Utah
Proposed bill would define what’s allowed on personalized Utah license plates
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SALT LAKE CITY — After a pair of failed attempts to pause Utah’s personalized license plate program over concerns of future legal challenges, a bill that takes another route to the issue cleared its first challenge Wednesday following some additional changes.
Members of the House Transportation Committee voted 7-3 to advance an amended version of HB186. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Norman Thurston, R-Provo, seeks to outline in state code what would not be allowed on a personalized license plate, such as any combination of letters or numbers that is “indecent, obscene, profane or connotes certain other illegal activities or substances.”
These, according to the bill, include profanities, “vulgar, coarse or irreverent” terms and anything that “naturally provokes a violent resentment.” It also includes any “statement or use of innuendo, euphemism, double-entendre,” as well as anything that “depicts or describes sexual or eliminatory activities or organs; and patently offensive or appears to pander or is used to titillate or shock,” among other terms that wouldn’t be allowed.
The intent behind the bill remains the same as in recent years. Thurston explained to the committee that he’s concerned with how Utah approves personalized plates. He fears that the state denying a swear word could lead to a lawsuit over freedom of speech based on the current law.
“The problem is that court cases around the country, federal cases in particular, are finding that states cannot ban just whatever they want,” he told the committee. “The First Amendment requires that any restrictions must be viewpoint neutral and cannot be vague — they have to be specific enough that people can understand the law.”
The representative floated around somewhat similar bills over the previous two legislative sessions, although both of those called on the state to temporarily stop issuing any personalized license plates while the state waits for further legal clarification.
In 2022, his bill that included the pause sailed through the House of Representatives but the Senate failed to vote on it before the session came to a close. Then, last year, the same bill was altered to remove the provision that called for the pause while the rest of the bill went into law.
This year’s bill doesn’t seek to stop the program for any point in time; rather, it intends to codify what’s considered appropriate that “still passes constitutional muster.”
“Hopefully, we’ll get it right this time and the Senate will love it and we won’t have to talk about it again,” he said.
His presentation led to a flurry of clarifying though, as constituents and lawmakers sought to understand the restrictions better.
Crystal Young, a member of the audience, asked about nuances within outlined banned terms. She asked if her partner could have a license plate that reads “69TESLA,” because the bill lists No. 69 as a possible example of “indecent” language.
Thurston explained that the context of a request would be used in this situation. In that scenario, the plate shouldn’t be rejected; however, it could be rejected if it’s determined that the number is used indecently.
In the end, she said doesn’t oppose the effort because it doesn’t attempt to restrict “viewpoint diversity.”
Questions about the bill sparked a pair of amendments during the meeting. The changes clarify that any slur is on the list of banned language and tweak the wording to say that the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles “shall consider how an objective reasonable person would interpret the requested language with no other context.”
Others doubted the need for the bill, though.
Utah State Tax Commission Chairman John Valentine said the commission, which oversees the Division of Motor Vehicles, hasn’t issued a stance on the bill yet, but there are “significant administrative concerns” with what’s in the bill now because it shakes up the current standard that has “stood the test of time.”
Rep. Kay Christofferson, R-Lehi, voted against the measure for similar reasons. He believes it has “a lot of good points,” but that it’s also a nonissue right now.
“At this point, why change it when it’s not broken?” he said. “I’m inclined to just say let’s keep this in mind, but let’s hold off at this point.”
But Thurston countered that it’s why Utah should look at the measure now, so it avoids a legal conflict that it may lose without bolstering the law.
“Every other state that got sued had not been sued until they were sued,” he quipped. “We haven’t been sued yet. We don’t know if that’s going to happen sooner or later or not at all.”
In the end, the committee voted in favor of the bill, sending it to the House floor for a full vote. The bill must be approved by the House of Representatives and Senate by March 1.
If approved, it’ll go into law in May.
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SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns can never be described as “basic,” but that quality is at the root of the most troublesome word for state residents to spell.
Basically… it’s basically.
According to Unscramblerer.com, the word “basically” is the one that trips up Utahns the most. Not mischievous, acquiesce, onomatopoeia or… yes… bougie. (Actually, bougie was the most misspelled word in all of America.)
To find the most difficult words for each state’s residents to pronounce, the site used Google Trends and Ahrefs.
List of America’s Most Misspellled Words:
- Bougie
- Favorite
- Through
- Business
- Tomorrow
- Because
- Definitely
- Beautiful
- Niece
- Separate
Utah
Mom of two missing Utah boys issues desperate plea after they were allegedly abducted by their dad
A mom to two missing Utah boys has issued a desperate plea amid fears they may have been snatched by their dad, whom authorities have previously described as “seriously depressed.”
Lizzie Tomich’s voice cracked in a social media video as she begged for the safe return of Will Richman, 1, and 10-month-old Wesley, both of whom were last seen on May 16.
“Please, like, share, repost everything,” she said in the video.
Tomich co-parents her two children with Dane Stephen Richman, who lives in Utah, and he collected the brothers from her Sheldon, Washington, home as part of a routine custody exchange but he failed to return them a week later.
Richman, 46, reportedly told Tomich he and the boys were camping, but he pulled out of a deposition custody hearing on Friday, raising alarm.
A welfare check was carried out at Richman’s Saratoga Springs home before authorities issued an Amber Alert.
“At that point, we called the police to do a welfare check on him,” Tomich said.
“When the police arrived, we learned that the house was vacant and there were things being moved out.
“There was no car and Dane and the boys were not home. When we learned this, we knew something was wrong.”
Tomich shared messages she exchanged with Richman, where she asked, “Where are you? Where are the kids right now?”
“With me, I’m driving,” Richman supposedly replied before saying they were “camping.”
Tomich then revealed she arrived at the supposed meet-up location 15 minutes earlier than planned.
“As the time approached, I began calling and texting him asking for an ETA. He did not respond. At, approximately 12: 01 p.m. is when I began to panic and when we called police,” she said.
Tomich’s family lawyer, Brittany Skinner, then interjected, adding, “After further investigation with the police, we learned that Dane’s quit his job.
“He’s sold almost all of his possessions. He has left with almost everything he has, with the clear intention of not returning with these children.”
Tomich’s voice cracked as she begged, “Please, like, share, repost everything, share with your family, share with your friends, anybody you know, they could be anywhere. Please,” revealing that her sons have “infectious smiles.. dimples and blue eyes.”
Richman has been charged with custodial interference, a third-degree felony, but authorities fear he may have crossed into Mexico, KTVX reported.
Cops suspect Richman was likely in Carlsbad, California, on May 18 – and crossed the border the following day.
Authorities said “There is concern for the safety and well-being of the children as the suspect has been seriously depressed, selling possessions, facing financial stress, and abandoned his home,” as they issued the Amber Alert.
But when cops were carrying out the welfare check, it’s since emerged they stopped a “moving truck,” Katie Walters, the brothers’ aunt told KTVX.
“He had completely moved out of his house that the children were supposed to be living in, and the moving truck was just actually pulling out of the driveway, and the police were able to stop the moving truck, and they asked what’s going on,” she said.
“They said they didn’t even know because they never even saw the owner of the home while they were there. They only were communicating via text.”
Addressing Richman, she said, “To Dane, just please be safe. We love you and we love those kids.”
Richman is reportedly driving a black Toyota Camry that has a Utah license plate A561HL, but cops suspect the car is a newer model and it could have a temporary tag.
OREM, Utah (KUTV) — Reports of ticks near Orem City Center Park and surrounding neighborhoods are raising concerns among Utah County residents as families spend more time outdoors during the holiday weekend.
The sightings, shared in neighborhood social media posts, appear to show ticks in residential backyards near the park. While ticks are commonly found in Utah during warmer months, health officials warn some species can carry serious diseases.
Susan and Paul Johnson were among many families spending Memorial Day in the area with visiting friends from Japan.
MORE | Ticks
“Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s not too hot, not too cold,” Susan Johnson said.
The family said they spent the morning honoring veterans before heading out to enjoy the weather.
“We went to the cemetery this morning and placed flowers, and now we are here to play in the water, enjoy the sun and be together as a family,” Johnson said.
Utah’s warmer weather brings increased tick activity. The Rocky Mountain wood tick is the species most commonly found in Utah. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the tick is typically active from snowmelt through mid-July and is often found in mountainous terrain.
The species can carry diseases including Colorado tick fever and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Another species, the western black-legged tick, can carry Lyme disease.
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services began statewide tick surveillance efforts in 2020. Officials recommend anyone bitten by a tick monitor for symptoms including fever, rash, fatigue or body aches. Health officials also advise residents to safely collect and store the tick, if possible, for testing and identification.
Johnson said her family takes precautions after spending time outdoors.
“We check ourselves anyway at night,” she said.
Utah has reported a small number of Lyme disease cases in recent years. State health officials said more research is needed to better understand Lyme disease risks in Utah.
Residents are encouraged to wear long sleeves and pants in grassy or wooded areas, use insect repellent and perform tick checks after spending time outside.
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