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Since 2020, Utah lawmakers have leaned into bills that increase criminal penalties

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 3h

More statutes with harsher penalties may satisfy law-and-order messaging, but the long-term outcomes—rising incarceration costs, backlogged courts, reentry challenges—are rarely scrutinized in the legislative process.

🔗 KUER:

An analysis by the Utah Defense Attorney Association found that the Legislature passed 165 bills over the last five years to increase criminal penalties. Yet, crime statistics don’t seem to reflect…

Why the case against Utah’s transgender sports ban fell apart — and what comes next

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 4h

With Utah’s plaintiffs withdrawing, the issue moves squarely into the legal realm. The Supreme Court’s upcoming decisions in related cases become critical and will determine the future of Utah’s transgender sports ban.

🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune:

A lawsuit against the UHSAA over a ban on transgender girls playing sports has been dismissed. Here's a look at what happened, and what comes next.

Some airports are refusing to play a Homeland Security video blaming Dems for the shutdown. Here’s what SLC decided.

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 6h

SLC’s refusal, grounded in state law restricting political content on public screens, affirms a principle too often treated as political theater: publicly funded infrastructure shouldn’t serve partisan agendas.

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 6h

Amid a broader trend of airports rejecting a partisan video by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, SLC International Airport has confirmed that it will not show it, citing state law that bars political content on city-owned equipment.

🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune: buff.ly/74s8E8O

Airports across the country are grappling with whether to play a video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem, who is shown blaming congressional Democrats for the shutdown of the…

www.sltrib.com

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 18h

Food insecurity doesn’t pause for shutdowns—families will feel immediate pressure if new program rules (e.g. expanded work requirements) land without guidance. The state and nonprofits may be forced into crisis-management mode.

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 18h

Utah advocates warn of potential scarcity in food assistance if shutdown continues

While October’s benefits are secured, the looming uncertainty for November marks a serious risk.
buff.ly/dG0s7rp

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 21h

Stewardship means tackling the big picture: conservation, sustainable growth, and holding industries accountable for their water use.

Utah now runs the world's largest remote-controlled cloud seeding program

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 21h

Cloud seeding might help a little but it won’t fix the root causes of our water crisis. Utah can’t pray or spray its way out of drought while still approving massive water-intensive developments.

🔗 FOX 13: buff.ly/ygTgeZp

Utah's expansion of cloud seeding is starting to provide a return on investment, water policymakers were told Thursday.

www.fox13now.com

Here’s how much Utah’s controversial school voucher program is spending in its second year

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Every dollar funneled to private schools is a dollar that doesn’t reach the classroom where most Utah kids actually learn. Education should lift every child, not create a two-tiered system for those who can afford more.

🔗 Salt Lake Tribune:

More than 14,000 Utah students are receiving scholarships for the 2025-26 school year, under the state's controversial Utah Fits All school voucher program.

State lawmakers vote against recommending University of Utah trustee, a Latina who’s championed inclusion

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Public service should be judged by merit, not ideology. Rejecting a qualified Latina leader because she stood for inclusion sends the wrong message about who belongs in Utah’s institutions. Diversity isn’t a threat—it’s a strength.

🔗 Salt Lake Tribune:

“I did hear you mention ‘equity’ twice in the presentation,” said Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, who voted against recommending University of Utah trustee Maria Garciaz for reappointment.

As the president escalates his authoritarian power grab, the NO KINGS non-violent movement continues to rise stronger. We are united once again to remind the world: America has No Kings and the power…

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Upcoming event: No Kings Protest - October 18 | All Day | Statewide

Find your local protest here:

No Kings

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Utahns believe in stewardship—of our budgets, our communities, and our people. Tell Congress to do the same: end the shutdown, protect healthcare, and put families first.

Contact Your State Senator

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Email Senator Mike Lee: buff.ly/Bd1bazb
Email Senator John Curtis: buff.ly/SX154C3
Email Your U.S. Representative: buff.ly/SUkVyvE

Enter your personal information in the form to automatically find your elected officials and write them regarding an issue that concerns you and deserves action. You can use this form to contact your…

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Utahns deserve leaders who will stop the political games and protect access to care, & Utah families can’t afford to see healthcare caught in the crossfire of Washington gridlock. Contact your representatives today and tell them to pass a funding bill that safeguards healthcare:

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

The federal shutdown is already hitting Utah’s economy and workers—from IRS employees in Ogden to staff at Hill Air Force Base. But if Congress doesn’t act soon, key healthcare programs such as premium assistance and Medicaid could also be at risk.

Record numbers of Utahns claiming college degrees

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

But continued progress depends on keeping higher education accessible—especially for rural, low-income, and nontraditional students. Investing in public colleges isn’t just an economic choice; it’s a moral one about the kind of future we build together.

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

Utah’s record-breaking graduation numbers are worth celebrating. Education lifts families, strengthens communities, and fuels opportunity.

🔗 Deseret News: buff.ly/kWBLakK

Report: Despite national polls signaling diminished opinions of higher education, college students in Utah are claiming degrees and certificates at historic pace.

www.deseret.com

Sign up for The Beehive Briefing Newsletter

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

To get the latest headlines distilled for you weekday mornings, join the Beehive Briefing: buff.ly/52MW4kg

Use this form to sign up to receive near-daily updates on important news, action alerts, and upcoming events.

Unique, waterless geothermal system moving forward in Utah • Utah News Dispatch

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 1d

A Utah business is moving forward with a new geothermal project that doesn’t rely on groundwater—potentially a major breakthrough for renewable energy in arid regions.

🔗 Utah News Dispatch:

Rodatherm Energy’s project in Millard and Beaver counties promising a new, waterless geothermal technology is moving forward.

Regional homelessness orgs urge Utah leaders to pump brakes on system rejig backed by state board

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Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 2d

Utah’s homelessness system needs improvement, but speed isn’t the same as progress. Local coalitions—from St. George to Ogden—understand their communities best. A truly compassionate system listens first and acts with care, not control.

🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune:

Utah's regional homelessness organizations say they were left out of the loop when the state's top policymaking board on homelessness sent recommendations to legislators last month.

The shutdown is a mixed bag for Ogden IRS workers, but restaurants feel the pinch

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 2d

Utah’s “shutdown economy” makes clear how interconnected our communities are. When public workers are sidelined, local businesses bleed too. It’s a reminder that government jobs aren’t abstract—they keep Utah’s economy humming.

🔗 KUER:

Federal workers make up a good portion of customers at downtown restaurants. With furloughed workers spending less, business owners are worried.

Utah congressman says he fears we are about to feel real pain of government shutdown

Alliance for a Better Utah @betterutah.bsky.social · 2d

Utah Rep. Blake Moore warned this weekend that the painful government shutdown is about to get “really, really dramatic and pretty bad in a week or two,” but his party’s actions helped make this crisis possible.

🔗 The Salt Lake Tribune:

Rep. Blake Moore said he thinks the government shutdown is about to get "really, really dramatic" as federal workers start to miss paychecks.