Latest Stories
Utah lawmakers plan crackdown on organized crime, illegal immigration during next session
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Jan. 6 - 7:01 p.m.
Utah lawmakers announced bills to enhance criminal penalties for some drug- and gang-related crimes while cracking down on perpetrators who are in the country illegally.
Utah lawmakers set aside more than $200M for 2025 tax cuts. What break will taxpayers get?
Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 5 - 12:05 p.m.
Will this be the year Utah eliminates state income taxes on Social Security? With $200 million in the bank for the state, the answer might be yes.
License plate changes, smartphone filters: All these new Utah laws will go into effect in 2025
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 31 - 9:04 p.m.
From changes to license plate requirements to smartphone protections for children, here are some of the changes going into effect in 2025.
Higher education, voting in focus for Utah Legislature in 2025
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 31 - 6:14 a.m.
Utah lawmakers are expected to consider significant changes to higher education and election systems when they meet next year.
Utah leaders are asking for much less spending on homelessness in 2025. Here's why
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 30 - 2:56 p.m.
Utah leaders have slim expectations for how much funding the state Legislature will appropriate in 2025 to address homelessness.
Rep. Kera Birkeland announces resignation from Utah Legislature
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 26 - 4:59 p.m.
Utah state Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, announced she will resign from the Legislature, effective Jan. 10, citing the need to spend more time with her family.
Salt Lake City anticipates changes after Utah leaders call out policing 'inadequacies'
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 23 - 4:06 p.m.
Salt Lake leaders say they're willing to work with the state on solutions to crime and homelessness after Utah leaders called on the city to address policing "inadequacies."
Group sets hearing over high school international recruiting as legislators consider bill
Amy Donaldson, KSL Podcasts | Posted Dec. 20 - 9:57 a.m.
A legislative committee discussed potential legislation Thursday that could address concerns about the recruitment of international student athletes by private high schools.
Balancing order and compassion: How Utah lawmakers hope to target chronic homelessness
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 15 - 7:06 p.m.
Utah lawmakers plan to prioritize recovery treatment over temporary shelter for chronic homelessness during the upcoming legislative session.
Group files complaint alleging Utah Senate President Adams violated financial disclosures rules
Cassidy Wixom, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 12 - 10:58 p.m.
A political advocacy group filed a complaint with the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office on Thursday alleging Senate President Stuart Adams has been violating campaign finance reporting statutes.
Speaker Schultz questions future of vote by mail following legislative audit reports
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 11 - 10:47 a.m.
Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz questioned the future of Utah's vote by mail system after reviewing two legislative audits from the 2024 election cycle.
Utah state revenues are falling short of expectations. Here's how legislative leaders responded
Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 10 - 4:33 p.m.
The state revenue estimates presented to Utah legislative leaders Monday included some red ink.
Audit: Better data, intervention strategies needed to close student proficiency gaps
Logan Stefanich, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 9 - 10:35 p.m.
A legislative audit released Monday found the percentage of students in Utah who change their proficiency on statewide academic assessments is "problematically low."
Audit finds 1,400 apparently deceased voters on rolls in Utah, recommends changes
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 9 - 9:06 p.m.
A legislative audit found over 1,400 voters who are believed to be deceased and recommended that election officials do more to remove deceased and duplicate voters from the rolls.
Utah state lawmaker appears on 'Dr. Phil'
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 9 - 11:02 a.m.
Utah's youngest state lawmaker appeared on Thursday's episode of "Dr. Phil Primetime" to defend the importance of prioritizing victims, not perpetrators, in the criminal justice process.
Cox's $30.6B budget targets Social Security tax, nuclear power, school safety
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 5 - 12:19 p.m.
Gov. Spencer Cox unveiled his proposed $30.6 billion budget Thursday, which eliminates the state tax on Social Security, invests in nuclear power and implements school safety legislation.
Utah will have a record number of women in the Legislature next year
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 2 - 6:19 a.m.
A record number of women will serve in the Utah Legislature next year, after three women were elected to replace men in the state House of Representatives.
Should Utah grocery stores charge restaurant taxes on some foods? This state senator says yes
Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 1 - 7:08 p.m.
Utah state Sen. Lincoln Fillmore plans to propose a law to say a restaurant tax must be added to sales made in "portions of a grocery store that function like a restaurant."
GOP Utah lawmakers consider having more say over air quality rules
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 1 - 2:47 p.m.
A top Republican lawmaker in Utah said he would like to see the Legislature have more power over air quality standards in the state.
Weed eaters vs. passenger jets: Controlling Utah's ozone
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 24 - 10:32 p.m.
Some members of Utah's Federalism Commission on Tuesday questioned the ways to meet the requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ozone standard.
No 'looky-loo': Utah lawmakers aim to make vote tracking illegal
Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 22 - 10:21 p.m.
Election officials who access and disclose information about how specific Utah voters cast their ballots would face criminal charges under a draft bill backed by a panel of Utah lawmakers.
What state senators are saying about calls to cut higher ed budget
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 22 - 6:15 a.m.
Lawmakers are asking plenty of questions about how Utah will fund and prioritize higher education in the years to come.
Lawmakers vote down bill to prevent counting of mailed ballots that arrive after Election Day
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 20 - 8:32 p.m.
Utah lawmakers declined to recommend a bill that would have prevented the counting of mail-in ballots that arrive after polls close on Election Day.
Audit recommends improvements to Utah's emergency medical transportation system
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 20 - 5:04 p.m.
A legislative audit recommends more local control of medical transport providers in Utah after complaints of poor care of patients while being transferred between facilities.
