Situational awareness - January 22, 2018

Situational awareness - January 22, 2018

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. 

The Utah Legislature gets underway today. Join Contributing Editor Bob Bernick and me for a Facebook Live chat about what we can expect during the next 45 days. We'll be taking your questions and giving our thoughts on what will happen during the session. Join us on our Facebook page sometime around 9 am.

Government shutdown enters day three. Utah lawmakers return to the hill. Tax reform should be a top issue during the 2018 Legislature.

Tick Tock:

• Today is the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 45 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 46 days until the filing period for candidates in the 2018 election opens (3/9/2018)
• 52 days until the filing deadline for the 2018 elections (3/15/2018)
• 57 days until the statewide caucus meetings for Utah Republicans and Democrats (3/20/2018)
• 89 days until the Utah GOP State Convention (4/21/2018)
• 96 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention (4/28/2018)
• 155 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018)
• 288 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 371 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
• 1,016 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

If you have any story ideas, tips, suggestions or complaints, I'm always available at bschott@utahpolicy.com.

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Here's what's driving the day:

Lawmakers head back to the Hill

Here are some of the big issues and important legislation lawmakers will consider during over the next 45 days [Utah Policy].

What Gov. Herbert is watching the next 45 days

Gov. Gary Herbert says he's paying attention to tax reform and possible changes to the way the Utah Transit Authority is governed as the 2018 session gets underway [Utah Policy].

Podcast

Gov. Gary Herbert previews the 2018 Legislature with Managing Editor Bryan Schott. They also talk about Utah's economy, why Herbert is raising so much money if he's not running again in 2020, and Mitt Romney's political plans [Utah Policy].

Tax reform or bust

Our "Political Insiders" doubt lawmakers will be able to do anything significant with tax reform during the 2018 session [Utah Policy].

Other Utah headlines:

• Rep. Mia Love and Mayor Ben McAdams get into a war of words over the government shutdown [Tribune].
   
• There's speculation that Mitt Romney's inevitable Senate run in 2018 is just the first step in a broader plan, most notably a run for Senate leadership [Business Insider].
   
• Speaker Greg Hughes says lawmakers need to approve an ongoing funding stream for the new homeless shelters in Salt Lake City by placing fees on cities and counties for that money [Deseret News].
   
• Lawmakers are looking for ways to head off proposed ballot initiatives to expand Medicaid and legalize Medical marijuana [Tribune].
   
• Legislators will consider a raft of critical education bills during the first week of the session [Deseret News].
   
• There will be at least five bills dealing with medical cannabis during the 2018 session [Deseret News].
   
• Utah Democrats may not field candidates in some congressional races in an attempt to focus more on down-ballot contests [Fox 13].
   
• The Utah County Republican Party changed its bylaws to allow the party leaders to endorse candidates who go through the convention over signature-gathering candidates [Daily Herald].
   
• Some employees accuse Grantsville Mayor Brent Marshall of intimidating and bullying them [Tribune].

National headlines:

• Who's gonna blink first? Senate leadership for both sides is unable to reach an agreement, meaning the shutdown will move into the third day. However, a vote on a possible compromise is scheduled for Monday [USA Today].
   
• A new survey finds 41% of voters say they blame Republicans for the shutdown while 36% would blame Democrats [Politico].
   
• President Donald Trump was mostly out of view this weekend during the first days of the government shutdown. His aides reportedly want to keep him out of the spotlight and away from Twitter [Washington Post].
   
• Sen. Lindsey Graham says White House policy adviser Stephen Miller is making it harder for both sides to reach a deal to end the shutdown. Miller is known as a hardliner on immigration issues [The Hill].
   
• The FBI says Rep. Devin Nunes won't show them the potentially explosive memo alleging surveillance abuses by the agency [Daily Beast].
   
• The Justice Department has turned over more text messages between two FBI officials who were removed from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. The texts reportedly seem to indicate the two knew that Hillary Clinton would not be charged as a result of the investigation into her use of a private email server before her being interviewed by the Bureau [Fox News]. 
   
• Twitter says they found more than 50,000 automated Russian-linked accounts that shared information during the 2016 election, and President Trump interacted with many of those Twitter bots hundreds of times [Business Insider].

On this day in history:

• 1924 - Senators investigating the Teapot Dome lease scandal declared they would use all the legal powers of the government to get to the truth.
   
• 1970 - The Boeing 747, the first "jumbo jet" enters commercial service with a maiden voyage from John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Heathrow Airport.
   
• 1973 - The Supreme Court delivers its decisions in Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, legalizing elective abortion in all fifty states.
   
• 2008 - Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen accused of plotting to explode a radioactive "dirty bomb" in the United States, was sentenced to 17 years and 4 months in prison.

Today At Utah Policy

The 2018 Utah Legislature begins on Monday. Here's what lawmakers will be focusing on
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
The 2018 Utah Legislature starts Monday at 10 a.m. in the State Capitol....

Herbert says tax reform, Utah Transit Authority will take up a lot of political bandwidth during 2018 session
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
As lawmakers return to Capitol Hill for the annual Utah Legislative session, Gov. Gary Herbert says several issues already have his attention....

'Political Insiders' don't think Utah lawmakers will accomplish tax reform this year
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
One of the "heavy lifts" ahead of lawmakers during this year's legislative session is tackling tax reform....

Guest opinion: Focusing on people will strengthen Utah's economy
By Derek Monson
What will the 2018 Utah Legislative session mean for Utah's economy? Big-ticket issues such as state tax reform and proposals to expand Medicaid promise to have significant effects....

Podcast: Pre-Legislative interview with Gov. Herbert
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Gov. Gary Herbert speaks with UtahPolicy.com Managing Editor Bryan Schott about some of the big issues facing lawmakers as they convene for the 2018 Utah Legislature....

Finding a solution for clear air in Utah
By Derek Miller, President and CEO, World Trade Center Utah
You may not equate economic prosperity with air quality, but you should. Air quality is an important economic issue....

2018 Utah candidate tracker - Congress
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
There's a U.S. Senate seat up for election in 2018 as well as all four U.S. House seats. Here's our list of rumored and declared candidates....

2018 Utah candidate tracker - Utah Senate
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
2018 means another election cycle is upon us. Half of the Utah Senate seats are up for election this year, including an unexpected one because of a retirement. Here's our running list of candidates for those seats....

2018 Utah candidate tracker - Utah House
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Next week candidates can start gathering signatures to get on the 2018 ballot. All 75 Utah House seats are up for election this year. Here's our running list of who's in, who's out and who's challenging....

Policy News

IT Pathways program powers up
The Governor's Office of Economic Development and Silicon Slopes announced the official kick-off of the IT Pathways program, including three pilot regions and the creation of an industry-led board to oversee the program. ...

Autonomous Solutions, Inc. to grow at home
The Governor's Office of Economic Development announced Autonomous Solutions, Inc. will expand in Utah, adding up to 135 high-paying jobs to the community and $3.3 million in new state tax revenue. ...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Michelle Quist: Do you believe lobbyists play a 'skintern' game at the Utah capitol, or will you not believe me unless I give you names?

Op-ed: Hatch's final act for Utah should be a repeal of the tax on medical devices

Editorial: Keep the government running

Utah tech leaders say their industry is booming - but it needs more women, more diversity and more people to move here to fill jobs

United Utah party backs $715 million-a-year school funding initiative, but state's Democrats and GOP aren't choosing sides

Port developer attacks Oakland coal ban and city's claims that Utah shipments would endanger public health

Say goodbye to skyrocketing drug prices, shortages. Utah's Intermountain Healthcare starts its own company to combat pharmaceutical exploitation.

Gehrke: Legislature still has a long way to go before it can take a bow for clearing Utah's filthy air

What would a government shutdown mean? Here's what stays open, what closes

Deseret News

Jay Evensen: Slavery in Utah thrives on ignorance

Op-ed: Cutting the byzantine taxes on small businesses

Greg Bell: Washington still has a lot to learn from the state of Utah

Editorial: Utilize tax cuts to help employees prepare for retirement

Boyd Matheson named Deseret News Opinion Editor and Head of Strategic Reach

Bill calls for state oversight of drilling on federal land

Utah County Attorney Jeff Buhman won't run for re-election

Summit draws 14k for celebration of Utah tech scene

Amazon says thanks, no thanks, to Utah's HQ2 proposal

Rep. Rob Bishop introduces medical marijuana research bill

Other

Utah County Attorney announces he will not run for re-election (Daily Herald)

National Headlines

GOP bouncing back in 2018 polls after tax cuts (Axios)

Was Lynch coordinating with Comey in the Clinton investigation? (The Hill)

Senator says FBI lost crucial texts tied to Clinton probe (Reuters)

More texts turned over from FBI agent taken off Mueller team (Associated Press)

Richest one percent made 82% of wealth created last year (AFP)

Obama Mocked Trump's Political Ambitions. Trump Spent His First Year Dismantling Obama's Legacy (Daily Caller)

Pence arrives in Israel as Trump's Jerusalem move reverberates (AFP)

Jordan's king tells Pence U.S. must rebuild trust after Jerusalem decision (Reuters)

Day 3 of government shutdown ends with no deal; vote pushed to Monday (NBC News)

As federal shutdown continues, states bail out Lady Liberty, Grand Canyon (Washington Post)

Could Amazon's new headquarters flip the presidential vote in a swing state? (Washington Post)

Wise Words

Develop Success

"Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success." Dale Carnegie
 

Lighter Side

New Event

"North Korea has announced that it will send a group of citizens called the "cheering squad" to next month's Winter Olympics. And many of them are expected to actually compete in a new event called the "400 Meter Defection." Conan O'Brien