Joel Briscoe

Early life and career

Briscoe graduated from the University of Utah and taught English, U.S. History, and Civics in secondary schools for twenty-six years, twenty-one of them at Bountiful High School. Briscoe served on the Salt Lake City Board of Education from 1998–2002, the last two years as the Board President. He also served as the chair of the East Central Community Council, a community council located between downtown Salt Lake and the University. In this capacity, Briscoe led community opposition to a proposal to install above-ground high voltage electrical transmission lines through neighborhood yards. He currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his wife Christine and three children.

Political career

Briscoe served on the Salt Lake City Board of Education from 1998–2002, the last two years as the Board President. He also served as the chair of the East Central Community Council, a community council located between downtown Salt Lake and the University of Utah. In this capacity, he led community opposition to a proposal to install above-ground high voltage electrical transmission lines through neighborhood yards.

Briscoe was elected to the Utah House of Representatives on November 2, 2010 and has made education issues a focus of his legislative efforts.

During the 2016 legislative session, Briscoe served as the House Assistant Minority Whip. He served on the Executive Appropriations Committee, the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, as well as the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee.

Briscoe passed one of the seven bills he proposed, giving him a 14% passage rate. He also floor sponsored three Senate bills.