The Hinckley Report

Jason Perry
  • 4.9 (52)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Hinckley Report with Jason Perry provides insight and analysis into the most pressing political issues facing the state of Utah.

  1. Utah's Top Political Headlines of 2025

    12/26/2025

    Utah's Top Political Headlines of 2025

    As a turbulent year in politics comes to a close, our panel of experts reflect on the biggest political headlines of the last 365 days. What decisions had a significant impact? Which messages resonated with voters? And what major events will have long-term effects? THE DEEPER DIVE: • ️ The assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University and subsequent security-heavy events have intensified conversations about civility, student engagement, and the future of political discourse in the state and nation. We examine where the nation goes from here. • ️ A landmark court ruling overturned Utah's 2021 Congressional Map, creating a Salt Lake County–focused district that leans Democratic, setting the stage for competitive races and potential shifts in national power. Our expert panel discusses what comes next for the legal case, and how things could still shift in 2026. • ✊ Following large protests and over 300,000 signatures for a referendum, lawmakers reversed a controversial bill eliminating collective bargaining rights for public sector employee unions, signaling ongoing battles over labor policy. We explore what impact this could have on the upcoming legislative session. • The 43-day federal government shutdown tied to Affordable Care Act subsidies ended up being the longest in history. We discuss whether the end result will lead to skyrocketing healthcare costs and how it may influencing upcoming elections. ️ FEATURING: • Heidi Hatch – Anchor, KUTV 2News • Jeff Parrott – Politics Editor, The Salt Lake Tribune • Daniel Woodruff – Reporter, KSL 5 News Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    26 min
  2. Court Size & Executive Orders

    12/20/2025

    Court Size & Executive Orders

    Lawmakers will likely expand the size of the Utah Supreme Court. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion examining the arguments for and against adding additional justices. Plus, how are Utah leaders responding to Pres. Trump's executive order on artificial intelligence? And will Congress act to extend ACA subsidies? THE DEEPER DIVE: • ⚖️ The size of the Utah Supreme Court has remained the same for more than 100 years, since it was set at five justices back in 1917. Would adding two more amount to court packing? Proponents of this plan say many states of a similar size already have larger supreme courts and that expanding would allow the Court to get through a backlog of cases more quickly. On the other side, critics argue there are more affordable ways to move cases along and this is simply a political move. • Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies are set to expire in January unless Congress extends them. Utah is the 4th highest recipient of subsidies in the nation, so there would be a big impact here if they go away. Will Republicans and Democrats in Washington, DC come together to find a solution? Or will healthcare continue to be a political football? • ✍️ In the past year, Congress has only passed 57 pieces of legislation, yet Pres. Trump has issued 221 executive orders. Critics of this dynamic claim the legislative branch has given up too much power to the executive branch. We examine how this is impacting our government and whether it defies the intention of the Constitution. • Utah leaders are pushing back on an effort by Pres. Trump to control artificial intelligence regulations at the federal level. Should it be an issue managed by the states? Or does that create a marketplace that is too difficult for tech companies to navigate? ️ FEATURING: • Maura Carabello – President, Exoro Group • Jay Evensen – Opinion Editor, Deseret News • Chris Bleak – Partner, RRJ Consulting Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    26 min
  3. Special Session Recap

    12/12/2025

    Special Session Recap

    In a special session this week, the state legislature tweaked election law and sent a strong message to the Utah judiciary. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion examining the reaction coming from candidates, political parties, and voters themselves. Plus, some Utah leaders find themselves on the national stage. THE DEEPER DIVE: • ️ The Utah Legislature repealed a bill that had banned colelctive bargaining for public employee unions. When lawmakers originally passed HB267 in early 2025, a coalition of union organizers spearheaded a citizen referendum. That effort secured more than 320,000 signatures and qualified for the ballot in 2026. Our panel explores what led to the repeal and what could come next. • ️ Multiple bills during the special session were in response to the recent court rulings on Utah's Congressional map. One of the biggest changes involves pushing back the candidate filing deadline from January to March. We discuss why some lawmakers felt the change was necessary and how it impacts the future of redistricting litigation. • ⚖️ SB2002, allows election-related court cases to be expedited directly to the Utah Supreme Court. We evaluate why some in the legislature felt the change was unnecessary. ️ FEATURING: • Doug Wilks – Executive Editor, Deseret News • Rep. Jefferson Burton – (R) Spanish Fork • Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost – (D) Salt Lake City Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    27 min
  4. Budget Priorities & Redistricting Fight

    12/06/2025

    Budget Priorities & Redistricting Fight

    Governor Spencer Cox unveiled his proposed budget for the next year. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion about what this suggests about the governor's policy priorities and how it could influence the Legislature. Plus, the fight over Utah's congressional boundaries is taking another turn. THE DEEPER DIVE: • The governor is required by state law to present a budget to the state legislature, but lawmakers aren't required to take his recommendations. This year his $30.7 billion proposal is largely "flat" from last year, something Gov. Cox attributes to lower revenue due to Pres. Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill". • Homeless services would receive $25 million next year under this proposal. The governor described this issue as his top policy priority, including the construction of a new homeless services campus in Salt Lake City. Building this facility in Utah's capital city has received criticism. We evaluate arguments from both sides of the debate. • Money to support improving child literacy in the state is another big policy priority. As is enhancing school safety programs. • For the first time since Gov. Cox took office, his budget proposal does not include an income tax cut. He believes the cuts included in the "Big Beautiful Bill" will still help Utahns. • ️ The ongoing fight over Utah's Congressional Maps will return to Capitol Hill next week. In a special session, the lawmakers will consider a plan to change the filing deadline for candidates. That woudl allow the Legislature more time to appeal the map selected last month by a judge. We examine what impact this could have on the races. ️ FEATURING: • Rep. Hoang Nguyen – (D) Salt Lake City • Brigham Tomco – Deseret News • Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox – (R) North Ogden

    24 min
  5. Solutions for Utah's Housing Crisis

    11/28/2025

    Solutions for Utah's Housing Crisis

    Rapid growth has pushed Utah's housing market to a breaking point, but that's not the only factor making real estate unaffordable. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion about what's causing the Utah's housing crisis. Plus, what policies and solutions are on the table to secure the state's housing future? THE DEEPER DIVE: • Utah is expected to add 2 million more residents over the next 40 years. That's on top of the 18.4% growth the state has seen over the past decade. How does this impact housing affordability? And how should the state respond? • The median price of homes in Utah is 6X that of the median income. That's double the number economists recommend as a healthy balance. With the cost of homes continuing to outpace wage growth, what can be done to make Utah more affordable? • The median age of a first-time home buyer is much higher now than the historical average. We explore what this means for young people and their ability to accumulate generational wealth. • Are zoning policies throughout the state to blame for the housing shortage? Our experts discuss the various barriers to increasing supply, and how the state government may get involved. • ️ Construction costs grew quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic and never really returned to pre-2020 levels. What further impact do tariffs and immigration policies have on the cost of building housing? ️ FEATURING: • Steve Waldrip – Senior Advisor for Housing Strategy to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox • Natalie Gochnour – Director of the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah • Steven Bond – Founder of the Utah-based non-profit HomeOwnership4U.org Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    27 min
  6. New Maps & Shutdown Ends

    11/14/2025

    New Maps & Shutdown Ends

    A Utah judge rejected new congressional boundaries drawn by the Legislature, instead selecting a map submitted by the plaintiffs in a redistricting lawsuit. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion about how this will impact Utah politics. Plus, the longest government shutdown in American history finally comes to an end. THE DEEPER DIVE: • After 43 days, the U.S. government is officially back open. We examine what eventually led to an agreement, plus were there any winners politically? And who do Americans blame overall? • Healthcare subsidies were at the heart of this disagreement over federal spending. Democrats have pushed to extend those payments. Will the debate influence next year's midterm elections? • With a new map in place for Utah's congressional boundaries, prominent Democrats are already launching campaigns for Congress. We discuss the showdown this could mean for candidates. • ️ Critics of the redistricting ruling argue that the Utah Constitution reserves the redistricting power for the Utah Legislature. Will there be an appeal to the Utah Supreme Court? And what will be the political ramifications of this decision? • ️ At least one state lawmaker is calling to impeach Judge Dianna Gibson because of her ruling in the redistricting case. Our panel evaluates what legislative leadership are saying about that possibility. • ️ If the new map remains in place for the 2026 midterms, it has the potential to impact national politics. How could that shift the balance of power in Congress? ️ FEATURING: • Kate Bradshaw – Bountiful City Mayor-elect • Spencer Stokes – Founder and Partner, Stokes Strategies • Ben Winslow – Fox 13 News Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    26 min
  7. Examining 2025 Election Results

    11/07/2025

    Examining 2025 Election Results

    Voters made their voices heard here in Utah and across the nation. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, host Jason Perry leads a discussion about what the 2025 election results suggest about the political direction of the state and country. Plus, with the federal government shutdown now the longest in history, is there any end in sight? Plus, we examine what comes next in Utah's redistricting battle. THE DEEPER DIVE: • ️ Voter turnout varied between rural and urban areas of the state. Why were some voters more motivated to make their voices heard? • Utah's pilot program with Ranked Choice Voting expires at the end of this year. Will it be extended? Or was the process too confusing for voters? • Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she will retire at the end of her current term after 40 years in Congress. We explore what will be her enduring legacy. • Democrats performed well nationally with big wins in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City, overperforming trends from the 2024 Presidential Election. What explains this shift? • ️ Judge Dianna Gibson will rule on Utah's new congressional map in the coming days. Will she keep the map approved by the Legislature in September? And what happens if she throws that map out as well? • ✈️ As a result of the government shutdown, airports around the country - including here in Salt Lake City - are being forced to cut the number of daily flights. Will this push Congress toward a compromise on federal spending? ️ FEATURING: • Rep. Candice Pierucci – (R) Riverton, Majority Whip • Rep. Andrew Stoddard – (D) Midvale • Lindsay Aerts – Host, Inside Utah Politics on ABC4 News Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    26 min
  8. Who Do Utahns Blame for the Government Shutdown?

    10/31/2025

    Who Do Utahns Blame for the Government Shutdown?

    As the government shutdown nears the one month mark, Congress is facing new pressure to pass a spending bill. On this episode of Utah's favorite political podcast, our expert panel examines the impact of missed paychecks, lapsed SNAP benefits, and polling that shows who Uthans blame for the continued stalemate in Washington. Plus, Utah's redistricting showdown escalates as the deadline for new maps looms. Journalist Jeff Parrott joins political insiders Renae Cowley and Marty Carpenter on this episode of The Hinckley Report. THE DEEPER DIVE: • This government shutdown could surpass the longest record in history of 35 days next week • Utahns who work for the federal government are missing paychecks • SNAP food benefits run out on November 1st • The State of Utah will give $4 million to local food banks • Uthans wait for the Court's decision on redistricting maps • Efforts to overturn Map C come from both Republicans and Democrats FEATURING: • Renae Cowley – Partner at Foxley & Pignanelli government relations firm • Jeff Parrott – Politics Editor with The Salt Lake Tribune • Marty Carpenter – Partner at Northbound Strategy public relations Funding for The Hinckley Report is made possible in part by the Cleone Peterson Eccles Endowment Fund and by the financial contributions of PBS Utah members. If you would like to support the work we do, please visit https://pbsutah.org/supporthinckley

    27 min
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4.9
out of 5
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About

The Hinckley Report with Jason Perry provides insight and analysis into the most pressing political issues facing the state of Utah.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Perry
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    313
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved - PBS Utah - The Hinckley Report
  • Show Website
    The Hinckley Report

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