About 20 years ago, I caught the bug of policy work and realized the impact of when we make change at the legislature. We're truly making population-based change. Having the YWCA is a game-changer for women and children in our state.

Teresa

YWCA Utah’s 2023 Policy Priority Areas

Click the hyperlinks within the bill tracker below to learn more about bills on our policy priorities, our process of tracking them, and the current status of each.

2023 Policy Priority Bill Tracker

Child Care

Advocate for policies that increase access to quality and affordable child care, and that provide a living wage for child care workers.

Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault

Advocate for policies that increase the safety and empowerment for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, increase funding for services, address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-spirit, as well as strengthen education and prevention services.

Housing

Advocate for policies that remove barriers and increase access to affordable housing for women and their families, including for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Mental Health

Advocate for policies that address maternal mental health and increase access to quality and affordable mental health services for women, children, and families.

Racial & Gender Equity

Advocate for and analyze policies to ensure they promote racial and gender equity and advance the empowerment and economic advancement of women, femmes, non-binary, and persons of color including advocating for a living wage.

Reproductive Health

Advocate for policies that eliminate disparities in outcomes and promote reproductive justice for women, femmes, non-binary, and persons of color.

Other Related Bills & Appropriations

Learn more and advocate for policies that benefit all Utah women and girls.

YWCA Utah Standards for Policy Advocacy

YWCA Utah follows these eight principles when advocating for policy that affects women, girls, and families in Utah.

Reach Out and Take Action

You can take action to help women and girls in Utah by contacting your local representatives on the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

2022 Legislative Recap Event Video

On March 31, we held our 2022 Legislative Recap event and heard from bipartisan representatives on bills passed and others in need of support.

Utah Women’s Well-Being

YWCA Utah began the nonpartisan Utah Women’s Well-Being Initiative in May 2013 to respond more effectively to persistent challenges Utah women face. The purpose of the initiative is to strengthen the well-being of Utah women across important dimensions of their lives through research, education, collaboration, and public policy – so that women flourish, their families and communities thrive, and Utah prospers.

The Well-Being of Women in Utah in 2019 Fact Sheet presented at the second annual Utah Women’s Policy Conference on August 15, 2019, follows up on last year’s report and the YWCA’s 2014 briefing, also published in conjunction with Institute for Women’s Policy Research in Washington, DC.