Why are Republicans in a rush to pass a new health care law this month? Utah lawmakers are again looking at a bill to remove mentally incapacitated officials from office. Lawmakers pass bills to back Operation Rio Grande.
Happy Thursday. Republicans have tried — and failed — several times to repeal and replace Obamacare but now are attempting to push through a new health care bill within a week. It’s still unclear how the bill would impact health care in America but the GOP isn’t planning to wait until the Congressional Budget Office gives its report. Why the rush? The answer is lies in a combination of Republican legislative strategy, arcane Senate procedure and ordinary partisan divisions. [WaPost]
Topping the news: State lawmakers passed legislation to support Operation Rio Grande and help find a solution to downtown Salt Lake City’s homeless problem. [Trib]
-> Utah lawmakers are looking another time at passing a new law that would allow the removal of elected officials deemed mentally unfit for their jobs, but this one would only apply to counties with a council form of government. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Polygamist Lyle Jeffs pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and one count of failure to appear in court. [Trib] [DNews]
Tweets of the day: From @EvanMcS: “a DC private jet scandal feels like a warm comfortable blanket sewn from the finest normalcy.”
-> From @seungminkim: “Sen. Murkowski, how are you? @lisamurkowski: “You know ... I’m not going to answer that question.” #exclusive #mustcredit“
Happy birthday: To former state Rep. Rep. Kay McIff and Bailey Bowthorpe of the Salt Lake Chamber.
In other news: The Salt Lake City Airport Advisory Board recommended a street-level extension of TRAX, a move that would save more than $50 million. [Trib]
-> Alleged fraudster Rick Koerber testified in court that even during the Great Recession people were begging him to take their money. [Trib]
-> Rep. Craig Hall is drafting legislation to specify when a police officer may draw blood without a victim’s consent. [Trib]
-> State Sen. Daniel Thatcher has opened a bill file to create a three-digit number similar to 911 for suicide prevention. [DNews]
-> Rep. Paul Ray failed in an attempt to halt a change to how the state’s court system decides bail. [Trib]
-> The Murray City Council picked Douglas Blair Camp to serve as interim mayor. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke laments the tearing down of his alma mater Granite High School and other old buildings often replaced with shiny glass structures devoid of soul. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley offers his take on the Graham-Cassidy health care bill. [Trib]
Nationally: Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price last week took private jets on five separate flights for official business, at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars more than commercial travel. [Politico]
-> Special counsel Robert Mueller is asking for a slew of documents from the White House about some of President Donald Trump’s more controversial decisions, including the firing of his national security adviser and FBI director. [NYTimes]
-> Less than two weeks before Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination, campaign Chairman Paul Manafort offered to provide briefings on the race to a Russian billionaire closely aligned with the Kremlin. [WaPost]
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-- Thomas Burr: Twitter.com/thomaswburr