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Utah senator resigning after Trump taps him for regional Health & Human Services director

Posted at 12:07 PM, Dec 11, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-11 18:54:34-05

SALT LAKE CITY — FOX 13 has confirmed Sen. Brian Shiozawa will resign from the Utah State Legislature after being tapped to serve in the Health & Human Services administration.

Sen. Shiozawa, R-Salt Lake City, was picked to be regional director for HHS and will be based out of Denver.

Sen. Shiozawa is a medical doctor with expertise in health care legislation on Utah’s Capitol Hill. In 2014, he helped save the life of Senate Majority Leader Ralph Okerlund, R-Monroe, who had a heart attack during the legislative session.

Most recently, Sen. Shiozawa signed on to a ballot initiative to support Medicaid expansion in Utah.

Republican delegates from Sen. Shiozawa’s district will pick his replacement who will serve until 2018. Already, a big name Democratic contender has emerged. Kathie Allen, who ran against John Curtis for Third Congressional District, announced on Monday she would seek that seat.