Legislative Bills

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SB0206 | Tax Rate Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies the income tax rates.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ decreases the corporate franchise and income tax rates and the individual income
tax rates for the 2021 and 2022 tax years; and
▸ makes the tax rate decrease permanent if revenue in the General Fund and
Education Fund exceeds a certain amount at the close of fiscal year 2021-22.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 10
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 $253,000,000 in FY 2022 and $274,000,000 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.

SB0211 | Income Tax Fund Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill changes the name of the Education Fund to the Income Tax Fund.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
12          ▸     changes the name of the Education Fund to the Income Tax Fund.

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2022
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 6
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Utah PTA opposes the change of the name of the Education Fund to the Income Tax fund as this is a betrayal of the commitments made in the 2020 compromise enabling Amendment G. 

Impact on Children: 

The Utah constitution mandates that the income tax be used to fund education and, following the approval of Amendment G, purposes beyond eduction that benefit children and individuals with disabilities. By allowing the education fund to be called the Income tax fund, it misrepresents how the money can be spent, to the general public who may not understand the constitutional mandate, and may open the education fund to other purposes beyond that which is stated. This will impact children negatively in providing less funding for education. 

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; and be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA supports the maintenance of a stable funding mechanism to support public education based on the following principles: enrollment growth; inflation; support of a K-12 education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account; funding the USBE Strategic Plan, and; the Governor’s 10-year Education Roadmap;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

The Utah PTA is a non-profit, grassroots, child advocacy association made up of parents, teachers, and students. The legislative program of the Utah PTA is derived from the work of PTA in home, school, and community. PTA efforts “to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth” are based upon: (1) the recognition of the home as the foundation of our society; (2) parental involvement as an essential component of all policy-making processes pertaining to children; (3) the observance and understanding of the rights and obligations of responsible citizenship and ethical government; and, (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.

General Principles for Consideration of Proposed Legislation:

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

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

1. Support a 5% WPU increase with maximum flexibility to be used for purposes such as recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers or upgrading buildings to be physically safe and secure.

SB0217S02 | Children's Health Coverage Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates alternative eligibility requirements for the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill changes eligibility for Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), creates a waiting list and specifies benefits.

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 15, 2023
Sponsor
Senator
Democrat - District 10
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$4,500,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2024: to the Department of Health and Human Services -- Alternative Eligibility Expendable Revenue Fund as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $4,500,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

Providing health care to children is a fundamental need which can have a profound effect on quality of life in helping children make their potential a reality.

Commission: 
Health
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

National Position Statement NATIONAL HEALTH REFORM AND ACCESS TO CARE FOR CHILDREN,YOUTH, FAMILIES AND PREGNANT WOMEN

The National PTA supports the establishment of a minimum health care financing mechanism guaranteeing that all children and families have either a public or private insurance that adequately covers basic needs. Families below the poverty level should be entitled to Medicaid.
 

SB0217 | Gang Prevention Funding Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies provisions regarding the Enhancement for At-Risk Students Program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 22, 2019
Sponsor
Senator
Democrat - District 5
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

Gang involvement negatively affects a child's social, academic and physical well-being; Children benefit when early inventions in home and school life are employed to stop gang affiliation.

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

Resolved,That local, council, region, and state PTA become actively involved in the education, prevention and intervention of gang related activity

SB0218S01 | Reading Assessment Expansion Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill expands a diagnostic assessment system for reading.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2019
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 21
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$1,500,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to State Board of Education -- Initiative Programs -- Electronic Elementary Reading Tool, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $1,500,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

This bill will help to identify struggling readers beyond the third grade. Results of a longitudinal study of nearly 4000 students find that those who do not read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies encourage the Governor and the State Legislature to make literacy a priority for all Utah students.