[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6345158,"mediaKeyId","2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0","parentId",2249616,"title","Committee approves bill limiting districts’ use and sale of staff contact data, bars intrusive required apps","audioSeconds",1320,"startMs",722000,"endMs",2042000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0&start=722&end=2042","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0/thumbnail_722000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6345158/Utah/Committee-approves-bill-limiting-districts-use-and-sale-of-staff-contact-data-bars-intrusive-required-apps","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345158-6607995ff355f66533dbbd8cc26d1c28/orig.mp4?Expires=1770891314&Signature=Zy~XQNZROJrQ4YoEUMVxqWCKuQsno61dwBSkCkSbLb38LjQQiQSRKv9JPnKoi-TNZHWCegriMDsO7tEjDgKw258hHq4QdD1g7s-PbOWv0Jo307Ub4aUBreu~KleX5M6N~RvsWNHfRXp2AlEBc2dOAkuFK6Y9R2ryud1aeMRmiuAe4DT3ubYCl7s5OTxe9hpVGsCTZy4Gkw7ev~g4qLsemhfx4t09KJOKhn2no7gVl5VOD7pPzBul~AO~JgxW54CuY2ktwSp4q-U3OUeLzPw1RWsiewao77~da1s1FFAehYkWBoYD94WWZUb37Sbso3S1cw5Xvt3eMTM3IwO6Pk3J2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah State Legislature","date","2025-02-07T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Education Committee approved First Substitute House Bill 124 on a 3–1 vote after amendments tying the bill to a separate records-access measure. The bill would restrict local education agencies (LEAs) from selling or otherwise distributing certain LEA contact information and bar LEAs from requiring employees to use technology on personal devices when the vendor’s terms permit access to data outside the app itself. It also creates a written-complaint avenue to the Utah State Board of Education for employees who believe the law was violated.

Representative Lee, the bill sponsor, said the measure responds to constituent concerns that teachers’ official email accounts and LEA distribution lists are being used by third-party vendors to send marketing or political content. Christina Boggess, a member of the State Board of Education, summarized the bill’s restrictions: it “prohibits the the requiring the use of certain technologies on personal devices” and “prevents LEAs from requiring technology if the required technology contains terms, conditions, or data sharing provisions that would allow access to data or information outside of the required technology itself.”

Nut graf: Supporters said the bill protects educators’ privacy and limits unwanted commercial or political contact on employer-managed distribution lists; opponents raised practical concerns about compliance with public-records laws and potential conflicts with other safety-related apps.

Public comment included Julie Jackson, who said JLC (the Utah School Boards Association/JLC tracking list) and some districts have concerns that the bill could prevent mandated safety apps from operating on employees’ personal phones, requiring districts to issue separate phones. Heidi Alder, a government liaison with Weber School District, said one outstanding issue was ensuring the bill’s restrictions were consistent with GRAMA (the Government Records Access and Management Act) and noted a draft amendment to address that concern.

Committee action: The sponsor and staff said a House amendment added language to align the bill with a separate GRAMA bill by Representative McPherson; the committee then adopted a second amendment and approved the bill as amended. The final committee vote to send First Substitute House Bill 124 to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation was 3–1, with Senator Reby recorded in opposition.

Ending: The bill will move to the Senate floor with the committee amendments adopted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Education Committee - February 07, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Education Committee approved First Substitute House Bill 124 on a 3–1 vote; the bill would limit LEAs’ ability to distribute staff contact lists and restrict requiring certain technologies on employees’ personal devices when vendor terms permit external data access.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345162,"Committee backs bill creating juvenile-justice career certification pathway",406,230000,636000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0&start=230&end=636","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0/thumbnail_230000.jpg","/articles/6345162/Utah/Committee-backs-bill-creating-juvenile-justice-career-certification-pathway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345162-935a201c0c8e220db7657f330cf44624/orig.mp4?Expires=1770891314&Signature=H5chsUsVjJ8oSvrGZcGNCsCNjKkQbwAaRjXB-QgRJjdfy7Ap6qZ8UcOdxi-gqk~7eh2fIzIIEYHw6ErMY9Bk~St-sUwhvgJoWTbVx-UQN8DE4fwFCsuy~Yt5wW-olCWaMbczjhPfn1JyVw9c3QnVsaukKqzrzTus6mh0Ct2uII0pEbJRbQgl5LZih-PqPnE23Jl9eOspeRbgwmdljXGXr3ucVXmFxrltOktMmKOeDSmJQMN3zmdxx6AtU8baUpdNhr3YjRAmGCyRzQ5DPMXv6XZgj7xsIn4nDDTG7knMwR6pGe4V6eFkut9KDsCXDEgELzqr-AFAOmR3AcepAu1xNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee on Feb. 2025 recommended Senate Bill 93, which would create a juvenile-justice career training pathway tied to the Talent Ready Utah framework to help recruit and credential workers for juvenile justice positions.

Senator Owens, the bill sponsor, said the measure responds to a statewide shortage of juvenile-justice staff and called the state’s juvenile justice system “a shining light in the nation.” He said the proposal is intended to help build a pipeline by allowing individuals to complete technical certification courses and enter juvenile justice careers.

Brett Peterson, director of the Division of Juvenile Justice and Youth Services, told the committee, “we really have been facing a crisis in staffing, vacancy rates, internal rates, and some of my core positions as high as, you know, 50% plus.” Peterson described the field as “in between corrections…child welfare…and treatment-based settings,” and said the certification pathway would create an accessible career entry and progression route.

Nut graf: Supporters said the bill pairs workforce development with existing state training initiatives; a brief fiscal note was discussed in committee but figures discussed in the hearing were inconsistent.

The committee heard supportive testimony from Elizabeth Kelch, criminal justice policy director for the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ), who said the measure is a priority for CCJJ and balances safety with care for a vulnerable population.

Senator Baldry moved to send SB 93 to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation; the committee approved the motion by voice vote and the chair ruled the recommendation unanimous.

Ending: The bill now proceeds to the Senate floor for consideration.","Senate Bill 93 would create a certificate pathway through Talent Ready Utah to help address workforce shortages in juvenile justice by enabling technical certification and career entry; the Senate Education Committee gave the bill a favorable recommendation after sponsor and agency testimony.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345167,"Senate committee sends school-district contracting transparency bill to full Senate",135,91000,226000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0&start=91&end=226","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6345167/Utah/Senate-committee-sends-school-district-contracting-transparency-bill-to-full-Senate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345167-cf524fb46822ac4d7d0e2bbd7ef569a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770891314&Signature=CJOUwdgjdc8w6-fXjjQCheY96kKWlXxfEuKo2eKSBfNsc399d205W3tyxlHeWSWfpWT8vbhNZ5VB9jThBwOOpIPWpb2XnHDZSb3UEWXcjfiZ-T~AfeyN~oZLmPRmW1xM5XQFL0SWXc7j-edOiPHqToacJfXoiT-fbAbNN~L8CFzOMQkaHiQzr1ia1FwnJk1YgIrfxFZ-zmINjKQNJ3U5UIiJmshsxA4JxhTc3fcmK-AX~gW4rD1dl8FjKsv8Fqm-sI5VdlgwOEUTBFNabugCdhN5s7tvMChPQzXLzMMNQwCfC-4CGcs7-mE1jKW-Dr5mNxJqL4NnqAI5WAJCEVUQgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Senate Education Committee on Feb. 2025 voted unanimously to send First Substitute House Bill 144, a measure aimed at increasing transparency around certain settlement agreements between the U.S. Department of Justice and local school districts, to the full Senate.

The bill’s sponsor, Representative DeFe, told the committee, “This is an important bill. This is a transparency bill,” and said the measure would “direct[] the attorney general's office to reveal to, to review a contractor settlement agreement between the DOJ and a school district” and to disclose that agreement to the local board of education.

Nut graf: Proponents said the change responds to concerns in a local district about limited visibility into a past DOJ settlement and would create a formal role for the attorney general to review and recommend whether third-party contractor settlement terms require disclosure to the school board.

Committee discussion was brief. The motion to recommend the bill favorably came from Senator Baldry; the chair put the question and ruled the vote unanimous. The committee did not record further debate or amendments during the hearing.

Background and details: Representative DeFe said the bill grew out of a contract entered into by the Department of Justice with the sponsor’s local LEA about five years earlier. The bill as presented instructs the attorney general’s office to review contractor settlement agreements between the DOJ and a school district and to disclose those agreements and any recommendations to the affected local board of education. The sponsor characterized the measure as guidance and transparency rather than as a directive imposing new penalties or sanctions.

Ending: The bill will appear next on the Senate floor calendar for consideration by the full Senate.","The Senate Education Committee gave a unanimous, favorable recommendation to First Substitute House Bill 144, which would require the attorney general’s office to review and share certain settlement agreements between the U.S. Department of Justice and local education agencies with the local school board.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345148,"Committee holds bill to define \"medically fragile\" students pending implementation details",957,2543000,3500000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0&start=2543&end=3500","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0/thumbnail_2543000.jpg","/articles/6345148/Utah/Committee-holds-bill-to-define-medically-fragile-students-pending-implementation-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345148-46397258c3a5ef256e45078dcb4f1d61/orig.mp4?Expires=1770891314&Signature=MNH9hgH8YhP342nJYAhbBepBCO5i0BZVp3IgIG1XHc7ZCnkr-a2S9wZRuiYRfEAV8mEkh0MoeOFczLdozDfpdU~mBhailrYjCToy16Wj7vI9-0EAPYLTmMnH5Kv-mdKjxG6VyyWUr87EZcsZbu-H-6ehTZMsp1pMiHzV-jDGyB4-dq3s8jFyWL5swCrz6CZsE81EFmfhMpVFHYTe9cgqkVnbpdIqwhzTZVrpe7snwJCVYTXyGG~aLWLdKsjTKzj2T9A7LccgTMfiE3Y1rrTbXUS7QNiMjKIVNnC2GOwIs7wKMjy5wUtd1EJ34UlPc6E3R45s1KGyW-63SH8~Cx5maA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee voted to hold Senate Bill 135, Educational Medical Services Amendments, after members asked for clearer application and implementation details for two new definitions the bill would add to state code.

Sponsor testimony described the measure as an attempt to create distinct categories for students with medical needs so that smaller districts could move some intensive service costs to health partners and free local special-education funds for other students. The sponsor said the goal is to streamline Medicaid and other service pathways so medically intensive students could receive services through appropriate medical channels rather than creating disproportionate paperwork and expense for smaller LEAs.

Nut graf: Committee members expressed support for the aim of relieving small districts of burdens carried by very-high-need students, but several asked how the proposed definitions would be used in statute and whether existing streams—such as the Special Education Intensive Needs fund—already addressed similar cases.

Senator Fillmore said he was reluctant to approve definitions without a clear implementation plan and recommended the sponsor refine the definitions and show how they would be applied. Committee discussion noted the relevant statutory section is currently reserved and contains no definitions; members recommended additional work to prevent unintended consequences of adding a definition without an associated mechanism.

The committee approved a motion to hold the bill, with the final committee vote recorded as 2 in favor of holding and 1 opposed (Senator Reid recorded in opposition). The sponsor acknowledged the request to develop application details and indicated willingness to continue work with districts and the health department.

Ending: The bill remains in committee while the sponsor develops implementation language and clarifies how definitions would operate with existing funding streams.","Senate Bill 135, which would add two definitions to create distinct categories for medically fragile students and potentially re-route services and funding, was held by the Senate Education Committee so sponsors can clarify how the new definitions would be applied and how funding or service pathways would change.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6345153,"Committee backs redirecting class-size funds toward early grades",531,2085000,2616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0&start=2085&end=2616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2249616-933e9fa3567e96253d91f4e612470dd0/thumbnail_2085000.jpg","/articles/6345153/Utah/Committee-backs-redirecting-class-size-funds-toward-early-grades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6345153-3939b19478356aa8fe40fac34d983fe3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770891314&Signature=Ax-~MWCQtPA2GmSCMWqb5K5IwG9xPpzjv7Nil4lCTAoTjwnKEJ-hRYPpYJnzhX-2to1kQlsfOYq5U2VnOY5GlaS2EhK2xTr9yx2dgQ5SX0IVVvgi~mwSfxEgL0qwMolMf0ehWNYogvbBBdUQ3N0MD0TMy5UQiZVLfEa3hNkAx0f1lyJCeV69-4DftIpQTWe7vaMDJNPBSfctczVi6ac0OR4hnwhloI4lJukEPtJydMiUzeQEdPao3SLFi7PVDnOfyyBKWW2bUFXzp8evqsBOI3CxyW4NAZ-fdoGnWxoFgHEyIxBymztRh2cluI71WhUcM363Bv-t7PmUKOS8e-EvAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee gave unanimous support to Senate Bill 32, an interim-committee bill that would re-target the state’s class-size reduction funding toward earlier grades.

Senator Fillmore, presenting the bill, said the original class-size reduction program—created roughly two decades ago—has functioned largely as a maintenance fund and has not materially reduced class sizes statewide. The proposed changes would concentrate the same funding on kindergarten through sixth grade initially, then phase concentration toward grades K–3 over time to prioritize literacy and numeracy in the earliest grades.

Nut graf: Sponsors said the change aims to focus limited dollars where research and experience show smaller classes most strongly benefit learning—early literacy and numeracy instruction—while preserving LEA flexibility about how to allocate funds in local contexts.

Julie Jackson of JLC told the committee that most of the state’s class-size funding already goes to K–3 and that districts value flexibility to use remaining funds to address local enrollment spikes (for example, very large classes in upper elementary grades). The presenter said the bill does not impose a rigid staffing formula and that districts retain discretion to apply funds in ways that meet local instructional needs.

The committee voted to send Senate Bill 32 with a favorable recommendation to the full Senate by unanimous voice vote.

Ending: The bill will be scheduled for Senate floor consideration.","Senate Bill 32 would refocus existing class-size reduction funding toward early primary grades (K–3 over time) and permit local discretion in how funds are used; the committee gave the bill a favorable recommendation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves bill limiting districts’ use and sale of staff contact data, bars intrusive required apps

Committee backs bill creating juvenile-justice career certification pathway

Senate committee sends school-district contracting transparency bill to full Senate

Committee holds bill to define "medically fragile" students pending implementation details

Committee backs redirecting class-size funds toward early grades