ON THE ISSUES
PUBLIC SAFETY
Rep. Stoddard is committed to building a safer community. Having worked as a city prosecutor, he has seen first hand the challenges brought by the rapid development in this part of the valley, including populations experiencing homelessness and an increase in pedestrian accidents. As your legislator, Rep. Stoddard will commit to using my influence on Capitol Hill to provide resources to House District 40. The citizens of this district have elected to shoulder the burdens of growth and are entitled to the support of the state.
Passed Legislation: Disease Testing Amendments; POST Certification Amendments; Prohibited Persons Amendments
EDUCATION
An educated citizenry is the cornerstone of a strong community. Rep. Stoddard will make fully funding Utah’s schools a priority, and work to free teachers from constraints that keep them from bringing out the best in their students. Education doesn’t stop at high school and he will take action to empower higher education - not just at four-year universities, but also through state support of trade education, community college, and other programs that will create a dynamic, self-sustaining workforce to usher Utah into the tech age.
HOUSING
It is easy to see the housing crisis facing Utahns. Home prices and rents continue to rise, pricing hard-working citizens out of the American Dream. Rep. Stoddard is driven to create opportunities for home buyers and renters alike to improve their station including down payment assistance loans, rent assistance, and other programs that will create secure and long-lasting places to live for Utah residents.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Rep. Stoddard, as a prosecutor has seen where the criminal justice system works, and where it doesn’t. He wants to reform the process to make it more clear and accessible. Rep. Stoddard believes many minor offenders need to receive mental health, drug treatment, and other services to be rehabilitated into productive members of the community. Supporting comprehensive, evidence-driven criminal justice reform.
Passed Legislation: Murder Mitigation Amendments; Expungement Amendments; Intimate Image Distribution Prohibition Revisions; Diversion Fees Amendments; Inheritance Disqualification Amendments
HEALTHCARE
Healthcare is too important to be treated like just any business. Rep. Stoddard supports programs that improve access and affordability for healthcare and insurance and that help patients make informed decisions about what care they want and what it will cost. He is ready to advocate for patients and work to expand access to resources across the state.
LABOR
Creating a realistic opportunity for self-sufficiency should be a cornerstone of any economy. Rep. Stoddard supports increasing the minimum wage, and strengthening protections for workers, including laws that encourage and permit workers to associate, laws that provide paid parental leave, and increasing access to workman’s compensation, unemployment insurance, and new job training for displaced workers.
Passed Legislation: Consumer Sales Practices Amendments
IMMIGRATION
Rep. Stoddard believes that we work best by working together and that immigration policy must be driven by wisdom, not fear. Utah is defined by our welcoming spirit, and our State government must reflect that value and welcome people from all over the world, serving as a safe haven and wholesome new community for refugees, asylum seekers, and victims of trafficking, crime, and domestic violence.
Passed Legislation: Victim Guidelines for Prosecutors
AIR QUALITY
Utah’s government has spent too long with their heads in the sand on this crucial issue, and they are letting our communities down. Children, the elderly, and the disabled are not just inconvenienced by the air in the valley- their lives are in danger. Rep. Stoddard pledges to take concrete steps to preserve air quality that will grow and strengthen Utah’s economy- steps like incentivizing telecommuting on red air days and overhauling Salt Lake’s public transit system.
Passed Legislation:
Tax Credit for Alternative Fuel Heavy Duty Vehicles