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(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Senate members hold media availability at the Utah Capitol on the second to last day of the legislative session on Thursday, March 4, 2021. From left, Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and Sen. Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City, seated from left, take questions from the media.

Bill aimed at protecting your privacy from government snooping clears Legislature

By Bethany Rodgers | March 4, 2021, 10:40 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, waves a small representation of the current Utah state flag during discussion on a new Utah flag design that will be vetted over the next few months by a nine-member task force. The current flag is criticized for being a bland and unimaginative symbol that is essentially the state seal on a blue background.

Push to redesign Utah flag clears another hurdle

By Bryan Schott | March 4, 2021, 10:49 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Dave Alvord, a Republican elected to the Salt Lake County County in November, is pictured in Butterfield Canyon near Herriman. He posted a screed against the "left" on Facebook denouncing what he claims are goals for everyone to be one color and of the same sexual orientation.

Salt Lake County Council member claims left ‘won’t be happy until there are no males, no females’

By Leia Larsen | March 4, 2021, 9:38 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | Tribune file photo) Utah Transit Authority riders board the FrontRunner train in Ogden, Dec. 7, 2020. The Utah Legislature has approved more than $1 billion for transportation and construction projects, including double-tracking FrontRunner commuter rail.

$1.23B transportation package heading to governor’s desk

By Bryan Schott | March 4, 2021, 12:55 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Salt Lake County Jail on Friday, March 20, 2020.

Bail reform repeal passes Utah Legislature just months after kicking in

By Bethany Rodgers | March 3, 2021, 11:36 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) House Speaker Brad R. Wilson, R-Kaysville, introduces members of the philanthropic community including Lisa Eccles, Scott Anderson, Gayle Miller and Clark and Chrstine Ivory as they gather outside the Capitol on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, along with Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, and Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, to discuss legislation and announce a public-private partnership to help address homelessness and affordable housing.

Utah Legislature puts $50M into housing, homelessness

By Taylor Stevens | March 4, 2021, 4:08 p.m.

(Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) One of a dozen protesters carries an upside down flag at the Utah Capitol around noon on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, as beefed-up security guards the building. Lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that would expand security protection for lawmakers, their staff and even candidates who may face threats of violence.

Utah lawmakers OK increased security after protests, death threats

By Taylor Stevens | March 3, 2021, 9:26 p.m.

(Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) Nurses test for Covid-19 at the Test Utah site in Herriman, on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021.

Updated pandemic ‘endgame’ bill would do away with most masks but leave face coverings in schools

By Bethany Rodgers | March 3, 2021, 9:52 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | Tribune file photo) This Nov. 3, 2020, photo shows a voter dropping off her ballot at the Davis County Library's South Davis Branch in Bountiful. Under a bill given final legislative approval Wednesday, voters would be blocked from switching parties for nearly three months before a June primary election.

Political party switching banned in three months before primary election under bill headed to governor

By Bryan Schott | March 3, 2021, 10:35 p.m.

(Jim Watson | Pool via AP) Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., speaks during the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on her nomination to be Interior Secretary, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Reversing Trump, Interior Department moves swiftly on climate change

By Lisa Friedman | The New York Times | March 3, 2021, 5:51 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Robert Gehrke: Utah legislators are pushing a quick exit from COVID restrictions, but these steps are more critical

By Robert Gehrke | March 3, 2021, 6:13 p.m.

(Isaac Hale | Special to The Tribune) A 5G cell tower antenna stands atop a streetlight post in front of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, March 3, 2021.

Is a 5G pole planned for your neighborhood? This map shows all permits in Salt Lake City so far.

By Leia Larsen | March 4, 2021, 3:47 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) In this Feb. 8, 2021, file photo, celebrity Paris Hilton recounts her experiences as a teenager at Provo Canyon School during a hearing on SB127 before the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee of the Utah Legislature. The bill won final approval Tuesday night in the Utah House and next goes to the governor for signature.

New regulations for the state’s ‘troubled teen’ industry win final legislative approval

By Taylor Stevens | March 3, 2021, 6:51 p.m.

(Andy Wong | AP file photo) In this Sept. 16, 2018, file photo, American flags are displayed together with Chinese flags on top of a trishaw in Beijing. The Utah House on Tuesday backed a call to close Chinese Communist Party-funded Confucius Institutes at state universities.

Utah House backs call to close Chinese Communist Party-funded Confucius Institutes at state universities

By Taylor Stevens | March 3, 2021, 3:07 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) In this Jan. 13, 2020, file photo, West High students conclude their classes. A West High junior was pitching a bill that would have allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local school board elections, but the bill failed in the Utah House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Utah House votes down bill that would have allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school district races

By Taylor Stevens | March 3, 2021, 1:24 a.m.

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) This Feb. 8, 2021, file photo shows a social distancing marker in a hallway as students return to Highland High School in Salt Lake City. A tax-credit bill some saw as a school voucher bill fell short in the Utah Senate on Tuesday.

Plan to give tax credits to Utah parents who pulled kids out of school during pandemic falters in Senate

By Bryan Schott | March 3, 2021, 1:11 a.m.

(Wayne Parry | AP file photo) In this July 2, 2020, photo, a man plays a slot machine at the Golden Nugget casino in Atlantic City N.J. Utah lawmakers voted down a proposal that would allow skill-based games in the state on Tuesday over concerns that it would open the door to forms of gambling, like slot machines.

Over concerns about gambling, a Utah Senate committee declines vote on bill to allow ‘skill-based games’

By Taylor Stevens | March 2, 2021, 11:52 p.m.

(Courtesy of the Organization for a New Utah Flag) A proposed redesign of the Utah State Flag.

Proposed Utah flag design could be in trouble over its use by DezNat

By Bethany Rodgers | March 3, 2021, 3:58 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) This Oct. 18, 2019, file photo shows Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, at the Utah state Capitol. Stevenson on Tuesday morning suffered what he described as a "health issue" and had to be escorted from the floor. He was reported to be doing well in the afternoon.

Utah Sen. Jerry Stevenson suffers ‘health issue’ during floor debate, but is said to be OK

By Bryan Schott | March 3, 2021, 1:49 a.m.

(Isaac Hale | Special to The Tribune) Donated items await to be sorted as Gov. Spencer Cox talks with philanthropist Pamela Atkinson before a press conference held at The Road Home Midvale Family Center on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.

Gov. Spencer Cox asks Utahns to donate to homeless fund

By Karina Andrew | March 2, 2021, 8:48 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Several rescue animals, including Indy, visited City Hall in Salt Lake City in this Oct. 16, 2018, file photo of a gathering to promote a local ordinance that to prohibit pet stores from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits unless the animals were obtained from an animal shelter, control agency, humane society, or non-profit rescue organization. An effort to extend such a prohibition statewide failed in a legislative committee on Tuesday.

Utah Senate approves bill to end gas chamber euthanasia for animals in the state

By Taylor Stevens | March 2, 2021, 8:18 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) In this June 19, 2019, file photo, Gayle Ruzicka, president of the Eagle Forum speaks to people gathered in the Utah Capitol to launch a campaign called "Abortion-Free Utah," with the goal of ending elective abortion in the Beehive State. Many conservative states this year are pushing anti-abortion legislation in hopes the U.S. Supreme Court with overturn or chip away at reproductive rights protected in Roe v. Wade.

Big anti-abortion push on in conservative legislatures across the country

By Justin Franz | March 2, 2021, 8:55 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | Tribune file photo) The Clearfield FrontRunner station is shown in this July 7, 2017, file photo. Lawmakers are coming to agreement on a big investment in transit and construction after Senate Republicans turned thumbs down on a proposal to borrow $1 billion.

Legislative leaders back away from borrowing to pay for transit and construction

By Bryan Schott | March 2, 2021, 11:58 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Robert Gehrke: Utah lawmakers still need to get these police reforms past the finish line

By Robert Gehrke | March 2, 2021, 1:00 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) The Capitol was closed to the public as members of the House and Senate gathered as the Utah State Legislature opened the 2021 legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.

Utah lawmakers seek to curb emergency powers of governor, public health officials

By Bethany Rodgers | March 2, 2021, 3:18 p.m.