Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 161 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Matthews, Ashlee

Final action

Governor Signed 3/3/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• amends student eligibility for state-supported transportation; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

3
53F-2-403
School Bus Route Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ashlee Matthews
Senate Sponsor: Karen Kwan
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends student eligibility for state-supported transportation.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
amends student eligibility for state-supported transportation; and
makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53F-2-403
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 507
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
53F-2-403
 is amended to read:
53F-2-403. Eligibility for state-supported transportation -- Approved bus routes.
(1)
A student eligible for state-supported transportation means:
(a)
except as provided in Subsection 
(1)
(b), 
a student enrolled in kindergarten through 
grade 6 who lives at least 1-1/2 miles from school;
(b)
a student enrolled in
 grade 6, if grade 6 is in a middle school, and
 grades 7 through 
12 who lives at least two miles from school; and
(c)
a student enrolled in a special program offered by a school district and approved by 
the state board for trainable, motor, multiple-disability, or other students with severe 
disabilities who are incapable of walking to school or where it is unsafe for students 
to walk because of their disabling condition, without reference to distance from 
school.
(2)
If a school district implements double sessions as an alternative to new building 
construction, with the approval of the state board, those affected elementary school 
students residing less than 1-1/2 miles from school may be transported one way to or 
from school because of safety factors relating to darkness or other hazardous conditions 
as determined by the local school board.
(3)
(a)
The state board shall distribute transportation money to school districts based on:
(i)
an allowance per mile for approved bus routes;
(ii)
an allowance per hour for approved bus routes; and
(iii)
a minimum allocation for each school district eligible for transportation funding.
(b)
(i)
Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b)(ii), the state board shall distribute 
appropriated transportation funds based on the prior year's eligible transportation 
costs as legally reported under Subsection 
53F-2-402
(3).
(ii)
The state board shall distribute state appropriations for transportation for fiscal 
years 2021 and 2022 using fiscal year 2019 eligible transportation costs described 
in Subsection 
53F-2-402
(3).
(c)
The state board shall annually review the allowance per mile and the allowance per 
hour and adjust the allowances to reflect current economic conditions.
(4)
(a)
Approved bus routes for funding purposes shall be determined on fall data 
collected by October 1.
(b)
Approved route funding shall be determined on the basis of the most efficient and 
economic routes.
(5)
A local school board may provide for the transportation of students regardless of the 
distance from school, from general funds of the school district.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on 
July 1, 2025
.
1-9-25 4:04 PM