Best State Overall 4 Years in a Row!

 

If you spent all your time on social media, you'd probably think our state was falling apart.
 
The reality is just the opposite.

 

The country is once again looking to Utah as the nationwide standard. For the fourth year in a row, U.S. News has named Utah the Best State in America. We still have real challenges to solve, and as a legislator, I spend a lot of time working on them. But it's worth stepping back once in a while to recognize what's going right.

 
Utah's success isn't because we have better politicians than everyone else. It's because we have incredible people.
 
We have a culture that values hard work, strong families, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, faith, and looking out for our neighbors. We've also worked hard to enact conservative policies that protect opportunity, keep taxes low, balance our budget, invest in education and infrastructure, and let people pursue the American Dream.
 
Good policy matters. But good policy doesn't create great people. Great people create great communities, and good policy helps them flourish.
 
I'm grateful to live in a state where so many people are working every day to build something better for their families and their communities. That's the real reason Utah continues to lead the nation.
 
Congratulations, Utah. Let's keep it that way

AFFT 2026 Worker Freedom Award
I'm honored to receive the inaugural Worker Freedom Award from Americans for Fair Treatment.
 
Over the past several years, I've met with teachers, firefighters, police officers, union leaders, and many other public employees. Those conversations have reinforced my belief that every public employee deserves to have a voice, the freedom to make their own choices, and to be treated fairly.
 
One reason this award is especially meaningful to me is that it recognizes something I believe is important in public service. After spending years working on a bill, I made the difficult decision to sponsor its repeal because I believed it was the best way to reset the conversation, move beyond the misinformation and polarization surrounding the issue, and continue working toward the Utah Way of solving difficult problems through collaboration and good-faith dialogue.
 
Of that decision, AFFT CEO Chip Rogers said, "Leadership is doing the right thing, even when it's the tough thing to do." I appreciate those generous words and will continue striving to live up to that standard.
 
Thank you to Americans for Fair Treatment for this recognition.
 
To read more about this award, click here

Protecting Our Kids Online
Three years ago, I had the opportunity to sponsor legislation that made Utah the national leader in protecting children online. Since then, states across the country, and now Congress, have been grappling with the same difficult question: How do we protect children from addictive algorithms and harmful online content while respecting the First Amendment?
 
I'm encouraged to see Congress taking on this issue. Protecting children online should not be a partisan issue. Families across the country are looking for meaningful solutions, and I appreciate that lawmakers are continuing to work through these difficult questions.
 
This article highlights the constitutional challenges these efforts face. Those challenges are real, and they deserve careful consideration. But they should not discourage us from continuing to pursue thoughtful, constitutional solutions that protect children while preserving fundamental freedoms.
 
The evidence that social media can negatively affect the mental health and well-being of many young people continues to grow. Parents deserve better tools, children deserve stronger protections, and lawmakers have a responsibility to keep working until we get this right.
 
I'm proud of the role Utah has played in leading this conversation, and I look forward to seeing Congress build on that work.

Keeping Energy Costs Low

With costs on the rise, keeping your energy bill low is a top priority. That’s why when major energy companies proposed price increases across the board, Utah pushed back, and it paid off in a big way. Instead of the originally proposed massive rate hikes, a new settlement is bringing immediate relief to Utah households. 

 

Thanks to this agreement, there will be no general rate hikes until 2029. $2 billion has also been committed to strengthening Utah’s electric grid against outages and wildfires. This is a major win for all Utahns, ensuring that our energy remains reliable, dispatchable, and, most importantly, affordable.

Protecting Your Information
What if a private company built a nationwide network of AI-powered cameras capable of recording where your vehicle has been seen, storing that information, and making it searchable by law enforcement and other entities?
 
That isn't a hypothetical. It's happening today.
 
My friend Connor Boyack wrote an excellent op-ed in the Washington Examiner highlighting the rapid expansion of Flock Safety's camera network and the important questions it raises about privacy and civil liberties.
 
Flock cameras don't just read license plates. They can identify a vehicle's make, model, color, unique features, bumper stickers, roof racks, and other characteristics. Each time a vehicle passes one of these cameras, another sighting may be added to a searchable database. That's a tremendous amount of information about the daily movements of law-abiding Americans, and most people have no idea who can access it or how it may ultimately be used.
 
To be clear, I understand that this technology can help solve crimes, and I support giving law enforcement effective tools to protect our communities. But we should also recognize the risk of creating a surveillance system that records the movements of millions of innocent Americans without meaningful safeguards.
 
That is why I proudly voted for H.B. 468 in 2025 and H.B. 357 this year. I also appreciate the outstanding work of my colleague, Representative Kristen Chevrier, who has led the effort to establish meaningful guardrails on automated license plate reader systems in Utah. Her bills would limit how data can be collected, retained, accessed, and shared, while preserving the legitimate use of this technology to investigate crimes.
 
Unfortunately, both bills passed the House but failed to receive final approval in the Senate.
 
Public safety and privacy are not competing values. We can protect both. I hope the Senate will join the House next session so Utah can lead the nation in ensuring this powerful technology is used responsibly and with appropriate constitutional safeguards.

Touring Local Industry
I had the chance to tour LKQ with some of my fellow Representatives.
 
It was fascinating to see how much happens behind the scenes to keep vehicles on the road, support repair shops, and make sure people can find the parts they need. LKQ provides an important service across our state, while also creating jobs and helping reduce waste by reusing, recycling, and remanufacturing vehicle parts.
 
I always appreciate getting out and seeing Utah businesses firsthand. You learn a lot more by walking the floor, talking with employees, and seeing the work up close than you ever could from a briefing.
 
Thank you to the LKQ team for the tour and for the work you are doing in Utah.

Good News for Public Lands
President Trump signed proclamations recently modifying the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments and restoring a more balanced approach to the management of Utah’s public lands.
 
Utahns strongly support protecting the remarkable cultural, archaeological, historic, and natural resources found in these areas. We also understand that responsible conservation does not require the federal government to place millions of acres under overly restrictive management or ignore the communities that live closest to these lands.
 
The Antiquities Act gives presidents important, but limited, authority to protect specific objects of historic or scientific interest. It was never intended to allow presidents to bypass Congress and make sweeping land-use decisions affecting entire regions of a state.
 
Utah has a strong record of managing public lands responsibly. Our state and local communities understand these landscapes, their resources, and the needs of those who depend on them far better than distant federal bureaucracies. The people who live closest to these lands should have a meaningful role in decisions about their protection, access, and long-term management.
 
For too long, Utah’s public lands have been treated as a political issue that shifts dramatically from one administration to the next. That uncertainty is unfair to rural communities, local governments, recreationists, ranchers, and everyone who depends on responsible and predictable land management.
 
Today’s action is an important step toward respecting the law, preserving the resources that deserve protection, maintaining responsible access, and giving Utahns a greater voice in decisions that directly affect our state.
 
I appreciate the members of Utah’s federal delegation, Governor Cox, Speaker Schultz, and the many state and local leaders who have worked for years to bring about this result.
 
Ultimately, Congress should act to provide a lasting solution. Utah’s public lands are too important to remain subject to an endless cycle of presidential actions. We need a durable approach that protects these extraordinary places, respects local communities, and provides long-term certainty for future generations.

Accountability at all Levels

Utah has once again proven itself a national leader in fiscal responsibility, ranking as one of just nine states to maintain a low SNAP payment error rate below the 6% threshold. Thanks to our state's rigorous management and commitment to accountability, Utah taxpayers are fully protected from costly federal penalties. Under new federal legislation, states with high error rates could soon be forced to hand  over tens or even hundreds of millions of state tax dollars to cover food aid costs – funds that would otherwise have to be drawn from our public schools, law enforcement, or health services. By keeping our error rate low, Utah has secured a complete exemption from these cost-sharing requirements, ensuring our state budget remains protected while critical support continues reaching the families who truly need it.

250 Years of Freedom
Two hundred fifty years ago, a group of ordinary people signed an extraordinary declaration. They pledged "their Lives, their Fortunes and their sacred Honor" to a cause larger than themselves: the belief that our rights come from God, not government, and that free people have both the right and the responsibility to govern themselves.
 
That promise has endured because each generation has chosen to preserve it.
 
I find myself especially grateful to live in a country where freedom is not inherited automatically. It is protected by citizens who are willing to serve, sacrifice, vote, volunteer, speak up, and pass on the principles that made this nation possible.
 
I often think about what kind of country my children, and one day my grandchildren, will inherit. My hope is that they will enjoy the same opportunities, security, and freedom that generations before us worked so hard to preserve. That hope is one of the reasons I chose to serve in public office.
 
The founders were not perfect, but they gave the world an idea that changed history: that every person is created equal and possesses God-given rights that no government can rightfully take away. Over the last 250 years, we have continued striving to live up to those ideals. America has never been defined by perfection. It has been defined by our willingness to keep pursuing a more perfect Union while never losing sight of the timeless principles on which it was founded.
 
I hope we spend a little less time focusing on what divides us and a little more time remembering what unites us. We are blessed to call this nation home. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who came before us, and we have a responsibility to leave America stronger for those who come after us.
 
I hope you all had a happy Independence Day, and happy 250th birthday, America. May God continue to bless this remarkable nation!

Saving You Money at the Pump

As a parent, I understand that when it comes to budgeting for your family, every penny counts. This past session, we passed a 15% reduction on the state portion of the gas tax, saving Utah drivers an estimated $40 million. This builds on Utah’s commitment to smart tax policy: small, sustained cuts over time that add up to major savings for Utah families. 

 

The bill also streamlined permitting for fuel pipelines and included industry commitments to increase Utah fuel production by 12.5% over five years, pairing immediate price relief with a long-term supply strategy.

Serving Those Who Serve Us
Last month, I was honored to be appointed by Speaker Mike Schultz to serve on the Firefighter Cancer Benefit Trust Fund Board of Trustees.
 
This is an issue I care deeply about. During the 2026 legislative session, I sponsored legislation creating the Firefighter Cancer Benefit Trust Fund to better support Utah firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer connected to the risks of their service.
We have seen again with the recent wildfires just how much we ask of our firefighters. They leave their families, run toward danger, protect our homes and communities, and put themselves in harm’s way for people they may never meet. That service does not come without a cost.
 
The risks firefighters face do not end when the flames are out. Exposure to smoke, chemicals, and carcinogens can have serious long-term health consequences. When a firefighter receives a cancer diagnosis tied to their service, they and their family should not have to face that burden alone.
 
This trust fund is one way Utah can stand behind the men and women who stand ready to protect us. It is about gratitude, responsibility, and making sure we follow through for those who have sacrificed for our communities.
 
I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working on this issue as a member of the Board of Trustees. I will do my best to help ensure the fund is managed responsibly and serves the firefighters and families it was created to help.
 
Thank you to Speaker Schultz for this appointment and for his confidence. Most importantly, thank you to Utah’s firefighters and their families for the courage, sacrifice, and service they give every day.

Utah Legislature Receives Digital Democracy Award

Our official state legislative platform, le.utah.gov, has been named the national recipient of the 2026 NCSL Online Democracy Award! Presented annually by the National Conference of State Legislatures, this prestigious award recognizes state legislative websites that excel at making democracy open, transparent, and easy to navigate for citizens. This site allows you to track bills, view agendas, stream committee meetings, read audits, explore the state budget, and much more. Transparency in government is essential to a healthy republic. Our interim meetings will resume this month on August 18th and 19th. Le.utah.gov is great resource for you to follow along and get involved with issues you care most about. 
Video
 

I would love to hear from you!

District 44

Representative Jordan Teuscher

jteuscher@le.utah.gov

801-810-6170  

 

Facebook: @Representative Jordan Teuscher

X: @jordanteuscher

Instagram: @jordanteuscher

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