Derek Monson

Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune. In the wake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ clarification of its stance on hate crimes legislation, lawmakers, advocates and political news media are speculating about how far hate crimes…

Originally published in Daily Herald. Momentum is building toward state tax reform this year. The governor wants to cut sales taxes but expand the tax to more services, while influential voices in the Legislature would like to see income taxes…

Originally published in Standard-Examiner. The number of ballot initiatives seen in Utah in recent elections is historically high. Some have divided communities (e.g., medical marijuana), while others created legal conflicts and left state legislators to clean up the mess (e.g.,…

Originally published in Deseret News. The annual alcohol policy debate in the Utah Legislature is brewing. Grocery stores are seeking to loosen regulations on the sale of beer. Public health and safety advocates are celebrating that Utah just became the…

Originally published in Utah Policy. In the runup to the 2019 legislative session, legislative leaders are discussing potential amendments to the Medicaid expansion plan enacted by Proposition 3. As a matter of public policy, they are right to do so,…

In the wake of a Texas district judge’s decision declaring the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – aka PPACA, the ACA or Obamacare – unconstitutional, many are asking some form of the question “what does it mean?” What does…

Originally published in The Hill. With the resignation of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, the public lands, conservation and environmental communities are thinking: who’s next? Depending on your political or ideological persuasion, the resignation of Zinke might feel like a victory…

Now that Election Day 2018 is in the rearview mirror, Utahns can think about the results of the ballot initiatives (Props 2, 3 and 4) and the nonbinding opinion question (Question 1) and determine the proper path forward for the…

Medicaid expansion under Proposition 3 is likely to help some Utahns while harming others. When voting on Prop 3, it is important to consider what the initiative does and doesn’t do. What does Proposition 3 do? What Proposition 3 doesn’t…

The vote on Proposition 2 has largely been overshadowed by the medical marijuana compromise (which Sutherland supported) arrived at by legislative leaders; representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and proponents of Prop 2. This compromise is…