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 coming through the pipeline, and more.

Utah’s growing economy 

More good news for Utah’s economy: Our labor productivity rate is better than it was before the pandemic. In fact, Utah is tied with Idaho for the highest average annual output growth rate from 2019 to 2021. A recent study also found that Utah ranks #1 for economic health and continues to rank as a top state economy.

Why does Utah’s economy continue to do so well? One word: Opportunity. Businesses and workers in Utah were allowed the freedom to flourish during the pandemic. Consumers were allowed to spend. And people were allowed to move to the state, which increased opportunities to recreate and to make the most of their skills. 

Utah’s worker friendly policies allowed the state to face the pandemic head on. Business and workers in Utah evaluated and understood the unique challenges of the pandemic, and had the strength and energy to meet and exceed these challenges.

Utah’s economy is strong and just keeps getting stronger.

Fact-checking the White House

White House chief economist Jared Bernstein recently spoke with reporters and credited Utah’s robust economic progress to President Biden.

While we appreciate that the Biden administration is recognizing Utah’s great economy, that success is in spite of — not because of — the president’s flawed policies that continue to fuel hyper-inflation. 

Full credit for the state’s economic strength rests on the resilience, ingenuity, and hard work of Utahns. By keeping our economy open during the pandemic, and reducing taxes and unnecessary regulations, we have unleashed Utahns to build the top economy. There is much the president and his team could learn from this approach.

Honoring our service members, and remembering a fallen hero

There are more than 15,000 military personnel in Utah serving on active duty, in the Reserves and in the National Guard, and they live and work throughout the state.

We were grateful to honor a number of Utah’s servicemembers and their families for their ongoing service and sacrifice at this year’s Servicemember of the Year awards ceremony.

Here’s a look at this year’s winners:

Enlisted - Staff Sgt Ciara Loman, Utah Air National Guard

NCO - Master Sgt Sierra Beers, 419th Fighter Wing, Hill

Senior NCO - Master Sgt Henry Matsouka, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill

1st Sgt - Master Sgt Brian Carpenter, 75th Air Base Wing, Hill

Honor Guard - Specialist Brian Jordan, Utah Army National Guard

Warrant Officer - Cw2 Nicholas Pantuso, Utah Army National Guard

Company Grade Officer - Captain Ryan Landon, Minuteman III program, Hill

Field Grade Officer - Major Ryan Button, 75th Air Base Wing

Civ1 - Anthony Bott, Tooele Army Depot

Civ2 - David Veglia, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, Hill

Civ3 - Dr. Carolyn Stwertka, Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Program, Hill

Kearston Cutrubus, Military Service Award

Here in Utah, we value those who wear the uniform and the families and civilians who support them. These awardees represent the best of the military in Utah.

On that note, we are heartbroken to hear about the passing of Midshipman 1st Class Taylor Connors. We are all profoundly grateful for his service.

Please keep his family, loved ones, and fellow service members in your prayers during this most difficult time.

Upcoming Election Deadlines

Calling all Utah voters! Ballots are in the mail, and we want to make sure you don’t miss any important deadlines, so mark your calendars:

June 17: Final day to register to vote before 5 p.m.

June 21: Final day to request a mail-in ballot.

June 27: Final day to get your ballot postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service.

June 28: Utahns can register to vote and vote in person on Election Day. This is also the final day to drop off a ballot at your county clerk's office, a polling location or a drop box before 8 p.m.

Visit vote.utah.gov to register to vote, find your voter information, track your ballot, locate a polling place, and more.

Revamping occupational licensing in Utah

We had a great conversation with the Federalist Society’s Regulatory Transparency Project about occupational licensing (listen here).

Occupational licensing creep is real, and we want to change that. It’s absurd that a hair braider needs more training than a pilot, or that military spouses have to jump through hoops to practice their profession each time their family moves.

Our first executive order was to review all of the occupational licensing requirements in our state and look for ways to change that. And we’ve signed several bills that make it less difficult for people to participate in our modern economy: SB43, which creates a pathway for people training in other countries, and SB16, which creates the Office of Professional Licensure Review. That office, a first of its kind in the U.S., makes it more difficult to propose new occupational licensing.

Onerous occupational licensing hurts people who need it the most — often those who live in the margins. We want to support our workforce and reduce unnecessary hurdles.

Thanking our Health and Human Services employees

Since March 2020, Utah Department of Health and Utah Department of Human Services employees have logged more than 1.1 million hours on Utah's COVID-19 response.

Their efforts saved lives and earned recognition for Utah's pandemic response. We all owe these professionals a debt of gratitude.

We look forward to seeing what these incredible professionals accomplish as they merge to become one robust state agency dedicated to serving all Utahns!

A massive achievement for GovOps and DTS

Congratulations to the Utah Department of Government Operations and Division of Technology Services on the landmark transfer of the state’s data center from the Utah State Capitol to the state office building in Taylorsville!

This means the state phone system and call centers, the print center, the state network, and more than 2,000 servers — which house all state systems and applications — moved to their new home in the cloud or in Taylorsville. These employees were given a monumental task and completed it on time and on budget. We’re grateful for the professionalism and service they bring to our state government every day.

Goodbye DABC, hello DABS!

We are proud to reintroduce Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control as Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services!

This name change better reflects the department’s mission. Here’s what Director Tiffany Clason wrote in a recent piece for The Salt Lake Tribune.

“DABS is responsible for administering alcohol policies established by our Legislature, and we work collaboratively with community and business leaders to safely and legally provide alcoholic products that businesses and cultural venues use in their operations. We also promote health and safety through alcohol education efforts, particularly reducing harmful underage drinking. Service is at the heart of what we do, so along with the name change, we are launching service-first programs and practices throughout the department.”

Read more here.

Formula availability updates

Good news on the formula front: Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis plant is back online. They are starting production of EleCare, with availability June 20, and other specialty and metabolic formulas. 

A significant amount of formula has come into Utah, especially to warehouse stores. We are seeing good amounts of ready-to-feed in the state, and starting to see more sensitive formulas on the shelves. Associated Food Stores continue to bring in their own Tippy Toes brand of formula, but that will likely only be available by request. 

The Utah Department of Health’s WIC team has requested additional product for Associated Foods from Abbott, Mead Johnson, and Gerber. We work directly with community health center clinics in Salt Lake County to share up-to-date information on the formula shortage, including our FAQ document, and will continue working with local community and religious organizations.

No matter what store you are shopping at, please only buy what you need for the short term so there is formula left for other babies. And, as always, to the Utah moms who are helping one another find formula: You are rock stars! We so appreciate your help.

ICYMI

We were lucky enough to host dinner for the oldest continuous fishing license holders in Utah history this week. Read more about our discussion, and why we could all use a little more nothing in our lives, here. 

Remember: We're still in drought, even after the much needed rain this week. Keep using the weekly watering guide to keep your lawn healthy while also conserving water!

Utah Department of Transportation crews are paving the first sections of the West Davis Highway! Check out this video of the work happening near the future 200 North interchange in Kaysville.

Congratulations to those honored at the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools awards ceremony! Utah has the best teachers and school leaders who are doing great work connecting with students. Thank you all for your hard work.

For too long, we’ve seen a disconnect between education and the world of work. Junior Achievement helps close that gap by offering young people work exposure, mentoring, and experiential learning. Thank you, Junior Achievement, for creating hope and vision for so many students.

UServeUtah, the State’s Commission on Service & Volunteerism, has awarded $175,000 in grant funding to local organizations that will increase Utahns’ awareness of and participation in community and civic engagement initiatives. Learn more about the incredible work they do here!

We recently spent time with business owners and first responders in Millard County. We also had a chance to visit Delta’s Topaz Museum, which every Utahn should make an effort to see. There are so many important things happening across our state — take a look.

Coming up

June 13 - 14: We’ll be in San Francisco meeting with various businesses and startups to establish and strengthen economic ties. Stay tuned for updates!

June 15: We’ll be at the ceremonial demolition/groundbreaking of the new North Capitol Building.

June 15: We’ll honor Utah artists who positively impact the arts and their communities in an award ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion.

June 16: We’ll speak to members of the media during the Governor’s Monthly News Conference hosted by PBS Utah. Watch live on our Facebook page at 10 a.m.

June 16: We’ll answer constituent questions on KSL’s “Let Me Speak to the Governor.” Tune into KSL Newsradio at noon or listen at kslnewsradio.com.

June 17: See you at the Garth Brooks concert!

June 20: Juneteenth is an annual holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. This is the first year Utah will be recognizing it as a state holiday! We recognize that there is still progress to be made in ensuring racial equity for all, and we hope you’ll take some time to learn more about the significance of this date.

June 19: Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! 

July 12: All Utah educators are invited to attend Show Up Utah’s free conference focused on professional and personal wellness. Learn more here.

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, TikTok, and YouTube for the latest news and updates.

Contact the Governor's Office