Special Session Recap

In a special session this week, the state legislature tweaked election law and sent a strong message to the Utah judiciary. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion examining the reaction coming from candidates, political parties, and voters themselves. Plus, some Utah leaders find themselves on the national stage.

THE DEEPER DIVE:
• ️ The Utah Legislature repealed a bill that had banned colelctive bargaining for public employee unions. When lawmakers originally passed HB267 in early 2025, a coalition of union organizers spearheaded a citizen referendum. That effort secured more than 320,000 signatures and qualified for the ballot in 2026. Our panel explores what led to the repeal and what could come next.
• ️ Multiple bills during the special session were in response to the recent court rulings on Utah's Congressional map. One of the biggest changes involves pushing back the candidate filing deadline from January to March. We discuss why some lawmakers felt the change was necessary and how it impacts the future of redistricting litigation.
• ⚖️ SB2002, allows election-related court cases to be expedited directly to the Utah Supreme Court. We evaluate why some in the legislature felt the change was unnecessary.

️ FEATURING:
• Doug Wilks – Executive Editor, Deseret News
• Rep. Jefferson Burton – (R) Spanish Fork
• Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost – (D) Salt Lake City

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