Politics & Government
Ask & Answer: Local citizens talk with Utah lawmakers about legislative session
Rob Shelton | Lehi Free Press
State legislators and local officials addressed pressing issues from housing affordability to immigration enforcement during Saturday morning’s American Fork Chamber of Commerce “Pancakes and Politics” breakfast forum at American Fork Hospital, offering detailed insights into the current legislative session’s priorities.
The annual forum, a longstanding tradition in American Fork, brought together U.S. Representative Mike Kennedy; State Representatives Kristen Chevrier, John Hawkins and Kay Christopherson; State Senator Brady Brammer; and Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith for wide-ranging policy discussions. The event, hosted by American Fork Hospital Administrator Jason Wilson and moderated by incoming Chamber board chair Joe Phelon, featured an active question-and-answer session with written submissions from attendees.
Housing Crisis Solutions
The affordable housing crisis emerged as a central theme, with legislators emphasizing market-based solutions over government intervention. Rep. Christopherson detailed multiple factors driving up housing costs, including limited land availability and regulatory barriers.
“Sixty-seven percent of our land is tied up with federalgovernment plus other state and county and city lands,” Christopherson explained. “Land prices are going up. How hard is it to get a gravel pit that supplies materials for building? It’s really tough to run a gravel pit.”
Christopherson advocated for reducing building requirements to lower costs. “Why do we have to have a garage attached to every house? Why does it have to have the appearance look so good?” he asked. “A new family has to have basics that they can afford, and if they want to add a garage later, they can. We’ve got to cut regulations, cut taxes, cut costs of things and make it so that people can afford to live.”
School Safety Initiatives
Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith highlighted significant progress in implementing new school safety measures, describing a comprehensive approach following recent legislation. “Utah County is doing a very good job,” Smith said, detailing the assessment of over 200 schools in the county.
“We’ve got what’s called a guardian program that is up and running,” Smith explained. “Every district in this county, we’ve met with them, they’re on board, they’re being very cooperative.” He also described the continuation of a controversial but successful teachers’ academy that provides firearms training for educators who choose to carry in schools.
Alpine School District Split
The recent vote for Alpine School District reorganization sparked detailed discussion, with Sen. Brammer defending the decision to limit voting to certain cities. “In the history of the state, zero entire school districts have voted on a portion of their district splitting,” Brammer said, explaining the historical precedent for the process.
Rep. Hawkins, however, expressed reservations about the voting limitations. “It was a hard thing for our area, you know, the city that I live in,” Hawkins said. “I voted against the bill because my area didn’t have that opportunity to make a decision about what our school district was going to be.”
Immigration Enforcement
Sheriff Smith answered a question posed by Sen. Brammer if the Sheriff’s office has received any communication from President Trump’s administration. Smith responded “No, not yet. … It really got politicized in this last election with immigration, unfortunately. There was a narrative that went out from some candidates that said Utah was a sanctuary state. Well, Utah’s probably got some humanitarian policies and things in place that I guess you can weaponize and say we’re a sanctuary state. But if you look at the definition of sanctuary, we’re not.”
He detailed efforts to improve cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including meetings with federal officials in Washington, D.C. “We’ve asked of ICEseveral things that we need in Utah to make it work,” Smith said, revealing that a key request involves leadership changes in the regional office.
License Plate Readers and Privacy
The intersection of public safety and privacy rights emerged as a key topic, with Rep. Chevrier discussing pending legislation on automated license plate readers. “We’re running a bill on license plate readers which is trying to set some safeguards around the use of license plate reader data,” Chevrier explained. “We need to balance the safety aspect with privacy. The speed at which technology is being developed and adding AI to the storage of data on private citizens that are not guilty of committing any crime is in itself a weapon.”
County Government Reform
Discussion turned to potential restructuring of Utah County’s government, with Sen. Brammer addressing the limitations of the current three-commissioner system. “The three-member commission does create some problems,” Brammer said. “How do you draw the line between whether you’re acting as an executive or as a legislative member?”
Rep. Christopherson revealed his previous attempts to facilitate change through legislation. “I opened up a bill file to talk about options. Utah County has three commissioners; they’ve had a hard time getting more. I think as big as we are, 720,000 people, we’ve got to have more representation,” Christopherson said. He noted that his proposal to allow commissioners to add members through ordinance rather than public vote failed to gain support in the county republican legislative caucus.
Professional Licensure Reform
Legislators also addressed efforts to reform professional licensing requirements, with Sen. Brammer emphasizing the need to balance safety with market access. “When I look at hair stylists, I am not super keen on the idea of them going to school and incurring student loan debt to get a $15 an hour job at the end of a year of training,” Brammer said. “Really, it should be more like a food handler’s permit—safety and sanitation, and then your Google review determines whether people are going to trust you.”
The discussion centered on House Bill 160, which addresses licensing requirements for architects, environmental health scientists, land surveyors and geologists. Rep. Christopherson clarified that the bill aims to create multiple pathways to licensure rather than reducing professional standards. “They’re not reducing the level of professionalism,” he explained. “I think they’re just allowing more pathways to be involved.”
Constituent Communication
Representatives emphasized the importance of ongoing dialogue with constituents. “Sometimes, there are going to be bills that I vote for that you don’t love or that I vote against that you love,” Rep. Chevrier said. “If you ask me, I’ll be happy to explain my reasons for doing that.”
Sen. Brammer echoed this sentiment, describing the challenge of managing constituent communication during the legislative session. “I end up going through my text messages for like two hours, then I go through bills for another couple hours, then I go through emails for another couple hours,” he explained. “It’s just kind of this constant cycle.”
Looking Forward
The Chamber’s legislative update series continues to serve as a vital link between state officials and their constituents, with the next session scheduled for Feb. 22 at American Fork Hospital. As Rep. Hawkins noted, “This is a great thing that you all are engaged in, so keep doing it, keep reaching out to us, and help us represent you the best that we can.”
