Utah
Utah lawmakers address federalism while working to balance state, federal jurisdiction
A new bill dealing with federal and state jurisdictional conflict is just one of multiple bills this session meant to deal with federal government overreach and emphasize Utah’s sovereignty.
HB380 establishes a mechanism to deal with jurisdictional conflict between the state and federal governments. It establishes a clear understanding that the federal government has a limited jurisdiction while the state has general jurisdiction.
“It’s the burden of the federal government to prove that it has jurisdiction when it’s acting,” said the bill’s sponsor Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan. “It’s their obligation to prove where they have authority.”
The goal of the bill is to keep the federal government from overstepping into state matters and it establishes what to if that does happen.
This bill also emphasizes specific areas where states have jurisdiction. These areas are natural resources, water resources and water rights, agriculture, education and energy resources.
“I think it’s just part of the progression of states rediscovering the general jurisdiction of states. For far too long, states have acted subservient, and that’s not the way our system was designed,” Ivory said.
According to Ivory, the general governing jurisdiction lies with the states while the constitution delegates few things to the federal government that are mostly interstate and international.
“Most of the things that concern the life, liberty, property of people are held by governments that more local, more accountable,” Ivory said. “So this just reestablishes that baseline, and then sets up, almost like a mediation process, rather than, a bully process.”
The bill also cites the Ninth and 10th amendments of the U.S. Constitution which both deal with rights not delegated to the federal government.
The 10th Amendment delegates all powers not given to the federal government to the states and to the people. The Ninth Amendment gives people power and sovereignty over things that don’t need government oversight such as how people brush their teeth or what clothes they buy.
There is another piece of legislation this session that also emphasizes the rights delegated by the 10th Amendment. SJR6 reaffirm’s Utah’s sovereignty under this amendment and includes the Legislature pledging to safeguard that sovereignty from unconstitutional federal overreach.
Why are these pieces of legislation necessary?
Ivory said that the Constitution is a genius document which sets up an incredible governing structure, but this structure requires both monitoring and maintenance to make sure the delicate balances and limits are functioning properly.
“If you don’t rotate the tires and change the oil and and check the belts regularly after not even a year that car is going to start operating not properly, and after a decade, you probably can’t even drive it anymore,” Ivory said. “Well, we haven’t been doing the regular maintenance on the vehicle of our government, and that’s what this is about.”
Ivory said these pieces of legislation are meant to help rebalance the relationship and partnership between the state and federal governments. It isn’t just the state government limiting the federal government but also looking for ways to work with the federal government.
“It’s like any organization, when the org chart is out of balance, you rebalance the roles and responsibilities, and that’s what we’re doing,” the representative said.
Ivory said that within a couple years the largest federal expense will be interest on the federal debt and that it is growing more than any other expense. This is unsustainable and needs to be rebalanced.
Over the years the states have allowed those in Washington to take over more and more of the decision-making.
The representative is concerned with the national debt that continues to grow and with that inflation is increasing as well. This is also a concern for the future generations and what life will look like for them.
“I have four grandchildren that I love more than life, and I can’t bear the thought of facing them when they’re trying to make their way in the world, and they say, ‘Grandpa, did you see this coming?’ And I’ll have to say ‘yes.’ And then the next question is going to be, ‘What did you do about it?’” Ivory said.
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.
The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.
“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.
The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.
“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”
The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.
“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.
The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.
The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.
A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”
Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”
Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.
“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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