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Davis Journal

Lawmakers host Town Hall to discuss 2021 session

BOUNTIFUL—It was a bit unconventional – but local legislators held a virtual Town Hall meeting last week to discuss issues they might face in the 2021 session that started last Tuesday.

“My favorite line from 2020 is ‘you are muted,’” said Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross as he joined Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful and Rep. Melissa Garff Ballard, R-North Salt Lake on Facebook Live. 

Traditionally, the Town Hall meeting is a chance for the lawmakers to interact with the public prior to the legislative session. However, just like everything else in 2020, the pandemic changed all that. 

Each legislator took a moment to share the bills they intend to run and then they opened it up to take questions from the public through the comment feed. 

“I’m running a bill that will take a look at the cleanliness standards in salons, etc.,” said Ballard. “I’ve found some are not meeting the health department requirements.”

It’s also the 125th year anniversary of the legislature, she said. “So I’ll do a resolution on that. I’m the fifth person in my family to serve.”

“My top priority is navigating through the whole COVID situation,” said Ward. “Keeping the economy going, getting everyone vaccinated and finding a better way to get everyone through this.”

Ward said he has a bill on affordable housing prices. “Utah is not good for affordable housing. In my mind we can put one tiny program in place but we’ll never catch up.”

He also wants to take a look at medical cannabis and how it’s working. “We have a dispensary in West Bountiful and it’s doing OK, but there are a few things that need to be fixed,” said Ward. “There are still a few providers who are not willing to work with patients. They need to learn more about it so they can be helpful.”

“I’ve got a couple of early bills,” said Weiler. “One will allow veterans to audit classes at a state university for free. The other is a workplace violence protective order. For example, if a company fires an employee and that person says ‘I’m coming back with a gun,’ there’s no protection for the employer.”

Comments from listeners included their stance on the death penalty, emissions inspections and a resolution on school mascots. 

“The mascot issue provokes strong emotions,” said Ward. “In general I  don’t think we should use a group of humans as mascots. In the long run it’s simpler to treat each other well and do away with them.”

“It’s all about the process (with the mascot),” Ballard said. “I don’t think the legislature should tell them what to do. Entities can work this out themselves if they go through the process.” 

Taxes, education funding, air quality and law enforcement reform bills were also discussed. “Utahns all deserve law enforcement they can trust,” said Ward. “That is the balance we’re always trying to strike. We need to keep talking about it and where we can make changes.”

“I want to pay tribute to them, it’s a high stress job,” said Ballard. “They never know day to day if they will come home.”