Legislative Bills

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HB0222S03 | Start Smart Utah Breakfast Program

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Start Smart Utah Program to expand access to school breakfast in public schools.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 3
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

According to the Food Research & Action Center, research shows that a "well-nourished child who starts the day with breakfast is more likely to be at school, a better learner, and willing to participate in the classroom." This bill requires that a school who participates in the National School Lunch Program shall also participate in the School Breakfast Program and outlines a schedule for when schools will be required to use an alternative breakfast service style if needed.

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

HEA 2017-1 Nutrition and Exercise

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations promote school breakfast and lunch programs, physical activity in academic classes, recess for elementary school students, and physical education for all students;

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

4. Support safe practices and environments for all children.

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.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

National Position Statement Nutrition for Children and Families
The National PTA recognizes good nutrition as a key component in creating healthy and productive individuals. Ongoing study in the field of nutrition provides the public with constantly changing information on what constitutes a healthy diet, which can be confusing. In order to ensure that children and families have current and accurate information concerning nutrition and health the National PTA supports:
food service programs that promote the well-being of students by serving good nutritious meals year round; contribute to nutrition education; and reflect the diversity of the community. Local PTAs should be involved in monitoring and evaluating school meal programs to ensure high quality nutrition for children and youth in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and the United States Department of Agriculture;

National PTA Public Policy Agenda

Reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act One in six adolescents are obese, while one in five face hunger daily. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) is a critical piece of legislation that improves nutrition standards in our nation’s schools. Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act must:
✓ Boost child health by including robust school meal requirements on milk, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, calorie limits, and limits on sugar and sodium
✓ Require schools to make nutrition information more readily available and enhance opportunities for parents to participate in the development of local school wellness policies
 ✓ Ensure low-income and at-risk youth have access to school meals programs
 ✓ Deliver technical assistance and resources to schools that are not meeting the nutrition standards
 ✓ Provide federal grants and loan assistance for schools to improve kitchen infrastructure and equipment

HB0222 | School Land Trust Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to reporting and the administration of the School Learning and Nurturing Development Trust Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

A district school or charter school shall prepare and post an annual report of the program on the School LAND Trust Program website before the council submits a plan for the following year.

An LEA shall record the LEA's expenditures of School LAND Trust Program funds through a financial reporting system that the board identifies 

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 16, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 2
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

This bill shows the states commitment to undivided loyalties to the beneficiaries, the children of the State of Utah in the duty and skill to in administering the trust in Local and Charter schools through improved systems with fuller transparency.

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

Resolved: 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;

HB0223S02 | Drug and Alcohol Enforcement Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses enforcement of drug- and alcohol-related provisions.

Highlighted Provisions: 

requires the Department of Public Safety to use the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act Enforcement Fund to maintain a certain number of drug enforcement officers, State Bureau of Investigation officers, and social workers;
ii) maintain at least:
69 (A) 10 drug-related law enforcement officers;
70 (B) eight SBI drug-related law enforcement officers; and
71 (C) two social workers.

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 64
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$1,320,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2024: Department of Public Safety - Alcoholic Beverage Control Act Enforcement Fund, as an ongoing appropriation: from the General Fund, ($1,320,000).
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Increases the ability of the state to enforce drug & alcohol laws

Commission: 
Student Leadership
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Increase protective factors in schools, homes & communities

HB0225 | Unlawful Kissing of a Child or Minor

Description
General Description: 

This bill concerns unlawful kissing of a child or minor.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill defines terms, provides that a mistake as to the victim's age is not a defense to the offense of: unlawfully kissing a child; or unlawfully kissing a minor; creates the offenses of unlawfully kissing a child and unlawfully kissing a minor; establishes criminal penalties; and  makes technical and conforming changes.

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 13, 2024
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 40
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

More children can be protected through the law with this bill by no allowing perpetrators to say they didn't know the age of the victim in cases of sexual exploitation and child trafficking.  

Commission: 
Family Life
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations promote and support the adoption and enforcement of laws, at all levels of government, to end the recruitment, force or involvement of a minor in conduct or violence of a sexually nature and all forms of sexual exploitation;

HB0228S02 | Unprofessional Conduct Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies and enacts provisions relating to the provision of conversion therapy to minors.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Allows Conversion Therapy if it is verbal or written

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 22, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 2
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Conversion therapy has been proven to have detrimental effects on a child.

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

National: HARMFUL SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS, https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/advocacy/2021/approved-con...

That National PTA and its constituent associations advocate for and support legislation
and policies that protect our youth from harmful, discredited programs that claim to
change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

HARMFUL SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY CHANGE EFFORTS
https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/advocacy/2021/approved-con...

Sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts, commonly referred to as “conversion therapy”, pose critical health risks to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, provoking mental health conditions that lead to anxiety, depression and suicide, while proven to be ineffective. One study, for instance, found that rates of attempted suicide by LGBTQ youth whose parents tried to change their sexual orientation were more than double the rate of LGBTQ youth who reported experiencing no sexual orientation change efforts;
 

HB0230S02 | Refugee and Immigrant Student Policies Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to enrollment of refugee and immigrant students in public schools.

Highlighted Provisions: 

requires the State Board of Education to create a repository for immigrant students'
and foreign exchange students' transcripts; amends requirements for when: an individual enrolling a student in a school is unable to produce the student's
birth certificate; and a student's birth certificate does not accurately reflect the student's age; amends requirements related to conditional enrollment when a school has not received a student's complete immunization record;

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 4
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This will help refugee students receive more education by addressing issues with school enrollment.

Commission: 
Family Life
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

Position Statement, SUPPORT FOR NEWCOMER AND REFUGEE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support additional flexibility for refugee
students throughout the enrollment and placement process, including, but not limited to,
flexibility regarding age, guardianship, and identity documentation, to ensure schools
have accurate information; additional time for obtaining final vaccinations if
compliance is likely, as refugees learn to navigate Utah’s healthcare system; and
additional flexibility in the acceptance and translation of prior educational experience
into Utah credits, ensuring each student is placed in the appropriate grades and classes.

HB0234S01 | Public Educator Curriculum Transparency Requirements

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts transparency and notice requirements for local education agencies and schools regarding curricula, class syllabi, and associated learning materials used for student instruction.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This Bill
requires local school boards and charter school governing boards to formally adopt
17 curricula used within the local education agency;
18 ▸ requires curricula and class syllabi to be made available and updated online
19 including a description of associated learning materials used for student instruction;
20 ▸ requires schools to make learning materials available for public inspection at
21 schools;
22 ▸ allows limited litigation against an LEA or school in case of a violation

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 04, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 42
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Utah PTA is a tireless advocate for parental involvement and unequivocally supports curriculum transparency. Utah PTA also strongly advocates for policies that strengthen respect and support for public education and the teaching profession. HB234 is not only onerous on teachers, its scope is too broad. Further, it is adversarial and litigious with unclear language behind "violations" and "aggrieved party". Utah PTA believes that the best outcomes can be reached with mutual respect and trust and opposes HB234.

Impact on Children: 

Children are poorly served by this legislation. At best, the teachers will be worried about making any changes to the curriculum and will not as a result, share with students new information or new innovative ideas for fear of not meeting the stringent requirements. At worst, it pits parents against teachers, as opposed to having them partner in the education of students. Adversarial relationship, guided by mistrust are not in the best interest of students.

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

EDU2011-1. 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

EDU2013: That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies provide opportunities for parents to feel welcome at their children’s schools and to interact positively with teachers and other school personnel;

HB0234S02 | University Recognition for International Baccalaureate Achievement

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts and amends provisions related to credit for prior learning in higher education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

"1. all institutions shall award credit to a student who receives an International Baccalaureate programme subject score of four or higher for an International Baccalaureate programme course (except for credit duplication)
(b) An institution, shall determine whether the credit awarded in Subsection will satisfy electives, general education requirements, or major requirements."

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Democrat - District 34
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Students will benefit from credits earned in IB programs

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage the State Board of  Education and the state legislature to support local education agencies(LEAs) in developing programs which promote the appropriate educational, social, and emotional development of gifted/accelerated learners; and be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage the State Board of Education and LEA boards to offer professional development opportunities and incentives for teachers to properly identify gifted and talented students and provide differentiated curriculum for these learners

HB0236S01 | Safe School Route Evaluations

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires a school traffic safety committee to include recommendations for infrastructure improvements in a child access routing plan.

Bill Details
Year: 
2020
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 12, 2020
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 20
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Local Issue

Utah  PTA believes this is a local issue.  Schools should work with their local municipal or county highway authority shall evaluate the recommendations for improvements in the child access routing plan and provide feedback to the committee on the improvements recommended in the child access routing plan that the municipal or county highway authority has prioritized for the following year.

Impact on Children: 

According to Safe Routes Utah - 

Creating safe walking and biking routes to school leads to
Improved Academics - Students who are healthy, awake and alert show improved academic performance and decreased tardiness and absence due to transportation challenges.
Physical Activity - Daily physical activity builds strong bones, muscles and joints. It forms healthy lifelong habits that decrease the risk of chronic disease and obesity.
Social Development - Spending time with family and community provides positive social opportunities.
Safer Students -Traffic safety instruction and practice increases confidence and safe behaviors. It also decreases dangerous traffic congestion during pickup and drop-off.
Cleaner Air - Walking and biking to school reduces the need for bus services and idling cars during pickup and drop-off.
Saves Time and Money - When you avoid driving your kids to school, you save on gasoline and wear and tear on your car.

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

SAF 2001-2 School Pedestrian Safety

Resolved, That local PTAs review and offer suggestions on pedestrian safety for each school’s child access routing plan.

 

SAF 1998-1 Pedestrian Safety
Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies educate parents and students about pedestrian safety issues and solutions; and be if further ... 
Resolved, That Utah PTA continue to work with the Utah State Legislature to secure adequate funding specifically dedicated to safe school routes and pedestrian safety devices; and be it further
Resolved, That Utah PTA work with Utah State Legislature to ensure that whenever public funds are used to construct road improvements, pedestrian safety, with particular attention to school crossings, zones and sidewalks be addressed during planning and construction.

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

4. Support safe practices and environments for all children.

HB0236 | Behavioral Health Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses behavioral health services.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill addresses behavioral health services, including them in the base budget for the Department of Health. It also allows the state suicide prevention program to include a public education campaign and clarifies that the Governor's Suicide Prevention Fund may be used for components of the state suicide prevention program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 22, 2022
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 45
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$3,780,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to Department of Health and Human Services -- Health Care Administration -- Integrated Health Care Administration, as a one-time appropriation: from General Fund, One-time, $1,000,000; to Department of Health and Human Services -- Integrated Health Care Services -- Non-Medicaid Behavioral Health Treatment and Crisis Response, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $350,000; and to Department of Health and Human Services -- Integrated Health Care Services -- Non-Medicaid Behavioral Health Treatment and Crisis Response, as a one-time appropriation: from General Fund, One-time, $2,430,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Passage of this bill will increase efforts to prevent suicide among school-aged children.

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support legislation and school district
programs that will develop, implement, and support a comprehensive (K-12) age
appropriate youth suicide prevention program in all school districts in Utah;
That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support education and training to parents,
teachers, administrators, students and the community that focuses on recognizing warning
signs, teaching intervention skills, and providing safe messaging in regards to suicide.