Legislative Bills

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HB0327 | School Information Systems Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires the State Board of Education to implement an end-to-end system for collecting and reporting public education information.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 20
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$80,000,000
This bill appropriates for fiscal year 2020: to the State Board of Education - State Administrative Office, as a One-time appropriation: from the Education Fund, One-time, $80,000,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending

Utah PTA is concerned with the $80,000,000 fiscal note associated with this bill. The State Board of Education is currently seeking $17,200,000 for a system that will communicate with the LEA systems that are in place. With limited education funding it is important that resources be used in the most fiscally responsible way.

Impact on Children: 

This bill has a fiscal note of $80,000,000 from the Education fund to be used to create the end-to-end system and requires by 2028 that all LEAs are using the new system. The Utah State Board of Education is currently seeking 17.2 million for a bridge system that will communicate with the LEAs systems that are in place. With limited education funding it is important that resources be used in the most prudent way.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority; and be it further
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;

HB0330 | Restorative Justice Definition

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates a definition of "restorative justice" to be used across the entire code.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill creates a definition of "restorative justice" to provide consistency and clarity for existing sections of the entire code.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 44
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

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.
High standards for those who work in all areas concerned with children and youth.
Coordination and planning by all agencies with clear definition of responsibility at each level of government.

Commission: 
Safety
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

5. Support measures to promote safe and healthy environments and behaviors for children to prevent suicide, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking,

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

National PTA CHILD SAFETY AND PROTECTION Position Statement
Promote initiatives to address racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in the juvenile justice system.
Encourage collaboration between law enforcement, the judicial system, and child welfare agencies.
Promote alternative dispute resolution techniques that provide a range of possible sanctions

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

PTA Calls on Congress and the Administration to Meaningfully Incorporate Policies that Promote Safe, Supportive and Inclusive Practices in Schools for All Students. PTA firmly believes that all students—including students from historically marginalized populations—have the right to a quality, equitable education in a safe, supportive and inclusive school. 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. Policies and legislation must:

✓ Encourage schools to use positive behavioral interventions and supports that are effective, fair and consistently implemented. Such practices may include restorative justice and trauma-informed care. 

HB0330S01 | Juvenile Justice Competency Revisions

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to evaluations of competency of juveniles.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 27, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 57
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

This bill allows for not holding a juvenile longer than adequate to review the competency of the minor. By allowing a new timeline, it serves the best interest of the youth, family and courts

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

Juvenile Justice - Encourage collaboration between law enforcement, the judicial system, and child welfare agencies.

HB0331 | Income Tax Reductions

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends the income tax rates.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill reduces the income tax rate from 4.95% to 4.9%.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 62
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Impact on Children: 

Enactment of this bill could decrease revenues to the Education Fund by $19,496,000 in FY 2022 and $68,496,000 in FY 2023.

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

Resolved: That Utah PTA continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority.

HB0331S05 | Hope Scholarship Program

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Hope Scholarship Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

"11 This bill:
12 ▸ requires a scholarship granting organization to submit reports on the Hope
13 Scholarship Program (program);
14 ▸ defines terms;
15 ▸ authorizes a scholarship granting organization to establish scholarship accounts on
16 behalf of eligible students to pay for private education goods and services starting in
17 the 2023-24 school year;
18 ▸ requires the board to contract with, no later than October 1, 2022, a scholarship
19 granting organization to administer the program;
20 ▸ prohibits a scholarship granting organization from accepting scholarship funds in
21 certain circumstances;
22 ▸ requires private schools and service providers to meet certain standards to be
23 eligible to receive scholarship funds;
24 ▸ authorizes a scholarship granting organization to receive donations to the program;
25 ▸ requires the scholarship granting organization to conduct audits;
26 ▸ prohibits certain regulations of eligible schools and eligible service providers;
27 ▸ requires background checks for employees and officers of a scholarship granting"

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 04, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 49
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$72,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to State Board of Education -- Contracted Initiatives and Grants -- Hope Scholarship Program, as an appropriation: from Education Fund, ongoing $36,000,000; and from Education Fund, one-time ($34,000,000), leaving $2,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2023.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Impact on Children: 

This bill proposes that the taxpayer subsidize private schools, diverting precious resources away from public schools to which they are intended to benefit. It will benefit a few families and be a detriment to most.

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 Policy: 

Continued maintenance of the constitutional guarantee of financial support for public schools as the first claim on state revenues.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

OPPOSING VOUCHERS, TUITION TAX CREDITS AND DEDUCTIONS AS SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION AID The National PTA opposes education voucher proposals for public and nonpublic preschool, elementary and secondary school students. The National PTA opposes tax credits and deductions for elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for public and nonpublic school students. The National PTA believes that these funding methods would have a detrimental effect on our public school system. Such funding would promote division without diversity, create division and separation within the community and negate the long struggle to desegregate our schools and our society. It is the opinion of the National PTA that vouchers and similar systems would violate the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. The National PTA recognizes that changes must be made within the public schools to provide an equitable and excellent educational opportunity for every child. Vouchers, tax credits, deductions and other such funding sources do not provide the means for bringing about improvements in our public schools. The National PTA supports our system of public education as the major vehicle for perpetuating the basic values of a democratic system of government. This system must be strengthened and continue to be governed by public officials accountable to the public and supported by adequate funding.