Representative Brian King Contact information

Brian S. King is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Utah House of Representatives from the 23rd district. Before redistricting following the 2020 Census, he represented the 28th district since January 1, 2009.

King was born on August 19, 1959, and he grew up in the Cottonwood Heights area. He attended the University of Utah for both his undergraduate and law school. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and a Juris Doctor from the S.J. Quinney College of Law.

King works as a self-employed lawyer, providing legal services in the field of ERISA and MHPAEA litigation. He has spoken prominently on the positive benefits of residential treatment centers in addressing mental health problems in youth.

In 2008, when Representative Roz McGee left the Legislature and left the seat open, King was unopposed after an opponent withdrew, and won the three-way November 4, 2008 general election with 8,487 votes (56.2%) against Republican nominee Jeffrey Morrow and Constitution candidate Jared Beck.

King had the reputation as being “more combative” than previous minority leaders in the State House of Representatives. In 2016, King criticized Republican leadership of the House for “shutting out Democrats from discussions about whether to expand Medicaid for the poor.” He was succeeded in 2023 by Angela Romero.

Throughout his career, King has sponsored gun control legislation. In 2019, King sponsored HB 148, “Universal Background Checks for Firearm Purchasers” that would require background checks for all gun sales, but it was not given a committee vote. In 2020, King sponsored his and it was tabled by the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee by an 8–3 vote.

King served as state House minority leader from 2015 to 2023. During the 2016 legislative session, King served on the Executive Appropriations Committee, the Executive Offices and Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee, the House Judiciary Committee, the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, and the House Rules Committee. He also served as the House minority leader.

In the 2022 legislative session, King served on the Executive Appropriations Committee, the Federalism Commission, the House Business and Labor Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, the House Legislative Expense Oversight Committee, the Legislative Audit Subcommittee, the Legislative Management Committee, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee, and the Subcommittee on Oversight.

King is currently running for election for Governor of Utah. He declared candidacy for the Democratic convention scheduled on April 27, 2024.