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. 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.

Have enjoyed seeing many of you at community celebrations this month throughout the district, and I'm truly thankful to represent you during this historic season. Your input, your challenges, and your successes fuel everything I do in the Capitol — whether it’s fighting for lower taxes so families keep more of what they earn, protecting our water resources, improving transparency around infrastructure like data centers, or supporting policies that strengthen our schools and communities.

If you see me at the next event, please come say hello. These conversations are the best part of this job. Thank you for trusting me to serve District 10. Let’s keep making Utah the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family — especially as we celebrate 250 years of the American experiment.

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.

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

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. This is the beginning of a collaborative effort to ensure our students have the focus and resources they need to thrive not only in our schools, but throughout their lives. 

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.

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