Situational awareness - January 31, 2018

Situational awareness - January 31, 2018

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. 

President Donald Trump gives his first State of the Union address. Lawmakers and the NRA face off over increased fees for concealed carry permits. Rep. Chris Stewart says the secret memo alleging misconduct by the FBI is not as earth-shattering as some say. The House advances a bill to undo the SB54 compromise.

Tick Tock:

• 36 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 37 days until the filing period for candidates in the 2018 election opens (3/9/2018)
• 43 days until the filing deadline for the 2018 elections (3/15/2018)
• 48 days until the statewide caucus meetings for Utah Republicans and Democrats (3/20/2018)
• 80 days until the Utah GOP State Convention (4/21/2018)
• 87 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention (4/28/2018)
• 146 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018)
• 279 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 362 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
• 1,007 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

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Here's what's driving the day:

Standoff over increased fees for concealed carry permits

Utah lawmakers and the NRA are on opposite sides over a proposal to hike fees for concealed carry permit renewals. Lawmakers say the costs of processing the renewals are going up, while the NRA says the fees are being used to subsidize other areas in the Bureau of Criminal Identification [Utah Policy].

Republicans to allow "Keep My Voice" to gather signatures at caucus meetings

The Utah GOP passed a resolution allowing backers of the ballot initiative to repeal SB54 to gather signatures at the March caucus meetings. Organizers of "Count My Vote," say they'll be there too [Utah Policy].

Stewart says "The Memo" is not as earth-shattering as some have claimed

Rep. Chris Stewart says the secret GOP authored memo alleging misconduct by the FBI is not as shocking as we've been led to believe. He says some of his colleagues have been overly dramatic in hyping the memo. Despite that, Stewart says there is important information in the document [Utah Policy].

Protecting online data

Rep. Craig Hall is proposing an amendment to Utah's Constitution to protect electronic data and communications from unreasonable search and seizure [Utah Policy].

Who doesn't love a good trolling?

Members of the "Buckshot Caucus," a group of Republican politicians and policymakers, are poking some fun at caucus/convention backers through their online fundraising page [Utah Policy].

Other Utah headlines:

• Utah Republicans praised President Trump's State of the Union Address, while Democrats in the beehive state were not impressed [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• A House committee advances a bill that would essentially repeal the SB54 compromise by forcing a candidate to choose either the signature-gathering or caucus/convention route, but not both [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• The Utah Senate passed a bill to allow certain counties to remove officials who are mentally incapacitated. The legislation stems from the Gary Ott situation in Salt Lake County [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• A group advocating for legalizing medical cannabis in Utah is criticizing three medical marijuana bills authored by Rep. Brad Daw [Deseret News].
   
• The DABC is considering replacing the"Zion curtain" with the "Zion wall" at some restaurants that also have a bar [Fox 13, Tribune].
   
• Rep. John Curtis has been added to the House Natural Resources Committee [E&E News].
   
• The Utah House passed a measure to offer family-planning and contraceptive measures to low-income women [Deseret News].
   
• More non-Mormons and increased tourism pushed liquor sales in Utah to more than $420 million last year [Associated Press].
   
• Tribal leaders are pushing back against a bill sponsored by Rep. John Curtis to establish management of the new Shash Jaa National Monument [Tribune].
   
• A House panel approved a measure allowing for 15-year-olds who kill an on-duty police officer to be charged as an adult [Deseret News].
   
• Smaller community correction centers would be scattered around the state under legislation advanced by a House committee on Tuesday [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• There are more than 900 million cyberattacks on Utah's computer systems every day [Tribune].
   
• Express lane tolls on I-15 may double soon, and they could quadruple down the road [Tribune].

National news highlights:

• President Donald Trump discussed the stock market, the economy, immigration, fighting ISIS, and rebuilding infrastructure in his State of the Union Address. He did not talk about the Russia investigation [New York Times].
   
• Officials from the Justice Department made a last-minute appeal to the White House to stop the release of a secret memo alleging abuses by the FBI. They claim the memo contains sensitive information that would jeopardize American security [Washington Post].
   
• President Trump was caught on a hot mic following the State of the Union Address that he "100 percent" would release the secret memo to the public [The Hill].
   
• Rep. Devin Nunes reportedly refused to say whether or not he worked with the white house to produce the memo from the House Intelligence Committee [Daily Beast].
   
• Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan Chase announced they would form an independent healthcare company for their employees [New York Times].
   
• The White House pulled the nomination of Victor Cha to be their ambassador to South Korea after he expressed discomfort with the administration's North Korea policy [Washington Post].
   
• Don't look now, but the first television ads for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary start airing in Iowa this Sunday [Washington Post].
   
• The top-50 spenders on lobbying spent more than $500 million to influence government last year [The Hill].

On this day in history:

• 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes is executed for plotting against Parliament and King James.
   
• 1801 - John Marshall is appointed the Chief Justice of the United States.
   
• 1865 - Congress passes the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery and submits it to the states for ratification.
   
• 1917 - Germany announces it will wage unrestricted submarine warfare against all ships, including passenger carriers, in war-zone waters.
   
• 1929 - The Soviet Union expelled communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky. He was assassinated in Mexico in 1940.
   
• 1950 - President Harry S. Truman announces a program to develop the hydrogen bomb.
   
• 2000 - Illinois Gov. George Ryan halted executions in the state after several death row inmates were found to be innocent of the crimes for which they were to be put to death.

Today At Utah Policy

Lawmakers and NRA at loggerheads over proposed fee hike for concealed carry permits
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
A proposal to increase fees for concealed carry permits in Utah is running into stiff opposition from the National Rifle Association....

Utah Republicans pass resolution to allow "Keep My Voice" organizers to gather signatures at neighborhood caucus meetings; "Count My Vote" backers say they'll be there too
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Supporters of the Keep My Voice citizen initiative petition were able to pass a resolution in Saturday's Utah Republican Party Central Committee authorizing KMV to gather signatures on their petitions in the March 20 Republican neighborhood caucuses....

Weekly survey: Which path should Romney take to the ballot?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
If, as expected, Mitt Romney decides to run for Utah's open U.S. Senate seat in 2018, which path to the ballot should he take? Do you think he should gather signatures, or use the caucus/convention route? Vote now....

'Buckshot Caucus' trolling anti-SB54 fundraising page
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Members of the Republican "Buckshot Caucus" are trolling  Go Fund Me page set up by right-wing defenders of the caucus/convention system....

Stewart says secret GOP memo about Russia investigation contains no 'smoking gun' (with video)
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Utah Rep. Chris Stewart appeared on MSNBC Tuesday to discuss the resignation of FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe and a "secret memo" prepared by Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee....

Proposed change to Utah's Constitution would protect electronic data and communications
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Utah voters may be asked in 2018 to update the state's constitution to reflect rapidly changing technology....

CYBER 24 podcast: Protecting your data during international travel
By Marty Carpenter
When you have a business trip that takes you out of the country, there are a lot of things you don't want to forget. You need your passport, you need your toiletries, you need the right clothes and you really need to think about protecting your sensitive data....

Policy News

Consumer attitudes remain high heading into 2018, expectations index on the rise
The Zions Bank Utah Consumer Attitude Index dipped slightly heading into the new year, decreasing 0.8 points from 118.7 in December to 117.9 in January....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Utahns should be able to buy cheaper drugs from Canada

Utahns reject idea of going back to system of picking candidates only through political party conventions

Utah's 'Zion Curtain' liquor law solution creates new headaches for restaurants and bars

I-15 express lane tolls likely to double soon, but quadruple charges may not be far behind

Utah state government now sees up to 900 million cyberattacks daily

Trump calls for national unity and immigration restrictions in his State of the Union address

Inspired by Gary Ott saga, bill advances to allow removing office holders with mental problems

Tribal leaders slam Utah Rep. Curtis' bill to redraw of Bears Ears, say management plan is tribal 'in name only'

Utah Rep. Chris Stewart tells MSNBC host that they 'see the world differently' because 'men are from Mars and women are from Venus'

House moves forward with bill that would scatter halfway houses across Utah, despite opposition from Corrections leaders

Gather signatures or go through a party convention? New Utah bill would force potential candidates to choose their path to election.

Utahns in Congress laud Trump's State of the Union speech while Democrats at home denounce it

Deseret News

Jared Whitley: Sending the medical device tax to the morgue

House passes bill offering IUDs to low-income women

Resolution urges BLM, Forest Service relocation to Utah

Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne touts benefits of medicinal cannabis

House committee advances bill letting political parties limit candidate nomination options

Committee OKs bill targeting 15-year-olds who kill officers

College student counsel bill fails in committee vote

Panel OKs plan for smaller community corrections centers along Wasatch Front

Utah cannabis bills not worthy of support, advocacy group says

Land deal for inland port in Salt Lake in process

Trump's address draws support from Utah delegates

Utah consumers feeling good about 'fit' economy, survey finds

Utah Senate passes bill to remove mentally unfit elected officials

Other

Massive bill would shake up UTA, UDOT to make more well-balanced system (Standard-Examiner)

Rep. Logan Wilde briefly hospitalized (Park Record)

National Headlines

Donald Trump praises Hurricane Harvey coastguard, California firefighter and wounded Congressman for bravery in State of Union Address (The Sun)

Trump: North Korea's 'reckless pursuit' of nuclear weapons could soon threaten the US (NBC News)

Democrats panic over avalanche of good economic news (The Hill)

Pentagon: China, Russia Soon Capable of Destroying U.S. Satellites (Washington Free Beacon)

Trump's Approval Highest in West Virginia, Lowest in Vermont (Gallup)

Warrants in Las Vegas mass shooting reveal name of additional 'person of interest' (Los Angeles Times)

Hawaii's false missile alert sent by troubled worker who thought an attack was imminent, officials say (Washington Post)

A teacher is accused of calling military 'lowest of our low' (CNN)

Internal Justice Department probe eyes McCabe's role in final weeks of 2016 election (Washington Post)

Tom Tancredo drops out of Colorado gubernatorial race (The Hill)

Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Team Up to Try to Disrupt Health Care (New York Times)

Wise Words

Action

"An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage." Jack Welch
 

Lighter Side

Not Running

"Oprah has announced she will not run for president in 2020. She did an interview and said running for president is not for her. If she's not going to run for president, can't she at least give us each a car or something?" Jimmy Kimmel