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Utah House Democrats Commend President Biden for Returning Protections to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments
Media Statement
October 7, 2021
Utah House Democrats Commend President Biden for Returning Protections to Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah House Democratic Caucus has the following statement on President Biden’s action to restore protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments:
“We commend President Biden for using his authority to return these treasured and sacred places to their original protective boundaries for all Americans.
The decision of the previous administration to reduce Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments was profoundly flawed and heavily influenced by extraction and development interests.
The vast majority of Utahns recognize the urgent need for protecting these majestic places. And while some have urged a legislative solution over using the Antiquities Act, too many opportunities have been passed up to do the right thing. To continue to leave these cherished places vulnerable to further defacement and looters is unacceptable. The time for action has come.
As Utahns, we are proud of our state’s vast and hallowed lands, and of our diverse heritage. Preserving the Bears Ears Monument is ultimately about sustaining and celebrating lands that are culturally important to indigenous Americans, whose voices have been marginalized and excluded for far too long. By taking this action, President Biden is also safeguarding the stunning geology and numerous objects of historic and of scientific interest of both national monuments, and protecting opportunities for joy and discovery for many future generations to come.”
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Utah House Democrats Urge Empowering Health Professionals to Set COVID-19 Prevention Policies, Not Politicians
Media Statement
September 7, 2021
Utah House Democrats Urge Empowering Health Professionals to Set COVID-19 Prevention Policies, Not Politicians
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah House Democratic Caucus has the following statement:
“Addressing the resurgence of Utah’s COVID-19 crisis due to the Delta Variant has become imperative. Our hospitals are overwhelmed with the number of people now needing care. Our healthcare workers are exhausted and frustrated, many of them near the point of quitting the healthcare profession. Teachers and parents are confused, strained, and worried -- a quarter of all those sick are unvaccinated children.
Statewide ICU utilization rates and case rates are almost triple the metrics the legislature established with the so-called “Endgame bill” (HB294) which ended earlier public health orders and restricts further actions. Clearly, the COVID pandemic hasn’t ended. With more and more people getting sick we cannot rationally claim the legislature’s policies are working to keep kids in school and parents at work. We must not allow a bad situation to get worse.
As we have said repeatedly throughout this pandemic, our policies must reflect the guidance of medical and public health experts – not politicians. Our State Department of Health and the CDC recommends layered prevention strategies like vaccinations for those who are eligible, universal indoor masking in schools, social distancing, proper ventilation and hygiene, and staying home when sick. We should prioritize preventive measures before endorsing unproven, expensive treatments.
Health professionals, in coordination with local education leadership, should have freedom and discretion to set health policies for dealing with COVID-19 that are best for their local communities, without politicians overriding, interfering, and tying their hands.
We are eager to engage with other like-minded state leaders who are willing to focus on this health crisis with appropriate objectives and direction.”
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Salt Lake City House Democrats Support Mayor Mendenhall's K-12 Mask Requirement
Media Statement
August 24, 2021
Salt Lake City House Democrats Support Mayor Mendenhall's K-12 Mask Requirement
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah House Democrats in Salt Lake City have the following statement:
“Utah House Democrats representing all areas of Salt Lake City support Mayor Erin Mendenhall's decision to require masks to be worn in Salt Lake City’s schools for grades K-12.
Requiring masks in Salt Lake City schools is the right course of action given the severity of the new variants of COVID-19 and is aligned with recommendations by the Salt Lake County Health Department and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Masks provide protection not only to students who cannot yet receive vaccinations, but also teachers and school staff. The 30-day requirement allows us to monitor cases during the first month of school and avoid the circumstances of other states where record numbers of children are being hospitalized with COVID-19. We all want our kids to learn in person at school to the greatest extent possible and a universal masking policy is the best tool to achieve that.
The Delta Variant is not the same COVID-19 virus we were dealing with during the legislative session. Children are getting COVID-19 at two to five times the rate they were at the start of the last school year, according to the Utah Department of Health. Mayor Mendenhall is acting in the best interest of the safety of our city’s children and their education, our communities, and healthcare workers.”
Utah House Democrats representing areas within Salt Lake City include Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost, Rep. Brian King, Rep. Joel Briscoe, Rep. Sandra Hollins, Rep. Mark Wheatley, Rep. Angela Romero, Rep. Stephanie Pitcher, and Rep. Doug Owens.
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Utah House Democrats Urge Salt Lake County Council to Support K-6 Mask Requirement
Media Statement
August 11, 2021
Utah House Democrats Urge Salt Lake County Council to Support K-6 Mask Requirement
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah House Democratic Caucus has the following statement:
“Salt Lake County Health Department Executive Director Angela Dunn and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson are making the right call.
Until K-6 children in schools have access to vaccinations, requiring masks indoors is the right course of action to afford all children the opportunity to learn safely in-person. A policy that accounts for medical, developmental, or other educational barriers of wearing a mask is appropriate when balancing safety precautions against this terrible disease. The science is clear. Masks work, but only when everyone wears them.
The Delta Variant is not the same COVID19 virus we were dealing with during the legislative session. It is more dangerous and unvaccinated children and immune-compromised children are highly vulnerable. Our constituents, many of whom are parents of young children, are calling on us to take this threat seriously. We must do everything we can to avoid the circumstances of other states where hospital beds are filling with sick children.
There is no way to rationalize putting any child at risk of serious illness, hospitalization, intubation, MIS-C, or long-term COVID over the temporary inconvenience of wearing a cloth mask indoors.
We urge all Salt Lake County Council members to support the health order.”
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Utah House Democrats' Statement Urging Action on Immigration Reform
Media Statement
June 4, 2021
Utah House Democrats' Statement Urging Action on Immigration Reform
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah House Democratic Caucus have issued the following proclamation:
“Utah House Democrats, in recognizing Immigrant Heritage Month, reaffirm our support for the Utah Compact on Immigration and for reasonable, decisive, and comprehensive policy actions to reform the nation’s legal immigration system, strengthen labor protections, address workforce shortages, and keep families together.
It is notable that we all depend on immigrants every single day for food, labor, tax dollars, growing our economy, and providing services. It is notable that nearly 10,500 Dreamers call Utah home, out of the nearly 800,000 people who arrived in the U.S. undocumented as children. It is notable that nearly 1 in 10 current Utah residents was born abroad.
The majority of all Americans, including the majority of Utahns, agree that Dreamers, TPS (Temporary Protected Status) holders, DED (Deferred Enforced Departure) holders, and undocumented farm workers should have a legal pathway to citizenship. The moment for action is now. We cannot afford any further delay.
We urge Senator Romney and Senator Lee to support and pass the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act and the American Dream & Promise Act, to finally address workforce shortages and help attract talent and business to our state, while also providing essential workers such as farm workers, educators, and health practitioners a pathway to legalization.
We also urge Utah’s Congressional delegation to support the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. This legislation will provide a comprehensive approach to reforming our immigration system, including responsibly managing the security of the southern border, providing an earned path to citizenship, addressing the root causes of migration, and reforming the legal immigrant visa system.
As Utahns, we celebrate our differences and our shared humanity. We believe that no matter how or when we got here, where we arrived from, or what we look like, we are going forward together.
We empathize with the yearnings of so many new and aspiring Americans who seek opportunities for a fulfilling life. We believe America can still be a land of promise for those working honestly and hard for a safe and better life for themselves and their families.”
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Utah House Democrats Oppose Hearing Rushed Resolutions Proposed by Republican Leadership on Critical Race Theory and Second Amendment Sanctuary State
Media Statement
May 18, 2021
Utah House Democrats Oppose Hearing Rushed Resolutions Proposed by Republican Leadership on Critical Race Theory and Second Amendment Sanctuary State
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah House Democratic Caucus has issued the following statement:
“We oppose holding an extraordinary special session to address the proposed issues not included on the Governor’s special session call. Democrats were excluded from discussions, we reject such divisive action, and we oppose the content of the resolutions.
Last year, Utah political and business leaders championed the Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which all Utahns could rally behind.
Now, Republican legislative leaders want to ban “critical race theory” from schools - an action that ignores the wishes of the Governor and the majority of Utahns, ignores the reality of racism in American history and society, ignores the fact that it is not in any Utah public school curriculum, and ignores even the actual definition of critical race theory. This compounds confusion and moves Utah backwards.
We also reject the urgency of considering a symbolic action on firearms. While we also sometimes disagree with the Federal government, the United States Constitution includes a Supremacy Clause that restrains our state from overstepping our bounds.
These resolutions are unnecessary, counterproductive, and convoluted. Haphazardly running these resolutions tomorrow only feeds fears and misinformation instead of focusing on productive solutions.
Utahns - not national right-wing media - must remain in control of what is taught in our schools to ensure students understand both positive and negative events in American history, and their duty to be engaged respectful members of society.”
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Utah House Democrats’ Statement on Utah School Board Member’s Remarks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Statement
February 5, 2021
Contact:
Ross Chambless, Communications Specialist
Utah House Democratic Caucus
(801) 618-9997 | rosschambless@le.utah.gov
Utah House Democrats’ Statement on Utah School Board Member’s Remarks
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah House Democratic Caucus has the following statement addressing the misinformed and harmful rhetoric by Utah State Board of Education member Natalie Cline:
“As an elected member of the Utah State Board of Education, Natalie Cline’s recent rhetoric is completely contrary to shared values about equal opportunity and inclusion that unify Utahns across the political spectrum.
Students deserve a better advocate for their education. Students wrestling with gender identity deserve to be heard, not dismissed and disparaged. Students feeling marginalized because of their skin color or ethnic background deserve inclusion and compassion, not ignorance and denigration.
The bipartisan Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, signed by Governor Cox, former Gov. Herbert, and a long list of Utah’s political, business, and religious leaders affirms our commitment to these values and should be heeded by all officials in positions of power within our great state.
Natalie Cline’s privilege of being a School Board member comes with significant responsibility. She should be held accountable for her words and actions.”
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Two Freshman House Democrats Sponsoring Bills to Raise Utah’s Minimum Wage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Statement
February 3, 2021
Contact:
Ross Chambless, Communications Specialist
Utah House Democratic Caucus
(801) 618-9997 | rosschambless@le.utah.gov
Two Freshman House Democrats Sponsoring Bills to Raise Utah’s Minimum Wage
SALT LAKE CITY – Representatives Clare Collard and Ashlee Matthews are running different bills this legislative session to address the lack of a livable minimum wage requirement in Utah. Utah’s current minimum wage of $7.50 an hour aligns with the baseline federal standard, but is significantly lower than 29 other states and has not increased with inflation since 2008.
H.B. 284, sponsored by Rep. Collard, proposes to incrementally increase Utah’s annual minimum wage starting at $12.00/hour on or before July 1st 2021, and increasing it annually to reach $15.00/hour by or before July 1st, 2026. Her bill also raises the minimum wage for tipped employees to $5.00/hour from the current minimum cash wage of $2.13/hour as required under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Rep. Matthews’ “Livable Wage Amendments,” which is not numbered yet, takes a different approach by setting a staggered schedule of minimum wage rates that would vary between urban counties and rural counties. Employers located within an urban growth boundary of a metropolitan service would gradually be required to pay employees $10.75/hour by 2028. Employers within a nonurban county would have to be paying employees at least $9.25/hour by 2028. After 2028, the bill instructs the Department of Workforce Services to adjust Utah’s minimum wage rate annually for inflation.
“This is long overdue,” said Rep. Matthews. “We need a sophisticated approach to regulating wages that accounts for where you live in our state. Many Utahns are not able to pay their bills, pay for rent, even as they work multiple jobs. Having a job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it.”
“This gives Utah the chance to lead out as a family-friendly state,” said Rep. Collard about her bill. “Gradually increasing Utah’s minimum wage over the next few years will boost our economy and give all Utahns the opportunities they need to thrive. It will also bring Utah up to speed with where we need to be in the competitive marketplace.”
The Biden Administration is also considering nationally to incrementally raise the federal minimum wage to $15.00/hour as part of a COVID-19 relief package.
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Rep. Stoddard Opens Resolution to Impeach State Attorney General Sean Reyes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Statement
January 26, 2021
Contact:
Ross Chambless, Communications Specialist
Utah House Democratic Caucus
(801) 618-9997 rosschambless@le.utah.gov
Rep. Stoddard Opens Resolution to Impeach State Attorney General Sean Reyes
SALT LAKE CITY – Rep. Andrew Stoddard has opened a bill file to impeach Attorney General Sean Reyes for misusing the powers of his office. Rep. Stoddard has the following statement:
"Utah’s Attorney General, Sean Reyes, has worked shamelessly over the past few months to undermine our country's election results. As an attorney and a public officer, he has violated his duty to the State. He has put the aims of special interest groups above the voters who elected him. His involvement with RAGA, the Republican Attorneys General Association, has been very concerning given their role in inciting the domestic terrorism that occurred at our nation's Capitol on January 6th. Reyes has not provided clear answers to his involvement with any of this.
As a legislator, a member of a coequal branch of government, my options to investigate these potentially unethical and impeachable offenses are very limited. I can file a GRAMA request, or I can open a bill file seeking impeachment. The current state code provides no in-between option for the legislative branch to investigate another branch of government. Therefore, after much consideration, I have opened this bill file to impeach the Attorney General. My action is not meant as a display of incivility or partisanship. My decision comes from a desire to make sure that our state is represented ethically and to hold public officers to the highest standard of public responsibility.”
In December, Attorney General Reyes joined 16 other attorneys general in endorsing a baseless Texas petition to invalidate the election results in four battleground states won by President Joe Biden – Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia and Wisconsin, which was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. He also reportedly took personal time off to join former President Trump’s unsupported legal challenges to overturn the legal democratic vote in Nevada.
Under Utah Code §77-5, members of the House of Representatives may file a resolution of impeachment against public officers for “high crimes, misdemeanors, or malfeasance in office.” The House of Representatives has the sole power of impeachment but requires at least a two-thirds vote to succeed.
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Utah House Democrats’ Statement on the Domestic Terrorism and Desecration of the U.S. Capitol Yesterday
Media Statement
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Contact:
Ross Chambless
House Minority Communications Specialist
(801) 618-9997 rosschambless@le.utah.gov
Utah House Democrats’ Statement on the Domestic Terrorism and Desecration of the U.S. Capitol Yesterday
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah House Democratic Caucus has the following statement regarding the events that occurred yesterday in Washington D.C.:
“What happened at our Nation’s Capitol yesterday is both incredibly sad and frustrating. Our President, tasked with guiding our country, instead attempted to undermine our democracy by inciting domestic terrorists to prevent the constitutional vote counting by Congress. Their invasion of that sacred building defiled a symbol of our democracy, freedom, and bipartisanship. Though some of these ideals have been forgotten or disregarded in recent years, it is past time to once again reembrace them as cornerstones of our representative democracy. Only by doing so can we work toward a more perfect Union, where everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American dream, regardless of the situation into which they are born or the color of their skin.
We are equally alarmed by the recent behavior in our own state by self-styled, far-right militia groups targeting community advocates, particularly in our communities of color. Threats of intimidation and harm through doxing - the posting of personal information without permission - of individuals and their families is unacceptable and must be dealt with swiftly and fairly. This is yet another symptom of a political and social environment that has no place in a peaceful nation of people who respect the opinions, beliefs, and lives of others. We implore all political leaders to immediately cease perpetuating rhetoric and discord that continues to foment this dangerous and illegal behavior.
With the strongest words and intent, we condemn the actions of our President and his enablers, and we hope he is held accountable for his actions yesterday. We also condemn the actions of our own state and local officials who have enabled the President in his cynical quest to undermine trust in the election, which ultimately led to the violence we all witnessed yesterday. It is past time to leave this President behind and move on to building back a better America.”
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Utah House Democrats Mourn the Loss of Rep. “Lou” Shurtliff
Media Statement
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Contact:
Ross Chambless
House Minority Communications Specialist
(801) 618-9997| rosschambless@le.utah.gov
Utah House Democrats Mourn the Loss of Rep. “Lou” Shurtliff
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah House Democratic Caucus has this statement on the passing of Representative LaWanna “Lou” Shurtliff:
“Rep. Lou Shurtliff will long be remembered as an extraordinary teacher and legislator who cared deeply about people and public service.
Lou wanted everyone to have a fair shot. She wanted adults experiencing troubles with drugs and alcohol to have equitable consideration in the courts. And she was a strong, persistent voice for the opportunity of kindergarten for all children.
Lou was a staunch advocate for educators. As a lawmaker, she brought not only her trusted experience as a teacher, but also her voice of reason, wisdom, warmth, and compassion. She was a valued mentor for many of her legislative colleagues.
Lou cared deeply about the wellbeing of her entire Ogden community. After serving for 10 years in the House from 1999 to 2008, her constituents called her back in 2018. She brought clarity on basic values and institutional knowledge to our caucus. We will always admire her sharp mind and intellect as well as a warm humility about herself and her accomplishments. We wish to extend our love and condolences to her family.”
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Utah House Democrats’ Statement on Attorney General Sean Reyes’ Misuse of Powers
Media Statement
For Immediate Release:
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Contact:
Ross Chambless,
House Minority Communications Specialist
(801) 618-9997 rosschambless@le.utah.gov
Utah House Democrats’ Statement on Attorney General Sean Reyes’ Misuse of Powers
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah House Democratic Caucus has the following statement on Attorney General Sean Reyes’s continued misuse of the powers of his office.
“Attorney General Sean Reyes tried stripping away healthcare from thousands of Utahns during a pandemic. Now, he wants to throw out election results in other states. He chooses partisanship over compassion. He chooses division over unity. Again and again, the Attorney General does not appear to be working for the well-being of all Utahns.
The role of our Attorney General is to uphold the Constitution and respect the interests of our state. Reyes’ actions call for closer scrutiny and oversight of the Office of the Attorney General’s budget to ensure that the office is properly serving the interests of the state of Utah. The Attorney General should immediately withdraw Utah from this embarrassing and irresponsible lawsuit.”
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