Orrin Grant Hatch was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from Utah from 1977 to 2019. Hatch's 42-year Senate tenure made him the longest-serving Republican U.S. senator in history,overtaking Ted Stevens,until Chuck Grassley surpassed him in 2023.
Robert Foster Bennett was an American politician and businessman. He was a United States Senator from Utah as a member of the Republican Party from 1993 to 2011. Bennett held chairmanships and senior positions on a number of key Senate committees,including the Banking,Housing and Urban Affairs Committee;Appropriations Committee;Rules and Administration Committee;Energy and Natural Resources Committee;and Joint Economic Committee.
The rights of lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. state of Utah have significantly evolved in the 21st century. Protective laws have become increasingly enacted since 2014,despite the state's reputation as socially conservative and highly religious. Same-sex marriage has been legal since the state's ban was ruled unconstitutional by federal courts in 2014. In addition,statewide anti-discrimination laws now cover sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing,and the use of conversion therapy on minors is prohibited. In spite of this,there are still a few differences between the treatment of LGBT people and the rest of the population,and the rights of transgender youth are restricted.
Curtis Scott Bramble is an American politician and Certified Public Accountant serving as a member of the Utah State Senate,representing the state's 24th senate district. Prior to redistricting he represented the 16th senate district in Provo.
Patricia W. "Pat" Jones is an American politician from Utah. A Democrat,she was a member of the Utah State Senate from 2006 to 2014,and currently runs the Women’s Leadership Institute in Utah. She is also senior adviser at Cicero Group,a research and strategy firm in Salt Lake City.
Scott Jenkins is an American politician and businessman from Utah. A Republican,he is a member of the Utah State Senate,representing the state's 20th senate district covering parts of Weber and Davis counties. He is retiring from his position as Senator and will not be running for reelection in 2016. Jenkins has an associate degree from Weber State University.
Mark Benson Madsen is an American politician and attorney from Utah. A Libertarian,he is a former member of the Utah State Senate,where he represented the state's 13th senate district in Utah,and Tooele Counties including the city of Lehi. Madsen is the grandson of Ezra Taft Benson,Secretary of Agriculture under President Eisenhower.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a landmark United States federal law,passed on October 22,2009,and signed into law by President Barack Obama on October 28,2009,as a rider to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010. Conceived as a response to the murders of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr.,both in 1998,the measure expands the 1969 United States federal hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim's actual or perceived gender,sexual orientation,gender identity,or disability.
Mark Archuleta Wheatley is a Democratic member of the Utah State House of Representatives,representing the 35th District since 2004. He lives in Murray,Utah,with his wife Josie.
Same-sex marriage in Utah has been legal since October 6,2014. On December 20,2013,the state began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as a result of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah's ruling in the case of Kitchen v. Herbert,which found that barring same-sex couples from marriage violates the U.S. Constitution. The issuance of those licenses was halted during the period of January 6,2014 until October 6,2014,following the resolution of a lawsuit challenging the state's ban on same-sex marriage. On that day,following the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear an appeal in a case that found Utah's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional,the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the state to recognize same-sex marriage.
Michael Shumway Lee is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Utah,a seat he has held since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Benjamin Michael McAdams is an American politician and attorney who served as the U.S. representative from Utah's 4th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. He was the only Democratic member of Utah's congressional delegation,and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. From 2013 to 2019,he served as mayor of Salt Lake County,and from 2009 to 2012,he was the Utah state senator from the 2nd district,which includes Salt Lake City,South Salt Lake,and a portion of West Valley. McAdams was elected to Congress in 2018,narrowly defeating two-term Republican incumbent Mia Love. In 2020,McAdams ran for reelection,but he lost to Republican challenger Burgess Owens.
David Keith Nelson is an American activist for the protection of equal rights for lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. He founded or helped found several LGBT-related nonprofit organizations in Utah and helped direct others. His work with the Democratic Party encouraged many LGBT Utahns to serve as party leaders. His work as a legislative and executive lobbyist accomplished the adoption of several LGBT- and weapon-friendly state and local laws,rules,ordinances and policies,and the rejection of other legislation.
Todd Weiler is a Republican member of the Utah State Senate. He lives in Woods Cross,Utah. Weiler was first appointed to the state Senate in January 2012.
Don L. Ipson is an American politician. A Republican,he serves and represents the 29th District of the Utah State Senate. He was previously a member of the Utah House of Representatives representing District 75 from 2009 to 2016.
Jerry W. Stevenson is an American politician and a Republican member of the Utah State Senate representing District 6 since 2023. Prior to redistricting he represented District 21 following his January 25,2010 appointment to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Sheldon Killpack. Stevenson was mayor of Layton from 1994 until 2006.
Ralph Okerlund is an American politician and a Republican and a former member of the Utah State Senate that represented District 24 from 2009 to 2020. He was the Senate's majority leader from January 28,2013 to 2020.
David P. Hinkins is an American politician and a Republican member of the Utah State Senate representing District 26. Prior to redistricting he represented District 27. since January 1,2009.
Karen Kwan is an American politician serving in the Utah State Senate from the 12th district. On January 16,2023 she was selected by delegates of the Utah Democratic Party to replace resigning Senator Karen Mayne. Before her appointment to the Senate she served in the Utah House of Representatives,representing the 34th district from 2017 to 2023. She also previously served as the House Minority Whip.
Walt Brooks is an American politician who has served in the Utah House of Representatives from the 75th district since 2016. He was appointed in September 2016 to replace Representative Don Ipson,who himself was appointed to the senate to replace Senator Steve Urquhart.
