The big political action in Utah happens just down the street from the Capitol on Friday afternoon at the Matheson Courthouse.
Third District Judge Dianna Gibson has scheduled oral arguments in the League of Women Voters of Utah et al. v. Utah State Legislature - the lawsuit challenging the redistricting maps approved by lawmakers in 2021. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm.
Last summer, the Utah State Supreme Court ruled the Legislature overstepped its constitutional authority when it gutted Prop. 4, the anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative approved by voters in 2018.
If the court rules that lawmakers must draw new boundaries, the Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson is requesting a ruling and new maps no later than Nov. 1, 2025 so candidates know where they'll be campaigning.
Tomorrow afternoon's Legislative Audit Subcommittee could be a barn burner. Committee members are set to review a pair of audits of the Utah Attorney General's office that examine the accountability, governance and decision-making of that office under former Attorney General Sean Reyes.
Rep. Ryan Wilcox's highly anticipated bill to create a new Elections Office to oversee elections, removing that authority from the Lt. Governor's office, is finally public.
Wilcox abandoned a similar measure last year after Gov. Spencer Cox asked him to shelve the proposal.
Afternoon headlines
Phil Lyman's lawsuit against fellow write-in candidate Richard Lyman dismissed by Utah judge. [Tribune]
Will disbanding Utah's public records committee streamline the appeals process? [Tribune]
As immigration tensions rise, LDS Church tiptoes into the debate, stressing love, law and family unity. [Tribune]
"Union busting" bill passes preliminary vote in Utah Senate. [KUTV]
Few air quality bills introduced so far during Utah's legislative session. [KSL]
What's on tomorrow's agenda
- Sen. Nate Blouin's gun control bill goes before the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee. This is one of those "kill committees" I told you about last week.
- An anti-vaccine bill from Rep. Trevor Lee is on the agenda in the House Health and Human Services Committee. Lee's proposal requires food that "contains a vaccine or vaccine materials" to be labeled as a drug.
New bills that caught my attention
- Rep. Kay Christofferson's HB364 grants governmental immunity to independent contractors who are lawyers or law firms working on the government's behalf.
- HB365 from Rep. Stewart Barlow requires the University of Utah to conduct a study on wait times for children to see a therapist.
- HB367 provides for an income tax credit for donations to nonprofit organizations focused on affordable housing.
- HB370 proposes some alterations to observances of the Juneteenth holiday if it conflicts with Father's Day.
- HB374 requires election officials to post the name and voter identification number for each voter who signs a candidate's petition to appear on the primary ballot.
