Legislative Bills

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SB0162 | Education Expenses Tax Credit During Public Health Emergency

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts a nonrefundable income tax credit for certain education expenses during a public health emergency.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Enacts a nonrefundable individual income tax credit that an individual may claim for a dependent's education expenses incurred as a result of a change in school enrollment or instruction caused by a public health emergency.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 16
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Impact on Children: 

This bill diverts tax dollars to private interests with no transparency or accountability.

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

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.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Support education legislation which guarantees that public funds intended for the funding of the public education system not be allocated for private interests including vouchers, tax credits, or other means.

SB0166S03 | School Readiness Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends and enacts preschool provisions.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 26, 2019
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 18
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$12,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to Department of Workforce Services - Operations and Policy - Workforce Development Division, as an ongoing appropriation: from the General Fund, $6,000,000; to State Board of Education - General System Support - Teaching and Learning, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $500,000; and to the State Board of Education - Initiative Programs - UPSTART, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $5,500,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

This repeals a non-working, older system, and aligns the work and coordination of multiple committees. It expands the UPSTART program and makes it more than just a pilot program.

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

That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies work collaboratively with existing early childhood programs to better coordinate services; and be it further; That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies advocate for policies and funding to improve early childhood services throughout the state.

SB0166S01 | Education Entity Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill provides a home-based education entity and micro-education entity with certain similar duties, requirements, waivers, and rights as private and charter schools.

Highlighted Provisions: 

▸ requires a county to consider micro-education and home-based education entities as
15 a permitted use in all zoning districts within a county;
16 ▸ subjects a micro-education entity to the same occupancy requirements for Class B
17 Occupancy and prevents a home-based education entity from being subject to any
18 occupancy requirements beyond a primary dwelling requirements;
19 ▸ defines:
20 • education cooperative;
21 • extracurricular lessons;
22 • home-based education entity; and
23 • micro-education entity;
24 ▸ exempts a micro-education entity and a home-based education entity from
25 immunization requirements and compulsory education requirements
26 ▸ prevents government entities from regulating micro-education entity and
27 home-based education entity instructors, student assessments, and food preparation

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 17
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose

SB0166 Legalizes various loopholes that endanger the lives of children while doing little to educate them. Health and safety hazard loopholes include: prohibition for immunization requirements; prohibition for food preparation inspection; no requirements for background checks for educators.  To the safety and health hazards this bill proposes, it also adds a permissive education environment: no student to teacher ratio; no attendance requirements; no curriculum, no assessment and no credentials for teachers. This bill would be unconscionable for public schools, and is equally unacceptable for any student outside the public school system.

Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

All Utah students deserve to learn in a safe environment.  This bill disregards both safety and learning.

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

that Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage all efforts to address school safety to involve all stakeholders, especially students, parents, and families, and consider a variety of factors including the physical and psychological safety of students

SB0167S03 | Sexual Exploitation Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill concerns the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Highlighted Provisions: 

modifies the offense of sexual exploitation of a minor;
creates the offense of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor;

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

This bill will create the offense of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and increase penalties for sexual exploitation of a minor

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

Resolved, 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;

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.

SB0168 | Commission for Student-centered Public Education Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Commission for Student-centered Public Education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

"14 ▸ creates the Commission for Student-centered Public Education (commission);
15 ▸ directs the commission to create a systems framework for enabling the K-12 public
16 education system to become more student centered;
17 ▸ directs the commission to hire a consultant to assist the commission with
18 development of the systems framework; and
19 ▸requires the commission to report to the Legislature and the governor."

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 04, 2022
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 18
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$500,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to the Legislature -- Legislative Services -- Pass-Through: from Education Fund, One-time, $500,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Utah PTA supports the purpose of the commission, but is concerned about the creation of a new body separate from the constitutionally mandated school board of education.
 

Impact on Children: 

Utah PTA is supportive of the USBE vision behind the Portrait of the Graduate and its corollary model of teaching Personalized Proficiency Based Learning.

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

That Utah PTA recognizes the State Board of Education as the body elected to establish policy and standards for education in the State of Utah;

SB0169 | Enticement of a Minor Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill concerns the offense of enticement of a minor.

Highlighted Provisions: 

12 ▸ amends provisions concerning the offense of enticement of a minor;

Bill Details
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 21, 2023
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 20
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill will expand the definition of text messaging to include all electronic messaging when referring to enticing a minor.

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

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

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage and call for members, policy makers, schools and community organizations to actively raise awareness and to address those conditions and situations that contribute tothe sexual exploitation of a minor

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.

SB0170 | Clean Truck Incentive Program

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Clean Truck Incentive Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill creates the Clean Truck Incentive Program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 01, 2024
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 29
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill creates a grant using available federal money to incentivize the purchase of clean trucks for either business or personal use. This would remove more gasoline and diesel powered trucks from the road, further improving Utah's air quality.

Commission: 
Health
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

The Right's of Utah's Children to a Sustainable Healthy Environment Position Statement

That Utah PTA exhorts governments, businesses, and individuals to invest in cleaner
technologies, renewable energy sources, and infrastructure improvements that will lead to a
healthier environment for all, especially for children and youth.

SB0171S01 | Behavioral Health Curriculum Program

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, within the University of Utah, to develop a youth behavioral health curriculum.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah to develop a public education behavioral health curriculum in coordination with the State Board of Education

Bill Details
Year: 
2022
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2022
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 11
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Passage of this bill will increase the discussion of mental/behavioral issues within the our schools by having the experts in these issues develop a curriculum for both elementary and secondary schools and then annually update that curriculum. This will be done in cooperation with the Utah Board of Education. This curriculum will help dramatically in helping students have the resources they need for mental health and suicide prevention and will help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. This is the #5 issue on Utah PTA's Legislative Priorities for this year.

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

That Utah PTA and its constitution associations support increased education and awareness campaigns to share evidence-based mental health knowledge and understanding of mental health disorders to students, families, and communities; and, provide early intervention and prevention programs; and, help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness;

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

5. Support increased education and awareness campaigns to share evidence-based mental health knowledge and understanding of mental health disorders to students, families, and communities; and, provide early intervention and prevention programs; and, help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

SB0173S03 | Market Informed Compensation for Teachers

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends and creates programs to enhance teacher salary supplement opportunities.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill amends and creates programs to enhance teacher salary supplement opportunities.

Bill Details
Year: 
2024
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 18, 2024
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 17
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$150,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025: to State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations - Excellence in Education and Leadership Supplement as a one-time appropriation: from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account, One-time, $150,000,000
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Utah PTA Resolution: 
Impact on Children: 

This bill is concerning because of a huge fiscal note- in sub 3 the cost is $150 million. It creates a teacher salary supplement program that could cause division and damage collaboration between teachers. Definition of what makes up a good teacher would be decided by a group at Utah State University rather than the local LEA.

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

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;

SB0175S01 | Gang Prevention Awareness Week

Description
General Description: 

This bill designates Gang Prevention Awareness Week.

Bill Details
Year: 
2019
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 21, 2019
Sponsor
Senator
Democrat - District 5
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending
Impact on Children: 

Gang involvement negatively affects a child's social, academic and physical well-being; Children will benefit when they see that adults and the community care about them and their safety through this prevention and awareness week.

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

Resolved, that local, council, region, and state PTA become actively involved in the education, prevention and intervention of gang related activity.