Legislative Bills

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HB0114S02 | School Nursing Services Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to school nursing services.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill defines "school nurse" and requires local education agencies (LEAs) to provide a minimum level of nursing services.

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 23, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 32
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Passage of this bill will require LEAs to provide one school nurse for every 2,000 students; LEAs with fewer than 2,000 students to the level of services recommended by the Department of Health.

Commission: 
Health
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

The Utah PTA and its constituent associations support measures that will lower the ratio of
the current student to nurse ratio;

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations will work with the Utah Department of
Health, Utah State Board of Education, and the Utah School Nurse Association to
encourage schools and school districts to ensure school nurses are available to every school to help keep students healthy, safe, and ready to learn.

HB0114S04 | Early Learning Training and Assessment Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill provides programs and assessments to improve early learning in literacy and mathematics.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 28, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 8
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$5,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021: to the State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School Programs, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $3,935,000; and to the State Board of Education - MSP Categorical Program Administration, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $1,065,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

1. Teacher quality is the single most important school-based factor in student achievement.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

Utah PTA Resolution EDU 2019-1 Best Practices in Education - Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations educate parents and community members to support practices which enhance teacher capacity.

Utah PTA Resolution EDU 2019-1 Best Practices in Education - Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage the State Legislature to prioritize education funding in the areas of teacher capacity.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Utah PTA Legislative Priority 2019-20 #7. Support legislation, funding, and community partnerships that provide programs and resources to strengthen families and children’s social and emotional well being through affordable housing, homelessness initiatives, education, and parenting skills, and juvenile justice reforms.

HB0116 | Student Attendance Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses school absences for mental or physical illness.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill prohibits documentation from a medical professional for an absence due to mental or physical illness.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 16, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 63
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

The concept of parents being foremost responsible for their child's school attendance is good; nonetheless, parents can currently excuse a child's absence without a doctor's note.

Commission: 
Health
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies encourage parents and student to promote student attendance and address chronic absenteeism through incentive programs, awards, events, or awareness campaigns.

HB0116S04 | Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 28, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 26
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$9,200
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021: to the Legislature - Senate as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $3,200; to the Legislature - House of Representatives as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $3,200; to the Legislature - Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $2,800.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Among native youth, more than 60% have been recently exposed to violence in different sectors of their lives - at home, school, and within their community and 75% of those youth are more likely to become a future victims of violence or a perpetrator. A 2019 Center for Disease Control report shows that homicide is the 2nd and 3rd leading cause of death for Native American girls ages 1 to 4 and 5 to 9 respectively.

Commission: 
Safety
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved,That Utah PTA and its constituent associations advocate for adequate laws to protect children in all areas of child abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and exploitation.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

4. Support safe practices and environments for all children.

6. Support measures to instill proven and effective prevention methods to promote healthy behaviors in children to be able to overcome the ills of society including suicide, tobacco use, vaping, underage drinking, drug abuse, sexual exploitation, bullying, and any form of addiction that is harmful to our children’s well-being.

HB0117S04 | Vaccine Reporting Requirements

Description
General Description: 

This bill implements reporting requirements for vaccine information.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires a vaccine provider to register with the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIS) and report vaccine information and allows an individual to opt out of having vaccine information share with USIS.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 19
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill will ensure the ability of a patron to secure information about whether they have already received a vaccination--date and place. It will also prevent duplication of vaccination because a record cannot be produced to show an immunization was received. Parents can still opt out of having the immunization recorded in the database.

Commission: 
Health
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA support legislative efforts to protect children and youth from communicable diseases through vaccinations or other prevention methods allowing for medical, religious, and personal exemptions

HB0118 | Incentives for Statewide Assessment Performance

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to the use of student assessments.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 25, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 30
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

Positive incentives for taking the State Assessments may help motivate students to try harder on the test. This will give more reliable results for teachers to inform instruction and more reliable results for school accountability purposes.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA support systems of accountability for public schools that take into account qualitative characteristics, including a welcoming environment, family engagement efforts, administrative leadership, and community collaboration; in addition to quantitative measurements, such as educator qualifications, student absenteeism, average student tested
proficiency and student academic growth

HB0118S02 | Children's Hearing Aid Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions relating to the Children's Hearing Aid Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires the Department of Health to keep a record of the cost of providing a hearing aid to each child under the Children's Hearing Aid Program; and requires the department to send a letter to a family that participates in the Children's Hearing Aid program informing the family of how it may donate to the program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 11, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 72
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Every child deserves a high-quality education, and that is why PTA fights to ensure all children, including those with special needs, have access to an optimum learning environment, which hearing aids can provide to children who are hard of hearing.

Commission: 
Family Life
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its organizations continue to support the right of each student with a disability to have access to an equal education via whatever means reasonable and necessary to specific disabilities, such as Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) and 504 Accommodation Plans, which may include transportation, therapy, special services/equipment, reasonable accommodations and other supportive services the child requires to benefit from his/her educational program; and be it further

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

Equity in the form of equal justice, privileges, opportunities, and responsibilities in every phase of life for all children and youth, while recognizing that each child is unique with individual needs and talents.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Support legislation, funding, and community partnerships that provide programs and resources to strengthen families and children’s social and emotional learning and well-being including, but not limited to: positive behavior programs and classes including art, music, physical education, civic engagement, and character development; early childhood education, parenting skills, and juvenile justice reforms.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

National PTA Position Statement - Education of Children with Special Needs: Other community entities that provide related services to students such as health care, counseling, social services, and hospitals should be expected to share in the cost or delivery of services to children who are disabled.

HB0118S04 | Retail Tobacco Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions relating to the sale of certain tobacco products.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 12, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 24
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

This bill adds flavored tobacco products to the list of items that tobacco retailer sells. This definition will help to regulate the sale of flavored products and provide safer environments for children. This bill may work together with S.B. 37.

Commission: 
Student Leadership
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

HEA 2015-2 | Electronic Cigarettes and Utah Youth
Resolved, That Utah PTA seek and support legislation that would include ENDS in the Utah Code Annotated definition of tobacco products and treat them as such – including the need for licensing, sales restrictions, tax parity, and marketing; and, be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA support state and local ordinances that appropriately address regulations of ENDS products;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

4. Support safe practices and environments for all children.

HB0120S06 | Student and School Safety Assessment

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts provisions related to school safety.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 28, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 19
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$780,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to the State Board of Education - MSP Categorical Program Administration - State Safety and Support Program, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $480,000; to the Department of Public Safety - Programs and Operations - Department Commissioner's Office, as an ongoing appropriation: from the General Fund, $150,000; and to the Department of Human Services - Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from the General Fund, $150,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending

Utah PTA continues to work for enhanced legislation that promotes safe schools and encourages decision making and control be under the direction of local school boards. However, we believe the fiscal responsibility of this bill should come from new revenue sources and not at the expense of an increase in WPU, fully funded student growth and trust lands dispersments.

Impact on Children: 

Unsafe schools make it difficult for students to concentrate on learning. Many school officials and community members are working together with families to build a safe environment where children and youth can flourish and grow. Since being prepared can reduce the fear, anxiety, losses that accompany disasters, communities, families, and individuals should know what to do in the event of a disaster.

Commission: 
Safety
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations work to provide for the safety and survival of all children in a disaster by collaborating with schools, cities, first responders and parents by adopting and maintaining an all-hazards approach in the school's emergency preparedness and response plans specific to their school's needs, and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations work with Utah schools to educate and train students, parents, staff and first responders on their school's emergency preparedness and response plan by facilitating drills and exercises including evacuation, lockdown, shelter-inplace and reunification, and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations urge local and state policy makers to update policies to current standards, facilitate multiagency coordination, promote education and fund comprehensive emergency preparedness plans. Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies work with their respective state education specialists, in there districts, schools, and communities to encourage the development and implementation of safe school policies, and and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA continues to work for enhanced legislation that promotes safe schools.

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Safe and Supportive Schools Position Statement Establish a clear and enforceable visitor/guest identification system and provide training for school staff to recognize and report individuals who are not properly identified. Examine on a regular basis the use, functionality, and effectiveness of all locally determined physical security measures. Evaluate access points to the school and surrounding property including parking lots, open spaces, playgrounds, and playing fields to limit access to non-school personnel during school hours

HB0121 | School Fee Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends a definition regarding courses for which a school may not charge a fee.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Adds Science courses to the list of courses for which districts can charge class or supply fees.

Bill Details
Year: 
2026
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 06, 2026
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 19
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Science courses have a great need for supplies and materials. Making fees available for these courses will increase the resources the teacher has to provide good scientific experimentation.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, programs, supplies, and evidenced-based practices that have an impact on student achievement