Legislative Bills

HB0182 | Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill repeals the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
13 ▸ repeals the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program;

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0182

Year:

2023

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 14, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2019-2 | Support for Quality Literacy Education

Impact on Children:

During the 2022 Legislative Session, SB 127 Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement passed. This bill lead to significant investments in early literacy including reading coaches, professional development, and providing books for families. This new initiative has replaced the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program. This bill repeals the earlier program.

Commission:

Education

Special Needs Specialist

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support teacher development programs that prepare teachers with a firm understanding of how young students develop literacy skills, along with proven strategies to ensure reading proficiency and engage families as partners; and be it further

Resolved,That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage the Governor and the State Legislature to continue funding early literacy efforts in Utah and making literacy a priority for all Utah students.

HB0183 | Income Tax Reduction

Description

General Description:

This bill modifies income tax provisions.

Highlighted Provisions:

Reduces the income tax rate from 4.65% to 4.55%

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0183

Year:

2024

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 01, 2024

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding

Impact on Children:

Further reductions in the income tax rate harm our public schools. There are many unmet needs that could be met with the additional funding.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority

HB0184 | Teacher Professional Development Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill amends a notice requirement for a reallocation of instructional hours or school days for teacher preparation time or teacher professional development.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
13          ▸     amends a notice requirement for a reallocation of instructional hours or school days
14     for teacher preparation time or teacher professional development; and
15          ▸     makes technical changes.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0184

Year:

2022

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Feb 22, 2022

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching

Impact on Children:

Children do not benefit from understaffed schools, missing teachers and no substitutes. This bill will give space for educators to reorganize curriculum and return to teaching within a maximum of 32 working hours

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Resolved: That Utah PTA and its constituent associations engage principals and teacher as partners with the PTA to develop relationships, increase capacity within the schools, and improve communities

HB0185 | Public Education Enrollment Options Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill addresses public education enrollment options.

Highlighted Provisions:

This Bill:
▸ allows a local education agency to provide a home-centered, school-supported enrollment option allowing students to complete a portion of the students' course
work from home; prohibits home school students from participating in a home-centered, school-supported enrollment option;

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0185

Year:

2023

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 13, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching

Impact on Children:

This bill allows students enrolled in an LEA to complete part of their course work at home and the rest of theoir course work at the school. Enrolled students are still subject to the same testing and standards at traditionally enrolled students. The LEA's funding for these students remains the same. Homeschool students are not eligible.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA advocate for policies that strengthen respect and support for public education and the teaching profession

HB0185 | Tax Restructuring Revisions - Repeal

Description

General Description:

This bill repeals S.B. 2001, Chapter 1, Laws of Utah 2019, Second Special Session.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0185

Year:

2020

Status:

Governor Signed

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2010-2 | Education Funding (retired)

Impact on Children:

This bill repeals SB2001 Tax Restructuring Revisions. Utah PTA opposed the original bill because it reduced the income tax fund without addressing education funding. It also increased the sales tax on food and gas which hurts families that do not qualify for the rebates and tax credits.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Utah PTA Resolution 2010-2 Education Funding
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; and be it further
Resolved, 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.

The Utah PTA Legislative Policy
PTA efforts “to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth” are based upon:
4. The realization that maintaining a free and public education system is a cornerstone of democracy—that the Utah Public Education System is created in the state Constitution to “secure and perpetuate” freedom.

Utah PTA 2019-2020 Legislative Priorities
1.Support education legislation which maintains the constitutional guarantee that the Legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of a public education system, which shall be open to all children of the state; and that all revenue from a tax on income shall be used to support the system of public education and higher education.
2. Support education appropriations which fully fund enrollment growth and increase the WPU by 6%.

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Continue to Increase Investments in Education Through a Regular Appropriations Process
National PTA urges Congress to raise the discretionary spending caps and build on its recent investments in public education. A

Links

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

HB0188S01 | T.h. Bell Program Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill amends provisions related to the Terrel H. Bell Teaching Incentive Loans Program.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0188S01

Year:

2019

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 22, 2019

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Pending

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching

Impact on Children:

Research shows that teacher quality is the single most important school-based factor in student achievement. This Bill will help to incentivize students to work in public education in Utah.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Resolved, That Utah PTA advocate for policies that strengthen respect and support for public education and the teaching profession; and be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA support high standards for teacher preparation, licensing, hiring, recertification, professional development, particularly for beginning teachers, and ongoing training as curriculum changes, in order to promote the academic achievement of all students; and be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA support adequate funding for and encourage consideration of financial incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective educators, including appropriation of adequate funding to upgrade salary schedules.

HB0190S01 | Local Education Agency Personnel Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill establishes additional mechanisms for growth opportunities for certain school employees.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
14 ▸ broadens the scope of the Teacher Salary Supplement Program by removing a
15 requirement for a given number of years in a qualifying teaching background;
16 ▸ broadens the scope of the Grow Your Own [Educator] Pipeline Program to include
17 individuals seeking education to become a school psychologist or school social
18 worker;
19 ▸ adds psychologists and social workers to a non-inclusive list of local education
20 agency (LEA) employees for whom an LEA may establish a separate salary
21 schedule;
22 ▸ requires LEAs to ensure that the salary rate for certain positions meets a relative
23 minimum

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0190S01

Year:

2023

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 14, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2017-2 | Support for Counselors, Psychologists, and Social Workers in Schools

Impact on Children:

This bill fills the gap for the Grow your Own program and adds school psychologists and school social workers to the list of positions available
It expedites the eligibility to Teacher Salary Supplemental Program funding for the teachers (from 10 to 1 year)
It requires LEAs to segregates masters/PhD in their salary grid and not discriminate towards teachers and non teachers with similar degrees.

Commission:

Health

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations actively advocate for increased funding for additional trained counselors, psychologists, and social workers to assist and educate families and youthin both elementary and secondary schoolsparticipating inthe public school system.

HB0191S02 | Adoption Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill amends and enacts provisions relating to adoption.

Highlighted Provisions:

This Bill allows an attorney in the adoption or the child-placing agency to be provided the adoption report; allows the attorney in the adoption or the child-placing agency to take the adoption report to the state registrar; allows the spouse of a preexisting parent to adopt a child after the child's death; if a child-placing agency placed a child for adoption, provides that the child-placing agency file an affidavit regarding fees and expenses with the Office of Licensing within the Department of Human Services; and makes technical and conforming changes.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0191S02

Year:

2021

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 11, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

FAM 1990-2 | Child Adoptions

Impact on Children:

This was presented at the request of the Utah Adoption Council. It makes clarifications and housekeeping to existing language to make things run smoother in areas of adoption. The changes made help protect the child rights better in cases of adoption.

Commission:

Family Life

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA encourage the legislature to pass laws that will ensure that the best interests of the child be given primary emphasis in adoption matters

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

High standards for those who work in all areas concerned with children and youth

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

Support legislation, funding, and community partnerships that provide programs and resources to strengthen families and children’s social and emotional learning and well-being including, but not limited to: positive behavior programs and classes including art, music, physical education, civic engagement, and character development; early childhood education, parenting skills, and juvenile justice reforms.

HB0191 | Student Graduation Attire Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill addresses cultural and religious attire requirements worn during a high school graduation ceremony.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
13          ▸     defines terms; and
14          ▸     provides that students may wear recognized cultural or religious adornments during
15     a high school graduation unless the adornment substantially disrupts or materially
16     interferes with the graduation ceremony.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0191

Year:

2023

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 03, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

FAM 2022-2 | Support for Newcomer and Refugee Students and Families

Impact on Children:

Being able to honor their family and culture during graduation is of major importance to many of our students.

Commission:

Student Leadership

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations call on state, district and local leaders to uphold the value of diversity and multiculturalism as an asset to our state, our communities and our classrooms by seeking out ways to welcome and support refugee students and families to integrate as part of our school community;

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

3. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT. Support policies which will increase family and community engagement and promote local positive parental involvement across the state of Utah.

HB0193S05 | Full-day Kindergarten

Description

General Description:

This bill amends provisions related to optional enhanced kindergarten.

Highlighted Provisions:

$12.2 million from the Uniform Education Fund will be distributed by the state board based on greatest need. If the cost of Optional Extended Day Kindergarten gets to 80% of the cost of the WPU, the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee shall study the feasibility of kindergarten getting a full WPU. It also states that you cannot require a student to attend full day kindergarten.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0193S05

Year:

2022

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 24, 2022

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

$12,200,000

This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to the Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School Programs: From the Uniform School Fund, $12,200,000.

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support w/ Comment

The fifth substitute for HB193 is a far cry from the original bill that would have given a full WPU for a kindergarten student. Although Utahns put education as their top priority it is once again near the bottom when it comes to funding. The 3rd substitute of this bill was supported and pushed for by every educational stakeholder in the state of Utah. The fifth substitute does give some increased funding but not to the level that will meet need or demand.

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2022-1 | Full-Day Kindergarten

Impact on Children:

This bill gives a start to expanding full day kindergarten options for Utah's children. Currently on 30% of Utah has access to full day kindergarten (FDK). Kindergarten is the foundation of a strong education. A successful kindergarten student will be more confident and have more skills to succeed.

Commission:

Family Life

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA supports the expansion of optional full-day kindergarten programs for students in need of support to achieve minimal learning
standards and requests increased funding to support such expansion

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

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. Prioritizing the needs of all children and youth, while adhering to fiscal responsibility in government.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

3. Support public education funding for high quality part and optional full day kindergarten, as well as other early childhood opportunities to adequately prepare our students to be successful learners.

Legislative Bills

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