SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will account for nearly 90 percent of the Utah state Legislature this session, giving members of the faith outsized influenced in a state that is becoming slightly more religiously diverse.
When the new session begins Monday, these legislators will account for 91 of the 104 members, according to a Salt Lake Tribune story based on research of past surveys, campaign websites, members’ social media pages and direct calls and emails to some lawmakers.
That’s a much larger portion of the legislative body than Church members have among the state’s 3.1 million residents. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints account for about 62 percent of the state’s population.
This supermajority shines a new spotlight on concerns about the Church’s influence on policymaking.
Former Democratic Sen. Jim Dabakis, who is not a member of the Salt Lake City-based faith, said decisions about Utah’s new DUI law-the strictest in the country were made by people who don’t drink alcohol.
But incoming House Speaker Brad Wilson, a Republican and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, said the faith has been transparent in recent years when it gets involved in policy. He cited the faith’s efforts to revise the state’s medical marijuana law as an example.
“I find it surprising how often people outside the Legislature believe the church is weighing in on issues when, in fact, it is very rare,” Wilson said. “Right now, my calendar is full of groups that want to meet and discuss issues. I don’t have any meetings with the Church on my calendar.”
Democratic Rep. Patrice Arent, the only Jewish member of the Legislature, echoed Wilson’s assessment. She said the faith only gets involved by issues that are important.
“Some members are, I think, more influenced by their religion than others,” Arent said. “Even within the same religion, some people are more influenced than others.”
Latter-day Saints typically lean Republican and that is reflected at the Legislature. All but one of the 82 Republican lawmakers belong to the Church while 10 of the 22 Democrats are members.
Church officials claim political neutrality and have said lawmakers who are members of the faith are free to make their own decisions.
House Democratic leader Brian King, a member of the Church from Salt Lake City, said the church doesn’t strong-arm lawmakers but he said they seem to “to make it their mission to make sure state laws match the views of the church — at least their extreme views of what they think the church wants
