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JOINT RESOLUTION ON TRANSIT OPERATOR SAFETY

2     
AWARENESS

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2023 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Paul A. Cutler

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Senate Sponsor: Kathleen A. Riebe

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This resolution recognizes the importance of transit operators and highlights the need to
11     protect transit operators from assaults.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This resolution:
14          ▸     acknowledges the important role transit operators play as part of the state's
15     infrastructure;
16          ▸     expresses concern for the rise in assaults on transit operators; and
17          ▸     calls for perpetrators of assaults on transit workers to be prosecuted to the fullest
18     extent of the law.
19     Special Clauses:
20          None
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22     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          WHEREAS, mass transit constitutes a community-connector lifeline and is an essential
24     part of Utah's critical infrastructure;
25          WHEREAS, transit operators and employees are front-line workers who are vital to
26     protecting the health, safety, and security of the State of Utah;
27          WHEREAS, assaults on transit operators pose a significant risk to public safety and

28     transportation;
29          WHEREAS, the Federal Transit Administration reported that assaults on transit
30     operators have increased by four times during the past decade;
31          WHEREAS, local reporting has indicated that reports of assault against transit
32     operators in Utah rose dramatically between 2020 and 2022; and
33          WHEREAS, assaults on transit operators constitute an unacceptable threat to the state's
34     orderly transit system:
35          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature acknowledges the
36     valuable contributions made by transit operators who provide the citizens of Utah with greater
37     mobility options and cleaner transportation alternatives.
38          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature recognizes that assaults on transit
39     operators pose a unique threat to the stability of our mass transit systems and perpetrators must
40     be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.