City Leaders, Youth Council Meet with Lawmakers at Start of Legislative Session

Each year, Taylorsville City leaders work closely with legislative representatives to ensure the community’s priorities during the annual session of the Utah Legislature are top of mind, and this year was no exception.

The 2023 General Session of the 65th Utah Legislature began Jan. 17, and the 45-day session concludes March 3.

Prior to its opening, city leaders met with legislators over breakfast at City Hall to talk about primary issues. Among them were housing and community development, school safety and education, transportation, broadband infrastructure, health care, and law enforcement issues including evidence retention requirements and the inclusion of hate crimes training in the Department of Public Safety’s Peace O cer Standards and Training (POST). Go to le.utah.gov for more information, including bill les, hearing schedules and how to reach your representative.

“We are so grateful to our legislative leaders,” said Mayor Kristie Overson. “They are wonderful, service-minded people committed to our community.”

Representing the Taylorsville area are Rep. Jim Dunnigan and Sens. Wayne Harper and Karen Kwan, who was appointed this past month to replace Sen. Karen Mayne, following her announced retirement from the Legislature due to a cancer diagnosis. Sen. Kwan had been representing the Taylorsville area in the House prior to her appointment to the Senate, and her replacement there was set to be selected in the following weeks. The House districts of Reps. Mark Wheatley and Ashlee Matthews also include a portion of Taylorsville this year, after redistricting.

In addition to the legislative breakfast, Mayor Overson joined members of the Taylorsville Youth Council at the Utah League of Cities & Towns (ULCT) Local Elected O cials Day on Jan. 18. City Council Members Meredith Harker and Bob Knudsen and Youth Council Advisor Kristy Heineman also were on hand. It is a yearly tradition for the Youth Council to attend the day, which provides an excellent opportunity for the youth to talk to legislators and see rst-hand how the process works. In addition, the Youth Council plans to participate in the Youth Council Leadership Conference at Utah State University in March.