Utahns in a major study were likelier than Americans as a whole to say they were religiously unaffiliated — even though the state is widely considered the most religious.

The big picture: 34% of Utah respondents identified as atheist, agnostic or "nothing in particular," according to Pew's Religious Landscape Study, which surveyed more than 35,000 Americans about their religious and social beliefs in 2023 and 2024.

By the numbers: That's higher than the national average of 29% and up 12 points from 2014, when Pew last conducted the survey.

• 63% of Utahns identified as Christian, down 10 percentage points from a decade earlier and just 1 percentage point higher than the national average.

Zoom in: Latter-day Saints made up 50% of Utahns surveyed, down from 45% from a decade earlier.

• Among other Christians, evangelicals saw the biggest declines, from 7% to 4%. Mainline Protestants and Catholics — 6% and 5% of Utah respondents — each lost a percentage point.

Zoom out: "This is a broad-based social change," said Alan Cooperman, the director of religion research at the Pew Research Center.

• "We've had rising shares of people who don't identify with any religion — so-called nones — and declining shares who identify as Christian, in all parts of the country, in all parts of the population, by ethnicity and race, among both men and women, and among people at all levels of the educational spectrum," he says about the survey findings.

Caveat: What researchers call a "secular surge" has plateaued in the last four years.

Between the lines: A significant portion of U.S. adults (35%) have switched religion since childhood, according to the study.

What we're hearing: "It's not surprising," Penny Edgell, professor in the sociology department at University of Minnesota, told Axios.

• "I think if you're more progressive, you might look at religion and say that the mainstream religious institutions don't reflect my values," particularly when it comes to topics such as LGBTQ+ inclusion, she said.

Go deeper

There's one more week left in Utah's legislative session and lawmakers don't want a repeat of last year's constitutional amendment snafu.

State of play: HB 563, sponsored by House Speaker Mike Schultz, would make legislative attorneys responsible for drafting proposed constitutional amendments that legislators plan to submit to voters.

• Currently, the senate president and the house speaker oversee those duties.

Yes, but: Under the bill, the attorneys would perform the tasks "as counsel for the presiding officers," meaning legislative leaders will get to keep some say in the language.

Catch up quick: Judge Dianne Gibson voided Constitutional Amendment D last September, which sought to allow lawmakers to alter or repeal voter-led initiatives, ruling the ballot language written by the legislature contained "glaring" omissions.

• "While the legislature has every right to request the amendment," she wrote, "it has the duty and obligation to accurately communicate the 'subject matter' of the proposed amendment to voters."

💬 Hill Highlights is a weekly feature to recap what's going on during Utah's legislative session.

What we're watching

👨‍⚖️ Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew Durrant hand delivered a letter to legislative leaders yesterday opposing a bill that "poses a substantial threat" to the judiciary's independence. (Utah News Dispatch)

🍸 Policy Kings, Utah's first Black-owned brewery, obtained a liquor license Thursday for its new location in Salt Lake City. (Salt Lake Tribune)

• The brewery first opened in Cedar City.

🏗️ Some Leeds residents say a proposed 750-home development could threaten archaeologically significant Indigenous pottery shards, tools and weapons found on the site. (KUTV)

Ahead of Sunday's 97th Academy Awards, we dived into the Oscars' database to find out where past Best Actress and Best Actor winners were born.

Zoom in: Utah had one — Loretta Young, who won in 1948 for "The Farmer's Daughter."

What's inside: The movie is a political rom-com about a woman (Young) who leaves the family farm to attend nursing school in Washington, D.C.

• A thief steals her money during the journey, forcing her to arrive penniless and in need of work — which she finds as a maid in the home of a congressman and his mother.
• She becomes entangled in political intrigue, ends up running for office herself and falls in love.

Reality check: Young was born in Salt Lake City, but her mom moved her to Hollywood when she was a young child.

Read more

This week I knew I had to head to Tuk Tuks — the newest Thai restaurant in Marmalade (my neighborhood).

What I tried: A friend and I ordered chicken tom yum ($8), Thai chicken wings ($12) and orange chicken ($16).

• The soup and candied orange chicken dish delivered nectarous, sour and spicy flavors. (Servers ask for your preferred heat level on a 1-5 scale.)
• The standout dish for me was the chicken wing appetizer covered in a crunchy coating and served with a sweet and savory sauce.
• I washed it down with the restaurant's sweet Thai iced tea ($6).

Between the lines: With locations in West Valley City and Draper, this is the chain's first location in Salt Lake City.

The big picture: I was pleasantly surprised with the large portion sizes, especially with restaurants facing inflation and rising food costs.

The vibe: I was a fan of the small eatery's low lighting and floral decorations adorning the ceiling.

The bottom line: With neighbors like Shinobi Sushi Bar & Grill and Marmalade Brunch House, Tuk Tuks complements the neighborhood's growing food scene.

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