Enrolled Copy H.B. 184
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School Trust Land Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Tracy J. Miller
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins
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LONG TITLE
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General Description:
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This bill streamlines the School LAND Trust Program by shifting responsibilities and
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improving transparency.
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Highlighted Provisions:
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This bill:
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▸ clarifies action plans and the implementation of action plans;
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▸ adds a requirement to train on the Open and Public Meetings Act;
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▸ expands the list of entities to receive training on the School LAND Trust Program;
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▸ refines the process for reviewing school compliance with the program;
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▸ adds new responsibilities for the state superintendent; and
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▸ makes technical changes.
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Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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None
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Other Special Clauses:
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This bill provides a special effective date.
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Utah Code Sections Affected:
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AMENDS:
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53G-7-1206, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 20
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1. Section 53G-7-1206 is amended to read:
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53G-7-1206 . School LAND Trust Program.
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(1) As used in this section:
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(a) "Charter trust land council" means a council established by a charter school H.B. 184 Enrolled Copy
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governing board under Section 53G-7-1205.
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(b) "Council" means a school community council or a charter trust land council.
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(c) "LAND trust plan" means a school's plan to use School LAND Trust Program money
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to implement a component of the school's success plan.
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(d) "School community council" means a council established at a district school in
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accordance with Section 53G-7-1202.
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(e) "Teacher and student success plan" or "success plan" means the same as that term is
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defined in Section 53G-7-1301.
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(2) This section creates the School LAND (Learning And Nurturing Development) Trust
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Program under the state board to:
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(a) provide financial resources to public schools to enhance or improve student academic
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achievement and implement a component of a district school or charter school's
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teacher and student success plan; and
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(b) involve parents of a school's students in decision making regarding the expenditure
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of School LAND Trust Program money allocated to the school.
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(3) To receive an allocation under Section 53F-2-404:
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(a) a district school shall have established a school community council in accordance
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with Section 53G-7-1202;
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(b) a charter school shall have established a charter trust land council in accordance with
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Section 53G-7-1205; and
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(c) the school's principal shall provide a signed, written assurance that the school is in
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compliance with Subsection (3)(a) or (b).
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(4)(a) A council shall create a program to use the school's allocation distributed under
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Section 53F-2-404 to implement a component of the school's success plan, including:
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(i) the school's identified most critical academic needs;
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(ii) a recommended[ course of] action plan to meet the identified academic needs;
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(iii) a specific listing of any programs, practices, materials, or equipment that the
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school will need to implement [a component of the school's success plan] the
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action plan to have a direct impact on the instruction of students and result in
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measurable increased student performance; and
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(iv) how [the school intends to spend the school's allocation of funds under this
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section] each proposed expenditure in the action plan will be used to implement a
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component of the action plan to enhance or improve academic excellence at the
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school.
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(b)(i) A council shall create and vote to adopt a LAND trust plan in a meeting of the
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council at which a quorum is present.
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(ii) If a majority of the quorum votes to adopt a LAND trust plan, the LAND trust
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plan is adopted.
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(c) A council shall:
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(i) post a LAND trust plan that is adopted in accordance with Subsection (4)(b) on
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the School LAND Trust Program reporting website; and
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(ii) include with the LAND trust plan a report noting the number of council members
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who voted for or against the approval of the LAND trust plan and the number of
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council members who were absent for the vote.
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(d)(i) The local school board of a district school shall approve or disapprove a LAND
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trust plan.
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(ii) If a local school board disapproves a LAND trust plan:
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(A) the local school board shall provide a written explanation of why the LAND
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trust plan was disapproved and request the school community council who
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submitted the LAND trust plan to revise the LAND trust plan; and
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(B) the school community council shall submit a revised LAND trust plan in
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response to a local school board's request under Subsection (4)(d)(ii)(A).
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(iii) Once a LAND trust plan has been approved by a local school board, a school
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community council may amend the LAND trust plan, subject to a majority vote of
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the school community council and local school board approval.
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(e) A charter trust land council's LAND trust plan is subject to approval by the:
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(i) charter school governing board; and
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(ii) budget officer whom the charter school governing board appoints.
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(5)(a) A district school or charter school shall:
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(i) implement the program as approved;
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(ii) provide ongoing support for the council's [program] plan and responsibilities; and
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(iii) meet state board reporting requirements regarding financial and performance
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accountability of the program.
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(b)(i) A district school or charter school shall prepare and post an annual report of the
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program on the School LAND Trust Program reporting website before the council
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submits a plan for the following year.
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(ii) The report shall detail the use of program funds received by the school under this
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section and an assessment of the results obtained from the use of the funds.
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(iii) A summary of the report shall be provided to parents of students who attend the
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school.
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(6) An LEA shall record the LEA's expenditures of School LAND Trust Program funds
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through a financial reporting system that the board identifies to assist schools in
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developing the annual report described in Subsection (5)(b).
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(7) The president or chair of a local school board or charter school governing board shall
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ensure that the members of the local school board or charter school governing board are
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provided with annual training on the requirements of this section.
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(8)(a) The state board shall provide annual training opportunities to the entities
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described in Subsection (8)(b) on:
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(i) the School LAND Trust Program;[ and]
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(ii)[(A)] the responsibilities and formation of:
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(A) a school community council consistent with Section 53G-7-1202; or
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(B) a charter trust land council[.] consistent with Section 53G-7-1205; and
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(iii) as applicable, council responsibilities as described in Section 53G-7-1203.
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(b) The state board shall provide the training to:
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(i) a local school board or a charter school governing board;
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(ii) a district business administrator or a charter business official;
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[(ii)] (iii) a school district or a charter school; and
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[(iii)] (iv) a school community council.
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(9) The state board shall annually review [each] a school's compliance with applicable law,
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including rules adopted by the state board in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
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Administrative Rulemaking Act, by:
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(a) reading each School LAND [trust] Trust Program plan submitted;[ and]
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(b) reviewing proposed expenditures to be made from School LAND Trust Program
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money[.] ; and
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(c) conducting an annual compliance review of an LEA using a sample of schools.
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(10) The superintendent shall calculate and initiate the annual School LAND Trust
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distribution to schools through the state board's finance system to each LEA as outlined
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in Section 53F-2-404.
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(11) The superintendent shall administer the School LAND Trust website to provide
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transparency and accountability to school communities and the public of School LAND
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Trust plans, reports, and expenditures of trust distributions.
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[(10)] (12) The state board shall designate a staff member who administers the School
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LAND Trust Program[:]
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[(a)] to serve as a member of the Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Committee
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created under Section 53D-2-202[; and] .
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[(b) who may coordinate with the Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office director,
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appointed under Section 53D-2-203, to attend meetings or events within the School
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and Institutional Trust System, as defined in Section 53D-2-102, that relate to the
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School LAND Trust Program.]
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Section 2. Effective date.
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This bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.
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