HB 341: Higher Education Revisions - Utah

Amended 2/21/2025 12:02:905 → Substitute #1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah's higher education laws to clarify how private institutions are treated under state statutes, primarily by defining 'private postsecondary educational institution' and exempting private schools from most Title 53B provisions unless specifically included. The bill also makes technical updates to various scholarship programs, loan programs, and definitions across multiple sections of the Utah Code.

Scope change

The bill significantly expands the scope of applicability by explicitly defining private institutions and creating exemptions for them from most Title 53B provisions, while simultaneously adding specific provisions that apply to private institutions in certain contexts (scholarships, loans, etc.).

DEFINITION

Added new definition of 'private postsecondary educational institution' to Section 53B-1-103, covering both nonprofit and for-profit private colleges and universities that do not receive direct state funding.

SCOPE

Modified Section 53B-1-113 to change 'eligible postsecondary institution' to 'private postsecondary educational institution' in certain contexts, clarifying which institutions must provide education loan notifications.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified multiple scholarship programs (New Century, Terrel H. Bell, Opportunity, Karen Mayne) to explicitly include private nonprofit institutions as eligible recipients alongside state system institutions.

Modified loan programs and grant programs to allow private postsecondary institutions to participate alongside state institutions for various student assistance programs.

REQUIREMENT

Added Section 53B-17-904 allowing University of Utah School of Medicine to enter agreements with out-of-state institutions to teach medical students from other states.

TECHNICAL

Made numerous technical and conforming changes throughout the bill to ensure consistency in terminology and applicability across different sections.

Amended 2/14/2025 11:02:183 → Amended 2/21/2025 12:02:905 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill clarifies that Title 53B generally does not apply to private colleges and universities unless specifically stated, while also updating several scholarship and loan programs to explicitly include private institutions where appropriate. The changes ensure consistency across multiple higher education statutes and define key terms like 'private postsecondary educational institution' to streamline how private schools interact with state higher education programs.

Scope change

The bill's scope was modified to explicitly exempt private institutions from Title 53B provisions unless expressly stated otherwise, while simultaneously updating specific scholarship and loan programs to include private institutions as eligible participants.

SCOPE

Added a new definition for 'private postsecondary educational institution' and established that Title 53B provisions generally do not apply to private institutions unless expressly provided.

ELIGIBILITY

Updated multiple scholarship programs (New Century, Karen Mayne, Terrel H. Bell, Opportunity, First Responder Mental Health) to explicitly include private nonprofit institutions as eligible recipients or participants.

Modified the University of Utah School of Medicine admissions to allow agreements with out-of-state institutions for teaching medical students.

DEFINITION

Replaced the term 'eligible postsecondary institution' with 'private postsecondary educational institution' in several sections to clarify applicability to private schools.

Updated definitions in various sections to replace 'private institution of higher education' with 'private postsecondary educational institution' for consistency.

Amended Excerpts 2/21/2025 12:02:905 → Amended 2/14/2025 11:02:183 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill clarifies that Title 53B (Utah System of Higher Education) does not apply to private institutions unless specifically stated, defines key terms like 'private postsecondary educational institution' and 'eligible postsecondary institution,' and allows the University of Utah to teach out-of-state medical students. The changes primarily establish exemptions for private colleges and update definitions to ensure clarity in student loan notifications and scholarship programs.

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed to exclude private postsecondary educational institutions from most provisions of Title 53B, unless expressly provided otherwise. This creates a clear distinction between public and private higher education institutions in Utah.

DEFINITION

Added clear definitions for 'private postsecondary educational institution' and 'eligible postsecondary institution' to clarify which institutions fall under state higher education regulations.

SCOPE

Modified the applicability of Title 53B to explicitly exempt private postsecondary educational institutions from most provisions unless specifically stated otherwise.

ELIGIBILITY

Added provisions allowing the University of Utah School of Medicine to teach medical students from other states or institutions outside Utah.

REQUIREMENT

Updated education loan notification requirements to apply only to eligible postsecondary institutions (public or private) located in Utah that participate in federal student assistance programs.

TECHNICAL

Made technical and conforming changes to align terminology and structure across multiple Utah Code sections related to higher education.

Amended Excerpts 2/14/2025 11:02:183 → Amended Excerpts 2/21/2025 12:02:905 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to clarify and standardize the language regarding eligible institutions for medical education partnerships. The changes remove redundant formatting and consolidate definitions to ensure consistency across sections, making the bill's requirements for out-of-state medical education agreements clearer and more precise.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on medical education partnerships, but the applicability is clarified by standardizing terminology for eligible institutions and removing ambiguous phrasing.

DEFINITION

Changed the definition of eligible institutions from 'private, nonprofit college or university' to 'private, nonprofit institution of higher education' for consistency.

Updated the definition of eligible institutions to explicitly include 'postsecondary educational institution' language for clarity.

TECHNICAL

Removed redundant bracketed text and formatting inconsistencies in the agreement provisions for out-of-state medical students.

Adjusted line numbering references from 1224-1228 to 463-466 to align with the current bill structure.

Enrolled → Amended Excerpts 2/14/2025 11:02:183 · 3 edits

MINOR

This amendment adds a new provision allowing the University of Utah School of Medicine to enter into agreements with out-of-state entities to teach medical students from other states, expanding the school's ability to collaborate with external institutions. The change also includes minor text corrections to the existing provision regarding student admission numbers and residency requirements.

Scope change

Expanded scope by adding authority for the University of Utah School of Medicine to partner with out-of-state entities for medical education, while maintaining existing residency and graduation requirements for admitted students.

SCOPE

New provision (Section 53B-17-904) authorizes the University of Utah School of Medicine to enter agreements with out-of-state state entities or institutions to teach medical students from other states.

TECHNICAL

Corrected text in Section 53B-17-901 to clarify that the 82% residency requirement applies to students who graduated from Utah colleges or high schools, with minor formatting adjustments to the section header.

Added clarifying language to Section 53B-17-901 specifying that the residency requirement applies to students who graduated from public or private colleges/universities or high schools located in Utah.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah's higher education code to clarify how private institutions are treated under state laws, define key terms consistently across multiple sections, and make technical corrections to ensure uniform application. The changes primarily update definitions of 'private postsecondary educational institution' and clarify eligibility criteria for various scholarship and loan programs.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by explicitly exempting private institutions from Title 53B provisions unless specifically stated otherwise, and adds a new section allowing the University of Utah to admit out-of-state medical students.

DEFINITION

Added new definition of 'private postsecondary educational institution' to Section 53B-1-103 to clarify it includes both nonprofit and for-profit institutions that do not receive state funding.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified eligibility criteria for multiple scholarship programs (New Century, Karen Mayne, Terrel H. Bell, Opportunity, First Responder Mental Health) to explicitly include private nonprofit institutions accredited by recognized bodies.

SCOPE

Added Section 53B-17-904 to allow the University of Utah School of Medicine to increase admissions by 40 students, including out-of-state medical students.

TECHNICAL

Made technical corrections to terminology throughout Title 53B to ensure consistent use of 'private postsecondary educational institution' instead of varying terms like 'private institution of higher education'.

TIMELINE

Updated effective dates for multiple sections to May 7, 2025, and added specific effective dates to amended code sections.

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends Utah's higher education laws to exempt private institutions from most Title 53B requirements unless explicitly stated otherwise, while adding new definitions for 'private postsecondary educational institution.' The changes clarify that private colleges and universities are generally not subject to the Utah System of Higher Education rules, though specific scholarships and programs may still apply to them under certain conditions.

Scope change

The bill significantly narrows the scope of Title 53B by exempting private institutions of higher education from its provisions unless expressly stated otherwise, whereas previously private institutions were subject to many of the same requirements as public institutions.

DEFINITION

Added new definition of 'private postsecondary educational institution' to mean institutions that do not receive direct state funding and provide higher education programs, including both nonprofit and for-profit private colleges and universities.

SCOPE

Modified the application of Title 53B to exempt private postsecondary educational institutions from its provisions except where expressly provided, changing the default rule from inclusion to exclusion of private institutions.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified eligibility criteria for several scholarship programs (New Century, Karen Mayne, Terrel H. Bell, Opportunity, First Responder Mental Health) to include private postsecondary educational institutions alongside public institutions, expanding access to private colleges.

REQUIREMENT

Modified requirements in multiple sections to replace references to 'public or private postsecondary institution' with the new term 'private postsecondary educational institution' for consistency and clarity.

TIMELINE

Added specific effective date of May 7, 2025 for most provisions, with some sections effective upon governor's approval.

Higher Education Revisions

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