Restless Rooms
Not to belabor the irony, but it is stunning how Republicans distrust the "woke" ideology of "govschools" while forcing their own philosophies on an increasingly doctrinaire education system. In this legislative session, bills are all about keeping certain people from feeling "uncomfortable." The transgender bathroom bill—HB257—was a case in point. Sponsor Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, choked up while she talked about people feeling uncomfortable at the idea of trans kids entering a bathroom. Rep. Christine Watkins, R-Price, even said her grandson was uncomfortable going into a locker room. And like, who wasn't in high school? But it's unclear how many trans kids there are in the state—somewhere between 3.7% to 11.8% of adults responded in surveys that they were LGBTQ in the last 10 years. Still, the bill passed the House as conservatives said it's important to consider the feelings of "the other side."

Diverse Opinions
Moving onto DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—and South Ogden Republican Rep. Katy Hall's deer-in-the-headlights defense of HB261. Her bill, which passed the House, seeks to dismantle DEI programs in all public education and government. Admittedly one Republican, Bountiful's Rep. Ray Ward, was concerned that the prohibition might affect Utah's health care, and Democrats asked over and over if Hall had any data to support the notion that DEI was harmful. Nope. Rep. Jen Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City, had a list of reading materials, of which Hall was unaware. Democratic Rep. Mark Wheatley recounted how he, as a child of color, learned about the pioneers and Indigenous populations, but never about any other ethnicities—including his own. Democratic Rep. Carol Spackman Moss noted that she had been asked over the years to provide data for her bills before they passed. But apparently, data is a Democratic thing. DEI is the love child of the country's far-right conservatives, as a New York Times article explained in its unraveling of the "Crusade Against D.E.I." In other words, don't be "woke."

Power Corrupts
As the legislative session began, the Utah Citizens' Counsel unveiled a report on the "Growing Imbalance of Power in Utah Governance." You might say, "No duh!" But it's important to highlight how a supermajority of lawmakers affects representative democracy. "Over the past few years, the Utah Citzens' Counsel has watched the Utah Legislature pass laws that we believe create an imbalance among the three branches. Similarly, the Legislature has been increasing its power by amending the Constitution and eroding the constitutional right of citizens to legislate by initiative. Moreover, we have also seen state legislative encroachment on city and county responsibilities that are historically local." The counsel, despite its prestigious membership, is just as likely to be ignored as the general public. But at least they tried.