Three of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in United States history have happened in the past 5 months. The Utah GOP chairman criticized Mitt Romney’s expected candidacy and later apologized. The Utah House approved legislation to send a statue of Martha Hughes Cannon to Washington.
‘Tis Thursday. At least 17 people were killed at a Florida high school yesterday after a former student opened fire throughout the hallways. Three of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history have now occurred in the past five months. [NYTimes] [CNN] [WaPost]
Topping the news: In a highly unusual move, Utah Republican Party Chairman Rob Anderson criticized Mitt Romney’s anticipated run for U.S. Senate, comparing him to Hillary Clinton. Anderson later apologized, and Romney postponed his campaign announcement, citing the deadly school shooting in Florida. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KUTV] [Fox13] [KSL]
-> The Utah Senate gave its initial approval Wednesday to a bill that would expand access to birth control for low-income women. [Trib]
-> The Utah House approved a bill Wednesday that would swap Utah’s statue of TV inventor Philo T. Farnsworth, which is currently in the U.S. Capitol, for a statue of Martha Hughes Cannon, the first female state senator in Utah and the country. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KUTV] [Fox13]
Tweets of the day: From @TaylorWAnderson: “Mattie Cannon isn’t headed to Washington yet. One more vote in the Senate, some chiseling, and she’ll be on her way.”
-> From @SpencerJCox: “For some reason my wife sent me this yellow rose and told me I had to wear it for Valentine’s Day...”
Happy Birthday: To John Andrews, associate director of SITLA, and former state Rep. Mel Brown.
Trib Caucus Slack Chat: This week Salt Lake Tribune political reporters and columnists discuss the woman who supposedly knocked on a Utah lawmaker’s hotel room door and created concern in the wake of an alleged sex scandal in the Legislature. [Trib]
In other news: The Utah House voted Wednesday to move forward with a bill that could help to lower prescription drug prices by importing from Canada. [Trib]
-> Four bills that address air pollution moved forward in the Utah Legislature this week. [Trib]
-> The Utah House Education Committee approved a resolution Wednesday that encourages colleges to protect students’ first amendment rights. [Trib]
-> The Utah House Business and Labor Committee endorsed a bill that would allow state liquor stores to be built at a faster pace. [Trib]
-> Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch sent an encouraging letter Friday to a Riverton native who has spent a year and a half in a Venezuelan prison. [Trib] [ABC4]
-> Pat Bagley shows which programs he thinks might be at risk after federal tax cuts. [Trib]
-> Michelle Quist calls on the LDS Church to improve how it deals with domestic violence. [Trib]
Nationally: President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is “totally opposed to domestic violence” one week after Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, resigned amid allegations of spousal abuse. [NYTimes]
-> The parade that Trump wants to use to celebrate the military could cost up to $30 million. [NYTimes]
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— Courtney Tanner and Madalyn Gunnell
