HB 163 Utah House · 2026 General Session

Grow Your Own Educator Pipeline Program Amendments

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.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
Signed into Law
Mar 2026
Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Signed Mar 19, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 4 edits · Mar 19, 2026
MODERATE
The bill expanded the 'Grow Your Own Educator Pipeline Program' to include licensed teachers seeking special education endorsements, allowing them to receive scholarships to obtain the necessary license area. It also reorganized the program's definitions and eligibility criteria to clearly distinguish between paraprofessionals, teachers, and school support staff. Additionally, the bill added a new cosponsor and updated the effective date to May 6, 2026.
Scope change
The program's scope expanded to include licensed teachers pursuing special education endorsements as eligible scholarship recipients.
ELIGIBILITY

Added licensed teachers seeking special education endorsements as a new eligible group for scholarships.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'Special education teacher' and renumbered subsequent definitions to accommodate the change.

TECHNICAL

Added a cosponsor (Jason E. Thompson) to the bill header.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date to May 6, 2026, in the enrolled version.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2026 · House Feb 5, 2026

How they voted

250
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 29
Feb 19, 2026
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
N Forward1
1 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican22
18 Yea 4
81% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
37
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Mar 19, 2026
Signed into law
Governor Signed
executive
Feb 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Education Committee]
upper
Feb 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Education Committee]
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Committee
Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Education Committee]
upper
Feb 6, 2026
Introduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
House/ passed 3rd reading
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Lower · Passed
House/ committee report favorable [House Education Committee]
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Education Committee]
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
House/ to standing committee [House Education Committee]
lower
Jan 20, 2026
Introduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors