Legislative Bills

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HB0271 | Home Child Care Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends the Utah Child Care Licensing Act.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill increases the number of children that a home child care provider can care for without obtaining a residential child care certificate from 4 to 6 children.
 

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 50
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Although this increases capacity with flexibility in child care, there is no regulation on in home childcare as the number increases for the amount of children be taken care of. It has the capacity of possible harm to children and lack of good care without proper regulations in place.

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

That Utah PTA support appropriate regulations to ensure quality child care.

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.

HB0272S05 | Child Custody Proceedings Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill concerns the protection of children in certain judicial proceedings.

Highlighted Provisions: 

In certain proceedings involving child custody, this bill specifies requirements for the admission of expert evidence and requires a court to consider evidence relating to domestic violence or abuse by a parent, imposes certain requirements and limitations regarding orders to improve the relationship between a parent and a child; requires the state court administrator to make recommendations regarding the education and training of court personnel involving child custody and related proceedings; and requires that certain protective order proceedings comply with specific standards.

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 20, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 18
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill presents amendments to the Child Custody proceedings that focus mainly on protecting children. These amendments allow consideration of abuse when deciding on custody arrangements. These amendments also create a program for judges, court commissions, and court personnel to help them recognize abuse and make decisions that prioritize child safety and well-being.

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.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

Statement on Child Protection and Safety: Protect children from violence Trauma Informed Care:

 

Training for law enforcement, juvenile and family court judges, and youth judicial officers to recognize signs and symptoms of violence

HB0273S01 | Civics Education Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Local Innovations Civics Education Pilot Program to support innovative approaches to civics education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
13          ▸     creates a pilot grant program to support local education agencies in implementing
14     innovative approaches to civics education;
15          ▸     repeals the civics engagement pilot program;

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 23, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 4
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$1,500,000
This bill appropriates: to the State Board of Education -- Contracted Initiatives and Grants, as a one-time appropriation: from the Education Fund, One-time, $1,500,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Commission: 
Individual Development
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

Utah PTA Position Statement: IND 2022-1 Character Development through Civics Education
Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associates encourage Local Education Agencies to provide opportunities for students to display “civic skills” or the ability to participate in civic life, including abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, problem-solve, and work collaboratively through civics engagement projects;

HB0273 | School Fees Modifications

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to school fees.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 63
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending

Utah PTA recognizes that the Utah Constitution provides that public elementary school shall be free and that secondary schools shall be free. While we support legislation that prohibits an LEA from charging a fee for "curricular" activities, we are concerned about the additional costs that may be incurred by LEAs who currently charge for such expenses and continue to urge "the legislature to....adequately fund critical education needs."

Impact on Children: 

This Bill would allow public education to be accessible to all students by prohibiting all "curricular" fees.

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;

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies lobby for legislative funding designated to reimburse districts for a specified percentage of their fee waiver costs.

HB0273 | State Trust Lands Administration Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies the administration of state trust lands.

Highlighted Provisions: 

lines 80-82 no sale of 500+ acres unless authorized by legislature via joint resolution. lines 97-100 no transfers of trust lands to the federal government at all unless it results in a net decrease in the percentage of federally owned land in that county. Line 35- Tries to limit exchange options to energy and natural resource development tracts.

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 69
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

This would significantly limit SITLA's ability to negotiate land exchanges with the federal government. Prohibiting SITLA from selling or transferring its lands to the federal government in "public land counties" (15 of the state's 29 counties are public land counties) unless the transaction results in a net decrease of federally owned lands would essentially render large-scale exchanges impossible and cause SITLA to forego promising opportunities in other parts of rural Utah. This attempt to remove the legislative management committee's authority to approve land exchanges will impede certain conditions when the committee needs to act in a timely manner to secure land exchanges. Overall, this bill will impede SITLA's ability to make land deals that are in the interest of the beneficiaries that it serves.

Commission: 
Trust Lands
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved-That Utah PTA encourage State and local officials to take all necessary steps to assure that management of the School Trust Lands is in accordance with trust duties and principles including undivided loyalty to the beneficiaries, a duty to make trust property productive, a duty to keep and render accounts, and a duty to exercise prudence and skill in administering the trust, thereby obtaining much-needed revenue for Utah's public schools; and be if further
Resolved-That Utah PTA work to encourage Federal and State officials to fulfill their responsibilities under the Enabling Act by assisting the State in proper management of School Trust Lands for their intended purpose to support public schools; and in cases where management for trust purposes would conflict with other important purposes, such as protection of archaeological, aesthetic, or other environmental or cultural resources, that the Federal Government or State purchase, or trade the affected lands for other lands of comparable value; and be it further

HB0274S03 | Retail Tobacco Business Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions relating to the sale of certain tobacco products.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 24
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

By regulating the flavored nicotine juices it will help discourage use and purchases by youth.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA support state and local ordinances that appropriately address regulations of ENDS products;
Resolved, That Utah PTA support effective FDA efforts to regulate ENDS as tobacco products;

HB0274 | Health Education Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to health education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires the State Board of Education to establish curriculum requirements that include instruction in sexual assault resource strategies and in sexual violence behavior prevention. It also requires LEAs to review data, including sexual assault data, to inform LEA's policies on health educaton

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 04, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 37
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Passage of this bill will add more resources to teen sexual assault avoidance and prevention of sexual violence behaviors by adding curriculum requirements into the Health Curriculum specific to these issues.

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies collaborate with local PTAs and PTSAs of
Middle, Jr. High and High schools and community organizations to increase awareness of
the problem of teen dating violence, and to help educate families, teens, educators, and
legislators about responsible relationships and the causes of teen dating violence and
strategies for preventing teen dating violenc

HB0277S01 | Child Care Eligibility Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies the child care subsidy provisions of the Employment Support Act.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill defines "income" and "income-eligible child"; provides criteria for an income-eligible child to be eligible for a child care subsidy or grant through the Employment Support Act; and modifies the Office of Child Care's rulemaking authority to allow the office to make rules on prioritizing awards of a child care subsidy or grant.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 16, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 38
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

This bill will help more Utah families have access to state subsidies to pay for childcare during the pandemic. It will also provide stability and reduce administrative burdens for the childcare providers who work so hard to meet the needs of low-income working families.

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

That Utah PTA encourage affected agencies to examine existing policies and create new policies which will better serve the needs of both children and parents

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

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

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.

HB0281S03 | Health Curriculum and Procedures Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions regarding health instruction and physical and mental health procedures in the public education system.

Highlighted Provisions: 

1) Requires the Utah Education and Telehealth Network and any health care provider to
obtain written parental consent before providing or facilitating telehealth or another
health care service to a student within a public school;
2) Establishes requirements for in-school mental health therapy, including:
a) Identifying who may and may not provide in-school mental health therapy; and
b) Requiring parental consent and certain parental notification;
5) Ensures that a local or state rule or policy does not create an exemption for otherwise
prohibited endorsement, promotion, or disparagement of a certain religious belief or
viewpoint;

Bill Details
Year: 
2025
Status: 
House/ to Governor
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 50
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Clarifies mental health services provided in schools and the consent process

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations advocate for programs, policies, and legislation which provide adequate training and resources for recognizing and helping children with emotional and behavioral problemsand improving the training of primary care physicians in mental illness assessment and treatment;

HB0282 | Child Care Center Sales Tax Exemption

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts a sales and use tax exemption related to certain child care programs.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Exempts from sales and use tax amounts paid or charged for construction materials used to open or expand a child care program

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 67
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Exempting a child care center's construction costs from sales tax might encourage growth which would create more options for Utah families looking for child care.

Commission: 
Community Engagement
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA encourage more public and private efforts to provide after-school care

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

Coordination and planning by all agencies with clear definition of responsibility at each level of government