Utah House honors Sikh community with unanimous resolution

The Utah House of Representatives on Feb. 1 passed HJR 4, a joint resolution honoring the Sikh community, by a voice‑recorded vote of 72 yes and 0 no. Representative Angela Romero, who presented the resolution, noted Sikhism’s global size and highlighted local contributions by members of Utah’s Sikh community.

Romero told colleagues the Sikh faith ‘‘has provided service to their neighbors in times of need’’ and cited the community’s assistance during the COVID‑19 pandemic. ‘‘We are grateful for the Sikh community in Utah and wish to recognize and honor their valuable contributions to the state of Utah,’’ Romero said when introducing the resolution.

Lawmakers from across the chamber spoke in support. Representative Paul Cutler said, ‘‘The high‑tech community benefits from, our Sikh community’’ and praised members for being ‘‘loyal, kind, very generous, and dedicated to building the community around them.’’ Representative Garner said she was ‘‘very proud to have the Sikh Temple of Utah in my district’’ and urged colleagues to back the measure. Representative Cheryl Acton described personal encounters with the community and their ‘‘warm, welcoming’’ service.

Guests of the House included members of the Utah Sikh community and family members who had traveled from other states and India; Representative Romero specifically recognized constituent Harjeet and his brother Hemat for bringing the resolution forward. With the House’s unanimous approval, the resolution will be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration.

The House took the vote during its morning session and then proceeded to other items on its time‑certain and consent calendars.