Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing
What You Need to Know About Utah Politics Today - February 3, 2014
Urquhart wants public support for his non-discrimination bill. Hatch tells lawmakers quest to control federal lands may not bear fruit. Lawmakers wonder how to pay for Lockhart's education initiative.
Countdown:
•38 days until the final day of the 2014 Legislature
•141 days until Utah's 2014 primary elections
•274 days to the 2014 midterm elections
•637 days to the 2015 elections
•702 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses
•1008 days to the 2016 presidential election
Today's Utah political news highlights:
•Sen. Steve Urquhart wants the public to help him get his statewide non-discrimination bill out of legislative purgatory and before lawmakers [Tribune].
•Sen. Orrin Hatch tells Utah Lawmakers that the quest to gain control of federal lands in the state isn't likely to succeed anytime soon [Tribune].
•4th District Congressional candidate Mia Love continued her torrid fundraising pace despite the retirement announcement by Rep. Jim Matheson in that race [Tribune].
•Senate President Wayne Niederhauser says the House, instead of investigating former Attorney General John Swallow, should have simply started impeachment proceedings [Tribune].
•The latest search warrant in the criminal investigation into Swallow's dealings seeks text messages between the former Attorney General and a top aide [Tribune].
•Lawmakers are wondering how the state will pay for House Speaker Becky Lockhart's proposal to expand technology in Utah's schools [Tribune].
•Sen. John Valentine says lawmakers are facing a record number of bills this legislative session [Utah Policy].
•A task force wants lawmakers to increase teacher pay and reduce class sizes to improve education in the state [Tribune].
•Despite a blistering legislative audit, lawmakers vote to continue funding for the embattled USTAR program [Standard-Examiner].
•The owner of a local coffee company is challenging other business owners to heed President Obama's call for a higher minimum wage for employees [ABC 4].
•Gun lobbyist Clark Aposhian gets a win in court as a judge refuses to issue a protective order against him that was requested by his ex-wife [Tribune].
•Former Weber State University President Ann Millner launches her campaign for the state senate [Standard-Examiner].
On this day in history:
•Spain formally recognized American independence in 1783.
•The 16th Amendment to the Constitution, which provided for a federal income tax, was ratified in 1913.
•Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, died at the age of 67 in 1924.
•Eric Holder became the first black U.S. attorney general in 2009.
A Few of The Unknown, Unobserved, Untraditional,
Silly, Strange, Crazy, Odd, sometimes Bizarre, Goofy, Crazy, Dumb, Wacky, Weird, Wild, Respected and Traditional Holidays or Observances mostly only in the United States.
Four Chaplains Memorial Day
*The Day The Music Died
