SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Senate President Stuart Adams has rejected calls for his resignation, defending his decision not to disclose a personal connection to a law passed in 2024 that was inspired by a criminal case involving an 18-year-old relative accused of having sex with a 13-year-old.

The new law was carefully tailored to apply the same standard used for 17-year-olds to allow 18-year-old high school students to be charged with a less serious crime than child rape if they engaged in noncoercive sexual activity with teenagers under the age of consent, which in Utah is 14.

In a stated effort to keep the process fair, Adams, R-Layton, did not tell legislators, except for the bill’s sponsor — Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper — that his granddaughter was currently the defend

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