SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—
Utah's 45-day legislative session is coming to a close. Much of the session has been spent retooling ethics laws and railing against the federal government. Lawmakers passed multiple resolutions asserting Utah's role as a sovereign state and passed a couple of laws intended to spark court battles. Those include exempting firearms made and sold in Utah from federal regulations.Republicans who control the Legislature also passed a bill that would allow the state to take federal land through the use of eminent domain. Gov. Gary Herbert has signed the gun exemption into law, but hasn't made a decision on the use of eminent domain.
Lawmakers must adjourn by midnight on Thursday.
"I think the greatest accomplishment of this legislative session deals with public education," said Rep. David Clark (R), speaker of the house. "And it's a $283 million dollar backfeel from last year, that money that was going away into ongoing money, money that will be there every single year and continue that strong foundation for public education. I think that is the winning factor of this entire legislative session."
FOX 13's Max Roth reports.
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