Sen. President Stuart Adams agrees that organizational changes are needed to better address homelessness in Salt Lake City. Adams joined KSL at Night on May 9, 2023 to preview the upcoming special session of the Utah legislature. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has called for a special session of the Utah legislature on May 17.
During the special session, the legislature will extend the state of emergency that was issued by the governor on April 18. Additionally, the legislature will also allocate funding for snow removal, flooding and mitigation.
Sen. President Stuart Adams (R-Layton) joined KSL at Night with hosts Leah Murray and Scott Simpson on Tuesday night to discuss the upcoming special session.
Murray asked, “I’m just kind of wondering, how do you all decide to come into these sessions together?”
“There’s alot of discussion going on among us,” Adams said. “But formally, the governor notifies us. He’s declaring the emergency, then we get to determine whether we extend it or not.”
Simpson asked, “What is it that you’re allowing?”
“In the Emergency Powers Act, he can do a lot of different things,” Adams said. “From spending money to actually to do different things that need to be done that normally we statutorily do as a legislature.”
During the special session, the legislature will also take up H.B. 225, which deals with firearm possession.
Murray asked, “How did this firearm bill get added to the conversation?”
Adams says a misunderstanding in the bill led to a mistake that needed to be corrected.
“We never make mistakes up here,” he said. “I hope you know that.”
He adds rather than wait until the next season, the legislature will correct the mistake during the special session.
On the topic of flooding, Simpson asked, “Are there real emergent issues around the state?”
“We’ve been extremely fortunate and blessed with a great snowpack this year,” Adams said. “But then we’ve also been extremely blessed and fortunate with a cooler spring.”
All in all, Adams says other than a few areas, the state has been fortunate up to this point in terms of flooding.
Listen to the entire segment.
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