News roundup: Columnist says Mormons relieved Romney lost

Columnist: Mormons relieved Romney isn't president. Herbert pushes clean air, Medicaid expansion in SOTS. Revenge porn bill introduced.

Happy Thursday. A Boston Globe columnist says it's probably a good thing for Mormons that Mitt Romney lost the presidential race because the LDS Church isn't used to adapting so fast. "My personal view is that the church's 12 ruling prophets, seers, and revelators, who also call themselves the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, are greatly relieved that Romney came in second." [Globe]

Topping the news: Gov. Gary Herbert addressed cleaning the air, Medicaid expansion, same sex marriage, changing the state tree and other topics in his State of the State address. [Trib] [DNews] [UtahPolicy] [Herald] [KUER] [Fox13] [KUTV] [ABC4]

-> In order to clean the air: "There are no silver bullets. It is nibbles at the apples and with enough nibbles we'll get there," said Utah Division of Air Quality director Bryce Bird, a panelist at the Tribune's Cleaning up Utah's Air town hall meeting." [Trib]

Tweets of the day: From @gopTodd: "This budget meeting just got more interesting. Now were talking about #sex and #Gonorrhea in Social Services Appropriations."

From @SenLyleHillyard: "Family Feud game @ League lunch. Obviously @UtahReps think more like teenagers than the @utahsenate so they won."

On the Hill: Another day brings more meetings: day four schedule [Trib]

-> Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine, proposed legislation requiring students to use the bathroom assigned to their gender. [Herald]

-> Rep. Jerry Anderson, R-Price, introduced a bill to remove the cohabitation section of bigamy law, a move that would essentially decriminalize polygamy. [Fox13]

-> The House passed a bill granting immunity from drug use or possession charges to those who take an overdose victims to a medical facility or call 911. [Trib] [DNews] [Herald]

-> Rep. Marie Poulson, D-Salt Lake City, introduced legislation to make revenge porn a third degree felony. [DNews]

-> Rep. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, has a bill to tweak what you can "exempt" from current lobbyist regulations. [UtahPolicy]

-> Half a dozen ethics-related bills have been introduced, prompted in part by the John Swallow scandal. [UtahPolicy]

-> A proposed bill would make ATV's legal to drive on the street, except in Salt Lake County. [Trib]

-> Former Lt. Gov. Greg Bell, now head of the Utah Hospital Association, says the state should move forward with an expansion of Medicaid. [UtahPolicy]

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on what Utah's male leaders want when it comes to women. [Trib]

-> In a committee meeting, lawmakers discussed low water levels and wild fires. [DNews]

In other news: Activists say moving Stericycle's incinerator from North Salt Lake to remote Tooele County is not enough and that Gov. Herbert should shut down the company's operations in Utah. [Trib]

-> Environmental groups filed a petition with the EPA to declare the oil and gas producing areas of the Uinta Basin as below federal clean air standards. [DNews]

-> AG Sean Reyes said on Trib Talk that Attorney General's Office should be a law office and not a political office. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake City joined nine other cities in a program to lower energy use and waste from commercial and industrial buildings, the largest source of energy and climate pollution in cities. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Sen. Orrin Hatch pressed AG Eric Holder on why the Justice Department is allowing marijuana sales, which are against federal law, in Colorado. [Trib]

Nationally: President Barack Obama goes on tour to announce new programs through his executive authority. [WaPost]

-> The farm bill passes the House despite concerns from both liberals and conservatives. [WaPost]

-> A terrorism suspect is challenging the constitutionality of the NSA's warrantless surveillance program. [WaPost]

-> Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Edward Snowden has harmed national security and demanded that Snowden give back the documents he took. [WaPost]

Where are they?

Rep. Jason Chaffetz hits Congressional Institute meetings.

Rep. Chris Stewart attends the House Republican Conference Members retreat.

Gov. Gary Herbert heads to the STEM campaign launch, boards and commissions update and the legislative Open House.

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox meets with Utah Tribal Leaders and attends the legislative open house.

SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams meets with SL Co. Sheriff Jim Winder and Unified Fire Authority Chief Michael Jensen and hits the Wasatch Front Regional Council Small Area meeting.

President Barack Obama tours General Electric's Waukesha Gas Engines in Wisconsin and gives remarks. He will also speak at McGavock High School in Tennessee before returning to Washington.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]

— Thomas Burr and Topher Webb Twitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/topherjwebb