I love Utah politics

[frank ryan]

Bill introduced to require the Jazz and Mammoth to allow concealed carry at games. I am sure nothing could possibly go wrong with that.

Not very libertarian telling private entities what to do

[MartyFunkhouser]

Utah takes the next step towards a super legislature unchecked by the judiciary.

https://www.abc4.com/news/politics/i...anel-advances/

The Utah Bar is largely opposed to most of the bills out there affecting the legislature. What we don't need (and the Utah Supreme Court and the bar has acknowledged this) is more Supreme Court justices. What we do need more district court judges and domestic relations commissioners. That is where the bottle neck is right now. In Utah County right now, you file a motion for a hearing before a Commissioner and you are lucky to get a hearing within 60 days. You might be 3-months out or more. Judges and Commissioners need more support staff.

On the "Constitutional Court"

We oppose this bill because it raises serious concerns about judicial independence by allowing the executive and legislative branches to appoint judges who may later hear cases involving those same branches. This bill fundamentally restructures how constitutional challenges to Utah laws are handled by centralizing them in a new, statewide trial court and limiting the ability of individual judges or local courts to block state laws through injunctions. The bill also diverts taxpayer dollars and limited judicial resources to create a new court structure that is unnecessary and risks undermining public confidence in the judiciary.

https://www.abc4.com/news/politics/i...anel-advances/

Proposing 67% for retention elections is insane. You are going to create a revolving door of judges.

[Copelius]

Utah takes the next step towards a super legislature unchecked by the judiciary.

Proposing 67% for retention elections is insane. You are going to create a revolving door of judges.

My rebuttal: Su Chon. She was recommended non-retain by the judicial council and still won retention. Also, a quick review of the 2024 results show the lowest percentage of retain votes received between district, appeals, and supreme court judges was 72.5%, still well above the threshhold.

Only 2 district court judges have been non-retained in Utah history. The most recent one from 2006 came after outcry from the public following this incident:

Lewis, who has been on the bench since 1991, has been widely criticized in recent weeks regarding a February incident in which she sent a bailiff to bring back into her courtroom a man who sighed, got up and left the room. The man was not charged with any crime but was present to support his brother, who had helped a friend load onto a vehicle a dead deer that had been illegally shot.

Lewis then questioned the man pointedly, criticized him when he replied and had him handcuffed and placed in a holding cell for about 20 minutes. The man said he filed a complaint with the Judicial Conduct Commission (JCC), which investigates and acts on claims of judicial misbehavior.

I think 67% is a fair number given the current retention and the fact that some judges should probably be removed, whether they stay too long or just weren't cut out for it in the first place. I also think that JPEC should be replaced with a truly independent commission. I would be happy to head it up. Can I count on each of you for a $100,000 donation for staffing?

[USUC]

Were these kooks always a part of rural Utah or is this a MAGA/MAHA thing?

Utah lawmakers shoot down bill targeting 'chemtrails' https://www.ksl.com/article/51444712...ing-chemtrails

"We are probably the experimental lab rats on this to see does it affect us or not," Winterton said. "And as you look at some of those chemicals, yes, they are harmful to our health, and so we should be able to get out in front of this."

[BigPiney]

They've always been crazy. I remember seeing anti-UN signs 20 plus years ago.

[USUC]

Every Utah member of the US house voted to keep the block on tarrifs votes. I'm not sure which district I will be in next November, but they won't be getting my vote. Cowards who abdicate their own role in government. The worst.

[LVAllen]

Looks like the Repeal Prop 4 effort has fallen victim to right-wing grift and fraud.

https://www.democracydocket.com/news...d-allegations/

[Jeff Lebowski]

Looks like the Repeal Prop 4 effort has fallen victim to right-wing grift and fraud.

https://www.democracydocket.com/news...d-allegations/

Ha. That link won't even let me read the title of the article without subscribing.

[Bo Diddley]

Ha. That link won't even let me read the title of the article without subscribing.

I can read it.

Utah GOP push to repeal anti-gerrymander law falters amid fraud allegations tied to firm backed by Trump Jr

[myboynoah]

Ha. That link won't even let me read the title of the article without subscribing.

There's an invisible X in the upper right hand corner of that pop up.

Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson, a Republican, said his office identified hundreds of suspect signatures in packets tied to the repeal effort and referred 27 packets to the county attorney for criminal investigation. Each packet contains about 50 signatures.

“This is probably the most extensive fraud that we’ve seen,” Davidson told a local Fox News outlet. “They’re not just fraudulent signatures. [It’s] making up names and addresses. It’s like a non-existent person.”

Davidson emphasized that while clerks often simply record signatures as valid or invalid, many of the rejected entries showed clear signs of intentional fabrication.

His office contacted voters whose names appeared on the petitions, he said, and many either denied signing or reported their names were used more than once.

“You’d be surprised at how many mistakes the forgeries have,” Davidson added.

The repeal campaign is run by Utahns for Representative Government, led by Utah Republican Party Chair Rob Axson.

[MartyFunkhouser]

There is so much wrong with this proposed legislation. If you are in Utah, please contact your representative to encourage them not to vote for this insane BS.

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0372.html

It would require a Guardian ad Litem to represent the expressed wishes of an child 8-years old and older, even if the GAL believes what the child wants is not in the child's best interests. The current standard is the GAL represents the child's best interest, and is required to inform the court if what they are advocating for differs from the child's wishes. Also, it is not lost of me that the age given is 8 years old. That is some weirdo BS being influenced by a religious belief that the age of 8 is the age of accountability. Not saying the age of accountability is of itself BS, but it shouldn't be used in legislation.

It also requires the GAL to record any interactions with a child under 14, and the judge can review the recording in camera. So, basically, it eviscerates attorney/client privilege.

[LVAllen]

There is so much wrong with this proposed legislation. If you are in Utah, please contact your representative to encourage them not to vote for this insane BS.

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0372.html

It would require a Guardian ad Litem to represent the expressed wishes of an child 8-years old and older, even if the GAL believes what the child wants is not in the child's best interests. The current standard is the GAL represents the child's best interest, and is required to inform the court if what they are advocating for differs from the child's wishes. Also, it is not lost of me that the age given is 8 years old. That is some weirdo BS being influenced by a religious belief that the age of 8 is the age of accountability. Not saying the age of accountability is of itself BS, but it shouldn't be used in legislation.

It also requires the GAL to record any interactions with a child under 14, and the judge can review the recording in camera. So, basically, it eviscerates attorney/client privilege.

I thought GaL by definition argued for the child's best interests. When I did some pro Bono work, it was made very clear that we were not GaL, we were the child's attorney. We advocated for the child's desires, if they were old enough to express them. There were some cases that I did my best, but slept better knowing I lost.

[chrisrenrut]

There is so much wrong with this proposed legislation. If you are in Utah, please contact your representative to encourage them not to vote for this insane BS.

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0372.html

It would require a Guardian ad Litem to represent the expressed wishes of an child 8-years old and older, even if the GAL believes what the child wants is not in the child's best interests. The current standard is the GAL represents the child's best interest, and is required to inform the court if what they are advocating for differs from the child's wishes. Also, it is not lost of me that the age given is 8 years old. That is some weirdo BS being influenced by a religious belief that the age of 8 is the age of accountability. Not saying the age of accountability is of itself BS, but it shouldn't be used in legislation.

It also requires the GAL to record any interactions with a child under 14, and the judge can review the recording in camera. So, basically, it eviscerates attorney/client privilege.

Just remind your rep that the GAL would have to advocate for gender reassignment care if that is what the 8 year old wishes. That should sway the supermajority.

[Bo Diddley]

I find this bill interesting, and not sure how I feel about it yet. The Legislature is considering removing any marriage tax penalties by reducing benefits to single tax filers. Utah has a flat tax, so the penalties are more with credits that probably apply mostly to lower income filers.

Seems like you would have to strike a balance between reducing the benefits to single filers and increasing the benefits for married filers. And how much of a burden does that place on single filers upon implementation?

My biggest concern is that the widow tax penalty increases. As I've done my own financial planning for the future, this was the biggest gap I had to address for when I die before the missus.

https://www.deseret.com/politics/202...ing-marriages/

[Jeff Lebowski]

Sounds like a great idea.