Latest news with #UtahSupremeCourt
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poll: Almost two-thirds of Utahns support contentious ‘Utah Fits All' school voucher program
While the fate of the Utah Fits All Scholarship program will likely be decided by the Utah Supreme Court, the divisive school voucher program appears to have fairly wide public support. In a Deseret News/Hinckley Institute Poll conducted last month, 805 Utah registered voters were asked if they support or oppose 'Utah Fits All.' Almost two-thirds — 62% — responded positively. Meanwhile, 31% voiced opposition — while 8% responded, 'Don't know.' In 2023, the Utah Legislature created the 'Utah Fits All Scholarship,' which allows parents to apply for up to $8,000 in state funding that can be used for homeschooling, to attend private school, or toward other education providers. Some have argued the scholarship takes money away from the public education system. Others say it allows parents more flexibility in determining their children's education. While over 60% of poll responders voiced some level of support for 'Utah Fits All,' only 28% said they 'strongly support' the program. The other 34% 'somewhat support' it. On the flip side, 16% of poll responders were in the 'strongly oppose' camp — just a single percentage point more than those who 'somewhat oppose' the 'Utah Fits All Scholarship' program. The results of the recent Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll seem to reflect the divisiveness regarding school vouchers across the country. Locally, the program has faced spirited debate at the Utah Capitol, across the opinion pages and inside the courtrooms. In 2023, the state was sued by the Utah Education Association and several individual plaintiffs after the school voucher program was enacted — giving eligible K-12 students up to $8,000 a year for private school tuition and other costs. Utah Fits All went into effect last fall. The teachers union and its fellow petitioners argued that the program violated the Utah Constitution because it diverts income tax revenue to fund private schools. In April, 3rd District Judge Laura Scott ruled that the school voucher program currently being utilized by thousands of Utah children was, indeed, unconstitutional. The judge said that because the Utah Fits All program is created by the Legislature and a publicly funded educational program, it must satisfy the constitutional requirements applicable to the 'public education system' set forth in the Utah Constitution. The Legislature, added Scott, does not have the authority 'to circumvent these constitutional requirements by simply declining to 'designate' the program as part of the public education system.' The judge agreed with the union and other plaintiffs in her April ruling, saying the program violated sections of the state Constitution that require the state to fund a public education system open to every student that is free of charge, and to use state income tax to fund public schools and to support children and people with disabilities. Proponents of the program had argued the program did not affect the state's system of public schools, but was in addition to that constitutional requirement, and that it cleared the bar of using income tax to support children. Scott would later rule that the school voucher program could continue pending the expected defendants' appeal before the Utah Supreme Court. The judge also ruled, in May, on a couple of outstanding 'claims for relief' issued by the plaintiffs. Scott's follow-up actions essentially allowed the defendants in the case against Utah Fits All — which includes Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Utah Attorney General Derek Brown — to move forward with the appeals process. Since last month, the Utah Fits All Scholarship program has been administered by Odyssey, a national technology company. During this year's Utah legislative session, some new funding guidelines and accountability guardrails were put in place under HB455. Homeschooled 'Utah Fits All' students 5 to 11 years old will have access to $4,000 a year, while those 12 to 18 years old will get $6,000. Private school students are still eligible for $8,000 a year, the previous amount available to all. The new law also limits extracurricular expenses to 20% of the scholarship amount and limits physical education expenses to an additional 20%.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98
SALT LAKE CITY () — Gordon R. Hall, the former Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, passed away on June 1, 2025, the Utah Judiciary announced on Wednesday. He was 98 years old. Hall, who served as the Chief Justice from 1981 to 1993, was appointed to the Utah Supreme Court in 1977. While serving on the bench, Hall strengthened judicial independence through constitutional reform. He also led Utah's Judicial Council, served as President of the Conference of Chief Justices and chaired the board of the National Center for State Courts. He received the Distinguished Jurist Award in 1988 for his contributions to the judiciary. 'Chief Justice Gordon R. Hall was a visionary leader whose commitment to fairness, judicial integrity and the rule of law shaped our courts for generations. His legacy endures in the independence of Utah's judiciary and the many lives he influenced,' current Chief Justice Matthew Durrant said. Prior to his time serving on Utah's highest court, Hall began a private practice in Tooele and served as a Tooele County Attorney and a Third District Court judge. In 2007, the Tooele County Courthouse was named in his honor. The Utah Judiciary said it is the only courthouse in Utah to be named after a judge. BMW's new flagship SUV to debut in US Police arrest more than 20 people on first night of curfew in Los Angeles Daycare employee charged with sexually abusing children, documents say Teen charged as juvenile in 2022 West Jordan triple homicide now facing adult charges Don't be late to this spin on Alice in Wonderland from West Valley City Arts Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Roy police seek public help in locating missing 65-year-old woman
UPDATE: The woman has been found and safely returned home, according to the Roy City Police Department. ROY, Utah () — The Roy City Police Department asked for the public's help in locating a 65-year-old woman who reportedly went missing on Tuesday evening. Police say the woman, whose name has been removed from this article to protect her identity, left her residence at the Orchard Cove apartments around 7 a.m. on June 10 but never returned. According to Roy City PD, the family said she is new to the area and has been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and mutters a lot when speaking. She has been described as a Hispanic female and is about 5 feet 2 inches tall, 150 pounds with a medium build and shoulder length grey colored hair. She was last seen wearing white shoes, white pants, a dark blue sweater and possibly a maroon shirt. She may also be carrying a maroon-colored purse. Roy City PD said there are no available photos of the woman at this time. Anyone with information about her potential whereabouts is encouraged to contact Weber Area Dispatch by calling 801-395-8221 and asking to speak with a Roy City Police Officer. Arizona man drowns along San Juan River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Charges for trespassing on border military zones 'not going away' Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98 Two women charged with felonies after late-night assault in Logan, charges say Death penalty expert weighs in on Menzies competency ruling and appeal Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Third-best season ever': Over 6.5 million skiers visited Utah's resorts during the season
SALT LAKE CITY () — 'Greatest snow on Earth,' Utah's long-running slogan, is proving itself true after another successful season at Utah's ski resorts. According to Ski Utah, this last season was the third-best in state history. There are 15 ski resorts across Utah, and together they recorded 6,503,635 visitors during the 2024-25 season, which has just wrapped up. According to a press release from Ski Utah, this is the third-highest number of skier visits in state history. This season's skier visits were down 3.6% from last year, the press release says, but the more than 6.5 million visitors this year show a 3.3% increase over Utah's five-year average. Utah's economy benefits greatly from recreation at the ski resorts. Ski Utah's president and CEO, Nathan Rafferty, emphasized skiing's impact on Utah. EXCLUSIVE: Utah man who underwent 120 surgeries advocates for rare disease awareness in Washington, D.C. 'To hit our third-best season ever and generate $2.51 billion for Utah's economy is a major win,' Rafferty is quoted in the release. 'The ski industry in Utah supports approximately 25,000 jobs, and with the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on the horizon, the eyes of the world will be on us once again. We're excited about the opportunities ahead and grateful to all who helped make this season a success.' Ski Utah says that ski resorts are already hard at work to prepare for the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics. In the next two years alone, 13 new lifts are expected to finish construction and open, and many resorts are planning upgrades to their mountain areas. 'Utah's future as a global winter destination remains as promising as ever,' Ski Utah concluded. Arizona man drowns along San Juan River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Charges for trespassing on border military zones 'not going away' Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98 Two women charged with felonies after late-night assault in Logan, charges say Death penalty expert weighs in on Menzies competency ruling and appeal Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
As state moves toward execution, Ralph Menzies' attorneys appeal to Utah Supreme Court
Ralph Leroy Menzies listens as attorney Eric Zuckerman talks to the judge during a competency hearing in 3rd District Court in West Jordan on Monday, Nov 18, 2024. (Pool photo by Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune) Attorneys for death row inmate Ralph Menzies have filed an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court, challenging a recent decision that found the 67-year-old convicted killer has dementia, but is still competent enough to be executed. The news comes as the Utah Attorney General's Office says it plans to move forward with Menzies' firing squad execution, with a hearing set for July 9 to discuss the application for an execution warrant. An execution warrant, sometimes called a death warrant, is one of the final steps in the process, where the state authorizes the prison to carry out a death sentence after appeals have been exhausted. It's not yet clear how the appeal to the Utah Supreme Court will impact the state's application for an execution warrant. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Menzies was convicted of murder in 1988 after he kidnapped 26-year-old gas station clerk Maurine Hunsaker from her work and took her up Big Cottonwood Canyon, where she was later found tied to a tree with her throat slashed. Menzies spent decades on death row, and in recent years his health has deteriorated. After falling several times in prison he was diagnosed with vascular dementia, caused when the brain's blood flow is disrupted, leading to memory loss and declining cognitive function, according to court testimony. An MRI exam showed Menzies' brain tissue is deteriorating, and his balance is fraught, causing him to fall several times each month. His attorneys say his brain is so damaged that he cannot form a rational understanding of why the state is pursuing the death penalty. The goal of the death penalty — retribution and deterrence — cannot be achieved if Menzies doesn't really understand why he's being executed, they argued. But attorneys for the state say while Menzies might be suffering from cognitive decline, he doesn't meet that threshold of incompetence. And Utah's 3rd District Judge Matthew Bates ultimately agreed in a ruling issued Friday evening. Judge says Ralph Menzies does have dementia, but is competent enough to be executed Menzies' attorneys told Utah News Dispatch they disagree with the ruling and would file an appeal with the Utah Supreme Court. That was made official on Monday, with his attorneys writing they plan to challenge 'the final order finding that despite a proper medical diagnosis of vascular dementia, Mr. Menzies has failed to demonstrate that he is incompetent to be executed.' In Utah, death row inmates sentenced before May 2004 had a choice between lethal injection and firing squad. Menzies, when he was sentenced in 1988, chose the firing squad. For those sentenced after 2004, the default method of execution is lethal injection, unless the necessary drugs are not available. The news that Menzies was found competent to be executed was celebrated by Matt Hunsaker, Maurine's son, who told Utah News Dispatch 'my family is very happy to see that we might have some closure coming.' 'We definitely appreciate the fact that it's moving forward, we are in hopes that the flow can continue and we can get an execution date and the death warrant signed immediately,' Hunsaker said on Friday following Bates' ruling. Menzies' attorney Lindsey Layer, meanwhile, said she respectfully disagreed with the ruling, calling her client 'a severely brain-damaged, wheelchair-bound, 67-year-old man with dementia and significant memory problems.' 'He cannot understand the State's reasons for his execution. His dementia is progressive and he is not going to get better. It is deeply troubling that Utah plans to remove Mr. Menzies from his wheelchair and oxygen tank to strap him into an execution chair and shoot him to death,' Layer said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
