Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. There are 330 days left in 2016.
Two medical marijuana bills move forward on Utah’s Capitol Hill. Tax revenues may fall short of projections. Framework for Utah to manage public lands is unveiled.
The clock:
- Four days to the 2016 New Hampshire Primary – (2/9/2016)
- 15 days to the Nevada Democratic Caucuses and South Carolina Republican Primary (2/20/2016)
- 18 days to the Nevada Republican Caucuses (2/23/2016)
- 22 days to the South Carolina Democratic Primary (2/27/2016)
- 37 days to the final day of the 2016 Utah Legislature – (3/10/2016)
- 49 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic caucus meetings (3/22/2016)
- 81 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic State Conventions (4/23/2016)
- 147 days to the 2016 Utah primary election – (6/28/2016)
- 280 days until the 2016 presidential election – (11/8/2016)
Friday’s top-10 headlines:
- Lawmakers advance two separate medical marijuana proposals on Utah’s Capitol Hill [2 News, Fox 13, ABC 4, Deseret News, Tribune].
- Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders try to out-progressive each other in their first one-on-one debate ahead of the New Hampshire primary [New York Times, Politico, Washington Post].
- Tax revenues may not meet projections, meaning lawmakers may not have as much money to spend this year as previously thought [Deseret News].
- Rep. Mike Noel unveils his sweeping proposal to set up a framework for the state to manage federal lands within its borders [Utah Policy].
- Legislative Democrats formally request all of the information about a legal brief prepared by the Commission of the Stewardship of Public Lands using taxpayer money [Deseret News, Tribune].
- Utah files a lawsuit against the federal government claiming the plan to protect the sage grouse violates federal law [Deseret News, Fox 13].
- House Minority Leader Rep. Brian King is pushing back against an attempt by House Republicans to change the partisan makeup of two legislative committees [Utah Policy].
- A plan to increase funding for charter schools moves forward in the Utah Senate [Tribune].
- A federal judge sends the lawsuit over SB54 to the Utah Supreme Court [Deseret News].
- Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski sends an email to campaign supporters reassuring them about the staff changes she’s making at City Hall [Tribune].
On this day in history:
- 1631 – British clergyman Roger Williams, who founded the colony of Rhode Island, arrived n Salem, Mass., seeking religious freedom.
- 1937 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed increasing the number of Supreme Court justices. Critics charged that he was attempting to “pack” the court.
- 1945 – American troops led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur returned to Manila, liberating the Philippine capital from Japanese authority.
- 1988 – The Arizona House of Representatives impeached Gov. Evan Mecham, who was later convicted in the state Senate and removed from office.
- 2003 – Secretary of State Colin Powell urged the U.N. Security Council to move against Iraq, saying that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
- 2014 – The CVS Pharmacy chain announced it would stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products by Oct. 1.
