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HB0411S02 | Student Behavioral Health Services Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions for supporting student mental health in schools.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Allows behavioral health support personnel to utilize scholarships to become a school social worker, school psychologist or other school-based mental health worker.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0411S02
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2023
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
Utah PTA Resolution: 
HEA 2020-1 | Emotional/Mental Health and Well-Being
Impact on Children: 

This bill will benefit Utah’s K-12 students by addressing the need for more mental health support in our school. Mental health is a top concern among parents, PTA leaders and teachers. We need to look to more ways of getting more help to our students.

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

That Utah PTA support collaborative efforts between the home, school, private physicians, and community resource agencies to create mental health support networks for families, to recognize the prevalence and need for recognition of mental health illnesses and associated diagnosis and treatment, and to increase the number of psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, and mental health professionals to provide adequate services for those needing help;

HB0417 | School Materials Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions regarding student access to sensitive material within the public education system.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill directs districts in choosing instructional material, prohibits LEAs from prohibiting public recitation nor display of materials, provides for private right of action against LEAs, waives governmental immunity and amends criminal provisions.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0417
Year: 
2024
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 01, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Ken Ivory
Republican - District 39
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Utah PTA is opposed to children's exposure to sexually explicit materials. Teachers and librarians work hard to support their students and provide them with appropriate materials. Putting criminal penalties on teachers for providing materials to their students is poor policy and will have a chilling effect on recruiting and retaining exceptional educators.

Impact on Children: 

This bill will have a detrimental effect on teachers and make it harder to recruit and retain good teachers and librarians. While PTA is opposed to exposing children to sexually explicit materials, subjective materials can be open to interpretation and this will cause confusion and uncertainty.

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

EDUCATION. Support an adequately funded public school system by funding an 8% WPU increase over and above growth and inflation; implement policies to increase proficiency levels by improving attendance, reducing class sizes, and supporting teachers; increase academic excellence for all Utah students; and prioritize local control to LEAs and individual schools.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

National: Libraries and Educational Material

National PTA believes that students need access to information in order to explore and experience the diversity of ideas in a pluralistic society. PTA recognizes and supports the rights of parents to guide their children in choosing appropriate reading and educational materials. PTA supports teachers in developing classroom libraries to include appropriate reading and educational materials. PTA also supports the rights of both public libraries and school libraries to provide factually correct and historically accurate information and materials that are free of censorship based on bias, partisanship or doctrinal disapproval.

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Encourage the development of inclusive curricula and materials that are historically accurate, age and developmentally appropriate and provide a means for students to explore diverse concepts, cultures and perspectives.

HB0419 | Tobacco Regulation Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill relates to the regulation of tobacco products, electronic cigarette products, and nicotine products.

Highlighted Provisions: 

changes certain penalties for violating a regulation regarding tobacco products,
15 electronic cigarette products, or nicotine products;
16 ▸ adds a hazardous waste disposal fee for electronic cigarette products; and
17 ▸ enacts new requirements and restrictions on the sale of tobacco products, electronic
18 cigarette products, and nicotine products.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0419
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Jennifer Dailey-Provost
Democrat - District 22
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
HEA 2015-2 | Electronic Cigarettes and Utah Youth
Impact on Children: 

Increased penalties and fees associated with e cigarettes have been shown to decrease youth usage.

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

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

HB0420S01 | School Code of Conduct Protections

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires local education agencies to adopt a code of conduct and provides certain protections from retaliation.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill provides a code of conduct for staff members of the public school system; requires reporting of violations of the code of conduct; requires all staff members to receive training on the code of conduct; prohibits retaliation against a staff member that reports a violation of the code of conduct; and provides a process for a staff member to seek review of an adverse employment action that is taken in retaliation for compliance with the code of conduct.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0420S01
Year: 
2024
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 01, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Matt MacPherson
Republican - District 26
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Local Issue
Impact on Children: 

Putting a code of conduct into law makes it much more difficult for local schools to amend or adjust their code of conduct. Most of this bill is taken directly from the USBE Rule, and the bill is unnecessary. LEAs are already required to put into place a code of conduct, but currently have flexibility to amend as they need to.

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

General Principles for Consideration of Proposed Legislation: Maximum local control when it serves the best interest of all children and youth.

HB0420 | Turnaround Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends the criteria for a low performing school to exit the school turnaround program.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0420
Year: 
2020
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Bradley G. Last
Republican - District 71
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2014-1 | Public School Accountability
Impact on Children: 

Amends the criteria for a low performing school to exit the school turnaround program based on criteria set by the Utah State Board of Education.

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

Utah PTA Resolution EDU 2014-1 Public School Accountability - 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.  Resolved, That Utah PTA recognize the State Board of Education as the appropriate body to form standards of accountability and methods of school evaluation based on these standards; and that any legislative requirements should be made collaboratively with the State Board of Education and the expertise of the State Office of Education.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Utah PTA Legislative Priority #3. Support accountability for all public schools that take into account the needs of students, teachers, and communities.

Links
Utah PTA EDU 2014-1 Public School Accountability
Utah PTA Legislative Priorities
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