They discuss new efforts to expand accessory dwelling units (ADUs), invest in roads and water infrastructure needed for housing development, encourage smaller starter homes, streamline state housing programs, and reduce barriers for modular and offsite construction.

The episode also explores why home prices have outpaced wages, the challenges facing first-time homebuyers, and how lawmakers are working to keep the American dream of homeownership within reach for the next generation of Utahns.

They discuss expanded maternity leave for public employees, Utah’s new bell-to-bell phone policy in schools, and new guardrails to rebalance technology use in the classroom. Together, the conversation reflects Utah’s broader approach: supporting families at home, giving parents more tools, and helping students succeed in the classroom.

They cover income tax cuts, tax policy for families, gas and tobacco tax changes, property tax, and how Utah’s tax system works.

The Legislature plans to lower the gas tax and negotiate a better deal for Utahns by reexamining existing tax breaks and exemptions for refineries. The goal is to keep more of the economic benefit in Utah, reduce costs for families, and support long-term affordability.

As the new chairs of the Redistricting Committee, they reflect on the 2018 ballot initiative, the compromise that followed, and the hundreds of hours of public hearings that shaped the 2021 maps. They explain why the legislature is complying under protest, what the 30-day timeline means, and how lawmakers plan to balance rural and urban representation while pursuing appeals that may reach the Utah and U.S. Supreme Courts.

The conversation covers how the idea came about, the partnerships making it possible, and why creating early career pathways matters for both students and public safety.

They discuss how Utah has made historic progress on air quality, how the state is tracking dust from the Great Salt Lake, and how wildfire smoke is being monitored year-round. Davis outlines DEQ’s new strategic plan focused on innovation, problem solving, and community growth.

This is how Utah is using data and technology to protect air, land, and water as Utah’s grows.

They break down the differences between Sen. Mike Lee’s federal public lands proposal and Utah’s own plan to create a state-run Department of Land Management. Rep. Monson and Johnson discuss the state’s recent lawsuit over unappropriated lands, the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case, and the impact of federal road closures, monument expansions, and top-down restrictions on rural Utahns.

This episode highlights Utah’s vision for conservation through access, multiple use, and responsible local stewardship, not fences and red tape.

The lawmakers highlight Utah’s leadership, parental rights, and why state-led innovation is sometimes the only way to move national policy forward.

He reflects on what led him to run for office, his views on servant leadership, and his work on natural resources and firefighter cancer legislation. This conversation offers insight into one of the youngest leaders ever elected to House leadership and his vision for the Utah Legislature.

Chief Redd reflects on his first 100 days as chief, sharing his top priorities: hiring, morale, fentanyl, mental health, and the overlap between addiction, crime, and homelessness. “The streets are a death sentence,” he says, calling for a system that offers both accountability and help.

They also discuss Mayor Mendenhall’s public safety plan, lessons from Operation Rio Grande, and why collaboration between state and local leaders is key to real progress.

They discuss how the program was designed to prioritize low- and middle-income families, how it ties into the largest teacher pay raise in Utah history, and why they remain confident that Utah Fits All will ultimately prevail.

He highlights concerns about Utah’s mail-in voting system compared to other Republican-led states and discusses how lessons from Florida’s election system helped shape the bill.

• A Performance Audit of the Position of Attorney General
• A Performance Audit of the Office of the Attorney General
• A Performance Audit of Piute and Wayne County Election Processes

The auditors highlight key findings and recommendations, addressing oversight, accountability, and potential areas for improvement within the state’s top legal office.

Moss and Peterson, both leaders in the higher ed space, talk about key reforms to higher education, including reallocating funds from underperforming programs to high-demand fields, and the impact these changes will have on Utah’s workforce and economy.

This week on House Rules, Legislative Auditor General Kade Minchey joins auditors Jesse Martinson, Brian Dean, and Darin Underwood to discuss this report and others, including detailed reviews of OpenEd (formerly My Tech High) and emergency medical transportation in Utah.

Today on House Rules, we unpack what’s next for the Utah Fairpark Area Investment and Restoration District with Sen. Scott Sandall, the chair of the district’s oversight board, and Benn Buys, the district’s brand new director. 

This week, we take a look at out how we got here and what it could mean for public lands access in Utah.

Guests: Redge Johnson, Dan Burton, Dillon Hoyt

• State lands
• The administration of Rich School District

In this episode, our Legislative Auditor General Kade Minchey and his team are here to discuss the findings of these audits and what they say about the management of some of the schools in our state as well as school trust lands throughout Utah.

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• The mineral extraction industry on the Great Salt Lake
• The efficiency of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services