Checking In At The Legislature:
2024 Legislative Session Week Two

Dear Friends and Neighbors

As some of you may know, the ideas for many of my bills come directly from members of our community. Thank you for your continued involvement in the legislative process and for being part of the solution. Please go to the link here to view my bills for the 2024 session. Thank you for your efforts and support!

Warmest regards,

Melissa

HELPFUL LINKS

• Click here to find out how to access a committee meeting online
• To look up bills, watch committee or House voting live, click here 
• Read the final version of the “DEI” bill, H.B. 261 Equal Opportunity Initiatives, that passed in both the House and the Senate here
• Read the final “bathroom” bill, H.B. 257 Sex-based Designations for Privacy, Anti-bullying, and Women's Opportunities, that passed both the House and the Senate here
• View my bills for this session here
• Read the House Majority Priority bills that passed this week here and here
• Read an article about my bill HB276 here 

UPCOMING EVENTS

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Heroes on the Hill
2. Victims of Crimes Reparations Bill HB276
3. Neighbors on the Hill
4. Snapshots of the week
5. Bills passed in the House this week

On Thursday, I had the privilege of honoring two brave Utahns on the floor, Mr. Bryce Gandy and Mr. Zach Kempf. These men were able to preserve the home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read more about their heroic acts here. I was able to gift their families a copy of Dr. Bernice King’s children’s book, It Starts With Me: Be Love. Thank you to Mr. Gandy and Mr. Kempf!

As a member of the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee, I’m able to hear from many good causes. I met Tricia Nelson, Director of Utah Autism Academy. I commend her for her work to support Utahns with access to resources. Thank you, Ms. Nelson!

To connect with Utah Autism Academy, click here.

To donate to Utah Autism Academy, click here.

Featured in the Deseret News, was my initial presentation of HB276. One of the unexpected focuses of my time at the House of Representatives has been making improvements to the Department of Corrections and Victims of Crime. This year, I am running a bill with the help of my mentor and friend, Dr. Susan Duehlmeier who has been a tremendous advocate for helping Victims of Crime. It will be voted on in a committee meeting next week. It’s amazing to work with experts across the state like Former Bountiful Police Chief Tim Ross, Nate Mutter (Assistant Chief of Investigations, Utah Attorney General's Office), Gary Sheller (Director of the Office of Victims of Crime), and Vicki Walker who lost her husband in the shooting at Trolley Square in 2007.

This week I was able to meet with two of my constituents, Ms. Tallie Viteri, Assistant Director of the Utah Office for Victims of Crime, and Mr. Tom Coppin. Mr. Wilkes is a teacher at Foxboro Elementary. Thanks for the visits!

Thank you to BikeUtah, Utah PTA, and the many other supporters of Safe School Route Evaluations for their efforts! I also would like to thank the Davis Chamber Leadership Institute and the Legislative Water Rally for inviting me to speak.

BILLS PASSED BY THE HOUSE

H.R. 3 House Resolution to Recognize Janice Gadd

H.B. 70 Fatality Review Amendments

H.B. 81 Domestic Violence Modifications

H.B. 91 Utah Office of Regulatory Relief Revisions

H.B. 73 Rehabilitation Services Amendments

H.B. 26 Correctional Facility Amendments

H.B. 44 Social Work Licensure Compact

H.B. 49 Justice Court Reform Task Force Sunset Extension

H.B. 11 Water Efficient Landscaping Requirements

H.J.R. 1 Joint Resolution Supporting Justice Court Reform

H.B. 77 Division of Human Resource Management Amendment

H.B. 76 State Resource Management Plan Amendments

H.B. 57 Snake Valley Aquifer Advisory Council Amendments

H.B. 61 Water Measuring and Accounting Amendments

H.B. 120 State Park Funding Amendments

H.B. 85 Electric Bike Amendments

S.J.R. 6 Joint Resolution Authorizing Pay of In-session Employees

H.B. 1 Public Education Base Budget Amendments

H.B. 5 Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Base Budget

S.C.R. 2 Concurrent Resolution Honoring the 100th Year Anniversary of the Utah Association of Counties

H.B. 6 Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Base Budget

H.B. 7 Social Services Base Budget

H.B. 68 Firearm Modifications

H.B. 116 Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Act Amendments

H.B. 74 Utility Relocation Cost Sharing Amendments

H.B. 227 Municipal Office Modifications

S.B. 7 National Guard, Veterans Affairs, and Legislature Base Budget

S.B. 6 Infrastructure and General Government Base Budget

S.B. 4 Business, Economic Development, and Labor Base Budget

S.B. 1 Higher Education Base Budget

H.B. 142 Railroad Drone Amendments

H.B. 144 Vehicle Accident Liability Amendments