All Roll Calls
Yes: 216 • No: 7
UtahH.B. 402025 General SessionHouseWALLET
School Safety Amendments
Sponsored By: Ryan D. Wilcox (Republican)
Signed by Governor
State FacilitiesEducationStudent Health and SafetyK-12 EducationHigher EducationPeace OfficersLaw Enforcement and Criminal JusticePublic SafetyDepartment of Public SafetyState Board of EducationLocal Education Agencies (LEAs)
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
19 provisions identified: 12 benefits, 0 costs, 7 mixed.
Schools get $25 million for safety
The law provides a one-time $25 million for the budget year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Money comes from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account for need-based school grants, assessment-based grants, and task force research. The state security chief and School Safety Center must create steps for technical help, intervention, and corrective action on safety violations. Up to $500,000 can fund state board administration of that system. The board must determine ongoing costs and report them to the Education Interim Committee by September 1, 2026.
Schools face window deadlines, playground flexibility
Schools must install security glazing or ballistic windows around immediate exterior entryways and at interior classroom entrances or instructional areas. Exterior entryway windows must comply by July 1, 2035, in first- or second-class counties, and July 1, 2040, in third- through sixth-class counties. Interior windows must comply by July 1, 2040; the state security chief may extend deadlines at a school agency's request. Schools may use supervised playground boundaries instead of fencing if existing staffing is adequate and they consult the county security chief. Window upgrades create school costs, while the playground option provides flexibility.
Homeowners get limits on sprinkler mandates
Authorities may require sprinklers in homes built under the residential code only by ordinance and for a listed reason. Reasons include specified wildland-urban-interface violations, lack of a required public water system with hydrants, or a sole fire access road exceeding 10% grade for more than 500 continuous feet. Floor area over 10,000 square feet or at least twice the subdivision average for qualifying unsprinklered homes also qualifies. A single-family home is exempt when outside the wildland-urban interface, in a one-lot subdivision, and surrounded by 50 feet of defensible space on every side. Fire-code requirements for pre-existing subdivision lots cannot exceed the limits in International Fire Code Section 501.5, including its sprinkler limits.
Some homes get fire-code flexibility
Authorities may lower firefighting water-flow requirements for isolated one- or two-family homes when meeting the full requirement is impractical. A separate exception to International Fire Code Section 507.5.1 covers one interior and one detached accessory dwelling unit on a single residential lot. That exception does not itself grant general zoning or building approval.
Parents get flexible, free safety seminars
Beginning May 7, 2025, districts may hold free parent seminars online at any time and make recordings available on district websites and parent portals. In-person seminars may still begin at or after 6 p.m. or take place on Saturdays. The state board's curriculum must include resources on substance abuse, bullying, mental health, suicide prevention, Internet safety, and SafeUT. The board must supply curriculum, resources, and training when a district requests them.
Schools expand sexual extortion prevention lessons
Beginning May 7, 2025, school instruction covers risks from electronically sharing intimate images or personal information, sexual extortion responses, and victim support. School personnel and parents must receive state-board-approved training once every three years. School agencies may offer approved instruction to elementary students. Before student instruction, parents must get advance notice, a chance to review materials, and permission to attend. Schools must excuse a student when a parent requests it in writing.
Permitted home kitchens avoid hood requirements
A cooking appliance in a qualifying microenterprise home kitchen does not require a Type 1 hood. The kitchen must meet the state's legal definition, and the operator must obtain the required home-kitchen permit. The exemption can reduce equipment and installation costs for these small food businesses.
Serious school threats require immediate reports
State employees and others covered by the reporting duty must immediately report suspected substantial threats against schools, school employees, or students. A substantial threat means a threat made with serious intent to harm. The duty also covers known circumstances that would reasonably result in such a threat. Reports must go to the affected school agency, nearest peace officer or law enforcement agency, and state security chief.
Schools can fund alternative prevention providers
Beginning May 7, 2025, the law creates grants for school agencies choosing alternative providers for child sexual abuse and human trafficking prevention instruction. Providers must be approved through the state board's selection process. Grants depend on legislative funding and are awarded first come, first served until funds run out. Recipients must spend money on implementation and provide itemized spending records when asked. The law specifies no funding amount for this program.
Schools coordinate safety staff and oversight
The School Safety Center must define roles for school safety teams and personnel and establish a charter school liaison. The State Charter School Board and each charter authorizer must assign existing employees to coordinate training, information, and safety support. Schools may assign one person to multiple specified safety roles after notifying the center and state security chief. Effective May 7, 2025, the law removes the December 31, 2025, end dates for the School Security Task Force and its Education Advisory Board.
Schools get recurring safety checks
Each school or K-12 campus must get a safety assessment at least once every three years. Assessments cover safety staff, buildings, emergency plans, cardiac readiness, and emergency key boxes; results reach the School Safety Center by October 15. Schools may rotate assessments if they document and share the schedule with state, county, and local safety officials. County security chiefs coordinate with school staff and local police, review results, and carry out improvements, replacing the specified annual building evaluation. Local police must provide staff for assessments, camera-access coordination, and guardian training when used; the center must select a safety-data tracking system.
Schools strengthen cardiac emergency readiness
Schools must include age-appropriate cardiac emergency training for students and adults in their emergency plans. Beginning May 7, 2025, new school construction and major remodeling must include automated external defibrillators. The state board chooses appropriate locations in direct coordination with the state security chief.
Vetted nonprofits can supply school safety
The state security chief, consulting the School Safety Center, may authorize school-safety nonprofits with federal tax-exempt status and three continuous years in Utah. Applicants must meet mission, board, financial, and experience standards and submit three years of financial records, board qualifications, an initiative, and purchasing policies. Authorized foundations may use state purchasing contracts, buy in bulk, and coordinate donations and distribution; the center must help when asked. They must keep separate accounts, report annually by August 1, and renew authorization every three years. Revocation for lost qualifications, financial mismanagement, or false reporting requires written notice, 30 days to fix problems, a hearing opportunity, and a written decision.
More school staff qualify as guardians
The guardian eligibility exception for principals, teachers, and classroom-focused staff now covers schools with 350 or fewer students, up from 100. Separate adjacent-campus and other listed exceptions remain relevant. School employee applicants must complete an approved initial fit-to-carry assessment, and guardians must meet ongoing law-enforcement-style mental-health screening standards. County security chiefs or their designees must administer initial, annual, and twice-yearly training with local law enforcement. The state security chief must approve that training.
Building emergency keys get tighter safeguards
Fire jurisdictions with at least one building requiring a key box must adopt rules to track and secure every key. Responsible building owners and operators must store firefighter elevator keys in a box beside the elevator. It must use the specified Supra-Stor-a-key system or a similar system and open with a numbered 6049 key. The box must hold keys for each elevator, lobby controls, and other emergency service needs.
Cooking ventilation gains added fire standards
Utah adds the NFPA 96 fire-protection standard to its fire-code requirements for cooking ventilation. Affected building owners and operators must account for the added standard. This supports fire safety but can change compliance practices and costs.
New schools face radio coverage testing
For new public or private schools, fire officials may require emergency radio coverage only after construction and a finding of need. A qualified professional must perform an initial coverage test with appropriate equipment and submit results to the fire official. Officials may perform later basic tests and require professional testing when those tests reveal a possible problem. Testing and any required coverage work can create costs for school operators while supporting emergency communications.
Schools add alerts and responder access
Beginning May 7, 2025, school agencies must give every classroom's lead teacher a wearable panic alert, based on safety assessments. Devices must connect directly to emergency dispatch centers, and all building staff must receive training before the school year starts. All school-building security cameras must be accessible to local police and emergency dispatch centers through agreed access rules. Agencies must also mark all hallways and doorways to match the state security chief's incident response system. These requirements support emergency response and create equipment, training, and facility obligations for schools.
Schools must maintain emergency key boxes
Beginning May 7, 2025, school main entrances must have weather- and vandal-resistant key boxes with electronic tamper monitoring. Only authorized emergency responders may open them; contents must provide access to all school areas. Schools must inspect boxes quarterly, update contents within 24 hours of lock or access changes, keep inventories, and replace damaged boxes immediately. Schools must include locations and access rules in required safety materials and coordinate placement, contacts, access, and annual reviews with responders. The School Safety Center must help school agencies set up and maintain the boxes.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Ryan D. Wilcox
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Ann Millner
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/7/2025
House Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/7/2025
Senate Conference Committee - Final Passage
Yes: 25 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/7/2025
Senate Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/7/2025
Senate/ refused to recede from Senate amendments
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/7/2025
House Conference Committee - Final Passage
Yes: 67 • No: 3
House vote • 3/6/2025
House/ refuse to concur with Senate amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/5/2025
Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
Yes: 25 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/5/2025
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/5/2025
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/5/2025
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/26/2025
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/26/2025
Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Yes: 6 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 69 • No: 2
House vote • 2/18/2025
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2025
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/7/2025
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 1/29/2025
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 10 • No: 0
House vote • 1/29/2025
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Yes: 10 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ refused to recede from Senate amendments
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ refuse to concur with Senate amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • Unknown
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/26/2025House/ to Governor
3/17/2025HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/17/2025HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/13/2025HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/13/2025Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/7/2025Bill Received from House for Enrolling
3/7/2025House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/7/2025HouseSenate/ to House
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
3/7/2025SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/7/2025HouseHouse Conference Committee - Final Passage
3/7/2025HouseHouse Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/7/2025HouseSenate/ to House
3/7/2025SenateSenate Conference Committee - Final Passage
3/7/2025SenateSenate Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
3/7/2025SenateConference Committee Report
3/7/2025Bill Substituted by Conference Committee
3/7/2025House/ to Senate
3/7/2025HouseHouse Conference Committee Appointed
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/7/2025House
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/13/2025
Substitute #7
3/7/2025
Substitute #6
3/3/2025
Substitute #5
2/26/2025
Substitute #4
2/18/2025
Substitute #3
2/10/2025
Substitute #2
2/7/2025
Substitute #1
1/29/2025
Introduced
12/19/2024