Free Republic

After some haggling and much consternation among the state Legislature, Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill Wednesday afternoon reiterating Utah's sovereignty in light of federal government actions. "Balancing power between state and federal sovereignty is an essential part of our constitutional system. This legislation gives us another way to push back on federal overreach and maintain that balance," he said in a prepared statement. Just minutes before Cox approved the measure, the ACLU of Utah issued a public plea for him to veto it

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a pair of this legislative session's most controversial bills Tuesday night. The move effectively ends diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state-owned schools, and bans transgender people from accessing restrooms that differ from their biological sex except in certain circumstances in state-owned buildings. "We want public facilities that are safe and accommodating for everyone and this bill increases privacy protections for all," Cox said in a statement, explaining his reason for signing HB257. The bill requires more unisex and single-stall facilities to be created in public buildings and only allows transgender people to use gender-specific...