A Republican-aligned group aiming to overturn Utah's anti-gerrymandering law says it has met the required number of signatures to send the issue to voters in November.

Why it matters: Utahns for Representative Government, supported by President Trump, is attempting to undo a court-imposed congressional map creating a left-leaning House seat.

• Voters won't know the fate of the ballot initiative until county clerks finish verifying the signatures.

By the numbers: Utah GOP chair Robert Axson said "well over" 200,000 signatures were collected after packets were submitted to county clerks across the state ahead of Sunday's deadline.

• As of Friday, the lieutenant governor's office had verified nearly 90,000 signatures, well short of the total required.

The big picture: The signature drive has been embroiled in controversy, from flagged signatures to allegations that some petitioners misled voters.

How it works: Sponsors must collect signatures from 8% of active voters statewide — roughly 141,000 — and meet minimum thresholds in at least 26 of the state's 29 Senate districts to qualify for the 2026 ballot.

Catch up quick: The petition comes in response to a 2025 ruling by Utah Judge Dianna Gibson in a years-long redistricting lawsuit.

• Gibson's decision adopted congressional boundaries proposed by anti-gerrymandering advocates instead of those drawn by Republican lawmakers.

What they're saying: In a statement, Elizabeth Rasmussen, executive director of Better Boundaries, which opposes the effort, told Axios they are closely monitoring the GOP-led initiative.

• "Regardless of the outcome, we remain committed to upholding the will of the voters and will take every appropriate step to ensure their decision is honored," she said.

State of play: Rasmussen launched a signature removal effort earlier this month following multiple reports that some petition circulators had misinformed voters about the measure.

• Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman told KSL that the number of people requesting to have their names removed from the petition was unprecedented.
• "This is the first time in Salt Lake County that we've seen such a large demand," she said.
• Petition signers have 45 days — from the day their signature appears on the lieutenant governor's website — to rescind their support.

What's next: County clerks have three weeks to verify signatures, and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson must issue a declaration before April 30 stating whether the issue will make it on to the ballot.

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The White House is pressuring a Utah Republican state legislator to abandon AI transparency and kids' safety legislation, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.

Why it matters: It's a sign that the Trump administration is now starting to intervene with the states in its efforts to squash AI regulation.

In a Feb. 12 letter obtained by Axios, the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs states its opposition to H.B. 286, the Artificial Intelligence Transparency Act, sponsored by state Sen. Mike McKell (R-Spanish Fork) and state Rep. Doug Fiefia (R-Herriman).

• "We are categorically opposed to Utah H.B. 286 and view it as an unfixable bill that goes against the Administration's AI Agenda," the letter to Republican Utah Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore Jr. states.
• The bill would require frontier AI companies to publish safety and child-protection plans and include whistleblower protections for employees who report safety concerns.
• The White House and Cullimore's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Behind the scenes: White House officials have held several conversations with Fiefia over the past two weeks urging him not to move the bill forward, a source citing conversations with the White House said.

• The administration has not offered specific changes that could make the bill acceptable, per the source.
• "[The White House official] said there's nothing Fiefia can do to make him [the White House official] happy," the source said.

What they're saying: "I appreciate the White House's engagement on this issue and look forward to continuing the dialogue. While we did not fully align on the path forward, I believe transparency, accountability, and clear guardrails must be foundational to any responsible AI policy," Fiefia said in a statement.

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🏀 The NBA fined the Utah Jazz $500,000 after the league accused the team of benching Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. during two games earlier month. (ESPN)

• The team received a $100,000 penalty last season for not playing Markkanen in multiple games.

A new Mexican restaurant in Murray aims to bring Los Angeles' taco culture to the Wasatch Mountains.

The intrigue: La Lola Taco is led by executive chef Luis Perez, known for his Michelin Bib Gourmand–recognized California gastropub, Lola Gaspar.

🔥 Most meats are cooked over an open flame, layering the blue-corn tacos with a deep char.

• Fillings include the staples: mesquite-grilled carne asada, Baja-style battered fish, pork al pastor and more.
• You won't be paying fine-dining prices: tacos range from $4.25 to $5.25 and burritos from $8 to $13.50.

The bottom line: As a former Los Angelino turned Salt Laker, I favored their grilled steak and zesty chicken tacos for their smoky flavors.

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