: Governor says he will sign
$192 million tax cut income rate drops from 4.95% to 4.85%
Earned income tax credit
Social security tax cut
Utah Tech community opposed income tax cuts.
Rep. Candice Perucci Files bill to change Utah Birth Certificate questionnaire?
Bill would make the first copy free, cut questions from 100 down 27.
CD4 Race heats up
Darlene McDonald will run against Burgess Owens in Utah Congressional race.
Utah Senate Race
Ally Isom promises 2 terms and done if elected, calls on Lee to call it a day and come home. Becky Edwards says she will serve 2 terms and be done if elected.
Mike Lee applauds Office of Civil Rights dismissing complaint against BYU
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights dismissed a Title IX complaint that alleged the private University discriminates against LGBTQ students by barring LGBTQ relationships.
RNC meeting in Salt Lake City vote to Censure Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger
Olympics Underway, will you be watching? China will be tracking everyone, and what you say against you an and will be held against you under Chinese law.
MR. ROMNEY: “Well, the International Olympic Committee should have never awarded the Games to Beijing. Now, in the defense of the IOC, Beijing has put in place a number of even more awful actions since the Games were awarded there. But the laws in China, which prohibit any criticism of the CCP, of the Communist Chinese Party, make it unacceptable for athletes to be in that setting.
But we are where we are. These athletes have trained their entire lives to be able to be in Olympic Games, and so there they are there. But for their own personal safety, they’re going to have to make sure they abide by Chinese law. And it’s outrageous that they’re put in that position.
But there are ways that they can make their feelings known. And I know I’ve read a number of articles and spoken with individuals about the kinds of actions being considered by athletes. They have to obviously make sure they’re following Chinese law. But look, we can’t have the International Olympic Committee awarding Games to authoritarian states that use the Olympics as a platform for propaganda and which threaten the free speech rights of our athletes. That simply can’t happen again.”
Former head coach accuses NFL of systemic racism in hiring practices
EDUCATION BILLS: Is the Utah Legislature anti-teacher?
School Vouchers: Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, said the voucher plan would create a fund and give students and their families more options on where to attend school.
School voucher made a run 10 years ago and failed.
Right To Make Public Comment- aimed at School Districts
House Bill 135 during a House committee hearing Tuesday afternoon. The bill, which passed unanimously, requires public bodies subject to the state’s Open and Public Meetings Act to provide a “reasonable opportunity” for the public to make verbal comments at meetings.
What’s more American than your right to sue: Parents in Utah might be able to sue school districts, if those districts do not teach in accordance with state law.
Parental rights bill, SB 157: “The aim is to protect parents’ rights, and protect the children in education,” said Sen. John Johnson (R-North Ogden), the bill’s sponsor.
HOA’s Utah Senate committed passes bill limits authority of HOA:
You can let your grass die in a drought
Political signs and for sale signs are ok
Holiday decorations, they’ll still let the HOA be in charge
Limiting Media Access: Senate Rules Resolution 1, sponsored by Sen. Mike McKell (R-Spanish Fork), makes clear that a credentialed journalist cannot enter the Senate floor unless they first receive permission from a Senate media official and follow “applicable dress requirements.” On the floor and other “non-public” areas of the Senate such as the chamber, halls, or lounge, journalists would also be limited to entering “for the purpose of conducting a specific interview.”
Mental Health 1st Responders: Utah House approves $5 million for mental health services for first responders, requires mental health programs for all agencies.
NOW: @BradWilsonGOP says the House will likely move on additional tax cuts in the next week, besides the income tax cut (which the @utahsenate is set to pass soon). #utpol#utlegpic.twitter.com/igUe6MJVZv
Less work for 2 Democrats Senator Derek Kitchen and Senator Kathleen Riebe both lost a committee assignment mid-session. Politics or just the rules? Right in the middle of the session
Burgess Owens skips Dems Visited House and Senate Republicans- skipped meeting with Democrat caucus.
Rep. Lisonbee period products for schools Passes unanimously out of a House committee Tuesday.
School transparency bills What’s being touted as a school curriculum transparency bill passed a Utah Senate committee Thursday afternoon in a 4 to 2 vote.
But critics say Senate Bill 114, sponsored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore (R-South Jordan), just adds to the difficulties many public educators already face.
DOA House Bill 234, sponsored by Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R-South Jordan), requires teachers to post their curricula, class syllabi, and associated learning materials for use for student instruction.
In his annual state of the state address, Gov. Cox touched on the predictable themes of COVID-19, education, and affordability, but he also denounced lies about the election and urged Utahns to work together to improve quality of life in the state.https://t.co/1AXCwU5ikbpic.twitter.com/5gJvh4C32I
SENATE VOTES DOWN MASK MANDATES: votes without a floor debate.
House puts off vote, before ultimately striking down the mandates. Why did they wait?
With its mask mandate in place, the Salt Lake City School District had the highest rate of the five school districts in SLCO over a 14-day period. pic.twitter.com/5ah1Kx6NKr
Utah Legislature allows school districts to move to online learning as Omicron cases spike and Test to Stay becomes impossible with current testing capacity.
Salt Lake County Mask mandate stands. 5-4 vote
Supreme Court ends Vax Mandate for large businesses keeps Biden mandate for healthcare workers in hospitals that take Medicaid and Medicare dollars. 6-3 vote.
Tribune Editorial Board criticized for suggesting National Guard enforce vaccine mandate
Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board facing backlash after suggesting the implementation of a vaccine mandate in Utah, enforced by deployment of the National Guard. https://t.co/fgCfwkc4Bd
