Issues

Photo by Kelly Hannah

Prioritizing the Environment

The Great Salt Lake’s declining water levels pose an extreme environmental threat to Utahns, and the poor air quality on the Wasatch front has been shown to decrease resident’s livespans. Sahara supports initiatives to redirect water to the lake, preserve our air quality, and protecting public lands.

Community Safety and Wellbeing

Gun violence has become a pervasive part of our lives, and it does not have to be. Sahara is an advocate for common-sense gun reforms that respect the constitution, and has led efforts to collect data on illegally obtained firearms. As a member of the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice standing committee Sahara has worked towards increasing public safety for all Utahns. 

H.B. 307, Firearm Data Amendments (2024) – Chief Sponsor

S.B. 140, Adult Protective Services Amendments (2023) – House Sponsor, passed

H.B. 511, Crime Victim Identification Amendments (2023) – Co-Sponsor, passed

H.B. 432, Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Amendments (2024) – Co-Sponsor, passed

 

Supporting Public Education

Teachers are highly-educated individuals who hold one of the highest positions of trust and responsibility in the state, and they should be treated accordingly. The Utah Legislature oversteps its boundaries into public education more every year by running and passing bills that dictate how teachers teach, their curriculums, their classroom decor, the contents of school libraries, and more. Sahara is an advocate for teacher autonomy, increased public funding for public schools, and student mental health. 

HB 481, Firearm Safety and Suicide Prevention Education Requirements (2023) – Chief Sponsor, passed

H.J.R. 7, Joint Resolution Condemning Abusive Coaching Practices (2024) – Chief Sponsor, passed

H.B. 163, Protecting Student Religious and Moral Beliefs Regarding Athletic Uniform Requirements (2023) – Co-Sponsor, passed

H.B. 477, Full-day Kindergarten Amendments (2023), Co-Sponsor, passed

Affordable Housing

Utah is experiencing dramatic population growth, and while it is important to keep up with this influx, it needs to be done in an intentional way. The state should work to prioritize long-term sustainability in new housing, and incentivize affordability. Sahara is an advocate for increased housing supply with a focus on deeply affordable options and creating paths for ownership. 

H.B. 539 Veteran Property Tax Exemption (2023) – Co-Sponsor, passed

H.B. 66 Property Tax Relief Amendments (2023) – Co-Sponsor, passed

 

Protecting Queer and Transgender Youth

Every person deserves to be treated with respect and dignity regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. The last three years have seen legislative attacks that directly target transgender youth. In addition to fighting back against bills that discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community, Sahara ran legislation to increase access to gender-affirming healthcare for state employees and enact a “panic defense” ban. In 2024, she passed legislation to streamline the process of updating names and gender markers through the courts. 

H.J.R 5, Joint Resolution for Gender Reassignment Surgical Health Benefits (2023) – Chief Sponsor

H.B. 187, Limitation on Special Mitigation Based on Victim Identity (2024) – Chief Sponsor

H.B. 234, Vital Record Information Modifications (2024) – Chief Sponsor, passed

Accessible Healthcare

Affordable healthcare is a concern for many Utahns. Sahara prioritizes improving access and affordability of healthcare and insurance, keeping reproductive healthcare safe and legal, and expanding access to gender-affirming healthcare. 

H.B. 415, Maternal Coverage Amendments (2023) -Co-Sponsor, passed