During the 2024 session, Utah lawmakers enjoyed 79 free meals, snack breaks and social activities paid for by industry groups, lobbyists, companies and special interest organizations.
Many of the sponsors had business before the Legislature.
These freebies included meals, morning and afternoon snacks near the House and Senate floor, receptions and evening social events. The activities are coordinated through the “Third House” social extensions in the House and Senate. Several groups, like Utah’s tourism industry, hosted a “Day on the Hill” in the Capitol Rotunda, but those events usually did not include meals for lawmakers.
The Salt Lake Tribune requested a list of the Third House events through Utah’s open records law but was told those records did not exist. After that denial, The Tribune obtained a list of the activities from legislative sources.
Utah’s 104 lawmakers have tough demands for their time and attention during the annual 45-day session. Since they don’t meet on weekends, they’re at the Capitol for only 34 days. Because of that time crunch, sponsoring a meal or event is an easy way to get face time with legislators.
Groups that sponsor the events don’t have to disclose how much they cost as long as a blanket invitation is issued to lawmakers.
For legislators, it’s a chance to get more information while taking a break from their hectic schedules, according to Alexa Musselman, director of strategic communications for the House Republican majority.
“Events sponsored by the Third House offer lawmakers optional opportunities to engage with business and industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, education groups and other community pillars,” Musselman said in a text message. “Additionally, many Third House events are family-friendly and allow lawmakers to spend much-needed time with their spouses, children, grandchildren and other loved ones during a busy time of year.”
Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, defended the practice as a crucial tool to help lawmakers do their jobs better.
“Legislators receive many requests to attend events from stakeholders, community groups, nonprofits, etc., to inform lawmakers of their perspectives on various issues. To help avoid confusion, the Legislature developed a way to organize these requests to help prevent conflicts with official legislative meetings and minimize multiple events occurring at the same time or location. While the Legislature helps facilitate the coordination of requests, these are not official legislative events,” Adams said in a statement. “Constituents and stakeholders appreciate legislators attending their events as this is one of many avenues for Utahns to communicate with me and the other 103 lawmakers elected to represent them.”
Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, said he attends many of these events, which allow him to hear from groups instead of scheduling a series of individual meetings during the session.
“The Third House receptions and social functions are great opportunities to bring industry and policymakers together,” McCay said. “I’ve learned a lot at these events over the years.”
Sen. Nate Blouin, D-Salt Lake City, said he no longer attends Third House events, which he believes skirt public disclosure requirements.
“During the legislative session, businesses, associations and interest groups host a range of events, including morning snacks, catered lunches and fancy dinners,” Blouin said. “These events, as well as many other happenstance meetings between lawmakers and lobbyists, are never disclosed to the public and make up a large portion of the interactions that influence policy.”
Municipal organizations looking for time to hobnob with lawmakers sponsored activities for legislators. A lunch for lawmakers in conjunction with the Utah League of Cities and Towns annual convention is one of the more popular happenings. The organization provides a free shuttle to the Salt Palace for legislators.
The league’s executive director, Cameron Diehl, said the lunch is a valuable opportunity for municipal leaders to discuss policy with state lawmakers. They also provide an educational opportunity for youth leaders.
“Our event is unique because we also bring hundreds of youth city council members — high school students who volunteer in their cities — to the Capitol to learn how the legislative process works and interact with their legislators,” Diehl said. “The event is productive and worthwhile in fostering state-city partnerships and introducing youth council members to the lawmaking process.”
The Salt Lake City Council provided legislators with morning snacks and hosted an evening event at the Gallivan Center’s downtown ice rink during the session. Council member Victoria Petro said those events allowed them to connect with legislators from around the state.
“Helping each other keep the focus on the things that are most important must be part of our work. Nights like the ice skating event do just that. They remind us and our legislators that legislating is not an ‘us versus them’ scenario,” Petro said in a text message. “Rather, as Utahns, we’re all family and friends to people who deserve protection and love. We’re all residents of an exceptionally beautiful state worthy of our protection. These activities can help alleviate polarized assumptions, build shared trust and experiences, and increase our ability to share our viewpoints throughout the session.”
During the session, lawmakers voted to issue up to $900 million in bonds to build a Major League Baseball stadium and a $1 billion plan for a National Hockey League arena — if the city secures franchises. Both of those decisions will have a significant impact on the city.
Companies and industry groups also used free food or activities to get face time with legislators.
Former House Majority Leader Francis Gibson was named president and CEO of the Utah Hospital Association in January. He said the organization has hosted an event for lawmakers and hospital administrators from all over the state for 25 years.
“Hospitals are major employers in many communities, so this is an opportunity for the local folks who may not know lawmakers to meet and chat about policy,” Gibson said. “Sometimes there are more hospital people than lawmakers who attend.”
Since 2019, the Utah Cultural Alliance has hosted a buffet dinner for lawmakers coupled with a performance. The alliance’s communications director, Dustin Nay, said typically 150 to 250 guests attend the event, which allows members to thank elected officials for their support of arts and culture. In the 2024 budget, lawmakers included $2 million to restore grant funding for arts and museums. Another $1 million to fund the construction of a musical theater in St. George made the final budget cut.
Higher education was also well represented on the Third House calendar. Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, Utah State University and Utah Valley University provided snacks for lawmakers during the session. More than 40 pieces of legislation impacting higher ed were introduced during the 2024 session.
Political groups hoping to influence policy were also able to sponsor events for lawmakers this year. The Empowered Families Coalition, which is made up of several right-wing organizations, including the Utah Eagle Forum, The Ruth Institute and Pro-Life Utah, sponsored a breakfast, and Utah Parents United provided a morning snack break during the session. Utah Parents United loudly advocated for the private school voucher program that lawmakers approved last year. In this session, legislators nearly doubled voucher funding before the program started.
Your Health Freedom Utah, which was involved in the pushback against COVID-related restrictions during the pandemic, and the Utah Taxpayers Association, which frequently weighs in on budget issues, each provided morning snacks for lawmakers.
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