The LDS Church is breaking its silence on attempts to strengthen Utah’s hate-crimes law, potentially breathing life into a measure that has previously run aground in the Legislature.
The chief lobbyist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Wednesday night he wanted to speak on the issue because of the perception that the church has derailed the bill in past sessions.
"Continually, we're being blamed as the ones holding this up, and so we wanted to let people know that since 2016, we have not taken a position on hate crimes, and we are not opposed to a hate crimes piece of legislation," the church's lobbyist, Marty Stephens, said Wednesday.