Good Wednesday morning, Utah!
Thanks for reading “The Rundown”.
📬 We want to hear from you! Got a news tip? Some interesting political gossip? Just want to chat about politics? Send me an email or find me on Twitter @SchottHappens.
Get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up for free here.
Resolution rumble!
It’s special session day, but the main event is the pair of “extraordinary sessions” House and Senate leaders have called to pass resolutions against the teaching of critical race theory and in support of making Utah a “Second Amendment sanctuary.”
It’s also a clap back by Republican lawmakers against Gov. Spencer Cox, who declined to put the two items on the special session agenda despite heavy lobbying. Legislative sources say they thought they would at least convince Cox to include the gun rights issue on the list but were surprised he nixed both of them.
“There are a lot of very grumpy legislators,” one lawmaker said when asked about the mood among Republicans toward Cox.
It’s not surprising that lawmakers are going around Cox to tackle these issues now. It’s likely a political winner for them. Right-wing media has been obsessed with critical race theory for months, so even Utahns who pay little attention to the legislature will be glad lawmakers are doing something about it, even though it’s mostly symbolic.
After all, Utah Republicans can’t let their colleagues in Idaho get too far ahead of them.
It should make for an exciting day. Follow along with The Tribune political team on Twitter:
Reyes signs on to letter urging Biden to reverse Keystone XL decision
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is joining with 18 other Republican Attorneys General in urging President Joe Biden to reverse his decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline. The letter from the group cites the cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline that led to fuel shortages along the east coast.
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen authored the letter, which cites the vulnerabilities in the nation’s energy infrastructure exposed by the ransomware attack.
“A temporary shutdown of one pipeline’s full-capacity operations shouldn’t bring half the country to the brink,” wrote Knudsen.
Biden halted construction of the pipeline through one of his first executive actions to reverse Trump-era policies.
In a statement, Reyes argued Biden’s executive action is unconstitutional and “bad public policy.”
“If there is any lesson to be learned from the chaos generated by the recent ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline, it’s that we need more energy infrastructure and independence, not less,” said Reyes in an email to The Rundown.
In March, Reyes joined 20 other GOP state Attorneys General in suing the Biden Administration to block Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Here’s what you need to know for Wednesday morning:
Local news
The Utah Legislature will tackle critical race theory and gun rights. Legislative leaders have called a pair of extraordinary sessions to consider resolutions on the topics. Unlike bills, these resolutions don’t carry the weight of law behind them and are primarily symbolic [Tribune].
Take that, Idaho! Utah is not last in the nation in per-pupil spending for the first time in decades. The state spent $8014 per pupil, putting us in 49th place [Tribune].
Sen. Mitt Romney is working with Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Sinema to craft a bill to boost the federal minimum wage [Tribune].
Payments to Utah parents with children will begin in July. Parents will start receiving up to $300 per child monthly [Tribune].
What’s behind Utah’s housing crisis? One economist says low wages are the most significant reason Utahns are having trouble buying homes [Tribune].
National news
Uh oh! New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the investigation into the Trump Organization is “no longer purely civil in nature.” The New York AG has been investigating former President Trump’s business since 2019 [CNN].
The House of Representatives will vote on forming a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is working to limit the number of Republicans who vote with Democrats in favor of the commission. Up to 50 GOP House members could break ranks [Politico].
Former President Trump, who incited the mob that attacked Congress on Jan. 6, warned Republicans in Congress not to fall for the “Democratic trap” of backing the commission [The Hill].
President Joe Biden privately told Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wind down the ongoing airstrikes against Gaza [AP].
The European Union will lift travel restrictions for Americans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 [Reuters].
The average number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. hit its lowest level in nearly a year [CNN].
Andrew Giuliani launches his bid to become governor of New York [Twitter].
Only 14% of restaurants closed for good during the pandemic, far below the initial estimate of 33% [Bloomberg].
Bank of America is raising its minimum wage to $25/hour by 2025 [CNN].
Wednesday’s Utah news roundup
Utah
Utah’s legislature aims $70 million toward affordable housing. Advocates say it’s not enough [Tribune].
Attention Salt Lake City residents: Your water and sewer bills are poised to go up. See how much [Tribune].
Utahns rally in support of LGBTQ-themed curriculum being taught in schools [Tribune].
Twilight Concert Series will return this summer with Neon Trees and four others [Tribune].
Fewer passengers, but more guns: A warning for travelers flying out of Salt Lake City [Deseret News].
60 percent of Utah women say the pandemic negatively affected their careers. Now they’re reevaluating work [Deseret News].
Utah’s arts organizations to split nearly $800,000 of recovery funding [KUTV].
Lawmakers briefed on soaring number of Utah catalytic converter thefts [Fox 13].
Washington
Rep Blake Moore: Here’s why I am a Republican and why I believe we can rebuild the party [Deseret News].
Mitt Romney: ‘I didn’t realize I was at a disadvantage because my mom stayed home’ [Deseret News].
COVID-19
Coronavirus cases spiking in Grand County as tourists return to Moab [Tribune].
12 more Utahns die of COVID-19 [Tribune].
For children 12 to 15, getting the COVID-19 vaccine means getting ‘back to normal’ [Tribune].
Pop-up clinics reaching Utah’s vaccine hesitant communities [Fox 13].
Business
Utah will get its first Kum & Go convenience store in 2022 [Tribune].
Development
New housing development coming to Silicon Slopes area [Daily Herald].
Local government
Grant money to build bike trails in east Zion, ice ribbon in Bryce, others [Spectrum].
Springville city council approves ordinance limiting smoke shops to industrial zone [Daily Herald].
North Ogden’s Cherry Days parade will go on after all, thanks to grassroots effort [Standard-Examiner].
On the opinion pages
