Utah lawmakers are back to work.
For the next 45 days, they will tackle everything from boosting energy production to reforming higher education.
The goal for the session, as Senate President Stuart Adams put it, is to keep the “Utah Dream,” which he said is rooted in values “like hard work, community, family, innovation and opportunity,” alive.
“Where every child, family and community has a chance to grow to achieve and to prosper using principles of personal freedom, responsibility and the collective good,” Adams told senators in his opening address. “There are some who would like to alter or destroy this Utah Dream. We cannot let that happen.”
Still, lawmakers seem to be breaking away from a pattern they followed the last few years. They would introduce, debate and pass some of the most contentious laws, such as prohibiting some gender-affirming care for transgender minors, within the first two weeks of the session.
This year is a bit hazy. When asked about their priorities, senators were vague about bills that would take precedence.
“I think this year is a little bit unique in that a lot of those policies are still being hammered out,” said Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore.

Eyes on energy
A major priority for Adams is to triple state energy production by 2050. This is aligned with Gov. Spencer Cox, who has vowed to make Utah a leader in energy. Not only do Adams and Cox want Utah to create enough energy to meet statewide needs, but they also want to export it.
The problem with energy production as Adams sees it is that it won’t be solved “with just coal or natural gas or even geothermal.” So he wants to start with nuclear energy.
“We need to welcome companies to Utah that are focused on nuclear energy production and other companies that will help us accomplish our goal of energy innovation.”
Republican Sen. Scott Sandall said he is working on a bill to streamline the permitting process for nuclear energy production. He’s also hopeful the federal government will shorten the time frame around its permitting processes.
Adams also wants to lead the way in Artificial Intelligence because it is key to “global economic prosperity, military strength and the power to preserve peace.” To that end, he wants Utah to invest more in data centers and those centers need a lot of power.
“Nuclear power plants need to be built, constructed and maintained quickly in and outside of Utah by Utahns,” he said.
Part of that push is also encouraging the state’s universities and colleges to realign their curriculum to produce the engineers, technicians and construction workers that the state needs.
Eyes on education
The House gallery was packed as former House Speaker Greg Hughes swore in representatives on the first day. Cellphones captured the historic moment that marked the most diverse legislative class in Utah. There are a record 32 women serving in the Legislature.
There are also more people of color, which includes three Pacific Islanders. With leis around their neck, Republican Doug Fiefia, and Democrats Verona Mauga and Jake Fitisemanu were met with cheers and applause when they were introduced as freshman representatives.

In his opening remarks, Speaker Mike Schultz expressed many of the same sentiments as Senate President Adams. His main goal is to reimagine higher education.
“This session, we have a chance to expand opportunities giving students the tools they need to succeed in a world that values practical skills and innovative thinking,” Schultz said.
The Legislature has already announced they’re expecting state universities to slash spending in administrative costs and to consolidate “underperforming programs” to instead reinvest in other areas. Schultz wants to focus on high-demand technical training, engineering, nursing and teaching.
By shifting higher education priorities, Schultz believes Utah can curb projections that college enrollment will decline.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine higher education,” he said. “This is our chance to lead, to innovate, and to build a future where Utah remains a place of opportunity for generations to come.”
KUER’s Stevie Shaughnessey contributed to this story