Checking in at the Legislature: January 2025

CHECKING IN AT THE LEGISLATURE:
JANUARY 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

With the General Session starting Tuesday January 22nd, I look forward to vetting the bills and debating crucial issues as we address opportunities and challenges in Utah. I've included a number of resources to help you navigate our meetings and legislation.

Recently, I was invited to discuss upcoming legislative issues on podcasts and radio spots. Access to those are found in "Quick Links". It was a pleasure getting to sit down and talk about the work we hope to do in the upcoming session. Join me for celebrations at the Capitol and service projects at The Gateway on Monday for Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. I'll be one of the speakers at the Capitol at 11am.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me. I'd love to hear from you!

Warmest regards,

Melissa
UPCOMING EVENTS

QUICK LINKS

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Town Hall TOMORROW EVENING!
2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
3. Women in the Utah Legislature
4. Quick References for the Session
5. Inauguration Ceremony and Ball
Town Hall TOMORROW EVENING!
You are invited to our South Davis County Town Hall Meeting, where my colleagues and I will share our policy goals for the 2025 General Session and hear about the issues that matter most to you and our community. I hope to see you there!
Wednesday, January 15th
7:00 - 8:30 pm
Bountiful City Hall
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Day on Monday, join me at the Utah Capitol building where I will be speaking at the celebrations about Dr. King and his dream of our nation working together to create a Beloved Community.
 
"But the end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the
creation of the beloved community. It is this type of spirit and this
type of love that can transform opposers into friends. The type of
love that I stress here is not eros, a sort of esthetic or romantic
love; not philia, a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends;
but it is agape which is understanding goodwill for all men.
It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. It is the love
of God working in the lives of men. This is the love that may well
be the salvation of our civilization."

The Role of the Church in Facing the Nation's Chief Moral Dilemma, 1957
Women in the Utah Legislature
This year, we are excited to welcome in the freshman class of legislators to be sworn in on January 21st, of which 45% are women. We are proud to say we have the most women ever serving in the Utah legislature this year, making up one third of the 2025-2026 Legislature.
Quick References for the Session
For the 2025 General Legislative Session, I’ve been assigned to serve on the Business, Labor, & Commerce committee, Law Enforcement committee, and Criminal Justice committee. I am excited to work with my fellow legislators to continue to improve the lives of all Utahns.

You can follow the legislative process through our website here to watch floor time, committee time, and look up legislation. Additional press updates can be found here, and the issues page has answers on Utah laws and hot topics.

The House Majority Caucus will also be making updates here for constituents like you to see statistics and priorities that we are working on this year. 

I will keep you updated throughout the session, but please reach out to me with questions and concerns. I want to hear from you!
Inauguration Ceremony and Ball
My husband and I had a wonderful time at the inauguration ceremony and ball for Governor Spencer Cox, Attorney General Derek Brown, Auditor Tina Cannon, and Treasurer Marlo Oaks.

We especially loved the performances of "America the Beautiful" by the Academia Mis Raíces, "Bring Him Home" by Dallyn Vail Bayles, and the Tabernacle Choir. I also had the pleasure of meeting some of our newest legislators, Rep. Jake Sawyer, Rep. Verona Mauga, and Rep. Rosalba Dominguez.
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Paid for by the Committee to Elect Melissa Garff Ballard

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