SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah became the first state to prohibit flying LGBTQ+ pride flags at schools and all government buildings after the Republican governor announced he was allowing a ban on unsanctioned flag displays to become law without his signature.

Higher education leaders note that the modest increases at the state's degree-granting institutions reflect "a real decline in the bottom line cost to Utah students."

A first in the nation as Utah state lawmakers this week approve a ban on LGBTQ+ pride flags in government-owned buildings.

Utah becomes the first state in the nation to ban pride flags from government buildings and schools after Gox. Cox refuses to take action on the bill.

“Based on the recent legislation regarding HB265, Salt Lake Community College has put in motion a thorough and transparent process to evaluate instructional programs involving input from a variety of stakeholders — including deans, faculty members, and the college’s top leadership,” according to a SLCC statement.

"Voters, especially those in rural areas, will bear the brunt of this restrictive move," one opponent of the law said.

Utah’s higher education commissioner says a new law won’t force all of the state’s public colleges and universities to adopt the same prescribed curriculum on Western civilization and the “rise of Christianity” — despite faculty fears about the bill.

The top government employees at the Utah Capitol earn more than their counterparts in the country’s most populous states, according to publicly available salary information.