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2023 Legislative Update: Week One

Hello Friends and Neighbors,
 

I am happy to be back at the Utah Legislature working for the great people of Cache Valley. The first week of the 2023 Legislative Session has come to a close and we have already accomplished so much. I am working on some great legislation this year and I am excited to work hard for you and our community.

For the next few weeks, I will be updating you on what has happened during this 2023 Utah Legislative session. If any comments or questions come up, you can reach me directly at dnjohnson@le.utah.gov.
 

Thank you,
Representative Dan Johnson
House District 3

Committee Assignments

My Committee assignments in the Utah House are: 

Oath Of Office

On Tuesday, I took the oath of office to continue serving as the representative for Utah House District 3. Serving you in this role has been the honor of a lifetime, and I couldn't be more motivated to continue working hard for you. 

General Session of the 65th Legislature

This session has already proven to be productive. You can follow along with the process by viewing our weekly agendas here. 

Supporting Our Teachers and Students

After much deliberation and debate between stakeholders and legislative leaders, 3rd substitute, H.B. 215, Funding for Teacher Salaries and Optional Education Opportunities, passed the Utah House. As an educator, I thought long and hard about this bill. I had some concerns about the bill, but throughout the House Education Committee meeting on Thursday, Representative Pierucci worked to improve the legislation. On Friday, she presented the 3rd substitute for the legislation, which addressed some of my concerns, such as accountability being addressed by requiring students to submit a portfolio of work or take a test to show that the funds have been used well. With these changes, I was comfortable voting for this landmark piece of legislation. See below for some further information on the final state of the bill as it heads to the Senate.

State of the State

On Thursday, I attended Governor Cox's State of the State. His focus was on policies to help families and the next generation of Utahns. I agree with him that we need to prioritize our families and the next generation. I look forward to working with him and my colleagues in the Utah Legislature to pass good legislation that will benefit our families. 
Bill Highlight
I am working on Bill H.B. 140 Standard Response Protocol to Active Threats in Schools. This bill seeks to do that by expanding on existing administrative rules related to required emergency drills in public schools. This bill will require monthly training or drills regarding active threats within a school. I will always look for ways to keep our schools as safe and prepared as possible.

Honoring Operator Dale Brady

The Utah Legislature House Transportation Committee honored UTA bus operator Dale Brady who last month achieved 4 million accident-free miles behind the wheel. He may be the only one in the U.S. to ever reach this mark. Dale is quick to recognize his fellow UTA bus operators, many of whom have also driven millions of miles. Congratulations to Dale and all UTA’s employees who move Utahns safely and reliably across the Wasatch Front.

The Utah Way Together

Each year, the majority caucus looks at the most pressing issues in Utah. This year, we have identified the following as our policy priorities for this session:

  • Stewardship: Safeguarding our natural resources
  • Affordability: Keeping Utah affordable 
  • Investment: Laying the foundation for our future

You can learn more about these legislative priorities and what they mean for Utah here. 

Bills Passed This Week 
Learn More About Representative Johnson
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