Voices for Utah Children Articles

  • 2026 Legislative Recap: Was it Good for Kids?

    Utah has long branded itself as the best state for families. We celebrate our high birth rates, our focus on the future, and our “pro-family” values. But during this year's 2026 legislative session, one truth stands out: budgets are moral documents....

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Moe Hickey
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Protect Utah Families: Vote NO to HB 88 (Now HB 386)

    Important Bill Update! On Friday, February 27, 2026 portions of Rep. Trevor Lee’s HB 88 substituted key parts of the bill into HB 386 after HB 88 stalled earlier in the week. While these provisions do not include all of HB 88’s original proposals, they...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Megan Neuf and Ciriac Alvarez Valle
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2026 Legislative Recap: Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice

    This legislative session introduced several key proposals impacting Utah’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems, highlighting several important themes shaping policy. 1. Balancing Accountability and Diversion: House Bill 188 highlights the...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Martín C. Muñoz
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2026 Legislative Recap: Children's Health

    The 2026 session ended with generally positive outcomes for children's health policy, but the primary focus throughout, from the start to the end, was defense. Going into the session, we anticipated bills targeting the State CHIP program even beyond...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Megan Neuf
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2026 Legislative Recap: Immigrant Family Policies

    This year, we closely monitored and engaged on several bills throughout the Legislative Session. We started with three main priorities that guided our advocacy efforts on our immigrant family policies: protecting access to public programs, opposing...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Ciriac Alvarez Valle
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2026 Legislative Recap: K-12 Education and Child Care

    The 2026 legislative session brought both meaningful progress and missed opportunities for Utah’s children and families. Throughout the session, advocates, educators, and community partners worked to elevate issues impacting child care access, early...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Jennifer Stout
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2026 Legislative Recap: Tax & Budget

    At the end of each legislative session, we’re often left sharing a discouraging update: year after year, lawmakers tend to pass the bills we oppose and stall the ones we support. This session, however, felt different. Of the priority bills we tracked,...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Jenna Williams
    • Category: Updates & Blog
  • Rain falling on a window with people holding umbrellas blurred through the window.

    Now Is the Time to Use Our Rainy Day Funds

    It’s Raining in Utah: Why Now Is the Time to Use Our Rainy Day Funds As Utahns, we pride ourselves on planning ahead. We save for the future, invest in our communities, and build strong foundations for our families. The state has done the...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Moe Hickey
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • How the 2025 Federal Reconciliation Bill Harms Utah’s Kids and Families

    Reality vs. Rhetoric As Utahns, we claim to value bold ideas and practical solutions. We believe in responsible budgets — but not at the expense of our children’s futures. The new Federal Reconciliation Bill of 2025—dubbed the “One Big Beautiful...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Moe Hickey
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Sticks and Stones: The Power of the Words We Use

    This month feels heavy. Because, well… it is. We celebrate Pride Month, a time to recognize and honor the LGBTQ+ community. But even as we celebrate, it’s impossible to ignore the challenges. This year, Utah became the first state in the country to ban...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Laneta Fitisemanu and Moana 'Ulu'ave
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Voices for Utah Children Statement on the Risk the Reconciliation Bill Poses to Utah’s Children

    We are disappointed in the recent passage of H.R. 1: "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" in the House of Representatives which if enacted, will result in thousands of Utah children and their families losing access to health care, food, and other support...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio & Ciriac Alvarez Valle
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Work Requirements Threaten Coverage for Thousands of Utahns on Medicaid 

    Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released its long-awaited Committee bill, and as we expected, cuts to Medicaid are on the table. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the bill would cause 13.7 million Americans to lose their...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Healthcare Isn't the Only Thing at Risk

    Medicaid Cuts Don’t Just Hurt Health—They Weaken Utah’s Economy and Workforce Just days before Congress was set to go on recess, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed the joint budget resolution (216–214), with all four members of Utah’s...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • 2025 Legislative Recap

    Was this year's legislative session good for kids? We answer this and more in our 2025 Legislative Recap! In this latest brief, we break down what happened during the legislative session, what we accomplished alongside our partners, and why staying...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Voices Statement on the House Budget Resolution

    The recent House Budget Resolution proposes $880 billion in Medicaid cuts, a move that would destabilize Utah’s healthcare system. These cuts would affect children, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families while straining hospitals and...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Preserve Medicaid for Utah Families: Vote NO on SB 257

    Senator Brammer's SB 257, Medicaid Accounts Amendments, seeks to introduce a broadly defined "Medicaid shortfall," which could trigger unnecessary budget cuts to essential healthcare services. Even though the existing budget processes already allow the...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • How Proposed Federal Medicaid Cuts Could Harm Utah Families

    When Cuts Don’t Heal As the 119th Congress begins its new term, proposed cuts to Medicaid are once again a major point of discussion at the federal level. Republicans in Congress are preparing to introduce sweeping budget and policy changes through the...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Protecting State CHIP: Vote NO on HB178

    37 ORGANIZATIONS, ENTITIES, AND BUSINESSES HAVE SIGNED ON TO PROTECT STATE CHIP The 37 undersigned organizations and entities dedicated to the health and well-being of children and 90 individuals are writing in response to the recently introduced HB178...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Ciriac Alvarez Valle
    • Category: Updates & Blog

  • Voices for Utah Children 2025 Legislative Priorities

    Looking to the 2025 Legislative Session, Voices for Utah Children remains committed to speaking out for all those Utahns who can’t vote but are greatly impacted by public policy: our kids! Despite an increasingly difficult state policy climate, we...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Anna Thomas
    • Category: Updates & Blog
  • Blanding Stronger Together Event Photo

    Medicaid in Rural Utah

    Insights from Our Southern Utah Engagement Events Medicaid is a lifeline for many families in Utah, especially in rural areas where access to healthcare is often limited. This year, we organized two Medicaid-focused engagement events in Southern...

    • Type: Article
    • Author: Thaiss Del Rio
    • Category: Updates & Blog
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