Representative Carl Albrecht. Stock photo.
By Representative Carl Albrecht, District 70
Upcoming Special Session
On June 18 and 19, the Legislature will reconvene for a special session. Many important pieces of legislation will be considered, including adjusting the budget and addressing policies related to COVID-19. Republicans and Democrats are working together to craft bipartisan legislation to advance racial equality policies. More work will be done during the interim, but this is an important step to advance our policies.
Public Comment for Upcoming Electronic Interim Committee Meetings
Due to meeting restrictions and safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Utah State Legislature is temporarily holding all meetings electronically; therefore, public comment will be taken remotely in order to provide the smoothest online service and ensure cyber security. Please click here for more information on how to submit feedback.
COVID-19 Update
As of Thursday, June 11, the Utah Department of Health has reported 13,252 positive cases (an increase of 388 cases from the day prior), 968 hospitalizations (119 current hospitalizations) and 131 deaths (an increase of 3 from the day prior). In all, Utah has administered 245,668 total tests. Additionally, it is estimated that 7,745 Utahns have recovered.
Friday, June 12, Kane County will move to green and Mexican Hat and Bluff will move to yellow. Everyone else will remain in the same category they are currently in. As parts of Utah begin to move to green, it is important to continue wearing face masks, use sound judgment, maintain physical distancing and practice proper hygiene in order to protect yourself and those around you.
For up-to-date information, please visit https://coronavirus.utah.gov/ or follow @UtahCoronavirus on Twitter.
Unemployment
Below is the latest update on Utah’s unemployment insurance claims and a few things to highlight from May 31-June 6:
- Unemployment insurance claims increased 9.1% from the previous week to 5,452 claims
- This week’s claim volume represents a 382% increase from the average weekly claims seen in 2019
- More than $25.8 million paid in state benefits
- More than $48.2 million paid in federal dollars from the CARES Act $600 weekly stimulus
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims had an additional 1,674 individuals file and more than $11.1 million paid in federal dollars last week for PUA benefits
- Total combined claims from March 15 to June 6:
- Traditional: 180,296 claims; $608 million benefits paid (66% federal funds)
- PUA: 29,881 claims; $38 million benefits paid (100% federal funds)
Meeting with Federal Delegation
This week, Speaker Wilson and President Adams met with Utah’s Federal Delegation to coordinate and discuss state and federal COVID-19 efforts. This collaboration will ensure Utah’s success as we emerge stronger from these unprecedented times.
Congratulations 2020 Graduates
Although your senior year may have ended differently than you imagined, I want to congratulate the Class of 2020! Your resilience and adaptability will truly make you incredible contributors to our community and I cannot wait to see all that you accomplish.
State Elections
You have either received or will soon receive your primary ballot. We have critical races throughout the state and your voice matters. You can register to vote at vote.utah.gov.
I want to personally thank law enforcement for the professional manner in which they handled the challenging situation in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah. Thanks again for the opportunity to represent you. Contact me with any questions. I will always stand tall for Rural Utah.