Water, housing affordability and tax cuts: Utah lawmakers kick off legislative session

State lawmakers kicked off the 2023 Normal Session Tuesday with a transparent message: Making Utah extra reasonably priced for residents.

• Utah’s fast-paced, 45-day session will run till March 3.

The large image: State lawmakers want to deal with a myriad of points, like elevating trainer wages, growing reasonably priced housing and reducing taxes to assist Utahns climate inflation.

• Final yr, lawmakers lowered the state revenue tax price from 4.95% to 4.85%. This yr they hope to chop much more taxes.
• Introducing water insurance policies to reverse the Nice Salt Lake’s demise can be a giant focus for state lawmakers this yr.

In the meantime, the state additionally faces an almost $2 billion price range surplus that lawmakers should assist allocate.

What they’re saying: “Right here in Utah we have now the excellence of being each one of many fastest-growing and driest states within the nation. That leaves little room for error in how we handle our progress and our water,” Home Speaker Brad Wilson mentioned on the Capitol Tuesday.

• Senate President Stuart Adams mentioned he seemed ahead to addressing housing affordability insurance policies like bringing again state help financing for first-time house patrons.
• “One of the vital dramatic occasions popping out of COVID-19 was the impact on the housing market,” Adams mentioned. “… I’m personally involved that we’re dropping our center class. We should discover methods to get extra individuals out of residences and into their first house.”

The newest: State Rep. Karen Kwan (D-Murray) received a particular election on Monday to interchange state Sen. Karen Mayne (D-West Valley Metropolis).

• Mayne lately introduced her resignation, citing well being issues.

What we’re watching: Sen. Mike Kennedy (R-Alpine) is sponsoring a controversial invoice that may ban gender-affirming care for kids.