Utah House Speaker says tax cuts, reliable energy and housing incentives are priorities as state becomes 'medium-sized' 

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• Benjamin Wood
• Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz takes questions from reporters at the state Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.

CAPITOL HILL—The state of Utah is at a "pivotal" time in its history, House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said Wednesday, and lawmakers intend to address both short- and long-term needs during the legislative session that begins next week.

Schultz—who became speaker in November after his predecessor, Brad Wilson, resigned to run for U.S. Senate—said the House majority has worked together and with constituent and stakeholder groups on an "inclusive" set of priorities for 2024.

"As we transition from a small state to a medium-sized state, the decisions that we make today will have generational impacts," Schultz said.

Those priorities were released Wednesday, in the form of a booklet that groups the Republicans' goals into four "buckets," as described by Rep. Jeff Moss, R-Saratoga Springs: Utah's people; Utah's resources; Utah's accountable government; and Utah's future.

Moss, the House majority leader, said lawmakers are focused on maintaining Utah's status as a family-friendly and business-friendly state, one that pushes back against federal "overreach" and prioritizes efficiency over burdensome regulations. He said the caucus aims to cut taxes, expand access to childcare, promote free speech on college campuses and protect the state's natural resources, particularly water.

"We're very fortunate that we're having a lot of snow coming," Moss said. "We need to continue to work together to find ways to conserve."

But the materials released Wednesday did not include references to specific legislation or policy proposals, a point noted by reporters who pressed Schultz to explain the majority's direction on topics like housing affordability and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs, a topic that has become a flashpoint on the political right and has recently come under fire by Gov. Spencer Cox, who described DEI programs as "bordering on evil."

Some Republicans have called for an outright ban on DEI, a somewhat nebulous term that can include anything from efforts to promote diversity in hiring to racial sensitivity training for professionals. Schultz said the issue had become divisive, and questioned whether the state's DEI programs were succeeding at creating equitable opportunities.

"I think it's important for us to recognize that there are inequities out there," he said. "There has been and there is racism that does exist and it should not be tolerated. Period, end of story."

Schultz said the Legislature will look to refine and improve DEI programs in higher education, rather than abolish them entirely.

"We're not defunding it, we're reshaping the way DEI offices look," Schultz said. "We're not getting rid of the programs, in general."

But Schultz also demonstrated some frustration with the topic of DEI, particularly after reporters insisted on returning to it multiple times. He said there are "bigger things out there that we need to focus on," like helping students to complete their degree programs as soon as possible to meet workforce needs and ensure that higher education remains a worthwhile investment for individuals.

"If we don't change the course, our businesses are going to look at other ways to get their workers," he said. "We would love to see as many three-year degrees as possible."

On the topic of housing, in which city-level ordinances typically restrict where and what kind of homes can be built, Schultz said the majority caucus will be looking for ways to incentivize the creation of new housing stock, rather than overruling the zoning codes that have driven costs to unattainable levels and pushed development to the fringes of existing municipalities.

"If we can work collaboratively with our local governments, we're going to get better outcomes," he said. "So that's the goal."

Schultz also emphasized the need to provide affordable and reliable energy to residents. The state is challenging federal rules that would force the closure of coal-fired power plants, and Schultz noted that demand for electricity is only expected to increase as individuals and governments transition away from fossil fuels.

"If we shut down our coal-powered generation—by the way, it's some of the cleanest in the world,—then what? Where do we get our power from?" Schultz said.

He said the Legislature intends to pursue alternative sources of power, like natural gas, solar- and even nuclear-generated electricity. But he said the development of those sources will take time and is hampered by strict rules around permitting and protected lands.

"We can't get the permits to get the pipelines across federal lands," Schultz said. "We can't get the transmission lines to build a power plant somewhere else to get power to the grid.

This fall's ballot will include a question on whether to remove the state's sales tax on food, a long-debated issue on Capitol Hill. In addition, Schultz said legislative leadership is looking to cut taxes by roughly $160 million, adding to the more than $1 billion in tax cuts approved by lawmakers over the last three years.

The 2024 legislative session begins on January 16 and runs through March 1.