Sutherland Institute
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Civics of the Utah State Legislature, part 3: Rules committees and standing committees
While sometimes obscure and complicated, the role of rules committees and standing committees is essential to fulfilling the consensus-building design of Utah’s legislative process.
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Sutherland Institute releases report on vote by mail
Hoping to inform and elevate the debate about vote by mail, Sutherland Institute has released a new report, Examining the Evidence on Vote by Mail.
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Contentious Supreme Court nominations are relatively new
The Supreme Court nomination process we are used to – when the nominee appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions – is relatively new in our nation’s history.
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Testimony in support of SB 114 1st Substitute – Public School Curriculum Requirements
Sound curriculum transparency legislation will further unify parents and teachers in their desires and commitments to improve the learning experience and outcomes of students.
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Religious teachings, sense of community encourage people of faith to help others
Why does religion seem to influence the common good? Many religious teachings endorse care for others in need. Religions also tend to foster community and make it easier for people to combine charitable efforts.
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Civics of the Utah State Legislature, part 2: Base budget
This week the Utah Legislature will finalize the “base budget” – which typically represents about 97 percent of the final state budget – for fiscal year 2022-23.
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Supreme Court’s active exercise of judicial review has fluctuated over the decades
Supreme Court invalidation of federal laws or regulations may seem like an annual occurrence. But this is a fairly modern development in the civic history of the federal judiciary.
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The key to evaluating curriculum transparency legislation
The parent-teacher partnership is the place where the desires and interests of two institutions meet: the family and public education. Public policy should respect both institutions.
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Coach’s case at Supreme Court may clarify scope of 2 religion clauses
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving a high school football coach who alleges he lost his job because he was exercising his free exercise right to offer a personal prayer on the field after a game.
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Civics of the Utah Legislature, part 1: Rule by consensus
Consensus rule is how Utah’s system of legislative lawmaking is designed to work. It is a feature, not a bug, of our governing system. The differences between consensus rule and majority rule are subtle but important.