(Salt Lake City, UT) — Utah lawmakers are set to start their 45-day session today in Salt Lake City. Lawmakers come back to the State Capitol with a nearly three-billion dollar budget surplus and a mandate from the governor to increase education spending and raise teacher salaries. Republican leaders are also talking about new tax cuts. Lawmakers are expected to introduce more bills encouraging water conservation and restoration of the Great Salt Lake. The legislature is also set to debate more controversial issues such as banning gender-affirming surgery and puberty blockers for young people.