Governing the State of Utah

“I, Heber M. Wells, Governor of the State of Utah, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of this State, do hereby convene the Legislature of this State, to commence on the 6th day of January, A. D. 1896.”
(Heber M. Wells, Senate Journal of the First Session).

Newly admitted to the union, Utah now transitioned from a territorial government to that of a state. The primary difference is that statehood provided greater autonomy in the election and selection of state officials who were more aware of local issues and needs. Like the federal government, states operate through three branches, executive, judicial, and legislative, to execute, review, and create legal policies specific to the state per the state's constitution.

From 3:00 pm on January 6 through the afternoon of April 5, 1896, the state legislators assembled in the Salt Lake City and County Building. Here, under Governor Heber M. Wells' direction and with support from House and Senate employees, senators and representatives in the first session funded prisons, police and fire departments, public school systems, and the Utah Agricultural College and the University of Utah. They also passed precedent-setting labor laws.