Latest news with #R-Layton
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Dumb flags' and a ‘dumb bill': Utah governor rolls his eyes at SLC's workaround of flag ban
Flags adopted as official banners of Salt Lake City, circumventing the state's ban on most flags being displayed at government buildings and schools, hang outside the Salt Lake City and County building on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The official city flags include the Salt Lake City flag, pride flag, Juneteenth flag and transgender flag. (McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch) 'Dumb.' That was the word Utah Gov. Spencer Cox used Tuesday to express his annoyance with a new law that bans certain flags in schools and government buildings while also criticizing Salt Lake City leaders' move to circumvent the ban by adopting pride and other flags symbolizing diversity and inclusion as official city banners. 'They're dumb flags and it was a dumb bill,' Cox said curtly when asked during his monthly PBS Utah news conference about Salt Lake City's response to the flag ban. Salt Lake City adopts new banners, sidestepping pride flag ban Last month, hours before the new flag ban law took effect in Utah, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall unveiled a proposal to adopt three new city flags: a rainbow one symbolizing support for LGBTQ+ communities, a pink and white one for transgender people, and a red and blue one emulating the Juneteenth flag — all with Salt Lake City's official white sego lily symbol. That evening, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt the flags. Cox allowed HB77, the bill Utah lawmakers passed aimed at banning many flags — including pride or LGBTQ+ flags — from schools and all government buildings to become law without his signature. The bill made Utah the first state in the nation to enact such a sweeping flag ban. Though he let it become law, Cox wasn't a fan of HB77. He described it in a letter as 'one of the most divisive bills of the session' and lamented that it didn't result in a compromise. Supporters of the flag ban, sponsored by Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, have argued it was meant to promote 'political neutrality' in government spaces. But critics argued the broad ban would invite free speech litigation while also leaving some Utahns, especially the LGBTQ+ community, feeling unwelcome and erased. Cox could have vetoed the bill, but he indicated in his letter that it would likely have been overridden by the Republican-supermajority Utah Legislature. Instead, he urged lawmakers to 'consider commonsense solutions that address the bill's numerous flaws.' While Cox said he agreed with the 'underlying intent' to bring 'political neutrality to the classroom,' he also wrote 'unfortunately, this bill does not do that.' 'As tired as Utahns are of politically divisive symbols, I think they are also tired of culture war bills that don't solve the problems they intend to fix,' Cox wrote in his letter. On Tuesday, Cox called the ongoing debate over the flag ban and Salt Lake City leaders' response 'ridiculous.' As Sundance leaves, Utah Gov. Cox allows first-in-the-nation flag ban to become law without his pen 'You know, I feel bad for Japanese Americans. I feel bad for Polynesian Americans. I mean, who are we leaving out, here?' Cox said of Salt Lake City's new banners. 'I'm sure they feel great that they got around this dumb law, and they did it with dumb flags. The whole thing's dumb.' Pressed on what he thinks should be done instead, Cox said, 'We should raise the American flag, and let's unify around that. It's a great flag. It represents everyone. And the Legislature doesn't need to be in everybody's business all the time.' Cox let out an exasperated laugh before adding: 'we're living in the dumbest timeline right now. That's all I can say.' In response to a request for comment on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office said 'we've had an overwhelmingly positive response' from Salt Lake City residents for the newly adopted city banners. Lee, in a post on X responding to Cox's comments on Tuesday, wrote: 'So the bill to stop the divide and get everyone to raise one flag… was dumb?' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah Pride Parade tries to present welcoming message
A large roar erupted from a crowd gathered along 100 South when members of an LGBTQ motorcycle club revved their engines, signaling the start of the 35th annual Utah Pride Parade. That enthusiasm carried for blocks Sunday as tens of thousands of spectators waved Pride flags and all sorts of rainbow-colored items toward the more than 100 organizations and businesses that made their way through the downtown Salt Lake City route. Some came with signs reading messages like 'Love First,' 'Everyone is welcome' and 'My existence is not political.' Many who came said they wanted to show their support during another complex time for the LGBTQ community. 'I think a lot of political things have happened recently, and I think more than ever it's important to support Pride,' said Autumn Krogh, who traveled from South Jordan to attend the downtown event with her 3-year-old pet pig, Cuzzie, which was wearing a rainbow-colored hat and bandana. Sunday's parade followed a series of other events this weekend, including a march to the state Capitol and an interfaith worship service. That's on top of a two-day festival that brought together members of the LGBTQ community and allies alike. While these types of events have taken place for decades, this year's events may have appeared to be more poignant. Some say new state and federal policies and decisions, such as this year's HB77, have left many in the community feeling targeted. HB77 became law last month, prohibiting governments and schools from flying Pride flags and other flags deemed political. Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, the bill's sponsor, said the move was meant to maintain political neutrality in public spaces. 'What we're trying to do here is make sure that we have neutrality as it pertains to politics,' he explained as the bill was going through the legislative process earlier this year. Lee made headlines again last week after he said he would seek 'significant legislation' against 'woke groups' after the Utah Mammoth and Utah Jazz posted messages recognizing Pride month on the social platform X. Those comments didn't stop the Jazz and Mammoth from having a spot in Sunday's parade. Members of the Salt Lake City Council, a majority of whom identify as queer, were also among the groups that paraded down the street along with other city employees. Many waved the city's new 'Sego Belonging' flags, a Progress Pride flag with the city's sego lily logo on top that the city adopted as a new city flag last month, along with the other designs, to bypass the new state law. This year's parade is 'more important now than ever' because of the current political climate, said Elliott Ramirez, a member of Utah Pride Guard, which participated in the event. Natalie Wolff, who attended the parade, agrees. 'We need to be here and show, support and love, and not be scared to use our voices to make sure there are not going to be laws that are going to take away rights that they've all fought so hard for — that we've all fought so hard for,' she said. Seeing the large outpouring of support Sunday was 'magical' and helped reinforce why Salt Lake City has taken steps to support the LGBTQ community, added Salt Lake City Council Vice Chairman Alejandro Puy, who rode down the route with a Sego Belonging flag attached to the back of his new motorcycle. Puy added that he wished more state politicians would come to events like Sunday's parade to see what the events are like. 'There's a lot of discourse about what this means. Is it political? Is this to separate? Is this to discriminate? No. Nobody is discriminating here. Everyone is welcome,' he said. 'This is about everybody. This is about celebrating our differences.' Contributing: Andrew Adams
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah ranks as the best state in the nation — again
Utah is the best state in the nation for the third year in a row, according to a best states ranking from U.S. News & World Report. The publication said Utah's ranking was due to a 'diverse and resilient economy, smart students, low crime and a fairly healthy population.' This year's rankings evaluated each of the 50 states on how they serve their residents in a range of categories, including health care, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections and natural environment, according to U.S. News & World Report. 'Utah's third straight No. 1 ranking is a reflection of the incredible people who make this state what it is,' said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, according to U.S. News & World Report. 'It's not just our economy or our beautiful outdoors — it's the hardworking, service-minded people who continue to make Utah the best place to live, work and raise a family. I'm grateful every day to stand with Utahns as we keep strengthening the state we love.' Utah was followed by New Hampshire in second place and Idaho in third. The bottom two ranked states were Alaska and Louisiana. How Utah ranked in each category The Best States rankings began in 2017 and this year was its seventh edition. It ranks the states by analyzing 71 metrics in eight categories. U.S. News & World Report also listed the rankings of each state in the individual categories such as education and economy. While Utah was the top ranked state overall, it placed fourth in education, 14th in health care and third in both infrastructure and economy. Utah has never placed outside of the top five in the economy category. The state did rank No. 1 in fiscal stability — a category 'that covers metrics like liquidity, credit rating and budget balancing, meaning a state's ratio of total revenues to total expenses,' per U.S. News & World Report. Utah's two lowest rankings were opportunity, 19th, and natural environment, 48th. The environment category is primarily based on pollution-related problems in each state. In the last category, crime and corrections, Utah ranked seventh. Why Utah is ranked the best state in the nation 'Being No. 1 isn't about crossing a finish line — it's about continuing to improve,' said Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton. 'This recognition is a powerful reminder that Utah's greatest strength lies in our commitment to tomorrow.' U.S. News & World Report shared a few reasons why Utah is the top state in the nation, citing politics, specifically the 'Utah Way,' which is summed up as, 'In a politically divisive era, people actually talk to each other and try to work through issues.' Sen. Stephanie Pitcher, D-Millcreek, said that despite Utah being a primarily red state, Utah's state lawmakers across both parties 'tend to work really well together,' per U.S. News and World Report. Another reason was the religious influence in the state, which is the worldwide headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 'There's just so much that the government can't do, and you need that fabric,' Cox told the publication. 'It's why Utah is different. It's why Utah continues to do well and it's special.' Collaboration, both politically and overall, was one of the things consistently highlighted in U.S. News and World Report's analysis of the top state. 'Utah being named the best state in America is a reflection of the people who live here,' said House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper. 'Their work ethic, innovation and strong sense of community make this state exceptional. As Speaker, I see every day how Utahns step up — building strong families, successful businesses and resilient communities.'
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah's newest political party has a new chair
Utah's newest political party announced its first leader on Tuesday. Former Utah attorney general candidate Michelle Quist will chair the newly merged United Utah/Forward Party upon final approval from party members at their convention on Saturday. 'I am deeply grateful for this opportunity to serve Utah,' Quist said in a press release. 'The legacy two-party system has left behind the common sense majority of voters. That's why building a truly viable alternate option is so critical to both Utah and the Nation at large.' Quist ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 2024 as the nominee for the United Utah Party and was also endorsed by the Forward Party. She secured just over 7% of the vote in the general election. Quist works as an attorney at Buchalter in Salt Lake City. Prior to pursuing elected office, Quist served as a Utah State Bar commissioner and as secretary of the Utah Republican Party from 2013-2015. As a candidate, Quist drew a contrast with the Republican Party under President Donald Trump, which she said had alienated many women and moderate voters. She also strays from the GOP platform in opposing abortion restrictions. The United Utah Party, which operates only in Utah, emerged in 2017 out of frustration with the state's Republican supermajority for allegedly moving to the right and for limiting access for candidates to get on the ballot. The party's platform 'is not ideological,' and does not include firm stances on most issues, but instead outlines principles of transparency, free market solutions and increasing voter access. Similarly, the Forward Party, formed in 2021 by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, is not based on rigid policy goals. Instead, the organization focuses on election processes like ranked choice voting that the party says decreases partisanship and promotes problem solving. Last month, Utah Sen. Dan Thatcher became the first state lawmaker to leave the Republican Party to join the Forward Party, citing what he saw as a growing divide between what regular Utahns want and what elected representatives were doing in a polarized political environment. In response to Thatcher's announcement, which came on the final day of the 2025 legislative session, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said he supported Thatcher's decision. 'I think it's healthy. We have different ideas,' Adams said. Neither the United Utah Party or the Forward Party appears to have ever nominated a candidate that has gone on to win a general election in Utah. The governing body of the merged United Utah Party-Forward Party will include members who previously served on the respective parties' executive committees.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Do Utahns support the flag ban? A new poll shows what they think
A majority of Utahns support a new state law banning the display of most flags by public school teachers and government entities, the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll found. The law, known as HB77, Flag Display Amendments, prohibits municipal or state buildings, as well as public school employees acting within their official duties, from placing a flag in a prominent location on government property unless the flag is one of a dozen exceptions. Permitted flags include unaltered official country, state, municipal, military, tribal and school flags. The restriction on all other flags does not apply to historic versions of these flags, depictions of flags — including lapel pins and signs — or flags temporarily displayed by an organization authorized to use public schools. HB77 drew plenty of debate during the 2025 legislative session, but Utah's new flag ban enjoys the approval of more than 6 in 10 registered voters in the state, according to a Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll conducted by HarrisX. 'The Legislature was aligned with the overwhelming majority of Utahns on this particular bill,' said Jason Perry, director of the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute, in a Deseret News interview. Of the 800 respondents surveyed, 62% said they approved, 28% said they disapproved and 9% said they didn't know when asked whether they supported or opposed a new law limiting the flags that can be publicly displayed in schools and on government property. A plurality of voters said their support for the law was enthusiastic: four in ten strongly approved of the legislation, a quarter somewhat approved and the remaining 30% was evenly divided among those who somewhat disapproved or strongly disapproved. The poll was administered online from April 9-12 with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points. 'The results are clear,' House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told the Deseret News in a statement. 'A strong majority of Utahns agree that symbols displayed in classrooms and government buildings should represent unity, respect for our nation and state, and a focus on education — not political or ideological distractions." Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, agreed with Schultz that the law was needed to establish 'a consistent standard' to ensure 'that public buildings remain welcoming to all Utahns.' 'This poll shows that the majority of Utahns support this approach and believe public institutions should remain dedicated to their core duties,' Adams said in a statement. The largest disparity in support for the new law came down to partisan affiliation. The survey found that 81% of self-identified Republicans support the law. Nearly 6 out of 10 Republicans indicated that they strongly support it. A slight majority, 51%, of independents also support it, while only 22% of Democratic support. Nearly 7 out of 10 Democrats said they oppose the law, with 46% signaling strong opposition. Support for the law was shared by men and women. The poll found 67% support among men and 58% support among women. Support increased with age: 57% of those 18-34 support the law compared to 72% of those 65 and older. 'It's a hard issue that really gets to the heart of perspectives on these social issues themselves,' Perry said. 'These issues sort of touch on a theme that we have seen for the past couple of sessions, that have had support from a majority of Utahns, but that is certainly not the case with Democrats in the state.' Proponents of HB77 who testified in legislative hearings, many of them parents of school-aged children, argued that a restriction on flags is a commonsense policy to ensure classrooms remain focused on teaching, not politics. Meanwhile, many of the bill's critics, who showed up by the thousands to protest its passage, framed it as a way to target the rainbow, or pride, flag that represents LGBTQ social movements, which they said helps some Utah residents feel included. 'What matters most are, especially in classrooms, the policies and practices and school rules that ensure that every child feels welcome,' Equality Utah policy director Marina Lowe told the Deseret News. 'The reason the (pride) flag started getting hung in the first place was because there were particular populations that were feeling marginalized and unwelcome.' While the pride flag is not mentioned in the legislative text, the sponsor of HB77, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, has suggested in some social media posts that one intention behind his bill is to remove pride flags from classrooms and municipal buildings. Lee modeled his bill after a similar proposal that failed in the final hours of the 2024 session when it was brought to the floor using a procedural trick. The resurrected version received additional pushback during the 2025 session after Lee expanded its scope to include flags displayed by a state or local government entity in or on government property. Following this change, Equality Utah came out against the bill. Lowe said she wants to encourage lawmakers to reconsider portions of the bill that constrain the free speech of governments, which, she said, should be accountable to voters, not the Legislature. Corinne Johnson, president of Utah Parents United, praised the willingness of the Legislature to wade into a controversial topic because, she said, it benefits all residents to prohibit public employees from flying divisive flags. 'To parents, it makes complete sense to us,' Johnson said. 'In an effort to try and be inclusionary to one group, we have now created division in our school environments.' Supporters of the law are not opposing one group or another, according to Johnson. The goal behind the law is to return a sense of neutrality to the places that are meant to represent and educate all Utahns regardless of identity, she said. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox addressed HB77 in a March 27 letter that included explanations for six bills he vetoed this year. Cox did not veto HB77. Instead, he let it become law without his signature due to concerns that it sought a culture-war win instead of consensus. Promoting political neutrality in the classroom is an important goal, Cox said. But the new flag law fails to address the use of polarizing symbols in public schools because it only applies to flags and it extends too much control over municipal leaders who wish to reflect certain values to their voters, Cox said. Cox also took issue with the process that brought the bill to his desk which he said did not align with the state's previous efforts to balance LGBTQ inclusion with conservative values around religion and gender. '(A)s tired as Utahns are of politically divisive symbols, I think they are also tired of culture war bills that don't solve the problems they intend to fix,' Cox said. 'There are so many examples of the LGBTQ community and the conservative community coming together to find helpful and hopeful compromise. I hope we can retain this as our model and North Star.' The bill passed mostly along party lines with a veto-proof majority, meaning that if Cox had vetoed the bill, lawmakers likely could have overrode his decision. Utah appears to be the first state in the nation to enact such a ban. Idaho recently passed a proposal focusing just on schools and lawmakers in at least four other states are considering similar legislation.
