As women continue to experience an exorbitant effect of the COVID-19 economic downturn, The Salt Lake Tribune earlier this month sent a survey to each of Utah’s 104 lawmakers asking: What are you doing to help women like the Beehive State? seem successful? coming out of the coronavirus pandemic?
Lawmakers were given a week to respond, and The Tribune heard from 24 lawmakers, who make up about a quarter of the total members. Sixteen Democrats and eight Republicans, or 14 women and 10 men, completed the survey.
If your representative or senator is not included in this list, it means that they did not respond from Thursday afternoon. The Tribune will continue to update this report online.
With a week left in the general session, this is what the 24 legislators said they worked on. Their answers were summarized and edited for clarity.
Rep Cheryl Acton, R-West Jordan: The sponsor of HB219, which places a limit on the telephone rates from prisons in the country. “I have talked to many women and mothers of prisoners who can barely afford to communicate with their spouses / children,” she said.
“The bill is controversial, but important for the preservation of women’s sports, which has made tremendous progress during my lifetime,” according to Acton.
Rep. Stewart Barlow, R-Fruit Heights: “I am the Home Sponsor for SB41 … which aims to improve access to mental health through telecom health services, ”he said.
Rep. Gay Lynn Bennion, D-Cottonwood Heights: The sponsor of HB268, which pays attention to how much notice an owner must give before entering a rental residence. “Most of the stories that come to me are from women who did not feel safe in their apartments due to maintenance, repair workers or landlords who came in without notice,” she said.
Bennion said she is focused on housing and homelessness. “I am concerned that the high cost of housing is having a negative impact on all of us, but especially on low-income individuals and families.”
Rep Joel Briscoe, D-Salt Lake City: “As a member of the Affordable Housing Commission, I support the request … to grant $ 15 million to the Olene Walker Housing Trust Fund for Affordable Housing. ‘
Rep. Clare Collard, D-Magna: The sponsor of HB284, which by 2026 will raise the minimum wage in Utah to $ 15. Briscoe also said he supports it.
Collard also sponsored HB351, which provides paid leave for civil servants after the birth or adoption of a child.
Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City: The sponsor of HB304, which enhances broadband infrastructure, digital access and digital equity. This will ‘ensure better distance employment for women who often also have to balance work from home during the pandemic, along with supporting online learning for their children,’ she said.
Sen Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City: ‘I have legislation and a request for credits to address the gaps and issues that directly affect women. “As co-chair of the Women in the Economy Commission, I work all year on issues that affect women and the economy,” she said.
Rep. Craig Hall, R-West Valley City: ‘I support and advocate for policies and bills that increase opportunities for women, including equal pay, increased politics, education and employment opportunities, and increased affordable childcare. One of the bills I have been most proud of over the years is to allow campaign contributions to be used for childcare while a political candidate is campaigning. “
Rep. Suzanne Harrison, D-Draper: “Child care is increasingly unavailable and unaffordable for families. … I am a co-sponsor of legislation to extend the state’s childcare allowance. … During the last session, I sponsored two bills to encourage businesses to help pay for childcare costs for employees. These bills received considerable opposition throughout the process, despite support from … the business community. I also advocate for increased support for our public schools and affordable health care, which is critical to the success of women. ”
Senator Jani Iwamoto, D-Holladay: The sponsor of SB10, which would create a template that would streamline the process for Native tribes or other community members to urge the U.S. Geographic Names Council to change place names. “This bill started with the name ‘squaw’ which is offensive ‘and used against women,’ she said.
She also managed SB64, which reiterates the punishment for offenders of domestic violence, and SB163, which would share campus crime data with students in an easily accessible way.
And Iwamoto works with ‘my colored colleagues to ensure that availability, funding and other needs are tested’ for communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Rep. Marsha Judkins, R-Provo: Sponsor HB68, which requires landlords to identify all fees for which tenants will be responsible before signing their lease. “I feel that this bill will lead to more stable housing, which is crucial for job retention for women and better education outcomes for children,” she said.
A high priority for me was raising salaries for [Division of Child and Family Services] business workers, most of whom are women. Women can remain in the labor force if their wages are sufficient to support themselves and their families. For many government workers, especially in social services, this is unfortunately not the case. The long hours they put in for pay that falls below the poverty line push many women out of this job, ”she added.
Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake City: Sponsor HB205, which requires a background check for firearms sales. “By conducting background checks on all firearm transfers, we can keep weapons out of the hands of those who should not have them, such as domestic abusers,” and King said it would “ease the burden that women currently face in abusive situations. and can save lives not only from abused victims, but from all Utahns. ”
“Another bill that I hope will benefit both women and girls going forward is HB93,” he said, which “will streamline and strengthen the state’s juvenile homicide prevention programs in public schools.”
Sen Derek Kitchen, D-Salt Lake City: The sponsor of SB128, which will provide more Utahns access to family planning services through Medicaid.
“A recovery that does not support women equally is not a recovery at all,” he said. “… I will continue to access affordable child care, reproductive health resources and economic development initiatives that elevate women and LGBTQ + communities.”
Rep. Rosemary Lesser, D-Ogden: She supports bills that increase the minimum wage and increase admission to childcare.
‘Once the legislative session ends, I will resume my role as a volunteer at Medical Reserve Corps providing vaccinations in Weber County. “Successful emergence of this pandemic will affect us all on many levels,” she said.
Rep. Ashlee Matthews, West Bank: The HB277 sponsor, which continues the extensive access to child care subsidies that Utah implemented with federal emergency relief money last year. Several lawmakers who responded to the survey said they are co-sponsors and support this bill.
Rep. Candice Pierucci, R-Herriman: The sponsor of HB301, which provides training on domestic violence and lethal assessment for law enforcement.
“With the closure of schools and the victims staying at home with their abuser, it is more difficult for them to get the help and resources they need,” she said. Women also work at higher prices than men, which she says ‘speaks of the importance of opportunities for childcare and economic recovery’.
Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights: The sponsor of SJR8, which would ratify Utah’s amendment of equal rights.
Riebe is also “repealing and supporting legislation that emphasizes the need of women”, and she testifies to the struggle of female teachers … to navigate and juggle to get back to school, but yet stay safe and mitigate daycare needs. ”
Rep Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay: “Although I do not have legislation that specifically addresses women, I and my staff have helped women with issues regarding eviction, unemployment, rental assistance, and job loss. ”
Rep. Jeff Stenquist, R-Draper: Sponsorship of HB148, which addresses funding for an education campaign on the dangers of drinking while pregnant.
Rep. Andrew Stoddard, D-Sandy: ‘My background is criminal justice, which is why I try to focus strongly on domestic violence and sexual assault. I have been trying to increase the protection of victims, which is especially important this year, as domestic violence rates have risen and it is more difficult to obtain resources. I also support bills that deal with small businesses and childcare, because women and smaller businesses that have minority businesses have been hit harder. ”
Rep. Raymond Ward, R-Bountiful: Sponsor HB164, which he said “makes a small change to the state’s abortion laws by showing women the abortion information module on the Utah Department of Health’s website before visiting face-to-face, rather than after ‘ to have to go to a clinic.
He also sponsored HB363, which ‘would ensure that women who are on Medicaid during their pregnancy do not lose coverage in the postpartum period’, when a mother is dealing with mental health issues, he said.
Rep. Elizabeth Weight, D-West Valley City: “I help raise awareness of different situations that affect women in a unique way during the pandemic and still do, even as it enters the vaccination phase. Women in my area were primarily responsible for numerous core needs and extended family needs, as well as support for spouses through the times of one or both of the home. Even conversations helped other women and me to realize and understand the ‘essential’ nature of so much work usually filled by women. ‘
Rep. Mark Wheatley, D-Murray: “I will re-enact legislation to address equal pay for equal work.”
Rep. Mike Winder, R-West Valley City: The sponsor of HB56, which adds minority representation to the Intergenerational Advisory Committee on Poverty. “Some of the women hardest hit by the pandemic were women of color,” he said.
Becky Jacobs is a Report for America corps member and writes about the status of women in Utah for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps her keep writing stories like this; consider making a tax deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.
