Tag Archives: politics

TAKE 2 PODCAST: End of the legislative session with a flurry of spending, bills

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Take 2 host Heidi Hatch welcomes Maura Carabello and Greg Hughes on the same day Utah’s legislative session ends. With a slew of things to talk about, including all that happens on the session’s last day, the trio tackle some of the highlights of what Utah’s lawmakers have been up to.

An English-only bill died on Utah’s political hill while another piece of legislation wants to get rid of mask mandates in the state. This happens just as Utah and other counties move to the “moderate” phase of COVID-19 precaution.

In a sobering reality of the virus, Rep. Jon Hawkins of Pleasant Grove joined the Utah House of Representatives from his hospital bed. Hawkins has been hospitalized with coronavirus since January and said he will have to learn to walk and swallow again.

“The things we all take for granted,” he said.

A new position will be created after the Legislature approved to help tackle those who are homeless. Is Utah having a “homeless czar” the right move? In addition, lawmakers put $50 million into housing

One bill with no controversy, a Senate law enforcement modification bill, passed the House unanimously Thursday that will put some oversight over BYU police.

There is also a big transportation bill that passes that includes $1 billion in one-time spending and borrows an additional $264 million.

Other topics include:

SB228 Social Media Controls: A bill passed Thursday would regulate how social media companies’ moderate content on their platforms. SL TRIB SB228 requires social media platforms to clearly state their content moderation policy, and inform Utah users within 24 hours when they run afoul of it. There’s also a requirement that those companies provide an appeal process for Utah account holders.

Bail Reform Passes: Greg’s work is complete? Or just beginning

Party Switching Bill: A bill limiting certain Utahns from switching parties before a primary election has passed the Senate and is on its way to Gov. Spencer Cox’s desk. House Bill 197, sponsored by Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R-South Jordan), passed the Senate 22 to 3. One Democrat joined Republicans in voting for it.

The bill specifies that for those who are already registered with a political party after March 31, any party affiliation change would not take effect until after that year’s primary election. Unaffiliated voters could register with a party at any time and still vote in the primary.

Two new Utah state parks: Raptor State Park and Lost Creek State Park by Echo Reservoir are here.

There is also a new law to studying flying car traffic.

TAKE 2: Greg has COVID, & what you might’ve missed this week in Utah politics

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Take 2 host Heidi Hatch is joined by former Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes and Maura Carabello, founder of the Exoro Group, for this week’s Take 2 podcast.

Hughes joins remotely as he is in quarantine with COVID-19.

This week in the Utah Legislature:

  • The Utah pioneer license plate: It’s been panned on social media. Do the people of Utah need it or want it?
  • Budget: Lawmakers unveil $2.26 billion transportation and construction package with $1.4 billion in bonds for transit and construction projects. Senate Republicans are not convinced borrowing such a large amount of money is prudent.

“In a year when we’re flush with cash, you have to ask whether it makes sense to bond right now,” said Assistant Senate Majority Whip Kirk Cullimore (R-Sandy).

  • Senate Bill 205: Is Dan McCay trying to gut “count my vote?”
  • House Bill 388: Should 16-year-olds be able to vote in school board elections?
  • The death of the transgender athlete bill
  • Changing the name of Dixie State University: Will it happen?
  • Where are we on police reform?

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill is praising a bill moving through the legislature that would define when police should not use deadly force. House Bill 237, sponsored by Rep. Jen Dailey-Provost (D-Salt Lake City), would specify that officers should not use deadly force on an individual who is suicidal and does not pose a threat to anyone else.

  • Women’s Bills: Maura has a whole list of what we didn’t accomplish.
  • House Bill 143 passes, meaning Utah will no longer suspend driver’s licenses for unpaid court debt
  • Minimum wage: A bill that would incrementally increase Utah’s minimum wage to a peak of $15 an hour by July 2026 stalled in a House committee on Thursday. Republicans worried it would kill jobs and hurt the economy prevailed over Democrats who said it would help lift people out of poverty. Is this the right place for the conversation or should this be a national issue?

PODCAST: Take 2 — Transgender bills, consent in sex education, governor’s powers

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Host Heidi Hatch welcomes guests Maura Carabello and Greg Hughes to talk about the political issues impacting the state of Utah.

The tackle a variety of issues including a transgender sports bill aimed at eliminating transgender athletes from girls high school sports in Utah.

Another bill would require Utah students to learn about consent, coercion and sexual violence prevention behavior narrowly moved past its committee to head the larger legislative body.

Other topics the trio discusses includes a bill to limit Utah’s governor’s powers in a time of crisis, a rioting bill, Jason Chaffetz, new jobs for Ben McAdams and words from Rep. Burgess Owens about reparations for Black Americans.

Take 2: Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan, Romney’s Family Security Act

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Take 2 host Heidi Hatch is joined by former Speaker of the House Greg Hughes and political consultant Scott Howell in a new episode.

The big topic of discussion is President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus bill. Early Friday, the Senate approved a measure that would let Democrats muscle Biden’s coronavirus relief plan through the chamber without Republican support. Vice President Kamala Harris was in the chair to cast the tie-breaking vote — her first.

Other topics discussed include:

  • Sen. Mitt Romney’s Family Security ACT proposal to be added on to stimulus package: Romney released the Family Security Act on Thursday — which the senator plans to propose as an amendment included with the Democrats’ stimulus package. It would provide families up to $3,000 a year in financial support per child ages 6 to 17 and up to $4,200 a year for infants to age 6. Americans expecting a child would be able to start applying for the monthly benefit four months prior to their due date.
  • Student loan crisis: Proposed relief with $50K student loan forgiveness.

UTAH LEGISLATURE:

  • Catfishing Bill: The House Judiciary Committee unanimously voted Thursday afternoon to move forward with a bill intended to protect people who are impersonated online. House Bill 239, sponsored by Rep. Karianne Lisonbee (R-Clearfield), would criminalize the impersonation of someone else on the internet to harm, intimidate, or threaten.
  • After a record number of police shootings in 2020, police reform bills face the first test in Utah Legislature. House Bill 84, sponsored by Rep. Angela Romero (D-Salt Lake City), would require law enforcement agencies to report data regarding use-of-force incidents to the Bureau of Criminal Identification.
  • House Bill 162, sponsored by Rep Romero would require officers’ annual training to include a substantial focus on “mental health and other crisis intervention responses, arrest control, and de-escalation training.”
  • Senate Bill 38, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Thatcher (R-West Valley), would tighten the certification and training requirements for police dogs and their handlers. That bill passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House of Representatives.
  • Senate Bill 13, sponsored by Sen. Jani Iwamoto (D-Salt Lake City), would require providing information about officers under certain investigations to POST. It would also require providing information about officers to prospective employers if asked. That bill passed a Senate committee last week.

PODCAST: Take 2 – Trump’s positive COVID-19 test upcoming debates

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Take 2 is back after months away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A lot has changed and at the same time a lot has remained the same. It’s a new year but the same or similar problems remain.

We are still in the middle of a pandemic and the way forward is different depending on who you talk to.

Social unrest has bubbled up again the people demonstrating, and rioting have changed and the ones sitting home in disgust have swapped places.

We have a new governor, but a familiar face. A smooth transition of power.

On the flip side President Donald Trump today said he will not attend President-elect Biden’s inauguration, the first time a sitting president has forgone the tradition since 1869.

People still only like to hear people who agree with them and believe the same way. With that, a conversation we hope will help you see the other side and find some middle ground.

Guests:

  • Greg Hughes (R)
  • Jim Dabakis (D)

Host: Heidi Hatch

Take 2: SLCPD officers distrust in city leaders, COVID-19 case spike

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Podcast host Heidi Hatch is joined by former lawmakers Jim Dabakis (D) and Greg Hughes (R) for another Take 2 episode.

The trio talked about the three Salt Lake City police officers who sat down with 2News to talk about why they have no trust in their chief and mayor. Dozens of officers say they want to leave the department. Who’s at fault?

Additional topics discussed are:

The new number of cases this week should be deeply concerning for all Utahns. The good news is that we are not yet stressing our healthcare facilities and we have beaten a wave like this once already…you know what to do!…

  • Who should make decisions over when schools shutdown with COVID-19 cases?
  • New airport: Who should we name it after?

Take 2 – Conventions, sports boycotts and Huntsman as a write-in candidate

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2News Anchor Heidi Hatch is joined by former Utah State Sen. Jim Dabakis (D) and former Republican Speaker of the House, Greg Hughes, for another episode of Take 2.

Was the Republican convention at the White House illegal? Dabakis says yes, Hughes says no. And that’s not all they disagree about.

They go head-to-head on Utah’s 4th District GOP nominee Burgess Owens with Dabakis saying he has filed bankruptcy three times and Hughes responding with how charitable he is with starting a mentoring program for youth. They also grappled over topics including:

  • Attorney General Sean Reyes speech at the RNC,
  • “China Virus” – Who’s at fault?
  • Upcoming general election – Will Jon Huntsman Jr. be a write-in candidate?