Representative Birkeland announces his resignation from the Utah Legislature

SALT LAKE CITY – State Rep. Kera Birkeland, R-Morgan, has announced her retirement from the Utah Legislature.

On Thursday afternoon, Birkeland, who has served in the Utah House of Representatives since 2020, said she would resign on Jan. 10, 2025, according to her resignation letter posted on social media.

“My family and work commitments increasingly require my attention away from home, a trend that I expect will continue over the next year or two,” Birkeland wrote. “This decision was not made lightly; It’s been bothering me for some time, partly because I have the feeling that my work here is far from finished. However, current circumstances require me to focus on other important tasks.”

My priorities are:
My faith
My family
My voters

At the moment my family, especially my parents, need more time.#utleg pic.twitter.com/0LJXCxhEgI

— KeraBirk (@KeraBirk) December 26, 2024

In an email to her House colleagues on Thursday, Birkeland explained that “her mother’s illness has required a great deal of time and attention and I feel it is necessary to focus on my family during this challenging time.”

Despite only being in office for a few years, Birkeland quickly became one of the most prominent members of the House GOP caucus, supporting several controversial bills addressing LGBTQ issues.

HB11, a bill Birkeland sponsored in 2022 banning transgender children from participating in girls’ sports, received a rare veto from Gov. Spencer Cox before lawmakers overrode it. That ban has been put on hold pending the outcome of a legal battle, but a separate section of the law allows a state commission to decide whether an athlete can participate on a team consistent with their gender identity.

During the 2024 session, Birkeland was the sponsor of the so-called transgender bathroom bill. The measure imposes, among other things, restrictions on transgender people using toilets in government buildings that do not correspond to their birth gender.

Recently, Birkeland has been vocal about the Utah State women’s volleyball team’s decision to forfeit a game against San Jose State University due to allegations that one of the players was transgender and born male.

In her resignation letter, Birkeland alluded to these issues when she thanked House Speaker Mike Schultz for his “unwavering support.”

“You have stood by me through many challenges,” Birkeland wrote. “Please continue to advocate for women and girls and parental rights in our great state.”

Birkeland ran for re-election this year and defeated Democrat Kris Campbell with 59% of the vote. Before her resignation was announced, Birkeland had been named chair of the Subcommittee on Public Education Appropriations for the next term.

Republican delegates will now be responsible for selecting Birkeland’s successor in the House. The next legislative session begins on January 21st.

Representative Birkeland was a passionate advocate for the people of House District 4 and the people of Utah. I am proud to call her a colleague and, above all, a friend. I wish her nothing but the best and thank her for her years of service in the House of Representatives. https://t.co/9TgsgqGRPO

— Mike Schultz (@mschultz_12) December 26, 2024