At the close of Utah’s 2026 Legislative Session, I would like to express my gratitude for the honor and privilege it has been to represent our community in the legislature. I have sincerely appreciated the comments and feedback you shared with me. 

The most important accomplishment is a balanced budget, which involved increasing funding for education while making cuts in other areas for a balanced budget (see article below).  Other notable policy accomplishments I’m pleased with this year include lowering the income tax (4.50% to 4.45%) and the gas tax, improving the housing supply by cutting red tape and investing in local infrastructure, getting dangerous Kratom derivative products off the shelves of gas stations, and examining the use of technology in classrooms, especially screen time for K-3, and the use of AI and cell phones in older grades.

A few personal highlights for me on sponsored bills included finalizing the funding and implementation plans for Utah’s State Endorsed Digital Identity (and Digital Bill of Rights) which will improve privacy and security for online age and identity verification and combat AI fraud (SB275), and adding additional protections in family court  for victims of domestic violence and children involved in high conflict divorces (HB303). I also appreciated the opportunity to enable more kids to get outside and ride e-bikes and other electric devices safely while improving safety and clarifying rules around e-motorcycles and other high speed devices (HB381).

As the legislative session comes to a close, I am heading back home to return to my "day job." One of the greatest strengths of Utah’s system is our part-time citizen legislature; it ensures that those of us who pass the laws must also live and work under them alongside our neighbors. While we won’t meet for the next general session until January 2027, our work continues through the summer and fall with monthly interim study meetings to tackle the long-term issues facing our state.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you at the Capitol. I am always grateful for your feedback and value your perspective on the issues that matter most to our community.

Utah has consistently been ranked as the #1 state by many organizations, in part due to our state’s fiscal discipline. While we face challenges and pressure due to our good economic growth rate, I’m pleased to report that we went through a process of identifying and cutting a number of less needed and inefficient state programs. Overall $364 million (3.2%) in state tax fund offsets, reductions and program eliminations were cut and then reinvested for better results and higher priorities.   

Utah passed a responsible balanced budget. The budget did grow slightly (~2.7%) year over year, including a healthy increase for our public schools, more funding for the Great Salt Lake, and the option for a modern approach of State benefits combining sick and vacation leave into one paid time off (PTO) bucket.  Importantly however, we ensured that the state budget increased at a much slower rate than the overall economy grew.  For more details on the FY27 budget you can review the Quick Facts Card or the more detailed Budget Summary.

Our fiscal responsibility in Utah stands in vast contrast to our federal government and surrounding states. For example, Arizona is facing a nearly $1.7 billion deficit in their budget. California’s budget deficit is $3 billion. Utah has a $0 budget deficit. You can learn more about the budget (including seeing every tax dollar the state receives and how every tax dollar is spent) here.   Transparency and accountability are at the core of our budgeting process. To see exactly how your tax dollars are being spent, visit our Taxpayer Receipt Tool here. 

This session, we’ve secured a 5.9% total increase in education funding, ensuring our schools have the resources to help every student succeed. With over $142 million in total increases, these investments are about more than just numbers, they are a commitment to your child’s future. Beyond the classroom basics, we are bridging the gap between education and the workforce. We’ve carved out over $72 million for strategic innovation, including $35 million for professional education experience centers and nearly $4 million for student credential accounts.

By modernizing our technology programs and expanding career-connected learning, we are making sure Utah students don't just graduate with a diploma, but with the high-tech skills and certifications needed to thrive in our state’s workforce.

As your representative, my top priority is ensuring that Utah remains the best place in the nation to raise a family. I know that many of you are feeling the pinch of rising costs, and that’s why I’ve fought for a family-first agenda this session that puts more of your hard-earned money back in your pockets. By lowering our state income tax to 4.45%, expanding the Child Tax Credit, and slashing the gas tax by 15%, we’re helping families keep more of what they earn. I’m also proud to support measures that hold big tech and tobacco companies accountable, reinvesting that revenue directly into our communities. We’ve secured $4 million for youth mental health and increased funding for literacy and local parks, ensuring our kids have safe, healthy spaces to grow. Whether it’s easing the burden of daily expenses or safeguarding our children online, I am proud of the common-sense policies we passed that strengthen your home and our community.

March 17th is St. Patrick’s day.  Whether you have Irish heritage or not, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to attend your local caucus night.  A caucus is a group of people with a common interest.  I encourage you to attend your local caucus meeting of your choice and either run to be a delegate, and/or help to elect other good delegates to represent our area. Delegates chosen at caucus night help select candidates to go on the ballot later in the process.  Here is info for our area

Republican Party Caucus:

• 6-8 PM at Farmington High School, 548 W Glovers Ln Farmington, UT 84025

Democratic Party Caucus:

• 6-8PM at Farmington Jr. High, 150 S 200 W Farmington, UT 84025

Forward Party:

• No caucus night. Forward Party Davis County Convention is March 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM and at the Layton Library 155 N Wasatch Dr, Layton, UT 84041

Other Registered Political Parties in Utah include: American Independent, 

Libertarian, Constitution, and Green

I asked AI to generate a picture of caucus night in our area. This is the result. You can have a little fun counting how many misspellings or other mistakes you can find in the photo.

While the general session is behind us, the work of shaping Utah’s future continues through the interim process. Starting in May, we will begin meeting monthly to study the complex issues that require more time than the fast-paced 45-day session allows. During these meetings, my colleagues and I will serve on specialized committees, hearing directly from experts, stakeholders, and—most importantly—citizens like you. This is truly where the groundwork for the 2027 General Session begins. It is the best time for you to get involved, share your concerns, or bring up the issues that matter most to your family before bills are even drafted. I value your perspective and would love to hear from you as we dive into this in-depth research and planning phase.

This week I was visited by some of the Young Men from my church, our local South Davis Fire Battalion Chief Topher Maxwell, and then on the last night, by my wife and the Governor.

Here is a record of how I voted on the Floor this week.

Unsubscribe from future updates