Author: Jesse

The Utah Legislature’s 2025 general session starts in eight days, and the Utah House Republicans say they plan on changing the way the state’s colleges and universities deliver education.

House Republican leadership announced their policy priorities for the 2025 session, which starts Jan. 21, at a press conference Monday.

“Caucus members have been working on these issues all year long,” House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said. “These priorities are a reflection of the thoughts and feedback that we have heard all across the state.”

Their priorities were in five main areas: education, affordability, infrastructure, safe communities and accountable government.

How the House majority will prioritize education this year

“Education is critical, even crucial, for improving lives and developing a skilled workforce and fostering innovation,” Rep. Candice B. Pierucci, R-Herriman, said.

The House Majority Caucus plans to focus on investing in career and technical education programs, reducing burdens for student teachers and parents and expanding individualized learning opportunities.

The goals for higher education include maximizing the value of education, streamlining and aligning degree programs with Utah’s workforce needs and increasing investments in technical education.

Schultz said they want to bring higher education “back to the basics” by focusing on providing educations that will give students strong opportunities in the workforce. This includes promoting degrees and certificates that will provide opportunities for economic success.

“It’s not fair or right to tell a student to come to one of our institutions and get a degree in a program that we know does not lead to a workforce outcome for them, does not give them a broad range of experience,” Rep. Karen Peterson, R-Clinton, said.

The representatives are also working on expanding the Utah Fits All Scholarship program which helped 10,000 families last year. There were 27,000 families who applied to receive the scholarship.

“In terms of funding we’ll see on the budget, of course, we’d love to see more money for customized learning for families and our students, but we’re looking at this year’s budget,” Peterson said.

How Utah plans to embrace nuclear power

In line with what Gov. Spencer Cox has said, Utah lawmakers say they want to increase energy production in the state.

“We have to plan where we’re going to get our power from, how we’re going to keep the lights on, a plan that must include future technologies such as nuclear as we move forward,” said Rep. Casey Snider, R-Paradise.

As part of the House GOP focus on infrastructure, Schultz said there have been many conversations about nuclear power, “we want more of it.”

The lawmakers said expanding nuclear power output will help keep Utah’s energy costs among the lowest in the country.

The state government has worked with the Idaho National Lab and funded the San Rafael Center, looking at ways to utilize nuclear power.

There are other focuses to help improve infrastructure, like making sure the state isn’t limited by gridlock and that there is enough water for everything the state requires, from agriculture to the Great Salt Lake.

Potential changes coming to Utah’s elections

The House will be looking into the recent audit on Utah’s elections to see what concerns should be addressed, Schultz said, adding there are no firm plans on changes yet.

These potential changes to Utah’s elections processes are a part of the group’s focus on increasing government accountability.

Schultz also spoke about the debate on who should be running the state’s elections.

“I think that’s a fair debate to have. I personally have concerns with — again, it’s not specific to any title, any person holding this title — but the perception out there to have the lieutenant governor in charge of their own elections, I would like to see a way and move away from that,” Schultz said.

There will also be an effort to bring more transparency to Utah elections and to address the other major concerns found in the audit such as management of the state’s voter rolls.

Schultz said this is the second audit in a row that has highlighted concerns with voter rolls.

Utah House Republicans plan to focus on illegal immigration

House Republicans said they will also focus on preserving the safety of Utah’s communities amid an increase in challenges like gang violence and fentanyl trafficking.

Part of this focus will include “cracking down on illegal immigrants who commit crimes in the Beehive state,” said Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield.

Lisonbee emphasized that this is not about making Utah a threatening place for immigrants but rather holding people accountable for committing crimes in the state.

“Whether they’re from Colorado, from Utah or from South America, it doesn’t matter. If you’re here and you’re committing crimes, you will be held accountable,” Lisonbee said. “That is the message that we are sending this year with our legal immigration package.”

This will include focusing on dealing with problems of human and drug trafficking from cartels and other groups.

The House Majority Caucus plans to lower taxes to help increase affordability

House Republicans say they’re also focused on making Utah more affordable.

“Utah tops almost every list of successful states, no matter the metric, we’re No. 1 in private sector job growth, for entrepreneurship, for upward mobility and more,” said Peterson.

Part of this priority is a focus on lowering taxes, but it is currently unclear how big these tax cuts could be or what they will ultimately look like.

Other policies they say they’ll pursue include increasing affordable home ownership, strengthening business friendly policies and protecting taxpayer dollars.