Take 2 Podcast – Friday 2/27
- Host Heidi Hatch
- Guests: Maura Carabello, John Dougall
State of the Union Hit or miss
- Senator Mike Lee’s SAVE America Act received a standing ovation.
- Congressman Blake Moore recognized in the third row (no name) for naming Trump accounts.
- Some Democrats held an alternate event outside in animal costumes.
- Democratic leadership had Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger deliver the rebuttal, focusing on affordability.
Proposition 4 Signature Verification
- Utah GOP has surpassed the statewide number needed to repeal Prop 4: 157,898 verified signatures.
- Congressman Blake Moore urges voters to let the process play out and stop attempting to remove signatures:
“As a former co-chair of Better Boundaries, I encourage them and all parties to stop trying to undo the petition to reconsider Proposition 4 by attempting to remove signatures.”
- Federal District Court and Utah Supreme Court dismiss redistricting lawsuits; GOP options limited unless they appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Utah Legislature Updates
- Bills Introduced: 1,019
- S.B. 308 – Judicial District Amendments: Will not move forward this session. Sen. Todd Weiler cited feedback from the Utah State Bar and legal community.
- HB88 – Immigrant Services Funding: Debate halted by Rep. Karen Peterson; bill sponsor Rep. Trevor Lee framed as protecting taxpayer money.
- Prediction Markets: Legislature advances ban on proposition betting; Attorney General warns online betting blurs legal lines.
- HB 423 – DUI and Hit-and-Run Amendments: Passed House committee and floor unanimously; Senate committee passed unanimously; now headed to full Senate vote. Closes gap where fleeing after seriously injuring/killing someone is only a third-degree felony.
- Secretary of State Proposal: House committee advances plan to amend Utah Constitution so Utahns elect a secretary of state in 2028 instead of the Lt. Governor overseeing elections.
Federal Election News
- U.S. Department of Justice sued Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey for failing to provide full voter rolls. Nationwide total now 29 states + D.C.
- AG Pam Bondi: “Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve.”
- Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson:
“Neither state nor federal law entitles the Department of Justice to collect private information on law-abiding American citizens… we will always follow the Constitution and the law.”
- Utah Democratic Party Chair Brian King:
“This lawsuit is a blatant overreach and a threat to both Utah voters and our election process… it’s about control and interfering with the midterm election.”
Congressional Votes & SAVE Act
- Four Republican senators, including Sen. John Curtis, opposed ending the filibuster to pass the SAVE Act. Curtis warned he wouldn’t support tabling Democratic amendments if it meant “changing the Senate’s rules.”
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
- Sen. Mike Lee seeks to roll back Biden-era regulations, potentially expanding land use for grazing, mining, and other development.
- GAO opinion supports congressional review of the BLM plan; Rep. Celeste Maloy requested the review last year.
- Congress would have 60 legislative days to reject the rule; a simple majority vote would revert management to 2020 Trump-era rules.
- Supporters frame it as Congress reclaiming lawmaking authority from agencies rather than a state land control issue.
No podcast next Friday, but join us March 12th with Utah GOP Chair Rob Axson after the state verification process ends for the Prop 4 repeal effort
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