Representative DeFe told the House Education Committee that artificial intelligence is changing education and the workforce and that the state needs a coordinated policy response. House Bill 168 would create a task force including representatives from the Utah State Board of Education, higher education, industry and the Legislature to coordinate policy guidance on AI in K–12 and higher education, with particular attention to student data privacy, academic integrity and equitable access.

Committee members asked whether the task force would duplicate work already underway. The sponsor and witnesses said multiple entities (USBE, higher-education institutions, industry groups) are doing related work but that the task force would provide centralized coordination and policy recommendations to the Legislature without supplanting local control. Representative Miller asked why K–12 and higher education are combined; the sponsor said many policy issues cross both systems and that cross-sector coordination would help the K–12 to higher-education transition.

Public comment included recommendations to broaden stakeholder representation; one witness urged more members to represent charters and a wider range of higher-education institutions. Representative Peck asked the sponsor to consider adding a parent and possibly a student to the task force; the sponsor said she would consider that while keeping the group small enough to be effective.

The committee adopted a technical amendment and then voted to recommend HB 168 as amended with a favorable recommendation. Supporters said the measure is intended to produce actionable policy guidance and that the Legislature would retain authority over any statutory changes the task force recommends.