Pro 2nd Amendment – Karianne sponsored bills promoting individual rights to self-defense, such as a bill creating a CCW permit for 18 to 20 year olds, and defeated bills that infringed on those rights.
Pro-Taxpayer – She repeatedly voted against onerous tax increases.
Pro Small Business – Karianne significantly reduced regulatory and tax burdens small businesses face.
Pro Privacy Rights – She passed landmark legislation to protect your personal information.
Pro Responsible Government – Karianne created more accountability and transparency in government.
Pro-Life – She passed legislation protecting the unborn.
Pro Fair and Effective Justice System – Karianne sponsored bills assisting victims of crime. Her Prosecution Review Amendments bill resulted in law enforcement identifying a serial rapist. Another bill provides for enhanced protection to victims of domestic violence.
Pro-Veteran – She passed legislation providing for discounted hunting and fishing licenses for veterans and created a Utah K9 Veterans Day.
Pro-Family – Karianne passed legislation protecting parental rights.
Private Property Rights are Essential to a Free Society – Karianne has spent many years advocating for private property rights at the city and state levels. Additionally, she has continually resisted efforts by government to expand eminent domain. The Utah Republican Party Platform states that the power to tax is the power to control. Property taxes in Utah have consistently outpaced inflation including growth over the past 30 years. It is vital for citizens to be secure in their homes. High property taxes create an onerous and ongoing mortgage-payment-like obligation to government even after citizens pay off their homes. Karianne has strongly advocated for taxpayers against government expansion.
The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms is a Fundamental Right – Ronald Reagan said, “You won’t get gun control by disarming law-abiding citizens… It’s a nasty truth, but those who seek to inflict harm are not fazed by gun controllers.” Karianne agrees. Laws that restrict law-abiding citizens from keeping and bearing arms embolden criminals. In the 2017 Utah Legislative Session, Karianne sponsored a bill creating a Provisional Concealed Carry Permit for adults aged 18 to 20. Utah was the second state to create a permit enabling these adults to educate themselves and responsibly carry concealed for self-defense. One study estimates that there have been 2.5 billion defensive gun uses in America. Karianne vigorously supports a legal environment friendly to the 2nd Amendment and believes this is one of the best deterrents to criminal activity. One of the most important things a Representative can do is work hard to prevent freedom limiting policies from being enacted. Karianne has continually advocated for 2nd Amendment rights in Utah and will continue to do so.
Society Must Protect and Defend the Fundamental Right to Life – Martin Luther King’s daughter, Alveda King said, “A woman has a right to choose what she does with her body; the baby is not her body.” Karianne agrees. In the 2019 Utah Legislative Session, Lisonbee sponsored the Down syndrome Nondiscrimination Abortion Act, a bill seeking to halt the eugenic-like eradication of children with Down syndrome through elective abortion. The bill contained a contingent effective date. This bill will enact when a court of jurisdiction decides in favor of a Down syndrome Nondiscrimination Act being challenged in another state.
Public Safety is a Vital Role of Government – Karianne believes that public safety is a vital role of government. She is grateful to those who put their lives on the line in our armed forces and in our local and state police forces. The legislature has visited some tough issues over the past years – scaling back penalties for certain offenses, grand jury amendments, asset forfeiture, police body camera provisions, and other issues have been at the forefront. In 2019 Karianne sponsored legislation providing a process for the Utah Attorney General’s Office to review alleged first degree felonies if the local and district level enforcement agencies decline to prosecute or wait more than six months to analyze the case.
Education is Essential to a Free Republic –
Utah State Constitution According to our State Constitution, parents have the primary right and responsibility to direct the education of their children. Karianne believes, with our Republican party platform, that parents should be able to choose which educational model best meets the needs of their children, including public, public charter, private and homeschooling.
Local Control Local control in education is key. Parental involvement has a much greater impact on our children’s school performance than any other factor. Another primary positive factor for children’s learning is a high quality teacher. Local School Boards make local budgeting decisions – like teacher salary levels. Our teachers are the “boots on the ground” and our funding should reflect that. The legislature has consistently appropriated new funding to our schools. Karianne has consistently supported these responsible funding increases. Our children are performing well. However, there is always room for improvement. The preferred process for achieving future improvement in education has been a source of contention for many years. Karianne believes local decisions and innovation will better address the needs of individual children.
State Board of Education The Utah State Constitution establishes a system of public education and a State Board of Education charged with its general oversight and supervision. Karianne understands that the Legislature holds the purse strings and should demand reasonable accountability for taxpayer dollars. The legislature must also provide flexibility in funding and regulations to allow for educational innovation that addresses the diverse learning styles of our children and emerging options in curriculum delivery.
Curriculum, and Teaching & Testing Methods & Materials Karianne opposes relinquishing Utah’s ability to choose its curriculum, teaching methods, testing methods or materials.
Private Information Finally, Karianne opposes sharing our student’s personally identifying information with the federal government or private businesses. Karianne sponsored legislation protecting the privacy of Utah residents by creating an opt-out from automatic inclusion in the Utah Population Database.