A step forward:
— Lawmaker pulls plan to delay Medicaid, CHIP coverage for new immigrants — Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 6
“Sen. Allen Christensen says he is withdrawing legislation that sought to require legal immigrants to reside in the state five years before they could qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). He had said his SB48 aimed to encourage self-reliance and to curb creeping ‘socialism.’ But critics called it a mean-spirited attack against new legal immigrants, who are mostly Latino.“
— Limiting services for legal immigrants is a bad idea — Tribune Editorial, Dec. 30
“ This country was founded on the principle that every person deserves a safe haven. We chose this magnanimous role, and we continue to value it. It is this country’s, and this state’s, legacy.”
Another step forward:
— A Utah lawmaker was stripped of his leadership post after twice being told to correct his behavior toward women. — Robert Gehrke | The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 6
“The move marks the first known instance in recent years where a Utah legislator has been reprimanded for inappropriate behavior. It comes amid a nationwide debate and heightened awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace, particularly in Hollywood and political circles.”
— Do you believe lobbyists play a ‘skintern’ game at the Utah Capitol, or will you not believe me unless I give you names? — Michelle Quist | The Salt Lake Tribune, Jan. 18
“Sexual harassment occurs at the Utah Legislature. How do I know this? I know this because sexual harassment occurs everywhere.”
— Sexual harassment doesn’t belong at the Legislature — Tribune Editorial, Jan. 13
“The Legislature needs to implement a policy of zero tolerance. None. No protection of identity. No protection from reporting. And no taxpayer subsidy of settlements.”
A step back:
— Mormon church backs bill that could prevent recording bishop interviews — Tiffany Caldwell | The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 6
“The LDS Church is supporting a bill that could protect church leaders from being recorded without their knowledge or consent. ... John Dehlin, of the ‘Mormon Stories’ podcast, said he believes lobbyists with the LDS Church are encouraging lawmakers to vote for the bill. ‘This will make it impossible to record Mormon bishops and stake president interviews, Mormon GAs, etc. to hold them accountable for the things they say and do,’ Dehlin wrote in a Facebook post Monday night. Dehlin said the bill is a ‘direct response’ to his podcast, ‘Mormon Stories,’ and requests for bishops and stake presidents to stop asking minors sexually explicit questions during private interviews.”
— The LDS Church should revise the ‘bishop’s interview’ — Tribune Editorial, Dec. 18
It turns out, it is not appropriate for adolescent and teen youth to sit in a room with a male ecclesiastical leader with the door closed and be expected to answer questions about sexual history, inclinations or desires.
Stay tuned...
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Tribune staff. George Pyle.
George Pyle — gpyle@sltrib.com — is The Salt Lake Tribune’s editorial page editor.
