CHECKING IN AT THE LEGISLATURE:
NOVEMBER 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As we reflect on this season of gratitude, I am especially thankful for the strong, resilient communities that make Utah such a wonderful place to call home. This month’s interim meetings highlighted the work we continue to do to strengthen families, protect public safety, and support Utah’s long-term economic stability. From keeping energy affordable to investing in higher education and firefighter health, I remain committed to policies that put Utahns first.

Due to the Washington gridlock that ended in November, concerns were raised about the future of SNAP benefits. As always, Utahns step up when neighbors are in need. If you’re in a position to help, please consider donating to your local food bank. Our state’s compassion is one of our greatest strengths.

Thank you for your engagement and for all you do to support our communities this holiday season.

Warmest regards,

Melissa

QUICK LINKS

• Deseret News: Here’s where Utah stands when it comes to state debt
• Muninn: A new birds-eye view of Utah’s budget
• Utahns paying a lighter share of their income on college than other states
• Federalism Scorecard 2025: Utah ranks among the least vulnerable to federal overreach
• Protecting Fairness in Girls’ Sports: The lawsuit against Utah’s H.B. 11 was dropped
• Tackling High Gas Prices
• Supporting Utah's Firefighters
• Current and prior editions of Interim Highlights may be found here.

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Legislative Interim Updates
2. Grit Awards: Celebrating Utah's Public Servants
3. Visit to South Davis Junior High
4. Investing in Higher Education
5. Utah's Congressional Redistricting Update

As we wrap up the year’s interim work, committees met this month to review Utah’s fiscal outlook, infrastructure needs, and long-term planning. A recent Deseret News analysis shows Utah continues to rank among the lowest-debt states in the nation, meaning Utahns carry far less state and local debt per capita than the national average. This strong position allows us to invest responsibly in education, transportation, and public safety without burdening future generations. Lawmakers also received updates from the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst, including the launch of Muninn, a new tool that gives the public real-time visibility into Utah’s revenue and earmarks to support transparent, data-driven decision-making.

Additionally, committees reviewed upcoming changes to Utah’s sales tax earmarks and discussed higher education affordability; working to ensure that Utah is the pinnacle example of in-state tuition affordability.

This year marked an exciting milestone for the Governor’s GRIT initiative, which is the Legislatures version of the DOGE program. GRIT highlights state employees who strengthen innovation, improve efficiency, and increase transparency in government. 

I was especially honored to join this year’s program as the first-ever GRIT Award recipient, after the Governor’s Office highlighted how the initiative was modeled in part after my legislation to promote efficiency and reinvest savings. In their statewide newsletter, they wrote:

“Representative Melissa Ballard has been a steady champion for efficiency. With HB317, she made it clear the Legislature backs innovation, allowing cost-savings to become non-lapsing funds we can reinvest to reward teams and advance mission-critical work. She knows the best results come when we partner with our employees and agencies, and Utah is better for it.”

Utah is strongest when legislators, agency leaders, and employees are working toward the same goals, and the GRIT Awards reflect that spirit of collaboration. I am grateful for the remarkable individuals recognized this year and for their dedication to public service.

This year the Legislature passed HB 265 to help Utah’s colleges and universities better align their programs with the needs of our workforce. Each institution submitted a reinvestment plan outlining how they will strengthen high-demand fields such as nursing, healthcare, engineering, computer science and applied AI. Most reinvested funds are now going directly into instruction and research in these areas.

The goal of HB 265 is to make sure Utah students are prepared for the careers our growing economy needs and that state resources are being used where they can make the greatest impact.

Many of you have asked about the recent developments in Utah’s redistricting case, so I want to provide a brief update. Earlier this month, the district court rejected the congressional map passed by the Legislature and instead ordered a map drawn by national advocacy groups. The ruling followed months of delays and missed judicial deadlines and arrived just as election timelines were approaching. Utahns had no opportunity to review or comment on the court-ordered map, creating challenges for local election administrators.

Utah’s Constitution clearly assigns the responsibility for drawing congressional districts to the Legislature, a practice that has been in place for more than a century and reflects the framers’ intent in Article IX. When courts replace the work of elected representatives, Utahns lose transparency and the ability to hold someone accountable for the decisions being made.

My concern is not about any particular district lines but about the process used to create them. Public hearings, recorded votes, and open deliberation give every Utahn a chance to be heard. When maps are shaped behind closed doors or by groups outside our state, that accountability disappears, and even those who may like the outcome should be cautious about the precedent it sets.

Looking ahead, legislative leaders have announced an appeal to the Utah Supreme Court and a special session to restore clarity before the 2026 cycle. I support these efforts. Utahns deserve a redistricting process that follows the Constitution, protects the role of their elected representatives, and provides stability for our elections. I will continue to keep you updated as this moves forward.