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Checking In At The Legislature: 2023
Legislative Session Week Four
HB322 and HJR12 passed unanimously in the House this week. I sponsored these bills to do the following:
  • HB322 directs government agencies/departments to account for where they spent their non-lapsing funds the previous year, and plan for future expenditures they anticipate in the future.
  • HJR12 audits 20% of government agencies/departments, gives recommendations to legislative appropriation committees for improved efficiencies, notes overlapping budget items, and finds ways for agencies to plan for anticipated costs in the future. This is a follow-up of HB326 Performance Reporting and Efficiency Requirements in 2021 which required all government agencies to do a self-audit every year and to report their goals and accounting for meeting or needing to change those goals.
Being accountable to you for how the government uses your tax dollars is important to me and my colleagues. I’m glad I can help make Utah government more transparent and accountable. 


Melissa 

Upcoming Events:

  • Town Hall Saturday Mornings 8:30-9:30am, click here to watch it and post questions.

Helpful Links:

Week Four Update

For a quick update from the past week, please watch the video below! 

IN THIS ISSUE

  • Chair of Higher Education Appropriations 
  • Thank you, Emma Skinner, for advocating for Scholarships for children of Fallen Officers  
  • Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Energy 
  • Housing Affordability 
  • Visitors to Capitol Hill 

Chair of Higher Education Appropriations 

As the Chair of Higher Ed Approp, we heard 52 requests and prioritized 43 of them contingent on them having a regional or statewide impact. All the legislative appropriation committees were directed to have local impact requests funded by local entities instead of state funding. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with all of our Tech College and Higher Ed institution presidents in the last few weeks and heard each of them present to our committee on water and energy efficiency improvements, performance metrics, student completion, tuition, and other metrics.  

We are proud to be ranked 1st  for having the lowest cost per student for post-secondary education in the nation! 

Click here to see the measured water conservation efforts in the last three years from each of our institutions.

Click here for a finalized list of appropriations for Higher Education.

University Presidents 

  • USU- Pres. Noelle Cockett, VP Devin Wiser 
  • Snow College- Vice President Jay Olsen, Pres. Stacee McIff, Dr. Michael Huff, and Dr. Susie Huff 
  • WSU-President Brad Mortensen 
  • Utah Tech-Assistant to the Pres. Henrie Walton, Pres. Richard Williams, and my intern Kylie Tingey 
  • Group Pic: SUU VP Finance & Administration Marvin Dodge, SUU President Mindy Benson, Utah State Representative Melissa Ballard, Dixie Technical College President Jordan Rushton, Snow College President Stacee McIff, USHE Sr Advisor Jared Haines, Board of Higher Education Rich Christiansen. 
  • UofU- Pres. Taylor Randall 
  • Keys to Success- Rick Folkerson 
  • Davis Tech- Pres. Darin Brush 
  • U of U Hinckley of Politics- Jason Perry 

Thank you, Emma Skinner, for advocating for Scholarships for children of Fallen Officers 


Scholarships for children of Fallen Officers passed the House this week. Emma Skinner, daughter of Officer Charlie Skinner https://www.ksl.com/article/4794286/police-officer-honored-at-funeral  courageously testified of the importance of this scholarship. When she was in the ICU as a newborn twin, her father never left her side. He died while on duty in North Salt Lake, and she and her siblings have been supported by great officers in NSL ever since. We appreciate our officers who are willing to put their lives at risk for each of us! 

In this picture: Rep. Wilcox, Grandpa David Copeland, Emma Skinner, Grandma Susan Koehn, Rep. Clancy, Rep. Stoddard 

In this picture: Deputy Chief Greg Stewart, Fire Chief Dane Stone, Deputy Chief Dave Powers  

S.B. 117 Domestic Violence Amendments

Sen. Weiler began crafting this bill last year with Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson after her cousin, 34-year-old Amanda Mayne, was killed by a man she used to date. "We're going to create a database so when an officer responds to this type of incident, he … or she can know immediately if this aggressor or this victim has been involved in similar circumstances, "regardless of which city the incidents take place in,  a tearful Weiler said on the Senate floor. We hope this bill will prevent tragedies like Amanda's and Gabbi Petito's case. https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2023/01/31/utah-senate-domestic-violence-bill-gabby-petito 

Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Energy 

Utah’s all-of-the-above energy policy has powered decades of prosperity by providing some of the most reliable and affordable energy in the country. I’m committed to pushing back on federal regulatory overreach that threatens our ability to provide power to our state. I look forward to voting for the following bills, which strive to safeguard Utah’s ability to provide safe, reliable, and affordable power. 

Housing Affordability 

Housing prices have skyrocketed in recent years, making the reality of buying a home out of reach for many Utahns. With help from the Utah Housing Affordability Commission, we’ve identified policies that reduce regulatory barriers at the local level, identify tools that facilitate market-based solutions to our housing shortage, and support options to increase  

Visitors to Capitol Hill 

  • Woods Cross Elementary- Students  
  • NSL Youth and Leaders- Garet Hammond, Hunter Jackson, Max Platt, Derrick, and Sam Porter 
  • Becky Genos from The Davis Journal 
  • Regional managers of Mcdonalds 
  • Ken Garff E-Sports- Alta High winners 
Learn More About Melissa
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PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT
MELISSA GARFF BALLARD






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