Obama may tap Carter for Defense. Republicans squabble over "Count My Vote." Becker shuts down two proposed prison sites.
Countdown:
- Days until the opening day of the 2015 Utah Legislature – 54
- Days to the final day of the 2015 Utah Legislature – 99
- Days to the 2015 Utah municipal primary elections – 251
- Days to the 2015 election – 335
- Days to the 2016 Iowa Caucus (tentative) – 411
- Days until the 2016 presidential election – 706
Wednesday's top-10 headlines:
- President Obama reportedly has settled on Ashton Carter as the next Secretary of Defense to replace Chuck Hagel [New York Times].
- The Supreme Court will hear arguments today on whether employers must make accommodations for pregnant employees [U.S. News and World Report].
- Utah's Democrats switch their position on the "Count My Vote" compromise while some GOP lawmakers support the Republican lawsuit against the law [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
- LaVarr Webb pens an open letter to Republicans who back the lawsuit against the CMV compromise law [Utah Policy].
- Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker outlines a number of objections to a pair of potential sites for Utah's prison relocation within the city limits [Deseret News, Tribune].
- Rep. Jason Chaffetz tangles with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson over immigration [Utah Policy, Tribune].
- Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox says getting lawmakers on board with Gov. Gary Herbert's Healthy Utah alternative to Medicaid expansion is going to be a difficult task [Tribune].
- A number of Utah politicos are urging Congress to pass Internet sales tax legislation [Deseret News].
- A judge says prosecutors must refile charges against John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff if the state wants to separate the criminal proceedings against the two men [Tribune].
- The Salt Lake City Main Library is looking at a pilot program that would keep the facility open around the clock [Deseret News].
On this day in history:
- 1818 – Illinois became the 21st state.
- 1967 – Surgeons in South Africa performed the first human heart transplant.
- 1979 – Eleven people were killed in a crush of fans at Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum before a concert by The Who.
- 1984 – More than 4,000 people died after a cloud of gas escaped from a pesticide plant operated by Union Carbide in Bhopal, India.
