Utah lawmakers are spending several hours today in budget meetings as they prepare for the legislative session, which begins Monday. Republicans foresee at least a 7 percent cut across the board, sharply differing from Governor Gary Herbert’s more optimistic budget proposal.
A new study released by the Williams Institute at UCLA quantifies the impact of discrimination on LGBT Utah residents. Using data from an Equality Utah survey, it reports that more than 40 percent of gay Utahns say they’ve been denied a job, not promoted, or fired for their sexual orientation, while two-thirds of transgender Utahns say the same because of their gender identity.
Former State Representative Craig Frank made his case to fellow lawmakers this afternoon that he is still a Utah legislator. He was recently disqualified from office when he discovered he doesn’t live inside his own district in Utah County.
A bill likely to be debated during this year’s legislative session could change the way condos and housing co-ops do business in the Beehive State. If passed, it would provide more oversight over homeowners associations and offer government help to resolve disputes. KCPW’s Jessica Gail reports.
The State Board of Education has apparently earned the wrath of some Republican state lawmakers by adopting the Common Core Standards. It’s an initiative developed by several states to ensure students are learning language arts and math at the level they should be.
The Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Utah’s Division of Services for People with Disabilities. It stems from a complaint from the Salt Lake City based Disabled Rights Action Committee. The group says Utahns with disabilities are being forced to stay in a nursing home for several months if they want to receive care, and that violates federal law.
Several homeless advocates across the state are playing the waiting game, trying to remain optimistic about what the legislature could do to funding for their programs, and what it would mean for the thousands of homeless people on Utah’s streets.
A mistake in legislative boundaries could lead to a tax break for some Utah County residents. State Representative John Dougall’s district includes thousands of residents who thought they lived in former Representative Craig Frank’s district.
A local rare book seller says he has been “put on notice” that state lawmakers intend to drastically increase the regulations that govern antique vendors like him. Now, he’s rallying his supporters, hoping they don’t. KCPW’s Jessica Gail reports.
With less than two weeks until the legislative session starts, the future of House District 57 in Utah County remains uncertain. Republican Representative Craig Frank learned just days ago he was living outside of his district boundaries, immediately disqualifying him from office.
Additional Programming Provided by
