HB 334 creates the Legislative Education Support and Professional Development Commission to study gaps in educator support systems. The commission will examine issues like communication between schools and policymakers, professional development opportunities, teacher liability insurance models, and recognition programs, with a focus on educators not covered by professional organizations. It will hold its first meeting before October 1, 2026, and submit recommendations to the Education Interim Committee. The bill does not change existing laws or allocate funding, as it establishes a study body to inform future policy decisions.
HB 350 amends Utah school food regulations by updating the list of prohibited additives in foods sold, donated, offered, or served during school hours. It bans items containing potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, and specific FD&C dyes (like Blue No. 1 and Yellow No. 5), directly affecting public schools. Key exceptions include parents providing these foods to students, teachers offering them with parental permission, and donated foods going to school pantries. The bill also removes a prior exception for small schools (under 5,500 students) and allows these foods to be sold at school events or in vending machines. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, with no new funding required.
HB 315 requires Utah public schools to include two specific videos in human growth and development instruction for students in grades 3-12: a high-definition ultrasound showing fetal organ development and a video depicting fertilization and pregnancy stages. It mandates that schools make all instructional materials available to parents upon request and directs the State Board of Education to publish approved materials, conduct compliance audits, and share audit results. The bill affects all local education agencies (LEAs) in Utah and their students, while giving parents access to curriculum content. No new funding is provided, and the policy focuses on specific educational content requirements within existing health curriculum standards.
HB 197 (School Materials Amendments) requires Utah schools to manage "sensitive material" (defined as pornographic or indecent content per state law) in digital instructional resources. It directly affects parents, school staff, and vendors providing digital learning tools by mandating: (1) annual parent notifications during student registration, (2) school libraries to prioritize certain books, (3) LEAs to maintain online reporting systems for sensitive material, and (4) school devices to use filters blocking such content. The bill also allows school entities to terminate vendor contracts if digital materials aren’t removed after violations. It does not appropriate new funds and amends Utah Code sections related to school materials and parent portals.
HB 150 updates eligibility for Utah's Salary Supplement for Highly Needed Educators program to explicitly include speech-language pathologists and technicians working in designated high-needs school assignments. It also adjusts funding for teaching supplies, providing $500 per classroom teacher position for pre-K through grade 6 and $250 for grades 7-12. The bill makes technical changes to existing funding distribution rules without appropriating new money, clarifying how school districts calculate payments. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, and directly affect school districts, charter schools, and educators in qualifying roles.
HB 241 updates Utah's charter school laws by replacing the "Charter School Revolving Account" with the "Charter School Revolving Fund," administered by the Utah Charter Finance Authority starting July 1, 2026. It gives charter schools equal access to purchase decommissioned school property (with resale restrictions), clarifies they are public schools, and requires governing board members to take an oath of office. The bill also adjusts loan limits ($1 million for facility expansions, 25% for acquisition/construction) and repayment terms, while making technical changes to related statutes. No new state funds are appropriated for these changes.
HB 42 establishes minimum cybersecurity standards for Utah's public schools (local education agencies) and expands the Utah Cyber Center's role to provide dedicated security services to schools. It requires schools to implement specific measures like multi-factor authentication, patch management, and endpoint detection systems, while mandating incident reporting to the Cyber Center. The law also directs the State Board of Education to develop implementation guidelines and creates new reporting requirements for cybersecurity breaches in educational settings. These changes directly affect all Utah public schools and their cybersecurity practices, aiming to strengthen protection for student and school data. The bill contains no new funding and amends several existing Utah Code sections related to education and cybersecurity.
HB 43 creates Utah's School Safety Support Program to fund school safety measures like personnel, infrastructure, and emergency protocols. It directs state funding to school districts and charter schools based on enrollment (with a 20% equal share for all charters and 80% per student), requiring schools to submit safety plans and annual reports to receive funds. The bill protects this program from funding cuts during enrollment declines and adds it to existing education programs eligible for annual inflation adjustments. No new money is appropriated - funding comes from existing state education budgets. The program applies to all public schools meeting safety requirements under Utah's School Security Act.
HB 55 requires schools and government agencies contracting with education technology vendors to include specific privacy clauses in their agreements. It mandates that if a vendor illegally sells student data (violating state or federal law), the school must notify the vendor within 30 days and terminate the contract if the violation isn’t fixed within another 30 days. The bill also prohibits vendors from charging fees or seeking damages for contract termination due to privacy violations and repeals a prior provision allowing vendors to respond to student feedback requests. This directly affects schools, their ed tech vendors, and student data privacy protections under Utah law.
HB 75 amends Utah's education laws to better support American Indian and Alaska Native students. It defines "American Indian and Alaska Native concentrated schools" (those with ≥29% Native students), expands grant eligibility for schools serving these students (prioritizing certain counties), and requires the state board to adopt a specific education plan by 2027. The bill mandates annual reporting to the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee on grant use, program effectiveness, and plan implementation. It updates existing grant rules and creates new reporting requirements without appropriating new funds. The policy directly affects Utah schools with significant Native student populations and tribal communities through improved resource targeting and accountability.