As we celebrate Independence Day and look ahead to America’s 250th anniversary, we remember what July 4 marks: the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the belief that our rights do not come from government, but that government exists to protect them. That idea shaped the birth of our nation and remains our responsibility to preserve today.

In Utah, Pioneer Day gives us another opportunity to honor the faith, resilience, and determination of those who helped build the state we proudly call home. This year, Utahns have a new place to reflect on that story. The Museum of Utah is now open on the Capitol Complex, giving families, students, and visitors a place to explore the people, events, cultures, and ideas that shaped our state. I had the privilege of participating in the ribbon cutting last week. The 17,000-square-foot museum is home to 950 items from Utah’s 30,000-artifact collection, 21 interactive displays and the Mormon Meteor III, the legendary race car that set land speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. The museum is free to the public and open seven days a week. 

The Museum of Utah is located in the North Capitol Building at 450 N. State Street in Salt Lake City. I encourage you to visit this summer, bring your family, and take part in the many celebrations and local events happening throughout July as Utah and the nation prepare for America’s 250th anniversary.

The work of the General Session begins long before January, and June interim meetings gave us another opportunity to study the issues Utah families and communities are facing. Committee work during the interim is where ideas are tested, refined, or set aside before they ever become bills. This month, we reviewed agency reports, examined how state programs are performing, and asked questions about what is working, what is not, and where taxpayer dollars can be used more effectively.

Those discussions are essential to responsible policymaking. Whether the issue is public safety, economic growth, government efficiency, or long-term planning for Utah’s communities, the goal is the same: make sure state government is focused, accountable, and delivering real results for the people we serve.

I have been hard at work holding government spending accountable and digging into the policy changes and legislation we need to prepare before the next general session. While the general session gets most of the attention, interim is where a lot of the groundwork happens. This is when we study issues in more depth, hear from stakeholders, ask hard questions, and prepare legislation for the next session.

This past month, we reviewed the budget work done during the general session. I was pleased to learn that the Economic and Community Development Appropriations Committee, which I serve on, identified and cut more than any other appropriations committee in the Legislature.

That matters. When programs are ineffective or are not meeting their objectives, taxpayer dollars should be redirected to better uses. Those savings can support better ideas, improve core government services, or be returned to taxpayers through future tax cuts. We also began the next phase of that work, continuing to scrutinize the budget and prepare additional ideas for January to help your tax dollars stretch further.

In the Economic Development Interim Committee, we had a robust discussion about large data centers and what guardrails may be needed. I made the motion to open a bill file to begin putting that legislation together, and the motion passed unanimously.

As I have said regarding the proposed data center project in Box Elder County and other data center projects, land-use decisions are, and should primarily remain, local city and county decisions. But the Legislature still has a role in making sure the right guardrails are in place to guide those decisions in a way that benefits the state as a whole. Data centers can play an important role in our economy, but they also raise real questions about water use, energy demand, air quality, infrastructure, and impacts on local communities. As these projects continue to grow, Utah needs a clear framework that protects taxpayers, respects local communities, and ensures responsible development.
I’ll keep working on these issues in the months ahead and will continue keeping you updated as they develop.

There are no interim meetings in July, but we will be back at the Capitol August 18 and 19. I hope to see you there in person, or you can follow along with all our committees live at le.utah.gov

I loved the opportunity to walk in the SoJo Summerfest Parade this year!

It was such a fun morning seeing so many friends, neighbors, and families lining the streets. Of course, the best part was tossing candy to the kids along the way.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and especially to the volunteers and city employees who put so much work into making Summerfest such a great tradition. I loved getting to see so many familiar faces and spend the morning with this wonderful community.

Happy Summerfest, SoJo! 

Utah, we need your help. Our firefighters need your help. This has been one of the driest and most volatile fire seasons our state has seen in years. Nearly 400 wildfires have already burned more acres than all of last year, and nearly 80% have been human-caused, which means many were preventable.

We also mourn the loss of three firefighters who answered the call to protect others and made the ultimate sacrifice protecting Utah’s people and lands.

Please follow local fire restrictions and use extreme caution. Visit the Utah Fire Sense website for up-to-date information on fire restrictions, current fire conditions, and prevention tips. Together, we can keep our neighborhoods and state safe.

As your Representative, setting our children up for success through quality education is one of my top priorities. That commitment is reflected in the historic policies we have passed over the last several years. As a Legislature, we’ve increased public education funding by $1.8 billion over the past five years, raised teacher pay, and invested in key programs that help prepare our students for tomorrow's workforce. Though we’ve made significant investments to strengthen our education system, the work isn’t done. Classroom size is a real issue in our school, especially for our youngest learners. Throughout the interim, we’re exploring ways to give students more individual attention and teachers more support. Reducing class sizes and giving teachers more support is one of the most important conversations we can have for Utah's future. I look forward to continuing this work with educators, parents, and my colleagues. You can read more in my latest op ed. 

In a historic win for our public lands, Utah has permanently secured public access to more than 50,000 acres of wildlife-rich land in the rugged Book Cliffs roadless area of northern Grand County. This massive acquisition was made possible by a $50 million allocation from the Legislature and the streamlined land-transfer process established through H.B. 262 (2024). Renamed the Book Cliffs Roadless Wildlife Management Area, this permanently protects world-class hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation for Utahns. By securing these lands now, we are providing a massive boost for our state while ensuring future generations can experience one of our state's most remarkable landscapes. 

The $50 million used to purchase this land will be put directly into classrooms through Utah’s Trust Land Administration. This is a win for recreation and a win for public schools.

Unsubscribe from future updates