By Carly Ferro, Executive Director
The 2021 General Session of the 64th Utah Legislature closed by passing 503 pieces of legislation. Because of the public and private partnerships with progressive advocates, Utah Sierra Club realized important victories, including shutting down attempts to increase electric vehicle registration fees. And we successfully defended against a merger of two environmental agencies that could have been detrimental for public and environmental health.
The legislature will begin interim sessions in May. During interim, it will be important for the public to engage, and to demand actions that support our communities and protect our environment. This includes advocating for legislation that commits to emission reduction goals and policies that create economic mobility for Utah's rural communities.
This year, legislatures across the country limited access to state capitols and moved to virtual proceedings to protect against the spread of COVID-19. Utah was among them. The pandemic's scale and impacts continue to disrupt every fabric of our lives. Once upon a time the legislative session was where political leaders and the public gathered to debate important issues. The 2021 legislative session became a series of transitions between screens, and testifying or lobbying via Zoom. While technology provided some semblance of connectivity, nothing could lessen or eliminate the challenges we face to deliver progressive reforms.
Already, the policy-making process is limited and complicated, and it felt as though the legislative process was a scramble in so many ways. Despite the frustrations, the legislature diligently attempted to accommodate the circumstances. But still, the debates to find common ground felt limited, and the constraints only amplified the feeling of exclusion. A condensed report card of the 2021 Utah Legislature through the Utah Sierra Club Lens is available at http://bit.ly/ReportCard2021.