Utah Senate unanimously confirms juvenile-court nominee and consents to multiple gubernatorial appointments

The Utah State Senate met in an extraordinary session in November 2022 and unanimously confirmed Aaron Flater to serve as a judge on the Third District Juvenile Court and consented to a larger slate of gubernatorial appointments across state boards and commissions.

The Senate’s consent votes were taken following Governor Spencer J. Cox’s communications transmitting the nominations. The chamber recorded a roll-call tally of 23 'aye,' 0 'nay' and 6 absent for both the judicial confirmation and the broader slate of appointments. President Adams announced the results and congratulated the confirmed individuals.

Why it matters: Confirmations fill judicial and board vacancies that influence juvenile justice, higher education, health data oversight and local economic and conservation bodies. Several appointments included reappointments to long-standing boards and replacements on technical and advisory commissions.

A judge’s remarks: Following the confirmation, the Senate resolved into a Committee of the Whole so the newly confirmed judge could address the chamber. Identified in the record as Aaron Flater, the judge introduced family members and thanked the judicial confirmation committee for its vetting. "I pledge to serving our state with compassion and empathy, with firmness and fairness, and most of all, with a great regard for building up families and serving the incredible and amazing young men and young women of our state," the judge said.

Support on the floor: Senator Cullimore, who moved the confirmation, said he had met with the nominee and described him as "very impressive," noting roughly 21 years of legal experience including time as an assistant U.S. attorney and complex criminal litigation experience. The chamber moved swiftly to a roll-call vote after brief floor remarks.

Other appointments: The governor’s communication to the Senate listed appointments and reappointments across multiple bodies, including reappointments to the Board of Economic Opportunity, appointments to the Digital Health Service Commission, the Permanent Community Impact Fund Board, the Ogden-Weber Technical College Board of Trustees, the Utah Board of Higher Education, the Utah Conservation Commission, and the Utah Health Data Committee. The Secretary certified that nominees met statutory requirements for their positions.

Committee vetting: Senators who sit on confirmation committees reported back to the chamber that nominees had been vetted. Senator Owens highlighted CoriAnn Gibson, who was present in the chamber and identified as the technical-education student board member nominee for the Board of Higher Education; other committee chairs reported generally favorable vetting outcomes.

What’s next: Confirmed nominees will assume the responsibilities of their respective offices as set by state law and the appointing authorities. The Senate concluded business after the votes and later adjourned for the day.

Note on record spellings: The nomination and floor discussion in the transcript contain inconsistent transcriptions of the judge’s name (appearances as "Flater," "Flatter," and similar variants). The governor's communication as read in the record initially identifies the nominee as Aaron Flater; that name is used here as the primary reference to align with the written transmission read into the record.