HB 197: School Materials Amendments - Utah

Substitute #3 → Substitute #4 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill substitutes a new version of HB 197 that refines the definitions and operational procedures for identifying and restricting 'sensitive instructional materials' in Utah schools. The primary changes involve reorganizing the definitions section to include a new term ('Contracting entity') and a specific definition for 'UETN', while removing the previous definition for 'Vendor' to avoid redundancy. The bill also updates the highlighted provisions to reflect a clearer focus on prohibiting LEAs from providing materials that have already been removed statewide and enacting vendor prohibitions.

Scope change

The scope of applicability remains focused on public schools and LEAs regarding digital and physical instructional materials, but the procedural scope is adjusted to clarify the roles of contracting entities versus vendors and to streamline the definition of who constitutes a vendor.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'Contracting entity' to specify who contracts with vendors for digital materials, and added a new definition for 'UETN' (Utah Education and Telehealth Network).

Removed the standalone definition for 'Vendor' from the definitions section and reorganized the text to ensure consistency with the new 'Contracting entity' definition.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the 'Highlighted Provisions' to explicitly state that the bill prohibits LEAs from providing materials that have been removed statewide, clarifying the enforcement mechanism for previously banned content.

TECHNICAL

Reordered and renumbered the definitions section (shifting from (a) through (k) to (b) through (k)) to accommodate the new definitions and remove the old vendor definition.

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was updated to reflect a new Senate sponsor, Keven J. Stratton, replacing the previous placeholder. The core policy text regarding sensitive instructional materials, vendor restrictions, and academic rigor requirements remains substantively identical to the previous version, with only minor formatting adjustments and the removal of a specific date reference in the summary highlights.

TECHNICAL

The Senate Sponsor name was changed from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Keven J. Stratton'.

The 'Highlighted Provisions' summary was slightly edited to remove specific details about the 'state board' and 'UETN' roles in removals and to streamline the list of LEA requirements.

Minor formatting and whitespace adjustments were made throughout the document to align with standard legislative formatting.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill substitutes the original text with a streamlined version that removes specific requirements for a 'Parent Portal' and the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN), while retaining core definitions and enforcement mechanisms for sensitive instructional materials. The changes simplify the bill's structure by deleting sections related to parental notification portals and third-party network obligations, focusing instead on direct LEA and state board responsibilities for screening and removing sensitive content.

Scope change

The bill's scope is narrowed by removing the requirement for the state board to maintain a specific 'Parent Portal' and eliminating mandates for the UETN to participate in the sensitive material review and removal process.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted all provisions requiring the state board to create and maintain a 'Parent Portal' containing safety data, grievance resources, and sensitive material reporting links.

Removed all obligations for the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) to remove access to sensitive digital materials, rescind contracts, or provide services to LEAs.

Deleted the requirement for LEAs to annually notify parents and staff on how to access the removed 'Parent Portal'.

DEFINITION

Reorganized the definition structure for 'LEA governing board' by removing the specific sub-clauses that defined the board for school districts, charter schools, and schools for the deaf and blind, replacing them with a single reference to Section 53E-1-102.

TECHNICAL

Adjusted formatting and numbering throughout the text to reflect the removal of the deleted sections, such as renumbering subsections and removing bracketed deletion markers.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was updated to reflect a Senate sponsor change and includes minor formatting adjustments. The substantive policy content regarding sensitive material definitions, reporting requirements, and enforcement mechanisms remains identical to the original version.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The Senate Sponsor was changed from 'LONG TITLE' to 'Keven J. Stratton'.

Minor formatting and spacing adjustments were made throughout the text, such as adding bullet points to the highlighted provisions and adjusting line breaks.

School Materials Amendments

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