Utah Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, announced Thursday that she will be resigning from the Utah Legislature before the 2025 general session begins next month.
“Right now my family, particularly my parents, need more of my time,” Birkeland posted on X alongside screenshots of her resignation letter to House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper.
My priorities are:
My Faith
My Family
My constituents
Right now my family, particularly my parents, need more of my time.#utlegpic.twitter.com/0LJXCxhEgI
— KeraBirk (@KeraBirk) December 26, 2024
Birkeland wrote in her resignation letter that she made the decision with a “heavy heart,” and that her resignation would be effective Jan. 10. That’s 11 days before the 2025 legislative session is scheduled to convene.
“My family and professional commitments have increasingly required my attention away from home, a trend I anticipate will persist for the next year or two,” Birkeland wrote in her letter. “This choice was not made lightly; it has weighed heavily on my mind for some time, partly because I feel that my work here is far from complete.”
“Nevertheless,” she added, “the present circumstances demand that I focus on other significant responsibilities.”
Birkeland did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday, but a spokesperson for Schultz confirmed to Utah News Dispatch the speaker had received her resignation.
“Rep. Birkeland has been a fierce advocate for the people in House District 4 and for the people of Utah. I’m proud to call her a colleague and more importantly, a friend,” Schultz said in a prepared statement. “I wish her nothing but the best and thank her for her years of service in the House.”
Birkeland’s most high-profile and controversial bills included:
A 2024 bill restricting transgender access in bathrooms in publicly-owned buildings.A 2022 bill that initially banned transgender girls from competing in girl’s school sports before a judge blocked that ban. As a fallback in case of litigation, the bill included a provision enacting a commission to determine trangender student athlete eligibility. The commission has been in place since the ruling.
Birkeland’s resignation from her District 4 seat comes after she beat an openly transgender candidate during the November election. Birkeland won with nearly 60% of the vote to Democratic candidate Kris Cambell’s 40%. Campbell ran as a “family man, bridge builder, process guy, math nerd, transgender man of faith, (and) Utahn.”
Back in July, the Montana Grain Growers Association announced it was hiring Birkeland as its new director of policy.
Because Birkeland’s resignation comes after the Nov. 5 election, the Utah Republican Party will call a special election for state delegates from District 4 (which includes Daggett, Duchesne, Morgan, Rich and Summit counties) to choose her replacement until the next election.
Birkeland was first appointed to the District 4 seat in April 2020. She would have served another two years had she kept the post.
In her letter to Schultz, Birkeland said her time in the House “has been immensely fulfilling, bringing joy and passion. Ultimately, though, it is not the title that defines us, but rather the impact we make in uplifting those we serve.”
“My dedication to enhance the quality of life in Utah and every community I touch remains unwavering,” she continued. “Most importantly, the impact I can have within my own family is what matters most.”
Birkeland added that she’s “grateful that my children have seen their mother balance work, public service, faith, and family for many successful years.”
“But, it is OK to prioritize the things that matter most,” she wrote. “That is and always will be my family.”
Birkeland added that she hopes her successor “will continue the critical work of prompting legislation” that District 4 residents “value — focusing on tax relief, government accountability, election integrity, protecting our seniors, addressing unfair-co-pay accumulators, combating human trafficking, and upholding the common sense and values that define Utah.”
Birkeland concluded her letter by thanking Schultz for supporting her — and calling on him to “continue to advocate for women and girls and the rights of parents across our great state.”
Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: info@utahnewsdispatch.com.