Here’s the 2024 priorities for the Utah Legislature’s GOP majority

When Utah lawmakers meet Tuesday to kick off their annual 45-day session, the focus will be on the lists of priorities set by the Republican supermajorities in the House and the Senate. The House majority published a 45-page guide entitled, “For Utah A Bold Vision, A Bright Future,” to showcase their intention to “pass policies that address today’s problems and create generational benefits” for Utahns. The Senate majority caucus put together a priority list, too, “Utahns First Sustainability At Every Level,” that promises the state can prepare for any challenges by “building on the achievements of the past and prioritizing family and business-friendly policies.

” The issues to be tackled are largely general and don’t delve into some of the hot-button topics coming up, such as efforts to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion practices at the state public universities and colleges, or attempts to limit voting by mail. Utah’s Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate aren’t planning to release their priorities until the start of the session, a spokeswoman said. Democrats hold just 14 of the 75 House seats and six of the 29 Senate seats.

New House Speaker Mike Schultz , R-Hooper, went over his chamber’s priorities on Monday with the Deseret News editorial board and rolled them out at a news conference in the state Capitol on Wednesday, “It’s been more robust, with more involvement, than any other one that we’ve done before,” Schultz told reporters Wednesday, saying the list of priorities “really, truly is our caucus as a whole coming together. ” They go beyond “what’s popular at the moment” to address long-term needs, the speaker said. “We’re at a pivotal time in the state’s history.

As we transition form a small state to a medium state, the decisions we make today will have generational impact. ” House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, joins with members of the House Majority Caucus to review policy priorities and answer questions at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News The House GOP divided its priorities into four areas: Taxpayers, Moss said, are “feeling the sting of inflation. ” The House majority is promising to “continue to improve government efficiency so we can ease tax burdens. ” Legislative leaders have already set aside $160 million for what will likely be another income tax cut this year, but Schultz said it’s “irresponsible” to say that’s the right number until after new state revenue projections come out in February.

Limiting regulation is also the GOP representatives’ plan for improving the health and well-being of Utahns, Moss said, and working with local governments to address homelessness is also on the agenda. Improving school safety, easing the burden of school fees and “making it a more desirable thing to be a teacher, looking for ways to create more innovative pathways into the teaching profession” are ways to helps students and teachers, Moss said. The nation’s capital is also a target in the lands policy.

“Lands is very important. We want to continue to fight for our lands, to be able to have access to our lands,” Moss said, referring to the federal government’s ownership of about two-thirds of the state’s acreage. The House Republicans are also calling for recognizing that “technological development and innovation in fossil fuels are part of the solution to our environmental challenges.

” Public safety is part of the focus on accountability. Moss said there are a number of effort underway to answer the question, “how do we make sure that our citizens feel safe,” Those include dealing with staffing shortages as well as “other challenges” threatening the safety and security of state prison staff and inmates. Higher education falls into this category, too, in the House GOP list, “I know we’ve heard a lot about this.

That’s making sure that our campuses are free to be able to express your opinions, and not have to worry about whether you’re going to be scrutinized on that. We want to make it inclusive for everyone,” Moss said. Also on the agenda is reducing the time and money needed to earn a degree.

Transportation investments “are essential to maintian Utah’s high quality of life,” the caucus’ guide says, accounting “for growth where it is happening” while considering all options including public transit. Moss said House Republicans “want to look at new ways to embrace new technology but also make sure we’re safeguarding our data. ” The guide points out that artificial intelligence “promises to boost productivity and enhance our everyday lives; however, potential risks like misinformation and deep fakes pose a threat to public wellbeing.

” The Senate Chamber is pictured at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, who is serving his sixth session as a top legislative leader, stressed the need to continue the state’s significant successes.

“We’ve got kind of a legacy that we need to uphold. When I think about what’s been done before us, we’re very fortunate,” Adams said, citing Utah being singled out nationally for the state’s economic and other strengths, including volunteerism . “There’s been some great things happening in Utah,” he said.

“But with those great things, there are some challenges also. ” The Senate majority caucus has identified those that will be a priority this session. They are: The state will still move toward renewable energy “but we’re not going to do it at the expense of our economy, he said, adding that means finding ways to keep coal-fired power plants open longer, although it’s “very unlikely” there will be financial incentives offered.

Last session, the Senate leader sponsored legislation setting up a fund for first-time homebuyers that he said sparked the governor’s budget proposals on housing. Adams stopped short of signing off on that plan, but pledged to “continue to focus on trying to get people into a home. ” He said there will probably be some “refinements’ of the governor’s homelessness proposals but “we’re aligned for sure in principle.

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