Legislative Bills

SB0155S03 | 988 Mental Health Crisis Assistance

Description

General Description:

This bill creates the Statewide Behavioral Health Crisis Response Account and amends provisions related to the membership and duties of the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Commission.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill creates the 988 Suicide and Crisis Services Account

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0155S03

Year:

2021

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 11, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

$4,923,600

This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021: to the Legislature - Senate, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $1,600; to the Legislature - House of Representatives, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $1,600; to the Attorney General - Attorney General, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $1,000; to Department of Human Services - Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $2,451,800; and to University of Utah - School of Medicine, as a one-time appropriation: from Education Fund, ($600,000). This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2022: to the Legislature - Senate, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $6,400; to the Legislature - House of Representatives, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $6,400; to the Attorney General - Attorney General, as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, $3,000; and to Department of Human Services - Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from the General Fund, $1,851,800.

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

HEA 2000-1 | Mental Illness (retired)

HEA 2020-1 | Emotional/Mental Health and Well-Being

Impact on Children:

Passage of this bill will move forward the funding necessary to initiate the national 988 Suicide and Crisis phone number to provide the necessary services for a person needing mental health services in a time of severe crisis. Similar to '911' which deals with sending help in times of physical crisis, '988' will offer similar support in a situation of severe mental or emotional crisis such as a person seriously contemplating suicide.

Commission:

Health

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA support prevention and intervention initiatives and appropriate state funding for collaborative efforts between the home, school, private physicians, and community resource agencies to create support networks for families.

SB0157 | Parental Rights in Public Education

Description

General Description:

This bill addresses the rights of parents, and the sovereignty of the state, with respect to public education.

Highlighted Provisions:

13 ▸ recognizes and exercises state sovereignty in public education;
14 ▸ recognizes, exercises, and protects the rights and responsibilities of parents in the
15 education of their children; and
16 ▸ grants parents the right to opt out or withdraw their children from objectionable
17 matters and materials.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0157

Year:

2022

Status:

Senate/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 04, 2022

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

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Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose w/ Comment

Utah PTA acknowledges the importance of the partnership between parents and public education. We strive to accomplish the Utah PTA Purposes as found in the Utah PTA Public Policy Program:

-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.

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2015-3 | State Board of Education

EDU 2019-1 | Best Practices in Education

Impact on Children:

Children are best served when politics is out of public education. Rather than create an atmosphere of partnership between the school and the parent - this bills aims to create an adversarial relationship between parents and the school system.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

2019-1: That Utah PTA and its constituent associations educate parents and community members to support practices which enhance teacher capacity, school leadership, family and student engagement, student-centered learning climates, and instruction and curriculum alignment

2015-03: That Utah PTA recognizes the State Board of Education as the body elected to establish policy and standards for education in the State of Utah

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

The Utah PTA Purposes

-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.

SB0158 | Children's Health Coverage Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill creates a program to increase health insurance coverage for children and directs the Department of Health to expand eligibility for children's Medicaid and CHIP.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill creates a program to increase health insurance coverage for children and directs the Department of Health to expand eligibility for children's Medicaid and CHIP.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0158

Year:

2021

Status:

Senate/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 05, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Impact on Children:

Passage of this bill will increase health insurance coverage under children's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to include children whose family is at, or below, 200% of the federal poverty level. Also, this bill includes a media outreach campaign to raise awareness of options for health insurance coverage that are available for Utah children

Commission:

Health

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

NPTA Position Statement National Health Reform and Access to Care for Children, Youth, Families and Pregnant Women
Health Care Costs. The National PTA believes that agencies with responsibilities for educational, health or welfare services must have provisions for adequate funding and structure to meet effective legislative intent[16] and to provide adequate funding for school and community services to children in areas under federal government control. Any health plan should provide adequate reimbursement levels to encourage the development of primary care practices and to ensure appropriate distribution of health resources to underserved areas, and not shift costs to families, particularly those of low income. Costs should be contained in all sectors of the health care system, and administrative procedures be simplified.

SB0159 | Dyslexia Screening Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill requires dyslexia screening for certain students in public schools.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill will provide for students in Kindergarten and grades 1 and 2 to be screened annually for dyslexia. Also parents may request for screening for their students participating in the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship, Statewide Online Education Program, Utah Fits All Scholarship, and students participating in home school

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0159

Year:

2026

Status:

Senate/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 06, 2026

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2025-1 | Support for Students with Dyslexia and Other Specific Learning Disabilities

Impact on Children:

Screening all students will help identify those who need specialized interventions. This could help struggling readers to be overcome barriers and be more successful readers. This would also contribute to increasing the literacy of Utah students.

Commission:

Special Needs Specialist

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Utah PTA and its constituent associations recognize that dyslexia and other specific learning disabilities have significant educational implications that need to be better addressed by public schools and school districts.

SB0162 | Education Expenses Tax Credit During Public Health Emergency

Description

General Description:

This bill enacts a nonrefundable income tax credit for certain education expenses during a public health emergency.

Highlighted Provisions:

Enacts a nonrefundable individual income tax credit that an individual may claim for a dependent's education expenses incurred as a result of a change in school enrollment or instruction caused by a public health emergency.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0162

Year:

2021

Status:

Senate/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 05, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2010-2 | Education Funding (retired)

Impact on Children:

This bill diverts tax dollars to private interests with no transparency or accountability.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA oppose vouchers, tax credits and deductions and other similar funding sources for public and private preschool, elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for students.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

Support education legislation which guarantees that public funds intended for the funding of the public education system not be allocated for private interests including vouchers, tax credits, or other means.

Legislative Bills

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