Legislative Bills

HB0464S01 | School Materials Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill amends provisions regarding student access to pornographic or indecent materials within the public education system.

Highlighted Provisions:

"▸ requires local education agencies (LEAs) to:
• add vulgarity to the definition of sensitive materials.
• engage in certain review processes when a parent communicates an allegation that an instructional material is prohibited by state law; and
• publicly vote on and explain a determination to reinstate or preserve student access to challenged instructional material;
▸ establishes the precedential effect of LEA and state board determinations;
▸ requires the State Board of Education (state board) to:
• review LEA determinations regarding certain sensitive material; and
• make rules, including to establish an age-appropriateness rating system for instructional materials;
▸ establishes a private right of action for judicial review of LEA and state board determinations regarding challenged instructional material;"

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0464S01

Year:

2023

Status:

House/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 03, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Local Issue

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage local and state school boards as well as school level administration and school level leadership teams to seek input from parents when developing policies to improve education.

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2019-1 | Best Practices in Education

Impact on Children:

By involving parents who are reflective of the community, this bill acknowledges that addressing appropriateness is best addressed at the local level. Additionally, this bill runs the risk of futher alienating a population of vulnerable students known to prone to suicide and bullying. Finally, the introduction of the possibility of litigation is not conducive to trust and will lead to a damaged learning environment.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage local and state school boards aswell as school level administration and school level leadership teams to seek input from parents whendeveloping policies to improve education

HB0464S01 | Social Media Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill concerns harm to minors from social media.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill enacts provisions regarding harm to minors from the excessive use of algorithmically curated social media services.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

HB0464S01

Year:

2024

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 13, 2024

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

SAF 2023-2 | Digital Citizenship and Wellness

Impact on Children:

This bill helps to set boundaries for children using algorithmically curated social media services. Because of the researched and documented findings correlating poor mental health with Social Media Platforms, this bill is important to help mitigate this ever-increasing crisis.

Commission:

Safety

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Utah PTA and its constituent associations advocate for laws, policies, and technology development which protects children and youth from surveillance capitalism, persuasive technology, and algorithms which encourage addictive usage of social media.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements:

Technology may also give rise to digital environments that can harm children and youth. On social media, children and youth can become targets of cyberbullying, harassment and discrimination, predatory marketing, criminal and predatory activity, and encounter threats to the privacy of their personal information. Emerging research suggests that social media exposure may negatively impact mental health during an important developmental period and may undermine physical health and academic performance.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, studies have begun to uncover a link between social media use and increasing adolescent sleep problems and eating disorders and have shown that adolescents who spend more than 3 hours per day on social media may face double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes.

Technology can also create digital environments that could be harmful to children and youth. PTA supports efforts to ensure a safe and positive digital experience for all children and families, fostering learning and healthy lifestyles for all children and equipping them with the technological literacy and access to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

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.

Legislative Bills

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