Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 395 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Welton, Douglas R.

Final action

House/ filed 3/7/2025

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the state board to study methods for LEAs to report on the costs of implementing new legislation;
• outlines the required elements of the report;
• requires the state board consult with LEAs;
• requires the state board to report findings and recommendations to the Education Interim Committee;
• requires legislative committees to review and consider the recommendations; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

9
53E-1-201
53E-3-525
LEA Reporting Requirements
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Douglas R. Welton
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill requires the State Board of Education (state board) to study and make 
recommendations regarding local education agency (LEA) reporting of costs associated with 
implementing new legislation.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
requires the state board to study methods for LEAs to report on the costs of implementing 
new legislation;
outlines the required elements of the report;
requires the state board consult with LEAs;
requires the state board to report findings and recommendations to the Education Interim 
Committee;
requires legislative committees to review and consider the recommendations; and
makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53E-1-201
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapters 3, 460 and 525
ENACTS:
53E-3-525
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
53E-1-201
 is amended to read:
53E-1-201. Reports to and action required of the Education Interim Committee.
(1)
In accordance with applicable provisions and Section 
68-3-14
, the following recurring 
reports are due to the Education Interim Committee:
(a)
the report described in Section 
9-22-109
 by the STEM Action Center Board, 
including the information described in Section 
9-22-113
 on the status of the computer 
science initiative and Section 
9-22-114
 on the Computing Partnerships Grants 
Program;
(b)
the prioritized list of data research described in Section 
53B-33-302
 and the report on 
research and activities described in Section 
53B-33-304
 by the Utah Data Research 
Center;
(c)
the report described in Section 
53B-1-402
 by the Utah Board of Higher Education on 
career and technical education issues and addressing workforce needs;
(d)
the annual report of the Utah Board of Higher Education described in Section 
53B-1-402
;
(e)
the reports described in Section 
53B-28-401
 by the Utah Board of Higher Education 
regarding activities related to campus safety;
(f)
the State Superintendent's Annual Report by the state board described in Section 
53E-1-203
;
(g)
the annual report described in Section 
53E-2-202
 by the state board on the strategic 
plan to improve student outcomes;
(h)
the legislative impact study described in Section 
53E-3-525
 regarding methods to 
assess the costs to LEAs of implementing new legislation;
(h)
(i)
the report described in Section 
53E-8-204
 by the state board on the Utah Schools 
for the Deaf and the Blind;
(i)
(j)
the report described in Section 
53E-10-703
 by the Utah Leading through 
Effective, Actionable, and Dynamic Education director on research and other 
activities;
(j)
(k)
the report described in Section 
53F-2-522
 regarding mental health screening 
programs;
(k)
(l)
the report described in Section 
53F-4-203
 by the state board and the independent 
evaluator on an evaluation of early interactive reading software;
(l)
(m)
the report described in Section 
63N-20-107
 by the Governor's Office of 
Economic Opportunity on UPSTART;
(m)
(n)
the reports described in Sections 
53F-5-214
 and 
53F-5-215
 by the state board 
related to grants for professional learning and grants for an elementary teacher 
preparation assessment;
(n)
(o)
upon request, the report described in Section 
53F-5-219
 by the state board on 
the Local Innovations Civics Education Pilot Program;
(o)
(p)
the report described in Section 
53F-5-405
 by the state board regarding an 
evaluation of a partnership that receives a grant to improve educational outcomes for 
students who are low income;
(p)
(q)
the report described in Section 
53B-35-202
 regarding the Higher Education and 
Corrections Council;
(q)
(r)
the report described in Section 
53G-7-221
 by the state board regarding 
innovation plans;
 and
(r)
(s)
the reports described in Section 
53F-6-412
 regarding the Utah Fits All 
Scholarship Program.
(2)
In accordance with applicable provisions and Section 
68-3-14
, the following occasional 
reports are due to the Education Interim Committee:
(a)
in 2027, 2030, 2033, and 2035, the reports described in Sections 
53B-1-116
, 
53B-1-117
, and 
53B-1-118
;
(b)
if required, the report described in Section 
53E-4-309
 by the state board explaining 
the reasons for changing the grade level specification for the administration of 
specific assessments;
(c)
if required, the report described in Section 
53E-5-210
 by the state board of an 
adjustment to the minimum level that demonstrates proficiency for each statewide 
assessment;
(d)
the report described in Section 
53E-10-702
 by Utah Leading through Effective, 
Actionable, and Dynamic Education;
(e)
if required, the report described in Section 
53F-2-513
 by the state board evaluating 
the effects of salary bonuses on the recruitment and retention of effective teachers in 
high poverty schools;
(f)
upon request, a report described in Section 
53G-7-222
 by an LEA regarding 
expenditure of a percentage of state restricted funds to support an innovative 
education program;
(g)
the reports described in Section 
53G-11-304
 by the state board regarding proposed 
rules and results related to educator exit surveys; and
(h)
the report described in Section 
26B-5-113
 by the Office of Substance Use and 
Mental Health, the state board, and the Department of Health and Human Services 
regarding recommendations related to Medicaid reimbursement for school-based 
health services.
Section 2, Section 
53E-3-525
 is enacted to read:
53E-3-525. Legislative impact study.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Legislative enactment" means legislation that:
(i)
was passed during the immediately preceding general session or special session of 
the Legislature; and
(ii)
affects the operations or funding of an LEA.
(2)
The state board, in collaboration with LEA stakeholders as the state board defines, shall:
(a)
conduct a study regarding methods for LEAs to report on the financial and 
operational impacts of implementing legislative enactments;
(b)
consider methods for collecting and reporting:
(i)
the financial costs of implementing legislative enactments;
(ii)
identification of unfunded mandates;
(iii)
staffing impacts;
(iv)
implementation challenges; and
(v)
cumulative impacts on LEA budgets;
(c)
evaluate existing and potential reporting formats and processes;
(d)
assess the administrative burden of various reporting approaches;
(e)
identify ways to streamline and standardize reporting requirements; and
(f)
make recommendations regarding:
(i)
statutory changes needed to implement a reporting system or structure;
(ii)
resources needed for effective implementation; and
(iii)
a timeline for developing and implementing a reporting system.
(3)
On or before September 30, 2025, the state board shall:
(a)
prepare a report detailing the findings and recommendations from the study; and
(b)
present the report to the Education Interim Committee.
(4)
The Education Interim Committee shall:
(a)
review the state board's report and recommendations; and
(b)
consider whether to recommend legislation for the 2026 General Session.
Section 3. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
2-3-25 3:40 PM