Page 13 - Derek Kitchen News Today

In the last stretch of its current legislative session, Utah passed a bill to create a 6-member Colorado River Authority toadvocate for Utahs interests in water from the Colorado River. The bill faced opposition from environmental groups throughout its journey to law but sailed through the process with little resistance from Utahs elected representatives. The bill passed in the Senate on Wednesday with 24 members in favor, 2 absent and 3 opposed. The three votes against all came from Democrat...

Final day at Capitol: Governor says he’ll sign bill lifting statewide mask mandate April 10 Deseret News © Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Rep. Kay J. Christofferson, R-Lehi, speaks on Friday, March 5, 2021, in the House chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City for the first time since battling COVID-19. He is on oxygen. SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox says he won’t veto a bill lifting the statewide mask mandate April 10. The Senate on Friday night passed HB294 setting t...

Final day at Capitol: Governor says he’ll sign bill lifting statewide mask mandate April 10 Deseret News © Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Rep. Kay J. Christofferson, R-Lehi, speaks on Friday, March 5, 2021, in the House chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City for the first time since battling COVID-19. He is on oxygen. SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox says he won’t veto a bill lifting the statewide mask mandate April 10. The Senate on Friday night passed HB294 setting t...

Citizen intiatives and referenda would be harder to get on the Utah ballot under a bill that gained final passage through the Legislature on Thursday.

Legislative session ends as governor praises many ‘good bills’ that passed and many ‘terrible bills’ that didn’t Lawmakers passed more than 500 bills and allocated more than $21 billion. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Gov. Spencer Cox steps into the House chamber following Rep. Francis Gibson, R-Mapleton, motion Friday night that the Legislature hear from “Gov. Gary Herbert.” House Speaker Brad Wilson noted that the motion script apparently had the name of the forme...

Flickr CC The Utah Pride Center said it will not hold a Pride festival or parade in Salt Lake City this summer. This story and more in the Friday morning news brief. Friday morning, March 5, 2021 State Capping County Jail Phone Charges The Utah Legislature approved a bill Thursday that caps phone rates for people in county jails. The current rate varies by correctional facility. Sen. Derek Kitchen, D-Salt Lake City, said he struggled with this issue when his father was incarcerated. “When I w...

Supporters of the change for the school in St. George say the name "Dixie" is harming students as they seek graduate school admission and employment. The revised bill does not preclude the name Dixie.

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that seeks to rename Dixie State University advanced to through both houses of the Utah Legislature on Wednesday following a passionate debate at the Utah Capitol. The Utah Senate voted 26-3 in favor of the first substitute HB278, sponsored by Sen. Don Ipson, R-St. George. Since the bill was substituted after it passed the House of Representatives last month, the House was forced to re-vote the measure; the legislative body voted 48-23 late Wednesday afternoon in favor...

SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that seeks to rename Dixie State University advanced to through both houses of the Utah Legislature on Wednesday following a passionate debate at the Utah Capitol. The Utah Senate voted 26-3 in favor of the first substitute HB278, sponsored by Sen. Don Ipson, R-St. George. Since the bill was substituted after it passed the House of Representatives last month, the House was forced to re-vote the measure; the legislative body voted 48-23 late Wednesday afternoon in favor...

Utah lawmakers seek to establish an agency that will expand Utah's use of the Colorado River at the expense of other states that also rely on the river as a critical water source. Critics say HB297 ignores the realities of climate change and could ignite unnecessary conflict.