SB 181: School Discipline Amendments - Utah

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This version removes the $2.5 million funding appropriation and the one-time grant program for seclusion room modifications. It also deletes the detailed physical safety standards for seclusion rooms (such as room size, lighting, and door requirements) and the specific compliance deadlines, leaving only the authority for the State Board to create rules. The bill now focuses solely on defining emergency safety interventions and requiring the State Board to establish future standards.

Scope change

The bill's scope has significantly narrowed from a comprehensive safety and funding package to a procedural framework that delegates all specific safety standards, funding, and deadlines to future administrative rules.

FISCAL

Deleted the $2,500,000 appropriation for fiscal year 2027 and the one-time grant program that allowed schools to modify existing seclusion rooms.

REQUIREMENT

Removed all specific physical standards for seclusion rooms, including requirements for room size (60 sq ft), ceiling height (8 ft), ventilation, lighting, window materials, and door locking mechanisms.

Changed the requirement for seclusion room standards from a fixed list of physical specifications to a general mandate for the State Board to create rules regarding safety standards.

TIMELINE

Deleted the July 1, 2028 compliance deadline for existing rooms and the December 31, 2026 reporting deadline for schools.

TECHNICAL

Removed the detailed enforcement procedures for physical standard violations, such as the specific corrective action plan requirements and the distinction between physical standard violations and use violations.

Removed the specific text regarding the grant program's termination date (June 30, 2029) and matching fund requirements.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The second substitute version of SB 181 retains the core safety standards for seclusion rooms and the $2.5 million grant program but includes several technical and procedural adjustments. Key changes involve clarifying privacy compliance to include federal laws, updating the retention policy for audio/video recordings to balance evidence needs with privacy and storage costs, and refining the reporting requirements for the state board. These modifications aim to strengthen legal compliance and operational flexibility while maintaining the bill's primary goal of improving student safety.

Scope change

The scope of applicability remains largely unchanged, applying to both existing and new seclusion rooms in public and private schools receiving state funds, though the highlighted provisions now explicitly mention compliance with federal student privacy laws.

REQUIREMENT

The requirement for audio and video recording equipment was updated to allow the State Board to set retention periods that balance evidence preservation with data storage costs and student privacy, rather than mandating a fixed one-year retention.

The data reporting requirements were adjusted to remove the specific instruction to include 'incident outcomes' in the annual report, simplifying the data collection mandate for Local Education Agencies.

The highlighted provisions were updated to explicitly state that the bill ensures compliance with both state and federal student privacy laws, broadening the legal context for data handling.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting and text cleanup changes were made throughout the bill, including removing bracketed editorial notes and standardizing the layout of the highlighted provisions.

Amended 3/6/2026 23:03:488 → Substitute #1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill adds a one-time $2.5 million grant program to help schools upgrade existing seclusion rooms to meet new safety standards, while explicitly prohibiting the use of these funds to build new seclusion rooms. It also simplifies the text by removing a reference to federal child abuse reporting laws and clarifies data collection requirements.

FISCAL

Added a one-time appropriation of $2,500,000 to create a grant program for local education agencies to modify existing seclusion rooms into compliance.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific prohibition preventing grant funds from being used to construct new seclusion rooms.

Changed the audio/video recording retention requirement from 'state board rules' to a fixed 'one-year retention' period.

Removed a reference to Utah Code Title 80 regarding child abuse and neglect reports in the context of corporal punishment complaints.

TECHNICAL

Replaced the placeholder text '[investigation]' with 'data' in the description of data review protocols.

Amended Excerpts 3/6/2026 23:03:488 → Amended 3/6/2026 23:03:488 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reorganized from a series of line-by-line amendments into a complete substitute bill with a formal title and general description. The content now explicitly defines key terms like 'seclusion' and 'physical restraint' and outlines specific requirements for room safety, recording equipment, and data reporting, replacing the previous fragmented amendment instructions.

Scope change

The bill's scope is now clearly defined as establishing minimum safety standards for seclusion rooms in both existing and new school constructions, applying to all public and private schools.

DEFINITION

Added explicit definitions for 'seclusion', 'physical restraint', and 'physical escort' to clarify what actions are regulated.

REQUIREMENT

Introduced specific mandates for audio/video recording in seclusion rooms and prohibited dangerous objects or unbreakable windows.

Established new requirements for room physical standards, including size, ceiling height, ventilation, and structural integrity.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document structure from a list of line-specific amendments to a full legislative bill format with a long title, general description, and organized sections.

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for the State Board of Education to adopt rules for compliance verification and data collection protocols.

Enrolled → Amended Excerpts 3/6/2026 23:03:488 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to clarify the timeline for existing schools to upgrade their seclusion rooms to meet new safety standards. The House added language allowing Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to determine a reasonable timeline for compliance, replacing a specific deadline that was removed from the text. This change provides more flexibility for schools to plan renovations without a fixed statutory date, while maintaining the requirement to report plans by December 31, 2026.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on establishing safety standards for seclusion rooms in Utah schools, but the enforcement timeline for existing facilities has been modified to allow for more flexible planning.

TIMELINE

The specific deadline for existing seclusion rooms to achieve compliance was removed and replaced with language allowing LEAs to determine a reasonable timeline for compliance.

The amendment clarifies that the compliance timeline must be determined by the deadline established in Subsection (15), ensuring the December 31, 2026 reporting date is still met.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting adjustments were made to the text, including the insertion of arrows and brackets to indicate where text was added or removed during the amendment process.

Introduced → Enrolled · 4 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

This bill establishes safety standards for school seclusion rooms and updates the definitions and reporting requirements for emergency safety interventions. The primary changes involve updating the House Sponsor's name, modifying the list of items the state board must regulate, and refining the rules for how seclusion rooms must be constructed and monitored.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on public and private schools, but the specific administrative tasks assigned to the State Board of Education were adjusted to remove certain data review protocols and clarify privacy compliance.

TECHNICAL

The House Sponsor's name was updated from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Jason E. Thompson'.

REQUIREMENT

The list of rules the state board must create was changed: 'investigation data review protocols' was replaced with just 'data review protocols', and a new requirement to ensure compliance with federal and state student privacy laws was added to the highlighted provisions.

The requirement for the state board to include specific information in the Annual Report was slightly rephrased to focus on data collected under the new reporting requirements.

The definition of 'Seclusion' was updated to clarify that it includes placing a student in a room where the door is blocked by furniture or held closed by staff.

School Discipline Amendments

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors