As we join together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the many other cultural and holiday celebrations throughout our communities, I hope this time of year may fill you with happiness and hope. May we all strive for peace on earth and goodwill towards all men.

As Charles Dickens wrote, it is my desire that the following may be said of each in our neighborhoods: “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!”

Residents of House District 63 in Mapleton, Springville and Spanish Fork are invited to my 2025 Pre-Legislative Session Community Information Meetings. I will provide an overview of the upcoming Utah Legislative Session and will listen to your input on issues of importance to YOU!

Here are the details for each of the meetings. Please come to the one that is most convenient for you.

January 6: Rep Whyte’s Pre-Legislative Session Community Info Meeting in Mapleton (details above)

January 8: Representative Whyte’s Pre-Legislative Session Community Info Meeting in Spanish Fork (details above)

January 9: Representative Whyte’s Pre-Legislative Session Community Info Meeting in Springville (details above)

January 21: First day of the 2025 Legislative Session

February 1: Bills and Bagels (at Nebo School District Office, more details to come)

February 22: Bills and Bagels (at Nebo School District Office, more details to come)

March 7: Last day of the 2025 Legislative Session

It was an honor to be invited to present at the Western Governors’ Association gathering in Salt Lake this week to showcase Utah’s collaborative approach to solve problems. The Western Governors’ Association represents the Governors of the 22 westernmost states and territories.

We discussed coordinating state and local housing priorities, how all levels of government play important roles in shaping the housing landscape, and the need for eliminating barriers so we can have better housing outcomes.

Utah’s December job report highlights that Utah’s economy remains impressively stable, even as it begins to experience some small, expected shifts. During the past year, the state’s job count grew by 1.8%, or 30,900 jobs and the unemployment rate remained at 3.5% in November.

Utah’s economy has remained steady throughout 2024, growing at a gradual pace that gives businesses and workers time to plan for changes. All the while, Utah continues to outperform national trends with solid job growth and low unemployment. This kind of economy stability gives families, businesses, and investors the confidence to continue to invest in the future of Utah and its people.

Utah’s November private sector employment recorded a year-over-year expansion of 1.3% or a 19,2000 job increase. Eight of the ten major private-sector industry groups posted net year-over-year job gains. The overall gains are led by education and health services (12,800 jobs), construction (6,900) jobs, and professional and business services (3,000 jobs). Leisure and hospitality (-3,600 jobs) and trade, transportation and utilities (-3,300 jobs) experienced year-over-year job losses.

Listen to Chief Economist Ben Crabb’s analysis of the November 2024 employment rate here: https://soundcloud.com/utahdws/utah-employment-report-november-2024

Last month an independent audit was released about higher education efficiency and workforce alignment for Utah’s eight public universities and colleges. The report urges institutions to better address Utah’s workforce needs, especially as they face projected declines in student enrollment. The topic of higher education will be an area of focus in the upcoming 2025 legislative session to address the audit’s recommendations.

Findings from the higher education audit:

· Institutions do not calculate program-level costs or fully understand market demand when making institutional decisions.

· Institution presidents should act with the system in mind to reduce program duplication, improve program outcomes, and coordinate programs.

· In some areas, institutions are losing student market share to private non-traditional institutions.

Recommendations:

· Perform ongoing system review for operational efficiencies, including of programs, and determine whether system-level performance funding is desired.

· Use program cost, enrollment, completion, employment, and workforce demand data to determine if programs should be expanded, reduced, or discontinued.

Legislative Interim Committee meetings were held at the Capitol between May and November of this year. The purpose of these meetings is to give legislators the opportunity to review and study policy items in preparation for the 2025 Legislative Session. The meetings are open to the public, allowing everyone in Utah an opportunity to provide input either virtually or in person. In each of the meetings we dove into issues, laws, and budgets that you have told us are important to you. I’ve loved being a part of these meetings where my colleagues in the Legislature and I have heard what is on your minds, concerns and problems we’re facing throughout the state, and proposed solutions to make Utah better.

It’s been described that the Committees are the workhorse of the Legislature. Resulting from the work done between May and now, below is a concise summary of draft legislation recommended by Legislative Committees for the 2025 General Session.

Please review each of these draft pieces of legislation, organized by Legislative Committee, and let me know your thoughts and recommendations so I can know how to best represent you as these bills will be discussed, debated, and voted on during the upcoming Legislative Session.

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