Image above: Representative Thurston stands for a picture with his nephew and grandnephew
To my constituents and friends,
There are less than fifteen days left of the legislative session and I am proud of the work that my colleagues and I have been able to accomplish so far. I am also amazed and grateful at how many of you have been able to make it up to the Capitol this session. I was even treated this week with a visit from my nephew and grandnephew! For those of you that are considering coming up, there’s still time left and I would enjoy the opportunity to meet with you.
Provost Elementary School Student Visit
On Wednesday, fifth grade students from Provost Elementary School came up to the Capitol to learn about the legislative process. I had the opportunity to stop by and chat with them, sharing not only how the legislative process works, but also highlighting the importance and relevance of their education as it pertains to state government.
Image above: Representative Thurston stands for a picture with fifth grade students from Provost Elementary School, located in Provo, UT.
Noorda College Visit
Wednesday was a great day for student visits and I was treated with a visit from medical students from the NOORDA College, which is located in my district! I got to chat with some of them about their thoughts on the legislative session, and shared some of my medical stories as it related to their work. In addition to this discussion, I got to host one of the students on the floor with me and talked to the entire group of students at the NOORDA lunch in the afternoon. The work that these students are engaged in is so important for society and I know that they are going to make a great impact on the workforce.
Image above: Representative Thurston stands with Norman Wright, President and CEO of the NOORDA College, as he talks to students at the NOORDA College lunch.
Topic on the Hill: Updated Budget Estimates
The Governor’s Office and Utah State Legislature released revised revenue numbers for fiscal year (FY) 2024-25. Utah boasts the #1 economy in the nation, ranking as the best state for economic outlook for 16 years in a row and the best-prepared state in the nation for economic downturns and uncertainties. Currently, we are in an uncertain economic time. We’ve gone from boom to balance, where we don’t have money for new things. We can continue funding existing programs, but we don’t have the luxury, as in past years, to allocate more funding towards new programs. As we deal with the budget this session, I remain committed to promoting fiscal responsibility.
High School Teacher of the Year
On Thursday, I got to welcome my good friend and winner of the Utah All-State High School Art Show Teacher of the Year Award, Clark Goldsberry. His commitment to education is second to none and I’m glad to have been able to congratulate him on this wonderful achievement. He was recognized in the house and senate galleries and was able to join me on the floor.
Image above: Representative Thurston stands with Clark Goldsberry, winner of this year’s All-State High School Art Show Teacher of the Year Award.
An Update On my Bills: HB 425- Health Insurance Benefit Amendments
HB 425- Health Insurance Benefit Amendments is extremely important for anyone who pays for prescriptions. Under HB 425, patients will be protected in the price that they pay for prescriptions. What this means is that as a patient, you will never pay more for a prescription than your health plan or pharmacy benefits manager does. I presented this bill in the House Business and Labor Standing Committee on Tuesday afternoon, where it passed with a vote of 13-2-1. It now moves onto the house floor for a vote.
To view the status of my other bills, click here.
Image above: Representative Thurston presents his bill, HB 425- Health Insurance Benefit Amendments in the House Business and Labor Committee. This bill passed with a vote of 13-2-1.
Norm in the News
State lawmakers vote to advance bill that would end ranked choice voting in Utah- KSLNewsRadio
Utah’s alcohol sales fund state programs, causing ‘conflict of interest’ for state rep- KUTV
Have a Snowdog, a MoonBike or a Sherp? Well, Utah soon may tax it- The Salt Lake Tribune
