Legislative Bills

HB0204 | Trust Land Disposal Requirements

Description

General Description:

This bill imposes conditions on the sale of school and institutional trust lands.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
12          ▸     requires the director of the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration to
13     invite input from local legislators before advertising a proposed sale of trust lands;
14          ▸     adds specific requirements regarding the timing of a proposed sale of more than
15     5,000 contiguous acres of trust lands;

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0204

Year:

2022

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 04, 2022

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2015-1 | School Trust Lands

Impact on Children:

1. The bill requires duplicative notification that will delay selling land at the optimal time for the maximum revenue.
2. The bill requires large land sales take place only in and around the yearly legislative session.
3. SITLA lands are NOT public lands. They belong to the beneficiaries. This bill directly introduces a political entity into an agency created to avoid political influence.

4. The "beneficiaries" of these trust lands are the children. This would negatively impact the ability to properly care for and manage these lands thereby decreasing the funds distributed to the children's education.

Commission:

Trust Lands

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

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;

HB0205 | Students with Disabilities Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill amends a formula related to add-on weighted pupil units for students with disabilities.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0205

Year:

2020

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 12, 2020

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2005-1 | Education of Students with Disabilities (retired)

Impact on Children:

1. Provides a formula for state funding for students with disabilities that factors in growth of the number of these students based on a four year average.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

Utah PTA Resolution EDU 2005-1 - Resolved, That Utah PTA and its organizations support continued state and local funding to at least the present level to sustain present programs to educate students with disabilities, including intellectual, physical, emotional, and psychological disabilities.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities 2019-20 #7. Support legislation, funding, and community partnerships that provide programs and resources to strengthen families and children’s social and emotional well being through affordable housing, homelessness initiatives, education, and parenting skills, and juvenile justice reforms.

Links

Utah PTA Resolution EDU 2005-1 Education of Students with Disabilities

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities 2019-20

HB0205 | Universal Background Checks for Firearm Purchases

Description

General Description:

This bill requires a background check for certain firearm sales.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill requires background checks for the transfer of a firearm between persons who are not federal firearms licensees; creates exceptions for family members, law enforcement agencies and officers, and others; allows for temporary transfers under specific circumstances; provides criminal penalties for a violation of the provisions of this bill;

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0205

Year:

2021

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 05, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support w/ Comment

Comment:
Utah PTA advocates for gun safety and violence prevention measures for the benefit and safety of children while recognizing the importance of responsible gun ownership and Second Amendment rights to the citizens of Utah.

Impact on Children:

For nearly 30 years, National PTA has advocated for common-sense and comprehensive gun safety and violence prevention measures while preserving the lawful use of firearms for sport and personal protection.

Commission:

Safety

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

5. Support measures to promote safe and healthy environments and behaviors for children to prevent suicide, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking,

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements:

National PTA Firearms Position Statement
Given the history and tradition of strong support for the safety and protection of children and youth, the National PTA supports federal restrictions on firearms that would require, prior to purchasing a firearm, a waiting period and background check to screen out illegal firearm purchasers such as convicted felons and drug-related offenders;

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Enact Legislation to Protect Youth, Families and Communities From Gun and Other Violence Firearms are the second-leading cause of death for American children and teens, with nearly 1,600 children and teens dying by gun homicide every year. Congress must:
Require a waiting period and a comprehensive background check for any individual prior to buying a firearm from both licensed and unlicensed dealers

HB0208 | Alcohol Education Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill amends and enacts provisions regarding media and education campaigns about alcohol.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0208

Year:

2020

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 28, 2020

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

HEA 1998-1 | Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects in Children (retired)

Impact on Children:

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAS/FAE) are recognized as the leading cause of mental retardation and behavioral dysfunction in children and are entirely preventable. This bill will provide funding for one or more media and education campaigns designed to reduce the consumption of alcohol while pregnant which will help to prevent FAS/FAE in children.

Commission:

Health

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Resolved, That Utah PTA work to ensure that there are questions asked in prenatal health care about use of alcohol, and that the medical community understand and work to educate people concerning the prevention of FAS/FAE

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

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

6. Support measures to instill proven and effective prevention methods to promote healthy behaviors in children to be able to overcome the ills of society including suicide, tobacco use, vaping, underage drinking, drug abuse, sexual exploitation, bullying, and any form of addiction that is harmful to our children’s well-being.

HB0208S02 | Teacher Licensure Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill addresses changes in teacher licensure requirements.

Highlighted Provisions:

HB 208 disallows any pedagogical performance assessment as a requirement for teacher licensure. It would require all competencies to be certified by a teacher leader prior to licensure. The teacher leader must have an assignment as a teacher. This would be an additional duty on top of regular teaching duties. A teacher leader has to evaluate competencies for all who gain their professional license, whether through university or APPEL program. It also requires USBE to collaborate with USHE to establish a strategy for an additional pathway to becoming a professionally licensed teacher.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0208S02

Year:

2024

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 12, 2024

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2019-1 | Best Practices in Education

Impact on Children:

Teachers without pedagogical competency are less prepared to manage a classroom, and studies show that they do not stay in the profession as long as those with pedagogical training. Having a teacher leader certify pedagogy puts an additional burden on the other teachers in the school. Also, there are concerns about the fiscal impact of paying stipends to the teacher leaders.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Teacher quality is the single most important school-based factor in student achievement; teacher’s knowledge of subject matter and effective pedagogies for teaching specific content and skills, along with particular knowledge about their students’ backgrounds, interests, and learning styles are central to effective teaching and learning; and to build teacher capacity the focus should be on policy, training, pedagogy, infrastructure development, teacher welfare, and empowerment.

Legislative Bills

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