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Utah Senate unanimously confirms judicial and agency leaders, delays one Transportation Commission pick
Summary
In a brief first extraordinary session in April 2025, the Utah State Senate consented to multiple gubernatorial appointments — including a Third District Court judge and heads of three state departments — and postponed consideration of one Transportation Commission nominee pending a committee hearing.
The Utah State Senate on April 2025 during its first extraordinary session consented to a slate of gubernatorial appointments, including Thaddeus “Tad” May as a judge in the Third Judicial District and executive directors for three state agencies. The Senate also removed one Transportation Commission nominee from the list to allow a confirmation committee hearing.
The session, called by Governor Spencer J. Cox, began with a proclamation asking the Senate to consider gubernatorial appointments. The chamber confirmed Thaddeus May to the Third District Court by roll call vote, 24-0, with five senators absent. Senator Mike Brammer, who served on the judicial confirmation committee, moved the consent vote and told colleagues he was “so impressed with him” and expected May to “be a fantastic judge.”
The confirmation drew brief remarks from May, who addressed the Senate and introduced family members, saying, “I just want to express my great gratitude and my humility in this vote today.” May identified himself as grateful to the governor, the judiciary committee and the Senate; he spoke of his professional background and family during his remarks.
The chamber next consented to three executive-director appointments transmitted by the governor: Tim Davis as executive director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality; Jared Garcia as executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections; and Sean Barrett as commissioner of the Utah Department of Financial Institutions. The Senate voted to consent to those appointments 28-0, with one senator absent.
In addition to those cabinet-level confirmations, the Senate consented to a larger group of board and commission appointments and reappointments the governor transmitted, including nominations to the Air Quality Board, Board of Aging and Adult Services, Board of Economic Opportunity, Board of State History, Utah Geological Survey board, Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, Southwest Technical College Board of Trustees and the Transportation Commission. The chamber recorded a 28-0 vote, with one senator absent, consenting to the roster as read by staff.
Senator Chris Harper moved that the Senate remove Thomas Jacobson’s name from the Transportation Commission nominations because, he said, Jacobson had not yet had a confirmation-committee hearing and there was “a problem with the way he was appointed.” The Senate approved the motion to remove Jacobson from the list and to return his nomination after a confirmation committee hearing; the motion passed by voice vote and was recorded as unanimous in the chamber.
Procedurally, the Senate adopted the same rules used in the 2025 general session for this extraordinary session and confirmed that a quorum was present. Committee chairs reported favorable recommendations for the nominations before the chamber acted: Todd Wyler reported the judicial confirmation committee’s favorable recommendation for Thaddeus May; Senator Darren Owens reported a favorable recommendation for Tim Davis from the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Confirmation Committee; Senator Don Ipson (committee chair) reported a favorable recommendation for Jared Garcia from the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Confirmation Committee; and Senator Louis Escamilla reported a favorable recommendation for Sean Barrett from the Business and Labor Confirmation Committee.
The session ended after the Senate instructed a member to notify the governor’s representative that the Senate had concluded business and then voted to adjourn sine die.
