Legislative Bills

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HB0180S02 | Child Welfare Placement Review Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions of the Utah Juvenile Code related to the termination of parental rights.

Highlighted Provisions: 

addresses the analysis a juvenile court undertakes when evaluating whether to
terminate parental rights

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 50
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

addresses the analysis a juvenile court undertakes when evaluating whether to
terminate parental rights

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations advocate for adequate laws to protect children in all areas of child abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and exploitation

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

Prioritizing the needs of all children and youth

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

5. SAFETY. Support evidence-based community violence intervention and means reduction strategies.

HB0182 | Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill repeals the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill repeals the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program. repeals a sunset date that the repeal renders obsolete; and makes technical and conforming changes.

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 74
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

SB 127 Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement passed 2022 is a more comprehensive approach to reading and makes HB 182 redundant.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support schools in implementing best practices in meeting the needs of diverse students . . .

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Description
General Description: 
Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires an LEA to update policies to require parental consent for any non-academic survey given to a student; to obtain parental consent annually in writing; to obtain new parental consent from parents of a transferring student; and makes technical changes.

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 14
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

Bill would make it more difficult for schools to have students fill out a survey

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

Resolved, Utah PTA and its constituent associations will continue to support methods to gather information (such as the SHARP survey) that will assist in monitoring, anticipating and predicting youth behaviors

HB0182 | Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill repeals the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

 This bill:
13          ▸     repeals the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program;

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 74
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

During the 2022 Legislative Session, SB 127 Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement passed. This bill lead to significant investments in early literacy including reading coaches, professional development, and providing books for families. This new initiative has replaced the Interventions for Reading Difficulties Program. This bill repeals the earlier program. 

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support teacher development programs that prepare teachers with a firm understanding of how young students develop literacy skills, along with proven strategies to ensure reading proficiency and engage families as partners; and be it further

Resolved,That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage the Governor and the State Legislature to continue funding early literacy efforts in Utah and making literacy a priority for all Utah students.

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Description
General Description: 
Highlighted Provisions: 

Reduces the income tax rate from 4.65% to 4.55%

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 53
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

Further reductions in the income tax rate harm our public schools. There are many unmet needs that could be met with the additional funding.

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority

HB0184 | Teacher Professional Development Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends a notice requirement for a reallocation of instructional hours or school days for teacher preparation time or teacher professional development.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
13          ▸     amends a notice requirement for a reallocation of instructional hours or school days
14     for teacher preparation time or teacher professional development; and
15          ▸     makes technical changes.

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Feb 22, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 2
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Children do not benefit from understaffed schools, missing teachers and no substitutes. This bill will give space for educators to reorganize curriculum and return to teaching within a maximum of 32 working hours

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

Resolved: That Utah PTA and its constituent associations engage principals and teacher as partners with the PTA to develop relationships, increase capacity within the schools, and improve communities

HB0185 | Public Education Enrollment Options Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses public education enrollment options.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This Bill:
▸ allows a local education agency to provide a home-centered, school-supported enrollment option allowing students to complete a portion of the students' course 
work from home; prohibits home school students from participating in a home-centered, school-supported enrollment option;

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 13, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 45
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill allows students enrolled in an LEA to complete part of their course work at home and the rest of theoir course work at the school. Enrolled students are still subject to the same testing and standards at traditionally enrolled students. The LEA's funding for these students remains the same. Homeschool students are not eligible.

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

That Utah PTA advocate for policies that strengthen respect and support for public education and the teaching profession

HB0185 | Tax Restructuring Revisions - Repeal

Description
General Description: 

This bill repeals S.B. 2001, Chapter 1, Laws of Utah 2019, Second Special Session.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
Governor Signed
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 65
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill repeals SB2001 Tax Restructuring Revisions. Utah PTA opposed the original bill because it reduced the income tax fund without addressing education funding. It also increased the sales tax on food and gas which hurts families that do not qualify for the rebates and tax credits. 

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

Utah PTA Resolution 2010-2 Education Funding
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 oppose vouchers, tax credits and deductions and other similar funding sources for public and private preschool, elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for students.

The Utah PTA Legislative Policy
PTA efforts “to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth” are based upon:
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.

Utah PTA 2019-2020 Legislative Priorities
1.Support education legislation which maintains the constitutional guarantee that the Legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of a public education system, which shall be open to all children of the state; and that all revenue from a tax on income shall be used to support the system of public education and higher education. 
2. Support education appropriations which fully fund enrollment growth and increase the WPU by 6%.

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Continue to Increase Investments in Education Through a Regular Appropriations Process
National PTA urges Congress to raise the discretionary spending caps and build on its recent investments in public education. A

HB0188S01 | T.h. Bell Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to the Terrel H. Bell Teaching Incentive Loans Program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 22, 2019
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 74
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

Research shows that teacher quality is the single most important school-based factor in student achievement. This Bill will help to incentivize students to work in public education in Utah.

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA advocate for policies that strengthen respect and support for public education and the teaching profession; and be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA support high standards for teacher preparation, licensing, hiring, recertification, professional development, particularly for beginning teachers, and ongoing training as curriculum changes, in order to promote the academic achievement of all students; and be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA support adequate funding for and encourage consideration of financial incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective educators, including appropriation of adequate funding to upgrade salary schedules.

HB0189 | Public Education Course Grade Requirements

Description
General Description: 

This bill prohibits a local education agency (LEA) from requiring student attendance at an off-campus event.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Prohibits LEAs from requiring participation in an off-campus event as part of a grade.

Bill Details
Year: 
2025
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 07, 2025
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 15
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Local Issue
Impact on Children: 

Requirements for course grades should not be set by the legislature. This is a decision that should be made by the teacher in the classroom, or possibly at the LEA level.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

EDUCATION. Support an adequately funded public school system by funding a 3% Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) increase over and above growth and inflation; implement policies to increase proficiency levels by improving attendance, reducing class sizes, and supporting teachers; increase academic excellence for all Utah students; and prioritize local control to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and individual schools.