Page 7 - Evan Vickers News Today

A breakdown of major areas of focus in the 2022 Legislative Session and a look at what bills southern Utah lawmakers are sponsoring.

At least 10 Utah counties have declared themselves a sanctuary for the Second Amendment, which means they won’t enforce gun restrictions.

SALT LAKE CITY — Liz Nielson was walking her dog in the Holladay area when she noticed a group of teenage boys abruptly drive away as she approached the sidewalk. While she thought it was odd, she didnt think much more of it. That was until she saw anti-Semitic rhetoric and symbols drawn in the snow outside. "I just wish they knew the history behind that symbol and those words; and if they thought that was funny, that someone can educate them on what it means and what it means especially to t...

| Updated: March 1, 2021, 6:24 p.m. Rep. Angela Romero reminded her peers where she stands on at-home, do-it-yourself rape kits, just before a committee voted on what to do with her proposal to ban them. “There’s no way [evidence collected with the kits] will ever be used in a court of law, and we’re letting down victims again,” the Democrat from Salt Lake City said. “I ran legislation just a week ago on affirmative consent. That got voted down, too. So, what are we telling survivors...

Vickie Samuelson: Utah Legislature keeps attacking a woman’s right to choose The 95 abortion bills introduced since 1973 do nothing to help the lives of women. This Pat Bagley cartoon appears in The Salt Lake Tribune on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. By Vickie Samuelson | Special to The Tribune   | Feb. 26, 2021, 6:59 p.m. When is enough enough? Since 1973, the Utah Legislature has presented 95 abortion bills, many of them redundant, unnecessary or simply cruel. Thirty-nine passed. In 2020...

/ Rape kits are used to collect evidence of a sexual assault. Both prosecution and defense attorneys testified Wednesday that DIY versions of these kits are not typically admissible in court. Rape kits are used to collect evidence of a sexual assault. Both prosecution and defense attorneys testified that DIY versions of these kits are not typically admissible in court because it’s difficult to prove a chain of custody. That’s required to prove that the evidence presented in court is authent...

Deseret News Lawmakers are grappling with tax cuts, emergency powers and a host of other issues. Share this story The Utah flag waves in the wind at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb review a few major upcoming issues from the Utah Legislature, including emergency powers, a budget surplus, infrastructure and tax cuts. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News The Legislature will adjourn “sine die” in one week. Many of the major issues are now disti...

| Updated: 7:07 p.m. It’s full speed ahead for the bill to limit the governor’s emergency powers during a long-term event, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. SB195 moved forward in the Utah Senate on Monday unanimously and won final Senate approval Tuesday. The bill from Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, is a response to the continuous state of emergency the state has been under for almost a year in response to the coronavirus outbreak. As previously reported, th...

| Updated: 3:34 a.m. Utah could get a 15th medical cannabis pharmacy, as lawmakers seek to add options for patients who don’t live along the Interstate 15 corridor. A lengthy proposal presented Thursday by Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers would create an additional license for a pharmacy situated somewhere in rural Utah, with the goal of serving patients who now face long drives to buy cannabis. “If you look at the licenses that we have issued ... they’re all lined up on I-15, north t...

Also: Utah lawmakers seek to rein in the governor’s authority during a long-term emergency. (Scott Sommerdorf | Tribune file photo) Former presidential candidate Evan McMullin joins the "Utah Politics" podcast to discuss the future of the GOP and the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.   | Feb. 19, 2021, 1:04 p.m. On this week’s episode, we’re joined by former presidential candidate Evan McMullin to discuss the aftermath of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capi...