Tech Sees Bigger Opportunity In Utah — If The State Works On Its Image

On any given day, half a dozen cranes tower over Utah's "Silicon Slopes" region just south of Salt Lake City erecting glassy office buildings in order to make more room for Utah's already steadily growing tech industry. Companies and the state want that growth to continue but industry leaders argue that in order to do that, the state's image needs some work.

That's why Utah tech lobbyists like Sunny Washington are pushing for more socially inclusive legislation at the state Capitol. Washington works for the industry's advocacy organization, also called Silicon Slopes.

"As much as companies try to do all the active outreach, it can honestly be undone if we have some crazy law that is not very reflective of our state," Washington says.

She and other lobbyists argued against an unsuccessful bill that would have banned transgender girls from competing on girls' school sports teams. They also supported legislation to change the name of Dixie State University, whose name is associated with the Confederacy.