Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more.

The State of our State

Last night, we delivered our third State of the State address to the Utah Legislature and the next generation of Utahns at the Utah State Capitol. It was awe-inspiring to see the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews of legislators join their relatives in the House Chamber and House Gallery. 

We want them and all Utahns to know that the future of our state is not written in the stars. It’s up to us, the free men and women of Utah, to dictate our destiny. To anyone who believes the next generation of Utahns will be worse off than their parents, our message is simple: not now, not on our watch. 

We talked about teacher pay, and how we must invest in our teachers. We discussed the need to build more housing and to do it in a way that does not diminish our quality of life. We talked about continuing to reduce the tax burdens on Utahns. And we committed to protecting the Great Salt Lake and the state’s precious water resources.

We truly believe that there has NEVER been a better time in the history of the world to be alive than right now. And there has never been a better place to live than right here, in Utah!

To listen to our full State of the State address, click here.

First Day of the Legislature 

Tuesday marked the first day of the 2023 General Legislative Session in Utah. We were fortunate to have so many legislators, their spouses and interns join us at the Kearns Mansion for our annual legislative open house.

Over the next 42 days (three days down already!), our team is looking forward to putting in the work and collaborating with legislators to keep Utah thriving and continue our vision of One Utah. To learn more about the legislative session, and to get involved, visit le.utah.gov. 

Local government – where the rubber meets the road

In addition to greeting state lawmakers, we also had the great opportunity to meet with the Utah Association of Counties, the Utah League of Cities and Towns and various youth city councils. 

Our local leaders have opportunities to shape and inform policy and state spending priorities, and they had all sorts of questions, from how we plan to keep Utah economically strong and funding for education to protecting the Great Salt Lake and creating more housing. Local government officials are closest to the people and they want to serve their constituents well. 

We also got some entertaining questions from youth city council members, including my favorite breakfast food (waffles).

Learn more about the Utah Association of Counties here and the Utah League of Cities and Towns here.

‘Let Me Speak to the Governor’ 

We joined listeners on KSL NewsRadio’s “Let Me Speak to the Governor” program and appreciated discussing the current legislative session, the State of the State, and more. 

We discussed water and the Great Salt Lake, which has been at the forefront of Utahn’s minds for a while now. As for the current water conditions in Utah, we are very excited! So far, we are having the best winter in almost 20 years. The Great Salt Lake has risen about 1 foot since fall, which is great! We still have three months before snowpack peaks at the beginning of April. We are grateful for the innovative, out-of-the-box water conservation ideas we’ve heard. We love to hear from you — send in your ideas and comments to our website or to the Utah Department of Natural Resources.

There are several bills going through the House and the Senate that have caught the public’s attention. During this legislative session, make sure your voice is heard. Reach out to your local legislators and let them know your experiences, thoughts, and opinions. This is your government and your voice is important during the next 42 days! Learn who your local representatives are here.

Parents Empowered celebrates 17 years

This week, we recognized the critical work of Parents Empowered to strengthen Utah's families and youth and declared January Parents Empowered Month.

Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson joined Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services Executive Director Tiffany Clason, Senate President J. Stuart Adams and House Speaker Brad Wilson to announce Utah's continued commitment to Parents Empowered. 

As a result of this work, Utah's underage drinking rates have reached a historic low. According to a student survey by the Department of Health and Human Services, Utah's current underage drinking rates are at their lowest-ever levels across all measures. That amounts to 28,500 fewer youth drinkers whose brains will reach their full potential.

We're proud of Parents Empowered for helping make Utah the best state in the nation to live and raise a family.

The Great Seal of the state of Utah

After two years in office, Lt. Gov. Henderson exercised her unique authority under Utah law and lugged around 50 pounds of cast iron up the stairs in the Capitol.

Utah's lieutenant governor is the sole keeper of the Great Seal of the state of Utah. Not only is the Great Seal affixed to official state documents, but it's also the cast iron device that Utahns can find on display in the visitor center on the first floor of the Capitol.

Lt. Gov. Henderson joined Governor's Office of Planning and Budget Executive Director Sophia DiCaro and Utah Sen. Dan McCay to compare the digital version of the Great Seal with the version the lieutenant governor stamped onto card stock; luckily, they matched.

Anyone who wants to use the Great Seal needs express permission from the lieutenant governor. Otherwise, according to state code, "Any person who illegally uses the Great Seal of this state, or such seal when defaced, is guilty of a felony."

Spotlight: Governor’s Award for Excellence

Each week we are highlighting a state employee who was recently awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence. This week we are recognizing Matthew Morris with the Department of Workforce Services.

Matthew has served as an Employment Counselor for the past eight years. Throughout his tenure, Matthew has provided outstanding public service as he has assisted some of the most vulnerable Utahns including refugees, individuals experiencing homelessness, low income families, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. In March 2020, as COVID shut down began, Matthew and his coworkers set up a temporary outdoor workspace so they could continue to serve as many vulnerable families as possible. His knowledge of resources and his calming nature greatly benefitted many citizens during this unprecedented period of uncertainty and anxiety. Matthew’s dedicated service continued as he provided guidance and feedback on resume writing, interviewing, and networking. He continues to help citizens stabilize, access resources, reconnect to the workforce, and even upgrade their education and employment standing. He exemplifies the unsung heroic nature of the DWS Workforce Development Division staff.

Keep up the great work, Matthew! To read more about the Governor’s Awards for Excellence, click here.

Movies in Utah

With the Sundance Film Festival starting, we’re looking at some of Utah’s greatest film sets! No matter what movie mood you are in, Utah has got you covered. Starting with the classic, “High School Musical’s” East High is real and just around the corner from the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City. Moving west, the beautiful Bonneville Salt Flats are film locations for many action movies, including “Independence Day,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” and “The World’s Fastest Indian.” Just 10 minutes away, more scenes from "Independence Day," ”Jurassic Park III," and the 2003 film adaptation of "Hulk," were shot in historic Wendover. 

Stay tuned for more iconic Utah movie sets, or check them out for yourself.

ICYMI

• On Monday, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and met with the Utah Jazz and students to talk about Dr. King’s legacy of advocacy and service. Learn more here. And see photos from the event here.  
• We care about youth mental health and well being. Listen to the Social Media and Youth Mental Health Symposium where we discussed how parents and teens can engage with social media in healthy ways and how the government can hold social media companies accountable.
• We were thrilled to introduce Ryan Starks and Brad Bonham as new leadership for the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. Welcome aboard!
• Lt. Gov. Henderson joined the inauguration ceremony for Buu Nygren and Richelle Montoya as president and vice president of the Navajo Nation. 
• Do you have broadband access in your home? Click here to view the National Broadband Map to find out.
• We want to hear from you to guide our state's growth! Click here to give your input.

Coming up

• Jan. 22: Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrate!
• Jan. 23: We will be hosting a social media press conference at 9 a.m, Watch via live stream on our social channels!
• Jan. 23: We’re looking forward to meeting with Park City Leadership!
• Jan. 24: We look forward to meeting legislative interns.
• Jan. 24: We’re excited to host Honorary Colonels at the Kearns Mansion.

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!

You can reach the Governor's Office here. And you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and  YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Contact the Governor's Office