Utah HB 144: School Community Council Amendments

Bill Text

02-05 14:52 2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 144
Tracy J. Miller proposes the following substitute bill:
1 School Community Council Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Tracy J. Miller
Senate Sponsor: Keven J. Stratton
2

3 LONG TITLE
4 General Description:
5 This bill amends provisions related to school community councils.
6 Highlighted Provisions:
7 This bill:
8 ▸ removes provisions related to a school community council's:
9 ● digital citizenship requirements;
10 ● parent members who are local education agency employees; and
11 ● development of certain principles;
12 ▸ requires a certain annual report to a school community council;
13 ▸ requires documentation of certain votes; and
14 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
15 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16 None
17 Other Special Clauses:
18 None
19 Utah Code Sections Affected:
20 AMENDS:
21 53G-7-1202, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 66
22

23 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24 Section 1. Section 53G-7-1202 is amended to read:
25 53G-7-1202 . School community councils -- Duties -- Composition -- Election
26 procedures and selection of members.
27 (1) As used in this section:
28 (a) "Digital citizenship" means the norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy
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2nd Sub. (Gray) H.B. 144 02-05 14:52
29 behavior related to technology use, including digital literacy, ethics, etiquette, and
30 security.
31 (b) "Educator" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53E-6-102.
32 (c)(i) "Parent member" means a member of a school community council who is a
33 parent of a student who:
34 (A) is attending the school; or
35 (B) will be enrolled at the school during the parent's term of office.
36 (ii) "Parent member" may not include an educator who is employed at the school.
37 (d) "Safety principles" means safety principles that, when incorporated into programs
38 and resources, impact academic achievement by strengthening a safe and wholesome
39 learning environment, including continual efforts for safe technology utilization and
40 digital citizenship.
41 (e) "School community council" means a council established at a district school in
42 accordance with this section.
43 (f) "School employee member" means a member of a school community council who is
44 a person employed at the school by the school or school district, including the
45 principal.
46 (g) "School LAND Trust Program money" means money allocated to a school [pursuant
47 to] in accordance with Section 53F-2-404.
48 (2) A district school, in consultation with the district school's local school board, shall
49 establish a school community council at the school building level for the purpose of:
50 (a) involving parents of students in decision making at the school level;
51 (b) improving the education of students;
52 (c) prudently expending School LAND Trust Program money for the improvement of
53 students' education through collaboration among parents, school employees, and the
54 local school board; and
55 (d) increasing public awareness of:
56 (i) school trust lands and related land policies;
57 (ii) management of the State School Fund established in Utah Constitution Article X,
58 Section V; and
59 (iii) educational excellence.
60 (3)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), a school community council shall:
61 (i) create the School [LAND Trust Program and ]LAND Trust plan in accordance
62 with Section 53G-7-1206;
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63 (ii) advise and make recommendations to school and school district administrators
64 and the local school board regarding:
65 (A) the school and its programs;
66 (B) school district programs;
67 (C) a child access routing plan in accordance with Section 53G-4-402;
68 (D) safe technology utilization and digital citizenship; and
69 (E) other issues relating to the community environment for students;
70 (iii) provide for education and awareness on safe technology utilization and digital
71 citizenship that empowers:
72 (A) a student to make smart media and online choices; and
73 (B) a parent to know how to discuss safe technology use with the parent's child;
74 and
75 [(iv) partner with the school's principal and other administrators to ensure that
76 adequate on and off campus Internet filtering is installed and consistently
77 configured to prevent viewing of harmful content by students and school
78 personnel, in accordance with local school board policy and Subsection
79 53G-7-216(3);]
80 [(v) in accordance with state board rule regarding school community council
81 expenditures and funding limits:]
82 [(A) work with students, families, and educators to develop and incorporate safety
83 principles at the school; and]
84 [(B) hold at least an annual discussion with the school's principal and district
85 administrators regarding safety principles at the school and district level in
86 order to coordinate the school community council's effort to develop and
87 incorp