Legislative Bills

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HB0428S02 | School Safety Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends student safety and support provisions.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ requires the State Board of Education to provide training on certain state and federal law;
▸ requires a local education agency (LEA) to:
• review information on harassment and discrimination within the LEA;
• adopt a plan for harassment- and discrimination-free learning; and
• report on the plan;
▸ requires an LEA to report data on the race of a victim of bullying, hazing, or cyber-bullying;

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 23
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$10,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations, as a one-time appropriation: from Education Fund, One-time, $10,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

A student-centered learning climate supports student learning, development, and well-being by providing safety, support, academic challenge, healthy foods, time and space to be active, and opportunities for social and emotional development; and our nation’s schools should be safe havens for teaching and learning.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage local units to collect data to assess the extent of the bullying problem;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

Utah PTA Safe School Policies Position Statement

Resolved, that Utah PTA and its constituent associations support programs chosen by the individual schools or LEAs that promote feelings of safety and establish a positive and supportive school culture; and be it further

Resolved, that Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage all efforts to address school safety to involve all stakeholders, especially students, parents, and families, and consider a variety of factors including the physical and psychological safety of students;

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

PTA believes that the education system should engage in rigorous self-examination to identify and eliminate practices and policies which are systemically racist. PTA supports policies and legislation that ensure equity for every student, are grounded in social justice and support the whole child and family.

HB0430S01 | Prohibition of Genital Mutilation

Description
General Description: 

This bill prohibits female genital mutilation and provides a penalty.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 27, 2019
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

This bill would protect a girl from the consequences of genital mutilation and consider the practice child abuse, in all cases. It allows prosecution for the later of 10 years past the act or past the age of 18.

Commission: 
Family Life
Health
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.

HB0431S02 | Kinship Child Placement Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses kinship caregivers for children in the custody of the Division of Child and Family Services.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill: ▸defines terms; ▸when a child in the custody of the Division of Child and Family Services (division) is placed with the child's relative, requires the division to offer a one-time payment to the relative to help support the child prior to the relative becoming a licensed or certified kinship caregiver; ▸requires the division to report information regarding payments provided to kinship caregivers to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee;

Bill Details
Year: 
2025
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 07, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 38
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill would allow a child to be placed in a happy home while they are waiting for a family to get foster ready and provide for their needs in the meantime.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations promote the recruitment of more foster/adoptive families; encourage PTA members to become licensed foster/adoptive families; and continue to work with the Division of Child and Family services and the legislature to ensure that standards are not lowered in order to generate a greater number of approved foster care providers; and be it further

 

Resolved,That Utah PTA and its constituent associations, advocate for an increase in funding, a raise in the out-of-home reimbursement rate and funding for some childcare expenses of foster children to ensure quality foster homes and services

HB0432S04 | Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Enforcement Modifications

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to tobacco and electronic cigarette products.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Repeals the ban on flavored vapes, would increase the nicotine content in vape products and repeals the requirement that electronic cigarette products obtain premarket authorization from the FDA

Bill Details
Year: 
2025
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 07, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 26
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Impact on Children: 

Flavored tobacco products are specifically targeted to youth. Nearly 90% of youth e-cigarette users use flavored products, with fruit, candy/desserts/other sweets. 

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

Resolved,That Utah PTA support state and local ordinances that appropriately address regulations of ENDS products

Files
AttachmentSize
PDF icon HB 432 Talking Points.pdf152.24 KB

HB0434S02 | Health and Human Services Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Highlighted Provisions: 

If a student does not have a current asthma action plan on file with the school, a qualified adult may administer stock albuterol to the student if the qualified adult reasonably believes the child is experiencing an asthma emergency.

Bill Details
Year: 
2025
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 27, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 38
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Asthma attacks coupled with the lack of a recuse medication, such as alubterol, can have severe consequences. Having access and the ability to provide albuterol in school can quickly aide in improvig symptoms.

Commission: 
Health
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

Elements of Comprehensive Health Programs

- Health Services that appropriately reflect the educational and community commitment to address identified health problems that limit students’ abilities to learn.

HB0434 | Parent and Student Rights and School Safety Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends requirements for a local education agency (LEA) to address bullying incidents.

Highlighted Provisions: 

15 ▸ clarifies that a school may share certain information regarding an incident of
16 bullying, cyber-bullying, hazing, abusive conduct, or retaliation with a parent upon
17 request;
18 ▸ requires a school to provide regular communication updates to a parent regarding
19 the implementation of an action plan to address an incident of bullying,
20 cyber-bullying, hazing, abusive conduct, or retaliation;
21 ▸ requires an LEA to designate an individual for bullying incident response and
22 outlines the individual's duties;
23 ▸ requires civil rights law training for LEA employees

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 21
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.
This bill will help prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a bullying prevention strategy.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage local units to work with the school administration to establish a school climate that clearly and emphatically disapproves of bullying; and be it further

Resolved, That each local unit work with the school administration to develop a school program in compliance with district policies, designed by the entire school community, including parents, teachers, students, professional staff, custodial staff and others, that includes a list of rules, posted in each classroom, against bullying to create a school climate where bullying is not tolerated; and be it further

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations support policies and programs that address the prevention, intervention, and elimination of bullying; and

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations endeavor, via educational literature, programs, and projects for parents, students, and school personnel, to bring about an atmosphere of zero tolerance for bullying behavior, and an attitude that bullying behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in homes, schools, playgrounds, buses, school activities, or any place children congregate

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship.
To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.
To bring in to closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate more intelligently in the education of children and youth.
To develop, between educators and the general public, such united efforts as will secure, for all children and youth, the highest advantages in physical, social, and spiritual education.

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: 

2. HEALTH. Support legislation that addresses mental health needs of Utah’s children and families by increasing education and awareness of current statewide mental health issues; and providing funding for prevention, early intervention, and evidenced-based community outreach programs.

HB0434S01 | Funding for Necessarily Existent Small Schools and Rural Schools Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to formulas for funding for necessarily existent small schools and creates a process to reimburse rural schools for expenses related to extracurricular activities.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 28, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 58
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$100,000
This bill appropriates: to State Board of Education -- Minimum School Program -- Related to Basic School Programs, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $100,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Provides students that attend small rural schools the opportunity for greater access to extracurricular activities.

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

Utah PTA Resolution EDU 2010-2 Education Funding - Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, textbooks and supplies.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Utah PTA Legislative Priority #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.

HB0437S03 | Interdicted Person Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill provides that an individual convicted of driving under the influence may be designated as an interdicted person.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill provides that a person convicted of driving under the influence may be designated as an interdicted person and is prohibited from purchasing alcohol for a certain time period;

Bill Details
Year: 
2025
Status: 
House/ to Governor
Last Action: 
Mar 12, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 43
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill will help keep children safer because it will allow the courts to designate a person convicted of DUI to be designated as an interdicted person and not allow them to purchase alcohol.

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

National PTA Resolution on ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS REGARDING ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations will support strict enforcement of driving under the influence laws and the passage of more stringent laws that would remove from the road drivers under the influence of alcohol or other drugs;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.

HB0438 | Electronic Cigarette Requirements

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions relating to the provision of electronic cigarette products.

Highlighted Provisions: 

sets a limit for nicotine content for an electronic cigarette product that may be sold
in the State at 3%

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 54
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

E-cigarettes are the most used tobacco products by our students. The nicotine they contain are harmful to the teenage brain. It’s highly addictive, impacts their emotional well-being, and studies have shown that it causes a cycle of depression that the user feels can only be relieved by increased usage.

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

Utah PTA support state and local ordinances that appropriately address regulations of ENDS product

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.

HB0440S02 | School Lunch Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts provisions related to school community councils, school meals, and recess in public school.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Creates a lunch share table. Requires school community councils for K - 6th grade to hold a school lunch planning meeting and report on meeting lunch target goals. Students are to have 20 minutes of seated lunch time. The goal is to increase food availability and to ensure student have enough time to eat their lunches.

Bill Details
Year: 
2026
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 06, 2026
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 4
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Local Issue
Impact on Children: 

Creates a lunch share table. Requires school community councils for K - 6th grade to hold a school lunch planning meeting and report on meeting lunch target goals. Students are to have 20 minutes of seated lunch time. The goal is to increase food availability and to ensure student have enough time to eat their lunches.

Commission: 
Health
National PTA Public Policy Agenda

National PTA Resolution on Improving School Meal Programs - Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent associations support legislation and advocate for wellness policies, which include measurable goals and standards regarding child nutrition, that will ensure sufficient time for students to receive and consume a meal, and provide for recess opportunities;