Note: Utah Policy will not publish on Monday, the Presidents Day holiday. We'll be back in your inbox on Tuesday.
Friday's political trivia: Today's question comes from reader Clint Warby. What family in Utah has the distinction of having the first Utah state official (name the office) and Utah Olympic Gold medal winner? Send your answers to: bschott@utahpolicy.com.
The first three correct answers will be recognized in Tuesday's newsletter (we're off for President's Day on Monday.
Friday's news at-a-glance: Passage of funding bill averts another government shutdown. Pres. Trump says he will declare a national emergency to come up with money to build more of the border wall. Utah's congressional delegation responds.
Utah Policy poll: GOP fight over Count My Vote and SB54 is hurting the party among its own members.
Utah lawmakers won't deal with bill preventing transgender people from changing their sex designation. Bob Bernick says the governor and legislative leaders are on a mission to overhaul the sales tax system, but it's a heavy lift.
Colorado trail runner recounts life or death struggle with mountain lion (Associated Press via SLTrib).
The UtahPolicy.com daily newsletter gets you up to speed on the top local and national news about politics and public policy. Our news is curated by Managing Editor Bryan Schott, along with help from Golden Webb. ((Click here to subscribe))
Today is the 46th day of the year. There are 319 days remaining in 2019.
27 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019)
78 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019)
108 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019)
112 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019)
179 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019)
263 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019)
346 days to the first day of the 2020 Utah Legislature (1/27/2020)
354 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020)
622 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Poll shows Utah GOP infighting is angering party members
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
The continuing battles within the Utah Republican Party's leadership structure is hurting the party among its own members even among its conservative wing, a new poll by UtahPolicy.com shows....
Bill to stop transgender people from changing sex designation on birth certificates is dead
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
A controversial bill that would stop transgender people from changing their sex designation on their birth certificate is dead, at least at this time....
Bernick column: GOP leaders push to overhaul the Utah's sales tax system
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Republican Gov. Gary Herbert and GOP legislative leaders are on a mission this legislative session which ends in just four weeks....
Utah delegation responds to funding bill & emergency declaration
By Staff
Congress passed the compromise bill funding the government on Thursday, avoiding a partial government shutdown. Pres. Trump is expected to sign the legislation, and then declare a national emergency along the southern border to obtain funding for a border wall.Here are respo...
Press release: DNC announces details for first two presidential primary debates
By Press Release
DNC Chair Tom Perez has announced 12 presidential primary debates to be held over the course of the 2020 cycle, with the first two occurring in June and July of this year.Perez said his goals for the Democratic presidential primary debates are to (1) give the ...
Press release: Artist selected to sculpt Martha Hughes Cannon statue
By Press Release
On the 149th First to Vote anniversary, the Martha Hughes Cannon Oversight Committee, together with the women of Utah's 63rd Legislature, announced Ben Hammond was selected to sculpt the statue of Martha Hughes Cannon to be placed in the United State Capitol in 202...
Cedar Hills to Salt Lake City -- Communities of all sizes make planning for growth a top priority
By Jenney Rees, Cedar Hills Mayor and Erin Mendenhall, Salt Lake City Council Member, ULCT Board Member
Preparing for growth and addressing housing affordability and affordable housing are top priorities in Utah's cities and towns. ...
Taking care of yourself is not a crime - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 409
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
It's time to discuss the major happenings from Week 3 of the 2019 Utah Legislature:...
Supreme Court to decide SB54 appeal on March 1
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The Supreme Court will decide whether they'll take up the Utah GOP's appeal over SB54 early next month....
Lawmakers are warned blocking people on social media might lead to a lawsuit
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Utah lawmakers are being warned about how they handle their social media accounts, as blocking constituents from public pages could get them in some legal hot water....
Stewart: Banning high-capacity magazines 'won't make a difference' in gun control
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Parkland massacre in Florida, Rep. Chris Stewart says a move to ban high-capacity magazines "won't make difference" in the gun control debate....
Bill proposes to ban domestic violence perpetrators from owning or possessing guns
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Commit domestic violence in Utah and lose your right to possess or own a firearm forever....
Deseret News
Salt Lake Tribune
Other
Congress passes budget bill; Trump will declare emergency. White House says Trump will build a border wall, even without much funding in the budget deal (Washington Post).
Biden almost certain to enter 2020 race. Former VP Joe Biden is building support among grassroots activists and seeking contributions (The Hill).
Amazon dumps New York City after politicians and unions say it's not welcome. Deal would have created 25,000 jobs, but at a cost of $3 billion in government incentives (New York Times).
NASA wants to go to the moon 'as fast as possible. Other countries like China and India are racing there, too. Like the Cold War space race, the new lunar activity is fueled by national pride and a quest for scientific discovery (Washington Post).
Make El Chapo pay for the border wall. Sen. Ted Cruz writes an op-ed suggesting the criminal assets of the convicted drug kingpin and other drug lords should be confiscated and used to secure the border (Washington Post).
Justice Department discussed removing Trump from office. Andrew McCabe the firmer deputy FBT director, said top officials were alarmed by the firing of James Comey and discussed whether to recruit cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment (New York Times).
Senate confirms Trump nominee William Barr as next attorney general. The Senate approved Barr's nomination in a 54-45 vote, with three Democrats joining nearly every Republican in support. (Politico).
California cancels high speed rail and Trump demands that $3.5 billion in federal funding be returned. Gov. Gavin Newsome concedes that the full route has been rendered unfeasible by spiraling costs and logistical challenges (Politico).
1797 Henry Steinway, piano maker, is born.
1798 - The first serious fist fight occurs in Congress.
1804 New Jersey becomes the last northern state to abolish slavery.
1869 Charges of treason against Jefferson Davis are dropped.
1898 The U.S. battleship Maine blows up in Havana Harbor, killing 268 sailors and bring hordes of western cowboys and gunfighters rushing to enlist in the Spanish-American War.
1940 Hitler orders that all British merchant ships will be considered warships.
1950 Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-tung sign a mutual defense treaty in Moscow.
Press release: Utah tech company L3 Technologies to expand in SLC
The Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) has announced L3 Technologies will expand its operations in Utah, adding up to 250 jobs and $6.7 million in new state revenue over the next nine years."L3 has a longstanding presence in Utah, and we are exci...
Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Weekend EventOutdoors Report--Salt Lake Tribune: Battle over public land designations divides Utah lawmakers, too, as state bill seeks to usurp local control--KSL.com: 3 reasons to visit Hovenweep National MonumentConcerts-- "Bollywood Boulevard," Utah Presents, Friday, 7:30...
Press release: Weber County Elections Office wins national award
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has announced that the Weber County Elections Office in Utah was the recipient of a 2018 "Clearie" Award for Outstanding Innovations in Elections. Weber County received the award for its "Winning in Weber" program to en...
Press release: Utah Human Resources State Council announces 2019 executive conference
The Utah Human Resources State Council has announced the 2019 Leading HR Executive Summit. The summit, held in St. George Utah, is a day and a half of gathering of HR executives and leaders from Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, scheduled for March 28 and 29, 2019.In a bu...
Press release: HUD awards $608,000 to help Utah families reach self-sufficiency
WASHINGTON U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson has awarded $74 million to hundreds of public housing authorities across the country to continue helping public housing residents participating in theHousing Choice Voucher Program and/or reside i...
Press release: United Utah Party says abolish straight-party voting
A bill proposed by Rep. Patrice Arent that would eliminate straight-party ticket voting was recently assigned to the Government Operations Committee. The United Utah Party urged immediate action on the bill. "Utah is one of only eight states that still allows strai...
Equality
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." George Orwell
Getting Lost
"Taco Bell just announced that delivery is now available nationwide. Taco Bell made the decision after stoners kept getting lost at the drive-through." - JIMMY FALLON
