Legislative Bills

Primary tabs

HB0393S04 | Suicide Prevention Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill relates to suicide prevention and mental health treatment.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 28, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 45
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$1,615,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to General Fund Restricted -- Survivors of Suicide Loss Account, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $40,000. to Department of Human Services -- Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund -- Survivors of Suicide Loss Account, $40,000. to General Fund Restricted -- Psychiatric Consultation Program Account, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $275,000. to Department of Human Services -- Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund -- Psychiatric Consultation Program Account, $275,000. to Department of Human Services -- Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $285,000. to Governor's Office -- Suicide Prevention -- Suicide Prevention, as a one-time appropriation: from General Fund, One-time, $700,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

More help and funding for suicide prevention

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

Resolved, That the Utah Legislature be encouraged to provide adequate funding to provide suicide prevention programs in every district and school in the State of Utah.

HB0393S01 | Services for People with Disabilities

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Services for People with Disabilities Perpetual Trust Fund.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill creates the Services for People with Disabilities Perpetual Trust Fund to pay for services for people on the waiting list for services with the Division of Services for People with Disabilities.

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 01, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 22
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$840,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025: to Department of Health and Human Services - Long-Term Services & Support - Community Supports Waiver Services as a one-time appropriation: from the Income Tax Fund, One-time, $20,000,000 to Department of Health and Human Services - Services for People with Disabilities Perpetual Trust Fund as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, One-time, $400,000,000 to Transfers to Unrestricted Funds - Income Tax Fund as a one-time appropriation: from the American Rescue Plan Act Administrative Fund, One-time, $20,000,000 to Transportation - Transportation Investment Fund of 2005 as a one-time appropriation: from the General Fund, One-time, ($400,000,000)
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This would help children who are on the DSPD waitlist get the funding they need to help them and their families.

Commission: 
Education
Special Needs Specialist
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA support programs that help mentoring families, including those that focus on the individual or family for a significant amount of time, teaching parenting skills, promoting continuing education, encouraging good health care for themselves and their children, and helping children succeed in school.

HB0394S01 | Hold Harmless for Public Education Enrollment Decline

Description
General Description: 

This bill contingently provides additional funding for the Minimum School Program in certain fiscal years.

Highlighted Provisions: 

13          This bill:
14          ▸     contingently provides additional funding for the Minimum School Program in
15     certain fiscal years;
16          ▸     subjects the provision of additional funding to a sunset review by a legislative
17     committee;

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 13
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Data shows that student enrollment growth will decline over the next 10 years. This will lead to less funding for schools. This bill freezes the enrollment growth for five years so funding levels will not decrease. Implementation of this bill will only occur if the constitutional amendment is approved in the 2024 General election. 

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations 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 and its constituent associations encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, programs, supplies, and evidenced-based practices that have an impact on student achievement; and, be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support the maintenance of a stable and adequate 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.

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

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

Maximum local control when it serves the best interest of all children and youth.

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

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

1. EDUCATION FUNDING. Support an adequately funded public school system by: supporting a 6.5% WPU increase over and above growth and inflation to be used for purposes such as recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers; supporting increased access to full-day kindergarten by funding K-12 students at a full WPU; and supporting policies to increase proficiency levels in public schools, improving attendance, and increase academic excellence for all Utah students.

HB0395S04 | DUI Offense Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to driving under the influence, including penalties, sentencing, and pretrial detention.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ provides that an actor is guilty of a class A misdemeanor when the actor commits driving under the influence while also operating a vehicle in the opposite direction of traffic on a one-way highway with more than one lane of traffic; reduces the blood alcohol concentration allowed for an individual to plea down to impaired driving;
▸ provides mandatory minimum sentences for certain individuals with prior convictions for driving under the influence who violate ignition interlock requirements;
▸ clarifies that an ignition interlock restriction period begins on the date of installation of the ignition interlock system;
▸ clarifies that the prohibition on operating a motor vehicle without an ignition interlock system installed on the vehicle begins on the date of conviction, not the date of installation of the ignition interlock system;
▸ amends penalties for subsequent offenses related to refusal of a chemical test or negligent operation of a vehicle that results in injury;
▸ amends sentencing requirements for certain offenses of negligent operation of a vehicle that results in injury when there is evidence that the individual was also driving under the influence;
▸ amends sentencing requirements for an offense of negligent operation of a vehicle that results in death;
▸ amends provisions related to pretrial detention of an individual arrested for driving under the influence with another case pending or while on probation for a previous offense of driving under the influence;
▸ requires pretrial detention or electronic monitoring for an individual that is arrested for driving under the influence while already on probation for or while another case is pending for driving under the influence;

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 13, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 43
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Driving under the influence (DUI) detrimentally affects children, exposing them to physical danger, emotional trauma, and potential disruptions in their lives. Witnessing or experiencing a parent's DUI can lead to lasting emotional, cognitive, and behavioral consequences, impacting a child's overall well-being and development. This bill would help children's overall safety.

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

National PTA Enforcement of Laws Regarding Alcohol, Drugs, and Driving Under the Influence

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations will support strict enforcement of driving under the influence laws and the passage of more stringent laws that would remove from the road drivers under the influence of alcohol or other drugs;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship.

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

HB0396S01 | Paid Professional Hours for Educators

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires the State Board of Education to provide funding to local education agencies for additional paid professional hours for educators.

Highlighted Provisions: 

13 ▸ requires the State Board of Education (state board) to provide funding to local
14 education agencies (LEAs) for additional paid professional hours for educators;
15 ▸ describes the professional development LEAs will provide with state board funding;
16 and
17 ▸ requires the Executive Appropriations Committee, in preparing budget bills, to use
18 one-time appropriations in the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted
19 Account for a certain amount of paid professional hours for educators.

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 51
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$64,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic Programs, as a one-time appropriation: from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account, One-time, $64,000,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

More funding flexibly directed to educators' needs can only benefits children.

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

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

 

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations educate parents and community members to support practices which enhance teacher capacity, school leadership, family and student engagement, student-centered learning climates, and instruction and curriculum alignment;