Take 2

KUTV 2News
  • 4.2 (34)
  • GOVERNMENT
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

2News Heidi Hatch hosts an array of special guests as they talk about the issues most important to Utahns.

  1. 1D AGO

    Take 2 Podcast: Everything you need to know as Democrats, Republicans use every legal avenue in Utah's redistricting fight

    Host: Heidi Hatch Guests: Maura Carabello, Exoro GroupRob Axson, Utah GOP Chair NEW FEDERAL REDISTRICTING LAWSUIT A new federal lawsuit has been filed by Congressmen Burgess Owens and Celeste Maloy, along with other elected officials, challenging Utah’s redistricting process.   “Today we took action. I, along with elected officials throughout our state, filed a federal lawsuit to defend the constitutional process by which Utah chooses its representatives. We can’t just sit idly by as our representative government is weakened. This lawsuit exists to restore proper constitutional balance.” — Rep. Celeste Maloy   More information on the case: Powers-Gardner v. Henderson   Related developments with the lawsuit filed with the Utah Supreme Court: Utah Legislature asks the Utah Supreme Court to stay the redistricting rulingUtah County Clerk requests to join the case  PROP 4 REPEAL: FINAL DAYS 9 days remain in the Proposition 4 repeal signature-gathering effort, which officially ends Sunday, February 15. Signatures currently verified and submitted to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office: 52%Is a large final submission still coming? Utah GOP Chair Rob Axson offers insightGrowing controversy surrounding the effort, including accusations of assaults on signature gatherers and complaints from voters who say they did not understand what they were signing  SIGNATURE GATHERING CONTROVERSY Better Boundaries announces a targeted signature removal campaign following reports of deceptive signature-gathering practices related to the repeal of Utah’s anti-gerrymandering law.   Better Boundaries says voters were misled by signature gatherers- our Take 2 guests argue this isn’t really an argumentUtah County Attorney confirms a criminal investigation into potential signature-gathering fraudUtah County Clerk Aaron Davidson flagged approximately 300 signatures  SAVE AMERICA ACT The U.S. House is expected to vote next week on Sen. Mike Lee’s SAVE America Act, introduced with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). The bill would require proof of citizenship to voteMeasures include photo ID requirements and documentation compliant with REAL ID standardsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    38 min

  2. JAN 30

    Take 2 Podcast: Legislative Session Day

    Host: Heidi Hatch Guests: Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz; Maura Carabello, Exoro Group Tax Cuts & Budget Cuts Utah lawmakers advanced SB60, the proposed cut would reduce tax rates from 4.5% to 4.45% Opponents argue that the reduction could be better allocated amid a projected $300 million revenue loss   Utah Majority Family-focused legislation The House Majority Caucus has made cost-of-living and strong families a priority for this session   Utah Gas Prices Currently, Utah has a $0.385 tax rate per gallon for motor fuel sold at gas pumps in the state, but has an exemption for fuel exported out of state. A draft bill is still in the works that would reassess the state’s gas tax structure   Refineries produce up to 220,000 barrels a day, but about 75,000 of those are shipped out of state to meet demand elsewhere in the West, pushing our prices higher here at home.   As of late January 2026, Utah's average gas prices for regular unleaded are around $2.68 per gallon    Idaho Legislature is fighting Mad over Utah Legislations Idaho House speaker calls Utah House Speaker's plan “Bull manure”, and Speaker Schultz had some choice words in return https://legislature.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/HJM012.pdf   Sentencing Commission The Speaker is sponsoring HB 274 to reconfigure the sentencing commission. HB274, sponsored by House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, would change the makeup of the Utah Sentencing Commission by removing all defense lawyers from the commission and replacing them with more members from law enforcement. The Bar said it “strongly” opposes the bill because it “politicizes” the commission by restructuring it in a way that “favors law enforcement and partisan viewpoints.” https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/HB0274.html   Utah won a $30 million bid for US Magnesium’s land, water rights, and mining agreements on Tuesday as part of a wider strategy to refill the shrinking Great Salt Lake Utah purchased US Magnesium’s land, water rights, and mining agreements for $30 million to help US Magnesium filed for bankruptcy in 2025, halting magnesium production. Gov. Spencer Cox and Department of Natural Resources Director Joel Ferry say the move is critical for long-term lake health and air quality   Where is Utah’s Appeal to the Supreme Court on Redistricting? Signature-gathering status: Will they need a miracle to get to the magic number by Feb. 14? When it comes to redistricting, most Utah voters do not believe the state legislature should be solely responsible for the district boundaries because it favors the party in power See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    54 min

  3. JAN 23

    Take 2 Podcast: Governor Spencer Cox delivers State of the State address

    Host: Heidi Hatch Guests: Maura Carabello, Exoro Group; Nic Dunn, Sutherland Institute   Governor Spencer Cox — State of the State   Polling: Deseret News / Hinckley Institute One-third of Utah voters say affordable housing should be the Legislature’s top priority.Housing ranked twice as high as any other issue across all partisan and age groups.Utah Legislature's approval rating sits at 47% overall  Possible ICE Detention Center in Salt Lake County West-side Salt Lake City warehouse rumored as potential siteLocal city and county leaders appeared caught off guard, despite ICE’s two-year search for detention space statewide  Legislative Session Updates Utah Senate votes to expand the Utah Supreme Court from five to seven justicesSen. Nate Blouin’s ICE opt-out bill declared dead on arrival, killed in committeeBills to watch heading into Friday’s legislative deadline  BLM Approves Updated Northern Corridor Highway Plan Federal approval clears the way after years of debate and environmental review  Senator Mike Lee's Social Media Post Makes Headlines Reaction and political fallout discussed  Prop. 4 Repeal Effort Scott Presler returns to Utah for a second weekend of signature gathering to repeal Proposition 4  Coming Up Next Week Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz joins Take 2 Podcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 1m

  4. JAN 19

    Take 2 Podcast: MLK Day of Service highlights as the Utah legislative session begins

    Take 2 Podcast 1/19/26 Host: Heidi Hatch Guests: State Sen. Jen Plumb, MD, State Rep. Ryan Wilcox MLK Day of Service highlights as the Utah legislative session beginsLawmakers kick off the session with a blood driveMinnesota facing growing tension amid an ICE surgeSen. Nate Blouin introduces a bill to block ICE from entering churches and hospitals and to ban agents from wearing masksUtah ICE detention center has been in planning for nearly two years, dating back to the Biden administrationTrump’s “one big, beautiful bill” and tightening budgets loom over legislative sessions across the West, reporting from Brigham TomcoUtah State School Board asked to cut $300 million, about 5% of its budgetBill filed to expand Utah Supreme Court justices from five to sevenU.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on state bans of transgender athletes in girls’ sportsConservative organizer Scott Presler in Utah gathering signatures to repeal Proposition 4See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    56 min

  5. JAN 9

    Take 2: 8 people shot, 2 killed outside Salt Lake meetinghouse

    Take 2 Podcast — Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 Host: Heidi Hatch Guests: Maura Carabello, Exoro Group; John Dougall, Former State Auditor Happy New Year and America’s 250th anniversary year.   8 people shot, 2 killed outside LDS church in Salt Lake City neighborhood   Nationwide protests after fatal ICE agent shooting in Minneapolis   Newly elected municipal leaders sworn in   Utah Political Updates   Filing deadlines and races The filing deadline has come and gone.Rob Bishop is running for a seat after Utah Rep. Matthew Gwynn announced he will not seek re-election.Former Provo Mayor Kaufusi is running for county commission.GOP Rep. Trevor Lee faces a challenge from Davis County Commissioner Bob Stevenson in House District 16.Three Republican candidates have filed to challenge Utah Senate President Stuart Adams in Senate District 7.Sen. Dan McCay announced his re-election bid while Rep. Doug Fiefia filed to challenge him.Sen. Nate Blouin is running for Congress. Four Democrats have filed: Richard T. Whitney, Silvia Caten, Evan Done and Taylor J. Paden, with Colin Smith also in the mix.County clerk challenge in Utah County: incumbent Aaron Davidson vs. newcomer Corey Astille.  Legal & Legislative The Utah Legislature filed a notice to appeal Utah’s redistricting case with the Utah Supreme Court, seeking to keep the old maps in place.Congressional filing deadline is March. Another Democrat joined the congressional race, bringing the total to 10 listed on Ballotpedia, with Liban Mohamed as number 10.A state school board member announced she won’t seek re-election, citing what she called a “corrupt” system.GOP priorities for the legislative session include a bill to ban cell phone use in schools from bell to bell. National & International ICE fatal shooting in Minnesota has led to nationwide protests, including in Salt Lake City.Nicolas Maduro captured (mention/source not verified in these notes — check if needed).Iran protests and internet shutdown.Trump administration weighing payments to Greenlanders to encourage closer ties with the U.S.Trump said his global power was limited only by his ‘own morality.’ New York Times interview: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/briefing/trump-interview-oval-office-apple-ceo.html?smid=url-share See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 6m

  6. 12/19/2025

    Take 2: Prop 4 signatures move forward as tax referendum faces tight deadline

    HOST: Heidi Hatch GUESTS: Maura Carabello Exoro Group, Rep Ryan Wilcox Prop 4 is moving closer to the ballot as organizers report tens of thousands of signatures submitted to county clerks, even as another major policy fight begins to take shape. A newly filed effort to challenge Salt Lake County’s tax increase is now racing against a tight signature-gathering deadline, adding urgency to an already crowded political landscape. At the same time, unresolved court questions surrounding Prop 4 are keeping key decisions in limbo. Did you catch the Variety White House Expose? https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-susie-wiles-interview-exclusive-part-1?srsltid=AfmBOopKq4pM-ka2qo47Cc-_KgQd8ZemDcDLj8JIfkSPGgD6Yg2yglP7   Salt Lake County Tax Referendum Goud Maragani and others applied for the referendum on Monday, which if approved by clerk's office, gives them a chance to put the increase on next year's ballot. They would need to get about 45,000 handwritten signatures in 45 days. They are using volunteers.   Prop 4 Signature Gathering   Rob Axson Utah GOP Chair reports an estimated 75k valid signatures gathered – first signatures turned in a week ago to county clerks.   Few Hundred paid gatherers- majority local Utah hires   Latest on Prop 4 Case appeal   In new court filings, the legislature is asking Third District Judge Dianna Gibson to issue a final judgment in the case so they can appeal it to the Utah Supreme Court, which the plaintiffs and Gibson say she can’t do yet because of unresolved claims.   3 Governors Take the Stage together   3 Utah governors say the country ‘desperately needs more of Utah’ ... in the White House?   https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/3-utah-governors-country-desperately-030000599.html   Bridger Bolinder   A leader in Utah’s House Republican caucus says he will not seek reelection next year, citing other commitments and responsibilities that require his attention. House Majority Assistant Whip Bridger Bolinder, R-Grantsville, announced the decision this week. Bolinder was elected by his House colleagues to a leadership role over the summer, becoming one of the newest GOP leaders on Capitol Hill. “Serving in the Utah House of Representatives has truly been the honor of a lifetime,” Bolinder said in a post on Instagram. “Representing the people of Tooele, Juab and Millard counties has meant more to me than I can put into words.”   Political and Religious Violence   Brown University Shooting/MIT Professor Shooting – person of interest found dead Salem New Hampshire 2 Students killed, 9 critically injured MIT professor shot and killed at home Bondi Beach Shooting On Dec. 14, a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people, including a child, and injured dozens. Australian authorities said two gunmen linked to the Islamic State opened fire on a crowd of about 1,000 people, with police killing one suspect and arresting the other, who was critically injured. Police later removed two homemade bombs from a car connected to the attackers.   Trump Gave himself a year in review in primetime address. Border closed Peaced Deal Gaza/Israel Economy is awesome (Many would debate this)   Utah Year in Review Charlie Kirk shooting and Utah Congressional Maps biggest stories of the year   New Year New Documentary: Melania    Exclusively in theaters Jan 30 https://x.com/MELANIATRUMP/status/2001266577077837917?s=20 “Hi, Mr. President, congratulations,” Melania Trump says on the phone, speaking from a golden bathroom in the first trailer for “Melania,” Amazon MGM Studio‘s upcoming documentary about the First Lady. “Did you watch it?” Donald Trump asks on the other end of the call. “I did not, I will see it on the news,” she replies.   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    55 min

  7. 12/12/2025

    Take 2 Podcast: Salt Lake Co. approves property tax increase, Gov. Cox signs 3 bills

    Host: Heidi Hatch Guests: Maura Carabello, Exoro Group; Nic Dunn, VP of Strategy, Sutherland Institute Salt Lake County Approves Property Tax Increase The Salt Lake County Council voted Tuesday night to approve a property tax increase of around 14%, lower than the originally proposed increase of nearly 20%. Special Session: Gov. Cox Signs 3 Bills Repeals the new law that stripped power from public labor unionsChanges the filing deadlines for Utah’s 2026 congressional racesClarifies the exclusive and original appellate jurisdiction of the Utah Supreme CourtLegislative Audits: District Attorney, Police and Criminal Justice System Salt Lake County District Attorney AuditSalt Lake City Police Department AuditWelfare Reform Nic Dunn returns from meetings in Washington, D.C.Work disincentives built into the current systemUtah as a national leader due to:Health Care: Dueling Senate Bills Fail As the deadline approaches for expiring enhanced ACA subsidies, the Senate rejected: University of Utah Athletics: Private Equity Deal University of Utah unveils plan for a private equity partnershipOtro Capital would become a minority owner in Utah Brands & EntertainmentNCAA President warns schools to use caution with new forms of athletic equity financingPublic Lands Group Files Lawsuit Over New National Parks Pass Featuring Former President Donald Trump See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    59 min

  8. 12/05/2025

    Take 2 Podcast: Utah GOP fuels repeal push with millions as redistricting fight intensifies

    Utah GOP has raised over $4 million to repeal Proposition 4. The money is being donated by 501(c)(4) out of MA   Signatures gathered- Rob Axson Utah GOP Chair reports healthy pace (tens of thousands) and growing momentum. None turned in yet.            Utah GOP filed for a stay, no ruling yet   Sutherland Institute Survey: Utah voters think elected officials, not judges, should choose congressional maps   https://sutherlandinstitute.org/utah-redisticting-survey/   Do voters agree or disagree with the court-driven process produced by proponents of Proposition 4? Sutherland Institute recently commissioned Y2 Analytics to conduct a survey of Utah voters to investigate this question.   By a 63-point margin, Utah voters believe that the policymakers they elect should be making redistricting decisions over judges. A full 71% of Utah voters say that an elected body or elected official at the state or county levels ought to have primary responsibility to decide congressional maps, compared to 8% who say judges should be primarily responsible. A plurality of Utah voters say that a body elected by the people (e.g., the Utah Legislature or county council) should be making redistricting decisions, while 21% of voters say it should be a state-level elected official (e.g., the governor), and 15% say it should be a county-level elected official (e,g., a county mayor).     5 Democratic Candidates in the D1 2025 Race   State Sen. Nate Blouin announced his candidacy Nov. 24- now backed by BernieNewcomer Luis Villarreal entered the race1st in Sen. Kathleen RiebeFormer congressman Ben McAdamsFormer state Sen. Derek Kitchen.   REP. VERONA MAUGA looking to pass gun law change in upcoming session after shooting of Afa Ah Loo at No Kings Protest Drafting bill to keep long guns off the streets during protestsManslaughter charges filed this week against the “peace keeper”              Cox proposes $30.7B budget with funding for homeless campus, child tax credits Gov. Spencer Cox proposes a $30.7 billion budget prioritizing literacy, a homeless campus and child tax credits.The budget includes $20 million for reading support and $25 million for a homeless campus in Salt Lake City.Cox's proposal also allocates funds for school safety, technical colleges and outdoor recreation.fund a literacy public awareness campaign and invest tens of millions in "paraprofessionals" to help teachers give an extra hand to young students who are falling behind. That would include $20 million for reading support in elementary schools that fall below the statewide proficiency benchmark of 70% of third graders reading at grade level. How the Trump administration could make or break Utah Gov. Cox’s budget priorities Trump tax bill leads to projected $300 million decrease in state income tax revenue.Gov. Cox prioritizes $25 million in budget to finish construction of homeless campus.Cox not proposing income tax cuts like the ones he supported for five years in a row. https://governor.utah.gov/press/gov-cox-releases-fy-2027-budget-proposal-focused-on-responsible-fiscal-management-strong-families-and-long-term-prosperity/       Rep. Blake Moore joins Pres. Trump to celebrate Michael and Susan Dell’s $6.25B investment in Trump Accounts   Congressman Blake Moore joined President Trump at the White House to celebrate Michael and Susan Dell’s monumental $6.25 billion investment in Trump Accounts for children. Congressman Moore introduced legislation in the House to establish these investment accounts, which was passed and signed into law as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4th, 2025.   U.S. pauses immigration applications from 19 countries after two National Guard members shot in DC See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    1h 2m
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About

2News Heidi Hatch hosts an array of special guests as they talk about the issues most important to Utahns.

Information

  • Creator
    KUTV 2News
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    304
  • Copyright
    © Take 2
  • Show Website
    Take 2

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