Alliance for a Better Utah released its 2024 Progress Report today, grading lawmakers on 50 of the most important bills and resolutions from the recently completed legislative session.
The 2024 Legislative Progress Report grades, scores, bills, votes, and grading methodology can be found at the interactive website, ProgressReport.BetterUtah.org, which also includes previous editions of the Progress Report through 2019. A one-page summary of this year’s overall grades and scores is attached to this email or available here.
“The priorities pursued by our conservative supermajority this legislative session show their values are increasingly at odds from those of the average Utahn,” said Jeff Merchant, Better Utah’s executive director. “We aren’t building a better Utah by banning ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ programs across state and local government, continuing to attack our state’s transgender community, shielding elected officials from reporters, or propping up the coal industry in the face of a changing climate. Unfortunately for Utahns, this was one of the most politically extreme sessions on record.”
All 104 legislators received one overall grade, as well as grades in each of four categories: Strong Communities, Equal Rights, Good Government, and Sustainable Future. The highest overall grades this year were earned by Representative Brian King in the Utah House of Representatives and Senator Nate Blouin in the Utah Senate. The lowest overall grades in the House and Senate were earned by Representative Phil Lyman and Senator Dan McCay.
“We believe lawmakers should use these forty-five days each year to build stronger communities, protect marginalized communities, promote transparency and accountability in state and local government, and prepare for a more sustainable future,” Merchant continued. “We hope that Utahns across the state will use this report to hold their elected officials accountable to upholding those ideals.”
A list of the 50 bills and Better Utah’s positions on those bills can be found here. An explanation of the methodology can be found here. Unlike previous years, “Absent or Not Voting” was not calculated for or against a lawmaker’s overall or categorical scores this year.
