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Monday’s Talking Points – March 7, 2016

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Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 67th day of the year. There are 299 days left in 2016.

Nancy Reagan passes. Former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt voices some concerns about Donald Trump. The “Count My Vote” compromise appears to be in trouble in court.

The clock:

  • Three days to the final day of the 2016 Utah Legislature – (3/10/2016)
  • Eight days to the Florida, Ohio and North Carolina primaries – (3/15/2016)
  • 14 days to the GOP presidential debate in Salt Lake City – (3/21/2016)
  • 15 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic caucus meetings (3/22/2016)
  • 23 days to the last day the governor may sign or veto bills (3/30/2016)
  • 47 days to the Utah Republican and Democratic State Conventions (4/23/2016)
  • 63 days to the last day a veto override session may begin (5/9/2016)
  • 113 days to the 2016 Utah primary election – (6/28/2016)
  • 133 days to the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland (7/18/2016)
  • 140 days to the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia (7/25/2016)
  • 246 days until the 2016 presidential election – (11/8/2016)

Ten talking points for Monday:

  1. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders debated for the 7th time on Sunday night. The consensus is Clinton had a good night while Sanders struggled a bit [Politico, New York Times, Washington Post, Time].
  2. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan dies at the age of 94 [New York Times, Politico, NBC News].
  3. Former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt voices some concerns about Donald Trump’s candidacy [Utah Policy].
  4. A judge appears likely to strike down Utah’s new dual track system to the primary ballot, which would eliminate the signature-gathering path for candidates [Tribune].
  5. The Utah House finally passes a limited plan to expand Medicaid coverage for some of the neediest Utahns [Tribune, Deseret News].
  6. A majority of Utahns would like to put Medicaid expansion up to a non-binding vote in November, but they won’t get that chance [Utah Policy].
  7. Planned Parenthood warns there’s a new abortion restriction tucked into a bill to expand the use of video conferencing for medical care in rural parts of the state [Tribune]. Meanwhile, a draft law requiring the use of anesthesia for a fetus during abortions moves forward [Deseret News, Tribune].
  8. A proposal to eliminate non-compete contracts is roiling the business community in the final week of the 2016 legislature [Utah Policy, Deseret News].
  9. A bill which critics say will hurt clean energy development in favor of Rocky Mountain Power advances on the Hill [Tribune, Deseret News].
  10. Lawmakers are set to make some significant decisions about education this week [Deseret News].

On this day in history:

  • 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the telephone.
  • 1936 – Adolf Hitler ordered Nazi troops into the Rhineland, violating the Treaty of Versailles.
  • 1945 – U.S. forces crossed the Rhine River at Remagen, Germany during World War II.
  • 1965 – State troopers and a sheriff’s posse broke up a march by civil rights demonstrators in Selma, Alabama.
  • 1975 – The Senate revised its filibuster rule, allowing 60 senators to limit debate in most cases, instead of the previously required, two-thirds of senators present.