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Checking In At The Legislature:
July Update
I am proud to be an American! We live in strange times with a pandemic and protests, yet our unalienable rights remain the same. It seems we have to find new ways to pursue our happiness as we “Stay Safe to Stay Open” and learn to work through the protests and riots to protect our businesses and families.
 
I am proud of what the legislature accomplished during the special session in June. While most states need to cut 10-20% of their budgets, Utah only cut 1.7% due to available rainy-day funds and reduced spending. We actually increased public education funding per pupil by 1.8% and increased education funding for growth.  Social Services funding also increased 5.4%. 18% of our budget cuts came from reducing infrastructure and general government costs. Extending the State of Emergency continued to enable Utah to receive funding from the CARES ACT. For example, the Federal government funneled an additional $125 million into our state for education to Utah.
 
I hope you can wave your flags proudly this weekend to honor the freedoms and liberty we enjoy in this country.
 
-Melissa

Upcoming Events:

  • July 3rd West Bountiful Fireworks from Lakeside Golf Course sponsored by Holly Frontier (view from homes and cars)
  • 4th of July Air Parade and parachuting across Davis County 9-11 am. Information regarding fireworks can be found here. And here https://www.bountifulutah.gov/file/0fbb2fe0-9f49-467e-aebf-b5c64fe3b242
  • Bountiful Veteran’s Park info is here https://bountifulveteranspark.org/
  • Bountiful Farmer’s Market postponed until July 30th
  • Monday nights 5-8 pm: Food trucks at Legacy Park in NSL
  • Summer Trails Series - Legacy Trail July 11, 2020, 9:00 AM @ Legacy Trail. Parking is available at the Center Street trailhead in NSL. Parking and restrooms are available in Legacy Park. The NSL Parks and Arts board invites you to get out and explore our city's trails this summer! Each month, we will highlight a different trail. Join us for free snacks, drink, and trail maps. Family-friendly hiking or biking. 

In this Issue:

  • June legislative Special Session Summary and the new state budget
  • Unemployment federal funds: not available after Aug 1st
  • Job Openings in Utah
  • Utah Leads Together 4.0
  • Economic Recovery Grant Programs

June Special Session

On June 18th legislators met both in person and virtually for the 5th Special Session. We considered 26 bills addressing the state’s budget and policies related to COVID-19 and passed most of them.
A new budget included spending reductions, cash flow management, drawing a portion of the education rainy day fund, the general rainy-day fund, the Medicaid rainy day fund, and budgetary reserves. We used approximately 27%, or $680 million, of the multiple rainy-day funds to backfill budgets, so drastic cuts did not need to take place. The overall cuts resulted in 1.7% to the state budget. 
 
 Here are a few articles describing the special session: 

Representative Sandra Hollins presenting a resolution for Juneteenth 

Resolution honoring all Utah 2020 graduates (one photo of Representative Lee Perry) and photo of me with some of my children celebrating our graduates: MK from WXHS, Eliza. Brooke and Brigham, (Samantha), and Bowen from UofU. (And Carri from BYU)

Unemployment

$600 per person weekly for eligible recipients from the federal CARES Act will go away at the end of July for all unemployment programs. We anticipate this will trigger many people to jump back into the workforce even if they are currently considered “job attached.” Those who start in July to look for work will have an advantage on those who wait. This is an important message we will continue to push out over the next month.

Jobs 

We are still trending in a positive direction with more individuals ending their unemployment insurance weekly claim than filing new applications. We are also seeing more job openings with 24,177 jobs listed on jobs.utah.gov.

Utah Leads Together 4.0: employment and recovery grants

Utah Leads Together 4.0  
  
This utilizes $50-60 million of CARES ACT and other funding to encourage consumers to re-engage in the local economy. It lays out 100, 250, and 500-day horizon plans to encourage economic recovery. The first 100 days connects the unemployed with jobs. The Keys to Success app for high schoolers aligns teens with jobs, internships, and scholarships- encourage your teen to download the app!

The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Grant Programs

These programs use over $50 million from the Federal CARES Act which must be spent by the end of the year. It is a set of grants that will go directly to the businesses and organizations requiring businesses to “give back” to the consumer. https://coronavirus.utah.gov/business/

Outdoor fun with my family
Fishing with my sone, Stanford.
Hiking with my daughter, Eliza. 
Branding cattle with my mother and siblings to retire my Dad’s saddle and boots. He passed away from COVID-19 March 29th
Learn More About Melissa
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