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Legislative Bills

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HB0396 | Small School District Scale of Operations Formula

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends the formula for necessarily existent small schools funding.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill amends the formula for necessarily existent small schools funding.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0396
Year: 
2025
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Karen M. Peterson
Republican - District 13
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Our rural and small schools experience significant challenges. Additional resources through the Necessarily Existent Small Schools funding helps them address these unique situations.

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

National Resolution on Teacher Quality

That National PTA and its constituent organizations support programs and policies for the recruitment and retention of talented and committed educators, with special emphasis placed on ensuring teacher diversity and addressing the special needs of rural and urban areas

HB0398S02 | Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill amends provisions related to the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship
Program.
This bill:
14 ▸ modifies defined terms;
15 ▸ expands the expenses for which a scholarship recipient may use a scholarship
16 award;
17 ▸ amends the formula for calculating a scholarship amount for an eligible student;
18 ▸ allows a scholarship granting organization to prorate a scholarship award under
19 certain circumstances;
20 ▸ increases the amount of donations a scholarship granting organization may carry
21 forward in a fiscal year;

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0398S02
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Nelson T. Abbott
Republican - District 57
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
Impact on Children: 

This bill expands the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship to be used for a wider variety of services, including transportation, educational software, computer hardware, tutoring services, etc. This bill also allows money not spent to be rolled over for the next year. This bill would take money away from the public education fund and send it to private schools. Families attending private schools must waive their rights to special education services, since private schools are not required to provide these services.

Commission: 
Special Needs Specialist
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations oppose funding mechanisms such as vouchers, tax credits, deductions; and, be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations will always oppose funding methods that divert funds away from public education system if the accountability methods are not equal to or greater than those of public education system; and, be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations and its constituent associations oppose the dilution of the constitutional mandate to fully fund public education and oppose income tax cuts and credits that directly reduce the amount allocated to public education funding.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

EDUCATION FUNDING. Support an adequately funded public school system

HB0398 | Child Abuse Reporting Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to the reporting of child abuse or neglect.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires an individual to report information about heinous child abuse or heinous child neglect, with certain exceptions; requires the Division of Child and Family Services and a law enforcement agency that investigates to include certain information in their final report; requires the division to make reports available to the Legislature, under certain conditions; amends provisions related to the investigation of an individual who fails to report.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0398
Year: 
2024
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 01, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Phil Lyman
Republican - District 69
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
FAM 2009-2 | Child Abuse and Neglect
Impact on Children: 

This bill clarifies child abuse terms and when to report these heinous crimes. More reporting in accurate ways allows more children to be protected and to help stop the abuse. Utah PTA does not condone abuse in any form. We want to protect our children.

Commission: 
Family Life
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.

HB0399S01 | Prohibition Against Student Character Tracking and Grading Systems

Description
General Description: 

This bill defines character education and creates restraints on certain entities regarding the use of character education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill repeals certain requirements related to civics education and character education; prohibits certain local education agency personnel from providing character education to a student in most instances and levies fines for violation of these restrictions.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0399S01
Year: 
2026
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 06, 2026
Sponsor
Representative
Trevor Lee
Republican - District 16
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Utah PTA Resolution: 
IND 2022-1 | Character Development Through Civics Education
Impact on Children: 

This bill would have a detrimental effect on character education in our schools. Teachers and administrators would be prohibited from talking about emotional learning, including topics like: 21st century skills, competencies, civic or family engagement, durable skills, lifelong learning skills, interventions, non-academic skills, social skills, soft skills, subjective skills, personalized learning, or well being. The bill is too broad and will prohibit discussion about and learning valuable skills.

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

National: Resolution on Social and Emotional Learning and Awareness

 

National PTA and its constituent associations advocate for ongoing teacher and administrator training to improve the understanding of child emotional and mental health needs with emphasis on the importance of establishing a school climate conducive to good mental health National PTA and its constituent associations promote educational programs for parents and families to strengthen understanding and supportive home environment

HB0400S02 | School Absenteeism Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts provisions relating to school absenteeism and student behavior.

Highlighted Provisions: 

directs local education agencies to include certain evidence-based strategies for
13 children as part of their efforts to reduce student absenteeism;
14 ▸ requires local education agencies to provide professional learning opportunities for
15 educators to have the tools to address student behavior;
16 ▸ enacts new duties for the State Board of Education with respect to addressing
17 chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention; and
18 ▸ amends the responsibilities of the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services
19 to require the use of evidence-informed and research-informed interventions

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0400S02
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ to Governor
Last Action: 
Mar 13, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Dan N. Johnson
Republican - District 3
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-2 | Chronic Absenteeism
Impact on Children: 

Absenteeism can have lasting consequences for students that go far behond academic achievements. A public school student who does not attend school cannot be taught by public school teachers. Attendance does not guarantee academic success but allows it for most students.

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations empower parents, legal guardians, community members and students with the knowledge of the benefits of consistent attendance
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