Legislative Bills

HB0465S03 | Housing Affordability Revisions

Description

General Description:

This bill addresses funding issues related to housing affordability.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill addresses funding issues related to housing affordability. It authorizes agencies to use funding to pay for or contribute to the acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of income targeted housing including requirements that state funds be spent on certain affordable housing investments. It encourages the Utah Inland Port Authority, the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, and the School Institutional Trust Lands Administration to, if appropriate, utilize land use authority to increase the supply of housing in the state.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0465S03

Year:

2024

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 19, 2024

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

While Utah PTA supports adequate funding for federal and state housing programs that increase the number of affordable housing units including rental and homeownership options we are also resolved to 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 without compromising the revenues dedicated to the Utah's public schools.

Utah PTA Resolution:

COM 2018-1 | Homelessness and Transiency

Impact on Children:

In 2017, 35 percent of the homeless in Utah were families or children. When affordable housing is not available, family stability is affected. Families that pay more than 30 percent of their income to housing are considered cost burdened and may experience difficulties meeting other basic needs such as food, clothes, transportation, or medical care. Homelessness is devastating to the normal development and physical and mental health of a child.

Commission:

Community Engagement

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Be it resolved that Utah PTA and its constituent associations support adequate funding for federal and state housing programs that increase the number of affordable housing units including rental and homeownership options.

Utah PTA Legislative Policy:

1. 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.
4. Prioritizing the needs of all children and youth, while adhering to fiscal responsibility in government.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities:

HEALTH: Support legislative action that focuses on the diverse mental health needs of Utah’s students and families, with a focus on promoting protective factors. This includes increasing public knowledge and understanding of mental health concerns throughout the state, access to resources, as well as providing funding for proactive prevention, timely interventions, and community-based initiatives utilizing evidence-based methods.

HB0473 | School Transit Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill creates the Transit Access Pass for Students pilot grant program (the program).

Highlighted Provisions:

Creates the Transit Access Pass for Students pilot grant program. This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025: to State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations - Transit
Access Pass for Students as a one-time appropriation: from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account, One-time, $7,500,000.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0473

Year:

2024

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 01, 2024

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

$7,500,000

This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025: to State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations - Transit Access Pass for Students as a one-time appropriation: from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account, One-time, $7,500,000

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2023-2 | Chronic Absenteeism

Impact on Children:

Transportation is one of the main barriers associated with chronic absenteeism in Utah. Providing free or reduced transportation through a UTA pass for students would provide a way for families to overcome this barrier.

Commission:

Community Engagement

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage LEAs to increase engagement in school and to counterbalance and remediate the effects of chronic absenteeism during the school year with multidisciplinary strategies: targeted afterschool and summer programs; sports, and extracurricular participation; mentoring, tutoring; mental health supports, basic needs provision, and access to transportation;

HB0475S01 | School Prescription Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill modifies provisions related to certain prescription drugs and schools.

Highlighted Provisions:

Requires certain health care providers to provide a prescription upon request to certain school employees or a school nurse for epinephrine, albuterol, and glucagon for use in an emergency situation subject to restrictions

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0475S01

Year:

2024

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 14, 2024

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Impact on Children:

This bill improves the safety of children with allergies or blood sugar irregularities while they are attending school, by allowing for the procurement, storage, and proper administration of life saving medication in the event of a medical emergency.

Commission:

Health

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management in Schools

Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations support the development, funding and implementation of school emergency response plans including food allergy guidelines and anaphylactic kits on site including the school lunchroom as well as having staff members trained in allergy symptoms and prevention techniques.

Care of School-Age Children with Diabetes
Resolved, That National PTA and its constituent organizations urge that at least two staff members per school obtain specific training on diabetes care, diabetic emergency procedures, and identification and treatment of symptoms of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia as allowed by individual state statutes and licensures.

HB0477 | Full-day Kindergarten Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill makes full-day kindergarten available for all local education agencies with an option for half-day kindergarten.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
13 ▸ amends provisions related to scholarship amounts tied to the length of a
14 kindergarten class;
15 ▸ amends funding formulas related to kindergarten to reflect a full-day length of a
16 kindergarten class;
17 ▸ requires local education agency governing boards to provide an optional half-day
18 kindergarten class upon request;

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0477

Year:

2023

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 17, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2022-1 | Full-Day Kindergarten

Impact on Children:

Compared to half-day kindergarten, full-day kindergarten is associated with greater academic gains for students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged, multilingual learners, and other students belonging to historically underserved groups in Utah and elsewhere. Access to full-day kindergarten for all families who choose to participate will help Utah close the achievement gap between socioeconomic and ethnic groups. Full-day kindergarten is nationally and internationally recognized as educational best practice.

Commission:

Family Life

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Resolved, 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 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.

HB0478S01 | Minimum Basic Tax Rate Reduction

Description

General Description:

This bill amends provisions related to the basic tax rate to fund public education.

Highlighted Provisions:

"12 ▸ amends the years in which a freeze is in effect on the minimum basic tax rate;
13 ▸ repeals the weighted pupil unit (WPU) value rate;
14 ▸ repeals a study and reporting requirement related to the WPU value rate"

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0478S01

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 2021-1 | Education Funding (retired)

Impact on Children:

Less funding for public education will have detrimental impact on students' learning and performance. There is concern that our school districts are relying on additional funds to continually to implement their Teacher and Student Success Plans. The funding will continue at the current levels which will stagnate and not grow with inflation.

Commission:

Education

Legislative Bills

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