[butlerm]

Like I said there are a handful of well known exceptions. Alcohol is perhaps the best known, gambling is another one. A handful of subjects that the church cares about institutionally out of the universe of legislation is hardly enough to characterize the state as a theocracy.

The generally conservative inclination of Utah voters even less so. It is well known that conservative voters in Utah quite often are outspoken in ways that run directly contrary to the church's lobbying position. Immigration policy is a good example of that, and also an extremely good example of legislators not just voting any way the church lobbies them to.

The last time major immigration policy changes were made in the state they passed a bill that made it more illegal to be an unauthorized immigrant in the state than they were before, where the church implies it doesn't really want any immigration enforcement at all. Needless to say its more conservative members generally disagree on that.

It is true however that most members and the church as well prefer not to have brothels and bars on every street corner, and don't want to legalize casino gambling across the state either.

The idea that the church could announce a position on the state budget, or criminal law enforcement, or even the way water rights should be reformed and have LDS legislators just vote like they were on puppet strings is hopelessly naive.