Bill > SB0034

This bill makes several changes to Utah's public education laws, including clarifying the definition of "general control and supervision" for the state board of education to mean directing and managing all aspects of the public education system, and updating reporting requirements for the State Superintendent's Annual Report to include more detailed data on school operations and finances. It also modifies how the superintendent for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind is appointed, allowing the state superintendent to appoint and supervise this role with state board approval. Furthermore, the bill revises the "Utah first credential program" by updating definitions and processes for industry-recognized credentials and the oversight committee, and it renames and expands the "Catalyst Center Grant Program" to the "Applied Professional Education Experience Grant Program" (APEX), which will fund LEAs (Local Education Agencies, meaning school districts, charter schools, or the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind) to create or expand centers that replicate professional environments and workplace practices for students. Additionally, the bill adjusts provisions related to school safety personnel, reintegration plans for students involved in serious offenses, and youth suicide prevention programs, including a minimum funding amount per school for these programs. Finally, it sets an effective date for the bill as May 6, 2026.

Education

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/SB0034.html