H.B. 481
LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL
6 Approved for Filing: S. Larson 6
6 02-15-23 1:25 PM 6
H.B. 481
1 SAFE STORAGE OF FIREARMS EDUCATI ON
2 REQUIREMENTS
3 2023 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Sahara Hayes
6 Senate Sponsor: ____________
7
8LONG TITLE
9General Description:
10 This bill modifies requirements for a youth suicide prevention program implemented by
11a school district or charter school.
12Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 <requires a school district or charter school youth suicide prevention program to
15include access to age appropriate firearm safety and suicide prevention materials;
16and
17 <makes technical and conforming changes.
18Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20Other Special Clauses:
21 This bill provides a special effective date.
22Utah Code Sections Affected:
23AMENDS:
24 53G-9-702, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 105
25
26Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 53G-9-702 is amended to read:
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28 53G-9-702. Youth suicide prevention programs -- State board to develop model
29programs.
30 (1) As used in the section:
31 (a) "Elementary grades" means:
32 (i) kindergarten through grade 5; and
33 (ii) if the associated middle or junior high school does not include grade 6, grade 6.
34 (b) "Intervention" means an effort to prevent a student from attempting suicide.
35 (c) "Postvention" means mental health intervention after a suicide attempt or death to
36prevent or contain contagion.
37 (d) "Program" means a youth suicide prevention program described in Subsection (2).
38 (e) "Public education suicide prevention coordinator" means an individual designated
39by the state board as described in Subsection (4).
40 (f) "Secondary grades" means:
41 (i) grades 7 through 12; and
42 (ii) if a middle or junior high school includes grade 6, grade 6.
43 (g) "State suicide prevention coordinator" means the state suicide prevention
44coordinator described in Section 62A-15-1101.
45 (h) "State superintendent" means the state superintendent of public instruction
46appointed under Section 53E-3-301.
47 (2) In collaboration with the public education suicide prevention coordinator, a school
48district or charter school shall implement a youth suicide prevention program, which, in
49collaboration with the training, programs, and initiatives described in Section 53G-9-607, shall
50include programs and training to address:
51 (a) for elementary grades and secondary grades:
52 (i) life-affirming education, including on the concepts of resiliency, healthy habits,
53self-care, problem solving, and conflict resolution;
54 (ii) methods of strengthening the family; and
55 (iii) methods of strengthening a youth's relationships in the school and community; and
56 (b) for secondary grades:
57 (i) prevention of youth suicide;
58 (ii) decreasing the risk of suicide among youth who are: 02-15-23 1:25 PM H.B. 481
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59 (A) not accepted by family for any reason, including lesbian, gay, bisexual,
60transgender, or questioning youth; or
61 (B) suffer from bullying;
62 (iii) youth suicide intervention; and
63 (iv) postvention for family, students, and faculty.
64 (3) Each school district and charter school shall ensure that the youth suicide
65prevention program described in Subsection (2):
66 (a) considers appropriate coordination with the following prevention programs:
67 (i) the prevention of bullying and cyber-bullying, as those terms are defined in Section
6853G-9-601; and
69 (ii) the prevention of underage drinking of alcohol and substance abuse under Section
7053G-10-406; [and]
71 (b) includes access to age appropriate firearm safety and suicide prevention materials
72selected by the state superintendent; and
73 [(b)] (c) includes provisions to ensure that the school district or charter school
74promptly communicates with the parent or guardian of a student in accordance with Section
7553G-9-604.
76 (4) The state board shall:
77 (a) designate a public education suicide prevention coordinator; and
78 (b) in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services and the state
79suicide prevention coordinator, develop model programs to provide to school districts and
80charter schools:
81 (i) program training; and
82 (ii) resources regarding the required components described in Subsections (2)(a) and
83(b).
84 (5) The public education suicide prevention coordinator shall:
85 (a) oversee the youth suicide prevention programs of school districts and charter
86schools; and
87 (b) coordinate prevention and postvention programs, services, and efforts with the state
88suicide prevention coordinator.
89 (6) A public school suicide prevention program may allow school personnel to ask a H.B. 481 02-15-23 1:25 PM
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90student questions related to youth suicide prevention, intervention, or postvention.
91 (7) (a) Subject to legislative appropriation, the state board may distribute money to a
92school district or charter school to be used to implement evidence-based practices and
93programs, or emerging best practices and programs, for preventing suicide in the school district
94or charter school.
95 (b) The state board shall ensure that an LEA's allocation of funds from the board's
96distribution of money under Subsection (7)(a) provides an amount equal to at least $1,000 per
97school.
98 (c) (i) A school shall use money allocated to the school under Subsection (7)(b) to
99implement evidence-based practices and programs, or emerging best practices and programs,
100for preventing suicide.
101 (ii) Each school may select the evidence-based practices and programs, or emerging
102best practices and programs, for preventing suicide that the school implements.
103 (8) An LEA may not charge indirect costs to the program.
104 Section 2. Effective date.
105 This bill takes effect on August 1, 2023.