Summary of the State of the State Address

Health insurance and education topped Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.’s (R) priorities in the first state-of-the-state speech in Utah’s newly remodeled Capitol on Jan. 22.

 

While hailing the state’s economy and praising its resilience amid national uncertainty, Huntsman identified Utahns’ lack of health insurance as a problem “crying out for a fix.” More than 300,000 residents have no health coverage, the governor said, challenging the Republican Legislature to work toward major changes that will expand access — though he offered few specific proposals.

 

Huntsman also called on lawmakers to make “historic investments in education” to lure more teachers to the state, both in primary and secondary schools and in colleges. He asked legislators to raise teacher salaries and give principals more power “to reward the good teachers and replace the bad ones.” He said students must take too many standardized tests and proposed a year-round school year for students who need extra help.