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Utah's new marriage argument. Lawmakers apologize for Twitter joke. Immigration activists hopeful.
Happy Tuesday. The two lawyers who helped kill California's gay marriage ban want to take on the Utah and Oklahoma cases that appear headed toward the Supreme Court. But Theodore Olson and David Boies haven't exactly received a heroes welcome. [NYTimes]
Topping the news: Utah's defense of its gay-marriage ban is all about the children. The 120-page brief filed with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals late Monday says in Utah, marriage is "a child-centered institution, one focused first foremost on the welfare of children rather than the emotional interests of adults." Now the gay couples who are challenging the ban have until Feb. 25 to respond. [Trib]
-> The 10th Circuit denied a motion by three Utah same-sex couples to intervene in the appellate case. [Trib] [APviaHerald]
-> The Legislature introduced 326 bills, but passed only three the first week due to a change in procedures that has lawmakers focused on the budget. [Trib] [UtahPolicy]
Tweets of the day: From @BecRasmussen: "No matter what time I head to the Capitol, I can never leave before dark. And I don't even work there anymore. #itsatrap"
From @RobertGehrke: "Bill to reschedule caucus mtgs. Rep. Arent: 'Easter & General Conf aren't a major conflict for me...' Rep. McCay: 'They could be.'"
Happy Birthday: to state Sen. Luz Robles, Daily Utah Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Emily Andrews, and belated birthday wishes to Hinckley Institute program manager Morgan Lyon Cotti and Chrony production manager Grey Leman.
Campaign Money: We missed Luz Robles' campaign finance report in our roundup of the delegation. [Trib] The Democratic challenger to Rep. Chris Stewart had $39,100 in available money at the end of last year. Robles raised $56,400 and spent $60,700. Stewart has $170,000 cash on hand.
Happening today: Gov. Gary Herbert will be on "Ask Eleven" on KBYU starting at 8 p.m., taking live calls and questions sent over email (askeleven@byu.edu) and social media (@kbyueleven)
On the Hill: Another day brings more meetings. Today's schedule [Trib]
-> Rep. Brad Dee, R-Ogden, is working on legislation that would require consolidated 911 dispatch centers statewide. SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams wants to consolidate 911 systems throughout the Salt Lake Valley. [Trib] [ABC4] [UtahPolicy]
-> Two lawmakers apologized for a Twitter exchange joking about transgender people using bathrooms. [Trib] [APviaHerald] [UtahPolicy]
-> All of the notes plastered to the Senate door encouraging the consideration of a bill banning housing and workplace discrimination based on sexual identity hasn't convinced Senate leaders to bring it to a vote. [Trib] [KUER] [Fox13]
-> Republican lawmakers are working on ways to insure the poor without taking any federal funds through Obamacare. [KUER] [KUTV]
-> Lawmakers found over $67 million that could be cut or, more likely, spent in different ways. [DNews]
-> A new proposal seeks to clarify the residency standards people must meet to run for office, part of the fallout from the John Swallow scandal. [UtahPolicy]
-> Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said everyone in the state, and not just the Legislature needs to work to clean the air. [DNews]
-> A bill to change state polygamy law to comply with a recent federal court ruling is dead because the state may appeal the ruling. The bill would have removed to portion of the law banning cohabitation. [APviaTrib]
-> Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, said a state report to be released about alcohol consumption will help lawmakers better understand the effects of liquor laws. [DNews] [APviaHerald] [KUTV]
-> Rep. Lee Perry, R-Perry, wants to close what he calls loopholes in Utah's DUI law. [KUTV] That's just one of a number of bills to both loosen and tighten Utah's liquor laws. [KUTV]
-> Rep. Brian Greene, R-Pleasant Grove, is sponsoring a bill that would require lawmakers to talk with other states in order to make an agreement about labeling genetically modified food. [DNews]
In other news: Business and community leaders praised U.S. House Speaker John Boehner's new immigration proposals and said immigration reform is vital to Utah. [Trib] [DNews] [UtahPolicy]
-> Does recreational marijuana give Colorado's ski industry an advantage over Utah's? [Fox13]
-> Uintah elementary has received threats after it made national news last week for students having their lunches thrown away because they did not have enough money in their accounts. [DNews]
-> Utah is looking at different ways to handle school lunch after the incident at Uintah. [ABC4]
-> UDOT says although the agency's Super Bowl ad may have been a downer, if the ad saves lives it will have been worth it. [Trib] [Fox13] [KUTV] [ABC4]
-> Tim Lawson, former AG Mark Shurtleff's alleged fixer and the first person charged in the investigation of Shurtleff and former AG John Swallow, was excused from a court hearing. [Trib]
-> Stewart and Robles have decent fundraising quarters as they prepare to face each other in Utah's 2nd Congressional District. [UtahPolicy]
Nationally: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said in a radio interview that he knew nothing about a political motive behind the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge until read about it in the Wall Street Journal. [WaPost]
-> Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed documents from Christie's office. State lawmakers are also investigating and a former Christie aid will not turn over documents. [BergenRecord]
-> President Barack Obama is accelerating his plan to bring the Internet to public schools, using some government and private sector money. [LATimes]
-> In a follow up to their Super Bowl chat, Obama tells Bill O'Reilly that he's waiting on a State Department recommendation before making a decision on the Keystone pipeline. [FoxNews]
-> It took three years, but Congress is about to pass the farm bill. [WaPost]
Where are they?
Rep. Jason Chaffetz meets with UVU Constitutional Studies group, the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City and the Utah School Board Association.
Gov. Gary Herbert meets with Utah Health Policy Project education and communications director Jason Stevenson, has a discussion of school technology, meets with Derek Miller, his chief of staff, and appears on Ask Eleven at BYU.
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox hits a legislative strategy meeting and a school technology report meeting.
SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams attends at County Council meeting and a County Council hearing.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker hits a budget meeting, a New Performing Arts Center meeting, legislative meetings and the Mountain Accord public scoping meeting.
President Barack Obama visits a classroom at Buck Lodge Middle School in Maryland and speaks on ConnectED, meets with Department of Defense leadership on Afghanistan, and with the House Democratic caucus.
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]
— Matt Canham and Topher Webb Twitter.com/mattcanham and Twitter.com/topherjwebb