Bryan Schott

Political Correspondent

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Mark Strong, R-Bluffdale, receives a rapid test outside of the House chamber for the start of the 2021 legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.

Utah Legislature convenes for lawmaking while bracing for protests

By Taylor Stevens | Bryan Schott | Bethany Rodgers | January 22, 2021, 4:51 p.m.

(Scott Sommerdorf | Tribune file photo) Rep. Mike Winder, R-West Valley City, in the House of Representatives, Feb. 14, 2018. Winder is sponsoring a bill to implement ranked-choice voting in Utah primary elections.

‘Utah Politics’ podcast: The push for ranked-choice voting in Utah

By Bryan Schott | January 22, 2021, 3:58 p.m.

(Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) For demonstration purposes, a Utah congregation shows how church attendees could practice appropriate social distancing during a Sunday worship service. One Utah lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prohibit government-ordered closures of churches for emergencies.

Bill would block governments from forcing emergency church closures in Utah

By Bryan Schott | January 21, 2021, 2:46 p.m.

(Leah Hogsten | Tribune file photo) This Dec. 18, 2020, file photo shows Jack Legge, 73, substitute teaching in a 2nd grade class at Northlake Elementary in the Tooele School District. Bonus checks going out to teachers will exclude substitutes, legislators said Wednesday.

Bonuses for Utah teachers are coming in March, but substitutes will be left out

By Bryan Schott | January 20, 2021, 9:12 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Members of the House of Representatives are partitioned by plexiglass as the Utah State Legislature opens the 2021 legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. Utah's lawmakers are a pretty homogeneous group: mostly LDS, white, male and Republican.

The 2021 Utah Legislature: Who are they?

By Bryan Schott | January 20, 2021, 8:57 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Marci Weatherspoon works on a reading assignment with Myla Rider in her first grade class at Crescent Elementary in Sandy on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Statewide, just 46% of incoming first graders came to school this fall at or above benchmark proficiency in early literacy. Crescent Elementary has had success in getting their kids back on level by doing things like recording lessons for students to watch while in class and the teacher then works one on one with students who need more help.

Key education issues facing Utah’s new governor, Legislature include demands for more funding, pandemic help

By Bryan Schott | January 19, 2021, 3:33 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Heavily armed member of the Proud Boys, a far-right, neo-fascist organization, flash the Q symbol as a small group carrying a Black Lives Matter flag walk amongst Trump supporters listening to speeches at the State Capitol in Salt Lake City on Jan. 6, 2021. The assembly occurred at the same time a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., resulting in the deaths of six and the second impeachment of President Donald Trump.

‘I’m ... terrified!’ Utah state senator worried about potential for gun violence during legislative session

By Bryan Schott | January 17, 2021, 10:20 p.m.

(Photo courtesy of Utah Democratic Party) Utah Democrats selected physician Rosemary Lesser, pictured, on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, to fill the open seat in the Utah House of Representatives due to the death of longtime legislator LaWanna “Lou” Shurtliff.

Democrats pick Ogden physician to fill vacancy in Utah House

By Bryan Schott | Becky Jacobs | January 16, 2021, 9:40 p.m.

(Steve Griffin | Deseret News, pool) Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, speaks during the daily COVID-19 briefing at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

‘Utah Politics’ podcast: How lawmakers will make 2021 ‘The year of the tax cut’

By Bryan Schott | January 15, 2021, 1:00 p.m.

(Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) Pro-Trump protesters gather for a rally at the Utah State Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. The Legislature has decided to close the Capitol to the public for the first few days of the legislative session out of fears about possible violence.

Utah Capitol is closed to the public for start of legislative session

By Bryan Schott | Sara Tabin | January 14, 2021, 2:26 a.m.