We’re officially halfway through the 2025 General Session, and a lot has happened. I’m working hard to tackle the issues that matter to our community and create lasting benefits for our residents. I’ve been working on reforming our healthcare system, preventing human trafficking, making our massage therapy industry safer, and preventing the federal government from unintentionally raising our state income taxes. You can engage with the process by visiting le.utah.gov, where you can watch live streams, check daily schedules, and dive into the details of the legislation shaping our state.

Image above: Rep. Thurston on the phone with colleagues working on improvements for Utahns

Image above: Rep. Thurston holding Baby Joey, who has been a regular visitor in our committees this session.

Meeting with Constituents

This week I had more great opportunities to meet constituents from Provo and Springville. Some of the highlights include:

Provost Elementary School 5th Graders
Kate Olsen, a BYU student
Sara Harvey from Springville
Clay Tullis, a technician at the Utah State Hospital from Provo
Students from the Elizabeth DeLong School of the Deaf in Springville
Provo Education Association leaders
Springville Art Museum Competition Winners
Members of the Provo City Council and the Deputy Mayor

Image above: Rep. Thurston with Clay Tullis from Provo.

If you are planning to come to the capitol, please let me know a day or two in advance so we can make sure I have time to meet with you.

Image above: Rep. Thurston talking to 5th graders from Provost Elementary about being a legislator and serving our community.

Massage Therapy and Human Trafficking

My massage therapy bill (HB 278) passed out of committee this week. This bill cracks down on human trafficking within the massage therapy industry by requiring massage establishments to register with the state and to submit background checks on all of the owners. This bill also cleans up the restrictions on access points for people who want to get into the field. With the help of state agencies and massage therapists, the bill contains language that separates the services provided by the industry into two categories: clinical massage and non-clinical massage. Of course, no massage therapist would be allowed to provide a service that they aren’t trained for and competent in. This bill right-sizes the regulatory framework. There are hundreds of modalities of non-clinical massage therapy that can be learned in a variety of ways, including schools, apprenticeships, and workshops. People who are adequately trained will have to complete safety training and testing appropriate for non-clinical settings.

Image above: Rep. Thurston and Jeff Shumway (Office of Professional Licensure Review) presenting HB278 and discussing how it helps resolve the challenges and illicit business activity in the massage therapy field.

Lowering Income Tax

Many of you will remember that the federal government lowered taxes in 2017. You may also remember that while your federal income tax went down, in many cases families ended up paying more in state income taxes. This type of passive tax increase happens when someone else’s decisions cause Utah’s taxes to go up without legislative approval. HB216 states that if this type of tax increase happens again, the extra money raised would be set aside until the Legislature votes to spend it, or preferably, give it back to you.

Reminder: Town Hall, March 1st

Mark your calendar for Bills & Bagels on March 1st from 7-9am! This will be held at the Nebo School District Office (350 S Main St, Spanish Fork, UT 84660) where we’ll have breakfast and take questions for legislators that represent southern Utah County.