HB 148 creates a School Meals Debt Relief Fund, allowing Utah taxpayers to voluntarily contribute to the fund when filing their state income tax returns. Local school districts must report their outstanding student meal debt to the State Board of Education, which then distributes funds based on each district's proportion of total statewide school meal debt. School districts must use these funds solely to pay off unpaid student meal balances, and any unused funds must be returned within 60 days for redistribution to other qualifying districts. The program begins for tax years starting January 1, 2026, with the State Board of Education managing data collection and fund distribution.
HB 163 amends Utah's Grow Your Own Educator Pipeline Program to expand scholarship eligibility. It specifically allows currently licensed teachers pursuing special education endorsements to receive program scholarships, which previously covered only paraprofessionals and students in training. The bill updates the program's eligibility rules to include these teachers while maintaining existing requirements for school districts, such as requiring candidates to be state residents and employed by the same district. The program uses existing funds to support scholarships covering tuition, fees, and certification costs, with no new money appropriated.
SB 164 transfers oversight of public school construction projects from Utah's State Board of Education to the Division of Facilities Construction and Management. It requires school districts to obtain division approval before construction begins, including adherence to cost matrices, safety standards (like fire safety and accessibility), and mandatory inspections. The bill establishes new requirements for online documentation tracking, cost reporting, and safety consultations with the state security chief, with full compliance needed by January 1, 2027. This directly affects all Utah school districts planning new construction or major renovations.
HB 279 amends Utah's Higher Education Code to include private postsecondary educational institutions under certain sections that previously applied only to public institutions. The bill updates definitions and provisions to ensure private colleges and universities are covered by existing higher education regulations, such as those governing the STEM Action Center Board. Key changes involve modifying code sections (including 9-22-102, 9-22-104, and 53H-11-306) to explicitly reference "private postsecondary educational institutions" in relevant contexts. This technical adjustment ensures private institutions are subject to the same statutory frameworks as public higher education entities, without creating new programs or appropriating funds.
HB 299 requires Utah public schools to create specific policies for responding when students are arrested, charged, or convicted of serious offenses or sexual crimes. The bill clarifies that school policies must address crimes occurring both on and off school property, mandates school resource officers to provide safety input before a student's return, and requires alternative school placements if a student shares a school with a victim or someone protected by a restraining order. These policies must comply with state and federal law and apply to all Utah local education agencies (LEAs). The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026, with no new funding required.
HB 353 requires Utah's Board of Higher Education to improve credit transfer processes for students moving from institutions outside Utah's public higher education system. Specifically, it mandates the Board to create clearer pathways for these students, prevent unnecessary course duplication, and provide them with specific information about how their credits will transfer. The bill directly affects students transferring from out-of-state or non-system colleges to Utah public universities and colleges. These changes aim to make credit transfers smoother and more predictable, without changing tuition or adding new funding.
HB 426 establishes accountability rules for Utah's "learner validated programs," which are competency-based online learning programs where students progress by mastering content rather than attending class. It directly affects local school districts (LEAs) operating these programs and third-party providers they contract with. Key requirements include mandating a licensed teacher of record for every student, setting student-to-teacher ratios, requiring documented pacing and proctored assessments, ensuring courses align with state standards, and demanding written policies covering progress monitoring and equivalent rigor to traditional courses. The bill also allows limited waivers for advanced students who demonstrate mastery through state-approved assessments. These changes aim to ensure quality and accountability in online learning while maintaining state educational standards.
Utah's SB 186 establishes a study group to examine charter school administrative costs and funding models, requiring the State Board of Education to report findings by December 2026. The bill creates "charter school educational service agencies" (ESAs), allowing multiple charter schools to form collaborative entities via memorandums of understanding to share resources and services like grants or risk management coverage. It directly affects Utah charter schools (especially small schools under 2,000 students), the State Board of Education, and the Legislature through mandated study requirements. The bill appropriates $15.995 million for the study and ESA implementation, focusing on how school size impacts operational costs and funding adequacy.
HB 300 extends a 5-year "hold harmless" period for school districts that reduce their tax rates due to changes in property valuation. This protects districts from losing state funding guarantees if they proportionally lower all local tax levies (voted, board, and capital). The bill phases out excess state funding received in 2025 over three years (2026-2028), requiring districts to gradually reduce payments until 2029. It does not appropriate new funds but adjusts how existing state guarantee money is distributed to maintain stability during tax rate changes.
HB 177 ensures that students participating in their college's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program at Utah state institutions of higher education qualify for in-state tuition rates. This policy change directly affects ROTC participants by granting them resident student status for tuition purposes without requiring additional residency documentation. The bill amends Utah law to explicitly include "ROTC participant" as a category eligible for resident status under existing provisions, meaning these students pay lower in-state tuition regardless of their usual residency requirements. This is a concrete policy adjustment that simplifies access to reduced tuition for military-affiliated students.
