- Ron Winterton
- 5 days ago
- 12 min read
Friend and Neighbors,
As week five of the legislative session comes to a close, the momentum at the Capitol remains strong as the last two weeks approach. Our focus is on advancing policies that are fiscally responsible and aligned with Utah’s long-term priorities, including ensuring reliable, low-cost energy, strengthening education and keeping our state affordable for families and small businesses.
At the same time, our appropriations committees are continuing work on the state budget. We are making targeted, strategic investments while maintaining the conservative, balanced approach that has kept Utah on a solid financial footing year after year.
Outside the Capitol, I’m grateful to see the steady snowfall across our state. The moisture we’ve received this winter is a blessing to our water supply, farmers and ranchers, ski industry and long-term planning efforts. In a state where water shapes so much of our future, we never take a good snow year for granted.
Priority Spotlights
Spotlight: Cleaner Air, Even as Utah Grows
For years, many have assumed that population growth automatically leads to poorer air quality. Together, Utahns have proven that assumption wrong.
Over the past 25 years, our state has met the EPA standard for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a significant achievement made possible through thoughtful policy, strategic investment and strong partnerships. This progress reflects collaboration between the Utah Legislature, the Department of Environmental Quality, local industry and engaged citizens across our state.
Cleaner Tier 3 fuels, expanded transit options, and innovative emission-control technology have reduced pollution even as our population and vehicle miles traveled have increased.
Utah families also played an important role. Through state incentive programs, residents upgraded water heaters, installed cleaner appliances and replaced older wood-burning stoves. Individual choices, combined with industry innovation and responsible policy, have measurably reduced PM2.5 across our communities.
These efforts demonstrate that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
We are now applying the same proactive approach to address summer ground-level ozone. The EPA’s approval of Utah’s 179B demonstration recognizes that some ozone pollution originates outside our borders, allowing us to focus on emissions we can control while continuing to support economic opportunity.
We have proven that we can grow and still improve air quality.
While work remains, Utah’s air is cleaner today because of shared responsibility and smart policy decisions. I remain committed to solutions that protect public health, strengthen our economy and ensure a bright future for the next generation.
Read more here.
Securing Utah’s Water Future
Water has always shaped life in Utah, supporting our communities, farmers, economy and the Great Salt Lake. With continued growth and ongoing drought cycles, securing a reliable water future requires thoughtful planning and decisive action.
In recent years, we have invested more than $1 billion in conservation, infrastructure and long-term water planning. These efforts strengthen supply reliability, improve efficiency and direct more water where it’s needed most, including the Great Salt Lake.
Utah’s approach balances conservation, innovation and regional cooperation to ensure communities and agriculture can thrive while protecting the Great Salt Lake.
Read more about Utah’s comprehensive water strategy and ongoing efforts to safeguard the lake here.
On the Hill
Honoring Utah’s Fallen Service Members We are the land of the free because of the brave. The United States stands as a beacon of freedom and hope, and we are reminded that liberty has always carried a cost. Throughout our history, courageous Utahns have answered the call to serve, leaving home to defend the liberties we cherish. Some did not return, giving their lives so others might live in peace and security. It was a solemn honor to recognize these brave men and women and the families who carry their legacy. May we honor their memory not only in our words, but in our devotion to the freedoms they secured, never forgetting the sacrifice that makes our liberty possible.
Honoring Utah’s First Responders
The safety we enjoy in Utah is not something we can take for granted. It exists because, every day, first responders choose to run toward danger so others can find safety. Police officers, firefighters, search and rescue teams and emergency medical personnel answer calls at all hours, often in the most difficult and uncertain circumstances, serving neighbors they may never meet with courage and compassion. May we honor them not only in words, but by supporting one another and remembering the price paid for the peace we experience each day.
Recognizing Nationally Board Certified Teachers in Utah
Each year, we have the privilege of recognizing Utah educators who achieve National Board Certification, the most respected professional credential in K-12 education. This rigorous process asks teachers to demonstrate deep mastery of their content and show clear evidence of their students’ growth and progress. Those who earn this certification have met the highest standards in the nation.
These educators represent some of Utah’s very best teachers. Through their dedication and expertise, they strengthen classrooms and enrich communities across our state. I commend each of these outstanding educators for their commitment to excellence and for the powerful impact they make every day.
Utah System of Higher Education Leaders Bring Insight to Capitol Hill
It was a privilege to welcome Utah’s System of Higher Education on Capitol Hill this week. Their visit offered lawmakers meaningful insight into the innovation taking place across our campuses and the skills students are developing to strengthen Utah’s economy. We’re grateful for the collaboration and expertise these leaders bring to the table. Each conversation reinforced the vital role a strong higher education system plays in building a prepared workforce and sustaining economic growth. Their efforts serve as a powerful reminder that investing in education is ultimately an investment in Utah’s future.
Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day offers an opportunity to honor leaders such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, whose vision and courage helped lay the foundation for the freedoms we enjoy today. As we look toward the America250 celebration, Utah is joining the nationwide effort to reflect on the principles that have guided our nation for nearly 250 years: faith, liberty, civic responsibility and public service.
In that same spirit, we are considering H.C.R. 4, a resolution reaffirming the importance of religious freedom in Utah’s public spaces. The resolution supports the rights of students and teachers to express their faith while encouraging respectful dialogue among people of diverse beliefs. This observance reminds us that public service and principled leadership remain essential to preserving the values that unite and strengthen our communities and our state.
Legislation Highlights
Statewide Constitutional Cases
Utah’s rapid growth and increasingly complex legal cases are placing real pressure on our judicial system. This session, we expanded judicial resources by adding judges and support staff, the largest investment in the Judicial Branch in decades. In addition to adding resources, we must also ensure our courts handle statewide cases efficiently and fairly.
Constitutional rulings affect every Utahn, yet today a single district judge can issue a decision with immediate statewide impact, leaving many communities feeling they have no voice. H.B. 392 and S.J.R. 5 address this by allowing certain constitutional challenges to be heard by a three-judge panel selected at random from different parts of the state.
What it Does
Instead of being decided by a single district court judge, qualifying constitutional cases that affect the entire state will be heard by a panel of three district court judges.
Judges will be selected at random from across the state through a transparent process.
The Judicial Council creates and maintains a public list of district court judges who are qualified for the panel.
No new court is being created; instead, certain cases of statewide significance would be heard by a randomly selected three-judge panel.
Appeals will still go to the Utah Supreme Court.
Why this Matters
A three-judge panel brings multiple perspectives and helps strengthen public trust in the outcome. Because judges are randomly selected from across Utah, the panel reflects a range of regional perspectives and helps ensure issues affecting the entire state are heard by a broadly representative group of judges.
For more than a century, federal courts have used three-judge panels for constitutional cases because issues of statewide and national significance deserve broader judicial review.
S.B. 240 Higher Education Institutional Governance
What It Does
Gives university Boards of Trustees a clearer role in major campus decisions, including long-term priorities, budgets and annual reviews of the university president.
Puts trustees at the center of financial oversight so there is a clear, reliable group keeping watch over internal audits.
Creates a leadership structure and who is in charge of what, so students, faculty and the public know where decisions come from and who is accountable.
Why It Matters
Utahns expect universities that are well-run, transparent and focused on student success, not internal confusion or gaps in oversight.
A recent audit showed that defined roles and stronger accountability were needed, which is why these updates are being made.
A clearer system protects taxpayer dollars and builds trust in how our institutions are managed.
Better governance allows universities to spend more time educating students and supporting communities and less time untangling unclear processes.
S.J.R. 13 Joint Resolution Honoring Irish and Irish American Contributions to the Founding of the United States
What It Does
Commemorates America’s 250th anniversary by recognizing the important role Irish and Irish‑American individuals played in the Revolutionary War and in shaping our nation’s founding ideals.
Strengthens Utah’s relationship with Ireland and supports efforts to establish an Honorary Consul General in Utah to encourage cultural, educational and economic collaboration.
Why It Matters
The freedoms and civic ideals we cherish in our nation, from self-determination to active participation in democracy, were shaped in part by Irish Americans whose courage helped advance our nation’s fight for independence.
Honoring the Irish‑American signers of the Declaration of Independence helps us remember the diverse contributions that built our nation and continue to influence it today.
Expanding ties with Ireland opens doors for new partnerships in trade, education, tourism and cultural exchange, reaffirming our state’s commitment to global collaboration.
S.C.R. 10 Concurrent Resolution Emphasizing Utah's Commitment to Advanced Air Mobility
What It Does
Recognizes Utah’s leadership in aerospace innovation and sets a goal to deploy Advanced Air Mobility technologies, such as air taxis and next‑generation aircraft, before the 2034 Winter Olympic Games.
Encourages state agencies, local governments, universities, and private industry to coordinate planning and testing of these technologies.
Highlights Utah’s strong economy and industry partnerships make the state a prime location for testing and launching these emerging technologies.
Why It Matters
Utah is planning for the next generation of transportation.
The technology could help with medical transport, disaster response and faster access to rural communities.
Preparing now positions Utah to attract high-tech jobs and showcase our state’s innovation when the world arrives at the 2034 Olympics.
S.B. 232 Regulatory Impacts on Families
What It Does
Directs state agencies, counties, municipalities and local school boards to consider how certain proposed rules, ordinances and formal policies may affect family health, stability and formation before they are adopted.
Adds a “family impact” review to the decision-making process so potential effects on families are evaluated early and transparently
Why It Matters
Utah has a strong tradition of supporting families and this bill reinforces that commitment by including families in the policymaking process.
Government decisions help shape our communities and family life. This bill supports decision-makers by encouraging them to consider a simple question: How will this affect families?
S.B. 232 does not require specific policy outcomes, but it helps leaders make more informed decisions by considering the impacts on families alongside fiscal and administrative effects.
S.B. 253 Library Materials Amendments
What It Does
Supports Utah’s education standards and literacy goals by helping school libraries remain trusted places for students to safely explore a wide range of physical and digital resources.
Strengthens local education agencies' authority to determine which library materials are appropriate for students, reflecting the needs and standards of each school community.
Ensures parents have a clear voice in decisions about school library materials through a defined, transparent review process.
Establishes a standardized framework for reviewing and, when necessary, removing materials that are not suitable for children, so students can research and learn in a safe environment instead of relying on the open, unfiltered web.
Requires that challenged materials and the decisions made about them are publicly available, increasing transparency and accountability for families and community members.
Why It Matters
Schools and libraries should be trusted spaces where Utah students can research, read and learn in safety. By empowering parents and local communities while establishing a clear, transparent process for reviewing materials, this bill helps make school libraries even safer without limiting access to diverse educational resources.
These safeguards support student learning, promote a love of reading and help prepare young people for success in higher education and the workforce.
S.B. 93 Corrections Amendments
Utah’s correctional facilities face evolving challenges, including new security threats and increasing operational demands on staff. S.B. 93 updates state law to help correctional officers safely manage facilities while addressing modern risks, such as drone activity near prisons and jails.
What It Does
Clarifies supervision policies so correctional staff have the flexibility they need to safely manage inmates and daily operations within facilities.
Makes it illegal to use drones to remove items from correctional property, a growing concern nationwide, as drones have been used to move contraband into and out of secure areas.
Streamlines the collection of unpaid probation and parole supervision fees by moving them into the state’s standard debt collection process rather than treating them as criminal accounts.
Why It Matters
Safety inside correctional facilities directly affects safety in our communities. Giving correctional officers clear policies and practical tools helps reduce staff risk and maintain secure facilities.
Restricting drone activity helps prevent the movement of contraband and strengthens perimeter security.
Handling supervision fees through the state’s regular debt collection system allows the Department of Corrections to focus more on supervising offenders and supporting rehabilitation while still holding individuals responsible for what they owe.
H.B. 146 Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Program Amendments
What It Does
Expands a successful pilot program that helps outstanding teachers stay in the classroom while taking on leadership roles.
Builds capacity through mentoring, coaching and professional learning, supporting up to 2,080 educators statewide.
Provides stipends for teacher-leaders and supports teacher coach positions to strengthen collaboration and instructional quality.
Elevates teacher voice in curriculum, instruction and professional learning decisions.
Strengthens mentoring and coaching for new and early-career teachers to improve retention and classroom success.
Why It Matters
Teachers make the biggest difference in student learning. Supporting experienced educators and helping new teachers succeed improves classroom instruction for students across the state.
By having career pathways that reward excellence without requiring teachers to leave the classroom, the bill helps schools retain talented educators.
Strengthening peer mentorship and instructional coaching helps new teachers thrive and builds a stronger, more connected teaching workforce across the state.
H.B. 76 Data Center Water Transparency Amendments
What It Does
Large data centers are to report their water use to improve planning and transparency.
Facilities must submit an estimate of expected water use before construction and report actual annual water use once operating.
Improves coordination between cities, counties, water providers and state agencies by requiring advance notice before large facilities are approved.
Publish key water-use information online to increase transparency.
Establishes an enforcement process for facilities that fail to submit complete or timely reports.
Why It Matters
Data centers that support artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies are becoming more water-efficient, but careful planning is still necessary as the industry grows in Utah.
Strengthens long-term water planning by ensuring policymakers and water providers have accurate information about large industrial water users. Better information helps communities plan infrastructure, protect existing water users and prepare for future demand.
Improved transparency also supports responsible management of important resources, including the Great Salt Lake and other local water sources, while allowing economic development to continue.
S.B. 275 State-Endorsed Digital Identity Program Amendments
What It Does
Establishes Utah’s official Digital Identity Program and builds on prior legislation to ensure individuals remain in control of their personal identification information.
Creates a Digital Identity Bill of Rights that protects a Utahn’s ability to continue using a physical ID, decide what personal information to share and opt in before a digital ID is used.
Sets clear standards for how digital credentials are issued, secured and verified, and outlines privacy protections for storing and accessing identity data.
Why It Matters
We’re putting privacy first by ensuring Utahns retain control over their identity information and how it’s used. This means no tracking, no profiling and no forced participation.
More and more services, from travel to banking to age verification, are moving online. A digital ID can make these interactions easier, but only if strong privacy protections are in place.
Keeping participation voluntary ensures Utahns may continue using a physical driver's license or identification card if they prefer.
By setting these guardrails now, Utah can support innovation while protecting individual privacy and personal choice that are designed to prevent misuse of personal data by establishing limits on how identity information may be requested, shared or retained.
S.B. 244 Cardiac Emergency Response Plans in Schools
What It Does
Requires every Utah school to create a cardiac emergency response plan tailored to its unique needs.
Ensures that AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are properly placed, maintained and marked with clear signage and easy to access within three minutes.
Requires key school staff to receive CPR, first aid and AED training based on nationally recognized, evidence-based standards
Provides a grant program to help schools, especially high-need schools, to cover costs for AEDs, maintenance and training materials.
Why It Matters
Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in youth, with more than 23,000 young people experiencing cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year. Quick action can mean the difference between life and death.
Every minute without intervention reduces the chance of survival by about 10%. Having a clear response plan and trained staff is essential.
Schools serve as major community hubs which regularly host families, community events and daily activities. Having a reliable emergency plan protects not just students, but also parents, teachers, volunteers and visitors.
Giving schools flexible, school-specific plans strengthens public safety and ensures that our communities are better equipped to respond in a life-threatening emergency.
ICYMI:
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I’m grateful for the chance to represent the people of Utah and to be part of the work being done to make our great state even stronger.
Best,
Ron Winterton
