Archive

What You Need to Know About Utah Politics Today – February 11, 2014

··

LGBT protesters arrested at the Capitol. The LDS Church and other groups jump into the Amendment 3 appeal. Bill to fund schools by making big families pay more taxes moves forward.

 

Countdown:

  • 30 days until the final day of the 2014 Legislature
  • 133 days until Utah’s 2014 primary elections
  • 266 days to the 2014 midterm elections
  • 629 days to the 2015 elections
  • 694 days until the 2016 Iowa Caucuses
  • 1000 days to the 2016 presidential election

Today’s Utah political news highlights:

  • Police arrest a group of protesters at the Capitol who demanded lawmakers give a hearing to a statewide non-discrimination bill [Tribune, Deseret News].
  • The LDS Church and other groups make their arguments in support of “traditional marriage” to a federal court [Tribune, Deseret News].
  • Did AG Sean Reyes actually ask lawmakers to kill SB 100 because of the state’s pending appeal on Amendment 3? [Publius Online]
  • A Senate committee approves a bill to pump money into schools by capping the number of state personal income-tax exemptions for large families [Tribune, Standard-Examiner].
  • Lawmakers and Gov. Herbert may be headed to a showdown over some of Herbert’s ideas for cleaning up Utah’s dirty air [Tribune].
  • Sen. Stuart Adams will sponsor legislation to add $1 per month to utility bills in order to fund air-quality projects [Tribune].
  • The House committee that investigated former Attorney General John Swallow will hold one of their final meetings on Wednesday [Tribune].
  • Rep. Kraig Powell introduces legislation calling for Utah to join a constitutional convention to pass a balanced budget amendment [Utah Policy].
  • Sen. Todd Weiler wants to expose so-called “dark consulting” in some political campaigns [Utah Policy, Tribune].
  • Rep. Paul Ray introduces legislation to limit the powers of federal law enforcement on federal lands [Standard-Examiner].
  • Mia Love’s Congressional campaign is among the top fundraisers in the nation [Tribune].
  • Advocates say the number of domestic violence cases is on the rise in Utah, but funding from the state to help victims is failing to keep pace [Tribune].

On this day in history:

  • Robert Fulton patented the steamboat in 1809.
  • Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry signed a redistricting law that clearly favored his own party – giving rise to the term “gerrymandering” in 1812.
  • President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin signed the Yalta Agreement in 1945.
  • Ayatollah Khomeini’s followers seized control of the Iranian government in 1979.
  • South African leader Nelson Mandela was released from prison after more than 27 years in 1990.
  • Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation in 2013.