Working For Utah

Dear District 38 –

Somehow September was the fastest month so far this year, even faster than February, which was actually two days shorter. I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful fall weather as much as I am.

Legislative interim meetings in October will be Tuesday and Wednesday, October 15-16th at the Capitol. The public is always welcome to attend, either virtually or in person. We have committees on various topics to suit anyone’s interest or curiosity. If you do come up, I would enjoy meeting with you and discussing the issues you care about.

Beginning with this issue of my newsletter, I'll be sharing brief summaries of issues discussed in the committee meetings I attend, because they're often very interesting.

I appreciate your engagement on the issues we face. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely yours,

Cheryl

Summary of My Interim Committee Meetings in September

If you would like to know more about any of these topics, please reach out to me. All committee meetings are recorded and available online at le.utah.gov. Committee discussions can be very informative!

Judiciary Committee – 6 agenda items:

Ritualistic Child Abuse - Should penalties for ritualistic child abuse be more severe than for non-ritualistic child abuse? There will be a bill to enhance the penalty this General Session.
Children’s Justice Centers – We discussed these facilities, where children can be interviewed about abuse in a safe, legal, and forensically sound process with a multi-disciplinary approach.
Prosecutorial Investigations – We discussed the integrity of prosecutorial investigations and discretion.
Re-Sentencing – We discussed prosecutor-initiated re-sentencing, a reform that has been enacted in several states.
Victim Services – We discussed the availability, funding, and standards of care for rape crisis centers in Utah.
Judicial Training on Child and Domestic Abuse – We discussed a new report on a proposed training for judges and court personnel regarding child and domestic abuse.

Health & Human Services Committee - 3 agenda items:

Mental Health Crisis Response – We discussed intervention strategies being used by law enforcement to de-escalate situations involving individuals with mental health or cognitive disorders to prevent deadly-use-of-force tragedies.
Healthcare Costs – With 69% of Utahns reporting that they have struggled to pay for healthcare, we talked about state policy levers and strategies that healthcare systems are using to increase affordability and access.
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Needs Assessment – We discussed the availability of mental health services for adults in Utah, including substance abuse treatment.

Drafting Bills for General Session

Beginning in May, legislators can “open a bill file” to start working with a drafting attorney and a policy analyst on bills they’re interested in running next General Session. This is a preview of two I’ve been working on all summer:

HOA Board Education – This bill would require HOA Board members to receive free minimal training (just 2 hours online every 3 years) on the duties of HOA boards and federal and state laws governing HOAs. I’m hopeful that better training will prevent many of the issues residents encounter with HOAs.
Raw Milk Dairy Protocol Following an Outbreak – This bill will clarify the process and time frame by which a raw milk dairy may resume operations following a food-borne illness outbreak.

Jordan Education Day in the Classroom

Each fall, our school district invites legislators with ties to JSD to attend a breakfast meeting at a local high school, where we discuss the district’s legislative priorities. This year they switched things up and sent individual legislators to specific schools to have interactive experiences.

I was invited to attend Antelope Canyon Elementary, and the day selected happened to be special for three reasons: it was Crazy Hair Day, the Kindergarten Alphabet Program, and Walk to School Day. It was fun to be back in an elementary school! The kids were adorable and excited. I enjoyed reading “Enemy Pie” by Derek Munson to a first grade class and walking through the school with Assistant Principal Doug Pinkal to hear his thoughts on K-12 education.

Stand for Our Land

As a state, we are pushing back against federal overreach and taking control of Utah’s future. The federal government controls nearly 70% of Utah lands. Everyone supports the need for National Parks, military bases, and tribal lands, of course, but the lands in question include 18.5 million acres of “unappropriated” lands, or lands being held without any designated purpose. They are controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In contrast, the federal government controls less than 1% of the land in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

Under federal control, Utah public lands have become less and less public with every public lands decision coming from Washington, D.C., and upcoming plans of the BLM promise more road closures and further restrictions on access. These closures and restrictions significantly affect Utah’s economy and our ability to maintain Utah lands for wildlife management, hunting, wildfire protection, grazing, tourism, recreation, and other activities.

Let’s keep Utah lands in the hands of those who know how to manage it best: Utahns. Learn more at standforourland.utah.gov.

Good News for the Great Salt Lake

The Great Salt Lake is one of our state’s most critical resources. Over the last few years, the Legislature has taken significant steps to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy this natural wonder. Private citizens and companies alike have also stepped up to help protect the lake. Compass Minerals has agreed to donate a water right of 200,000 acre-feet, enough to fill 99,000 Olympic pools annually. The Jordan River Valley Conservancy has also released an additional 10,000 acre feet over the last month.

Remember to Vote

Your voice matters! Make yours heard by exercising your right to vote. Elections will take place Tuesday, November 5th and ballots will be mailed out starting Tuesday, October 15th. Click here to register to vote, learn more about the issues, and find polling places and ballot drop boxes near you.