It’s Good to be Home
I am glad to be home, even if it’s just for a couple of days. Tomorrow we will be back at it again.
District 64 should have received postcards in the mail alerting you to two opportunities to engage. First, the 2015 Voter Issues Survey is available to residents of District 64 on the web-site: www.normthurston.com/survey2015.
The First Week is Done!
Well, just like that the first week is over. It was a very emotional and fast-paced start on Day 1. Following the ceremonies where our new Speaker (Greg Hughes) and the new legislators were sworn in and fitting tribute to Becky Lockhart in the morning, we started considering bills on the House floor in the afternoon. You can see how I have voted on bills on the floor and in committee meetings on the Main Page. On some bills, I have added my thoughts or notes.
The rest of the week was mostly dedicated to keeping up with bills coming before committees or to the house floor. I also had a great opportunity to meet with education leaders including Governor Herbert’s education adviser (Tami Pyfer), the State Superintendent (Brad Smith), members of the State School Board, and leadership of the Utah Education Association.
I have also actively participated in the House Majority Caucus, the Conservative Caucus, the Rural Caucus, and the House Freshman Caucus.
Another note of particular interest to many in District 64 is a quick update on the wood-smoke ban. The public hearings have resoundingly reflected widespread opposition to a blanket ban from November to March. Hopefully the Air Quality Board and the Division of Air Quality will come to their senses and withdraw this particular proposal. In any case, I am aware of at least one proposal in the Legislature to ensure that such a ban could not take place. I’ll keep you posted.
Bill Files
In case you are interested, I have included a list of my current bill files on the main page. So far, none of them have been numbered, but I am expecting several to make it out of numbering early this week. Once that happens, I will update the list with bill numbers and links so you can review more carefully and give me feedback.
Upcoming Events
Town Hall Meetings
The Utah Valley Chambers of Commerce conduct town hall meetings throughout the session.
- February 7 – Bills & Bagels. 7:30-9:30 a.m. I hope to see you at the Nebo School District (350 S Main, Spanish Fork) for a discussion on Taxes and Budgets.
- February 21 – Eggs & Issues, Provo 7:00-9:00 a.m.
Lincoln Day Dinner
- February 21 – The Utah County Republican Party will host our annual Lincoln Day Dinner. More information, including ticket purchase is available here: http://ucrp.org/
