Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 131: Charter School Eligibility

SB 131 expands Utah charter school enrollment preferences to include students living within the city or county where the school is located (if their home school is at capacity) and children of military service members and Department of Defense employees. The bill amends existing eligibility rules to add these categories to the list of students who may receive priority admission, while maintaining random lotteries for oversubscribed schools. It takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not require new state funding. This directly affects charter schools and families seeking enrollment in these schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands K-12 charter school access for local students and military families, increasing educational options without restricting funding or curriculum.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 279: Higher Education Code Amendments

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAmends code to include private colleges under existing higher education regulations, strengthening oversight and ensuring parity with public institutions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 81: Dyslexia Testing Amendments

SB 81 requires Utah school districts and charter schools to provide targeted reading interventions when a qualifying dyslexia assessment - administered by a licensed professional within their scope of practice - indicates a student lacks reading competency, shows dyslexia characteristics, or is falling behind in reading skills. The bill defines "qualifying dyslexia assessment" and updates licensing rules for mental health therapists and psychologists to explicitly include dyslexia evaluation and treatment under approved diagnostic standards. Schools must then conduct diagnostic assessments, offer individualized tutoring, monitor progress, and inform parents about support options. This applies to students in grades 1-6, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates targeted reading interventions for dyslexia-identified students, strengthening K-12 educational support through required assessments and interventions per bill language.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 220: Veteran Scholarship Amendments

SB 220 modifies Utah's tuition waiver program for Purple Heart recipients pursuing graduate studies. It removes a previous requirement that veterans apply for graduate waivers within 10 years of completing an undergraduate degree and increases the maximum total waiver amount from $10,000 to $15,000. The bill also clarifies that waivers apply for up to five years after program acceptance or until degree completion, whichever comes first. This change directly affects Utah residents who are Purple Heart recipients enrolled in graduate programs at state institutions. The bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases graduate scholarship funding from $10k to $15k and removes time restrictions, expanding access to higher education for veterans.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransIncreases Purple Heart recipients' tuition waiver amount from $10k to $15k and removes 10-year application deadline, expanding educational benefits for veterans.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 299: 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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools to establish safety policies for students involved in sexual offenses, enhancing student health and safety within K-12 education.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 353: Higher Education Credit Transfer Amendments

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents unnecessary course duplication and creates clearer transfer pathways for out-of-state students, enhancing higher education access and efficiency per bill's mandates.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 300: School District Taxation Amendments

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProtects school districts from losing state funding guarantees when reducing local tax rates, maintaining fiscal stability without new appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExtends 'hold harmless' period to protect school district funding guarantees from tax reductions, preventing loss of state funding without new appropriations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 177: ROTC Resident Student Status

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationGrants in-state tuition to ROTC students, expanding access to higher education without additional residency barriers, directly enhancing educational access for a student group.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 351: School Vision Screening Amendments

HB 351 requires Utah public schools to follow up with parents within 30 days if a student fails a vision screening, confirming they received results and offering help finding care. It affects students aged 3-16 in Utah public schools, their parents, and school staff conducting screenings. The bill establishes a two-tier screening system (basic "tier one" and more detailed "tier two"), mandates training for school nurses and volunteers, and creates standardized forms to ensure screenings aren't confused with full eye exams. Schools must also provide resources for follow-up care and prevent volunteers from promoting businesses during screenings. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, with no new funding required.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates vision screening follow-up and care access for students, enhancing student health and educational access in K-12 schools.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates school follow-up for vision screenings, ensuring students access to care and improving health service access for K-12 students.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 352: Higher Education Alignment

HB 352 requires Utah's public higher education institutions to organize into geographic regions containing at least one degree-granting institution and one technical college per region. It mandates the Utah Board of Higher Education to establish regional groupings, report to the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee by August 2026, and ensure horizontal (collaboration between similar institutions) and vertical (integration across education levels) integration. Key provisions include creating clear transfer paths for credits, stackable programs that build sequentially, and shared services like admissions and student support. This affects all public higher education institutions in Utah, including research universities (e.g., University of Utah, Utah State), regional universities (e.g., Weber State, Utah Valley), community colleges (e.g., Salt Lake Community College), and technical colleges. The bill amends Utah Code Section 53H-3-602 to formalize these regional alignment requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates regional integration of higher education institutions to improve collaboration and vertical alignment, strengthening system coordination.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education