HB 299 Utah House · 2026 General Session

School Response to Sexual Offense

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.

Issues: ✓ Education

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 21, 2026 Signed Mar 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 4 edits · Mar 19, 2026

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's student conduct laws to clarify how schools handle students involved in serious offenses or sexual crimes, while simultaneously tightening rules on after-school detentions and electronic cigarette policies. The changes ensure that school policies explicitly address safety risks when such students return to campus and require stricter procedures for detaining elementary students and confiscating vaping devices.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of required school policies to specifically include procedures for students arrested for or adjudicated for serious offenses or sexual crimes, distinguishing between crimes occurring on and off school property.

REQUIREMENT

Schools must now adopt specific policies addressing students who have been arrested for, charged with, or adjudicated for serious offenses or sexual crimes, including processes for school resource officers to assess safety risks upon the student's return.

Rules for after-school detention of elementary students (grades K-6) were clarified to require parental notice before detention, with exceptions only for health or safety emergencies.

Policies regarding electronic cigarettes were strengthened to require the destruction of confiscated devices unless law enforcement requests them for investigation due to suspected illegal substances.

TECHNICAL

Several section numbers and cross-references within the text were updated to reflect the new structure of the bill.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 20, 2026 · House Feb 9, 2026

How they voted

24–0

Passed · 5 other

Total votes 29

Feb 20, 2026

D Democratic6

6 Yea

100% Yea

N Forward1

0% Nay

R Republican22

18 Yea 4

81% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 19, 2026

Signed into law

Governor Signed

executive

Feb 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate/ passed 3rd reading

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee]

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

Feb 9, 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 26, 2026

Committee

House/ to standing committee [House Education Committee]

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor