Trump administration's effort to combat LGBTI criminalization shows commitment to individual rights
On Wednesday, Ambassador Richard Grenell, America's envoy to Germany, hosted 11 activists from countries across Europe at the US Embassy in Berlin to strategize about how to combat the criminalization of LGBTI status or conduct around the globe.

Recent Stories

Retired astronaut Mark Kelly kicking off Arizona Senate race
Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press | Posted Feb 23rd - 9:18am
Retired astronaut Mark Kelly is kicking off his U.S. Senate campaign Saturday with a rally in Tucson not far from the site where his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, survived a shooting when she was a congresswoman. That attack in 2011 led Kelly to leave NASA and become a political activist, pushing for gun control.

Utah House passes bill creating commissioner of apprenticeships position
Marjorie Cortez, KSL | Posted Feb 23rd - 8:40am
Utah would be the first state in the country to establish the position of commissioner of apprenticeships program, under legislation passed Friday by the Utah House of Representatives.

Biden's 2020 opening? Dem field missing foreign policy hand
Elana Schor and Thomas Beaumont, Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 10:48pm
In town halls, television interviews and social media posts, Democratic presidential candidates are touting their support for "Medicare-for-all," higher taxes on the wealthy and a war on climate change. But foreign policy, one of the chief responsibilities of a president, is largely taking a back seat on the campaign trail.

Radioactive waste bill passes; veto by Utah governor appears unlikely
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, KSL | Posted Feb 22nd - 7:34pm
A nuclear waste watchdog group is calling on Utah Gov. Gary Herbert to veto a bill dealing with depleted uranium, a form of radioactive waste. The measure passed the House on a vote of 50-20 Friday morning and awaits his signature.

Water reform bills sail through committee
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, KSL | Posted Feb 22nd - 4:39pm
Three bills that propose to reform key provisions in areas of Utah's water law received approval Friday from the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality Committee. One measure requires voter approval to amend the constitution.

Republicans now sizing up North Carolina congressional seat
The Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 3:33pm
The Latest on a new election being called in a disputed North Carolina congressional race (all times local):

2020 Democratic hopeful Klobuchar backs legalizing marijuana
The Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 2:34pm
Add Amy Klobuchar to the list of 2020 Democratic presidential hopefuls who support legalizing marijuana.

New attempt to require seat belts on Utah school buses clears first legislative hurdle
Katie McKellar, KSL | Posted Feb 22nd - 1:13pm
Rep. Craig Hall, R-West Valley City, is making another attempt to require new buses to be equipped with seatbelts after a previous bill failed in the House two years ago — and Friday his bill cleared its first hurdle.

Expanding the map: 2020 Dems push past early voting states
Nicholas Riccardi, Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 12:12pm
to places other than the traditional early voting states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Big Utah budget surplus 'too good to be true,' could mean no tax cut, lawmakers say
Lisa Riley Roche, KSL | Posted Feb 22nd - 11:41am
Projections of a $1.3 billion budget surplus turned out to be "too good to be true," Senate President Stuart Adams said Friday.

California GOP gathers to chart a course after 2018 defeats
Kathleen Ronayne, Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 10:58am
The 2018 election left California Republicans in dismal shape, with no statewide officeholders, just seven of 53 U.S. House seats, less than a quarter of all state legislative seats and third-place status in voter registration behind independents and Democrats.

Virginia Gov. Northam meets with civil rights leaders
Alan Suderman, Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 9:06am
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam pledged to civil rights leaders Friday to "do everything that I can do bring good from what happened" after a scandal over a racist yearbook photo and an admission of wearing blackface imperiled his governorship earlier this month.

Democrats try to make gains with governors in 2019 elections
Melinda Deslatte, Emily Wagster Pettus and Adam Beam, Associated Press | Posted Feb 22nd - 8:28am
Though the national political focus has largely turned to the 2020 presidential campaign, three Southern states will see hard-fought governors' races this year, with Democrats trying to show they can compete in Donald Trump territory.

Utah House passes bill that would cover college tuition and fees for needy Utah students
Marjorie Cortez, KSL | Posted Feb 22nd - 7:45am
Utah students of limited means would pay no tuition or fees for two years to attend state colleges, universities and technical colleges under HB260, which passed the House on a vote of 69-3 on Thursday.

Abortion, socialism hot topics at Rep. Chris Stewart town hall meeting
Dennis Romboy, KSL | Posted Feb 21st - 7:00pm
Two top-of-mind issues for Rep. Chris Stewart riled up one of his constituents attending a midday town hall meeting at a Main Street eatery Thursday.

School safety bill passes Utah House on vote of 45-27
Marjorie Cortez, KSL | Posted Feb 21st - 5:48pm
The Utah House of Representatives on Thursday voted 45-27 to pass school safety legislation created in the aftermath of the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, on Feb. 14, 2018.
