All Roll Calls
Yes: 151 • No: 50
UtahS.B. 1372025 General SessionSenateWALLET
Course Choice Empowerment
Sponsored By: Kirk A. Cullimore (Republican)
Signed by Governor
EducationK-12 EducationState Board of EducationEducation Grant ProgramsOnline Learning and/or TechnologyHome Schooling
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
11 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 8 mixed.
Online students get fees and counseling help
Subject to appropriations, the state board pays qualifying home-based students' online course fees when their custodial parent lives in Utah. Funding goes first-come, first-served until spent. Subject to appropriations, eligible statewide online students also get enrollment advice, required training, technical support, and school-counselor referrals. The board may approve more than six credits yearly when requested courses better meet a student's academic goals. Subject to future budget limits, lawmakers must adjust funding for expected growth in eligible home-based students and the weighted pupil unit's value.
Private-school students get capped online access
The law creates the Utah Private Course Choice Empowerment Program for private-school students in grades 6–12. Students can take approved online or blended courses at a Utah private school. A parent must live in Utah, except for exchange students living in Utah and attending a Utah private school. Students must meet course prerequisites, and the course must be open. Enrollment is capped at six credits per school year, or four credits for scholarship students.
Scholarship families face new spending limits
Utah Fits All funds cannot cover entertainment season tickets or subscriptions, ski passes or lift tickets, playground equipment, furniture, musical instruments, or apparel. Recreational facility access is excluded unless it serves the student's physical education. Chaperone expenses are generally excluded. Families receiving scholarships under Section 53F-6-402(2)(c) may cover one otherwise-approved chaperone expense or pass per family. The program manager can also exclude other non-educational expenses.
Schools must buy technology without favoritism
Utah educational entities must choose software and hardware based on performance and value, not provider type or licensing model. Decisions must consider total ownership costs and support compatibility, security, reliability, and lower costs. Schools retain the ability to run products on hardware they choose. They may consider licensing rights, warranties, and intellectual-property protections, consistent with the Utah Procurement Code.
Statewide online eligibility excludes private-school students
The separate Statewide Online Education Program now excludes private-school and exchange students from its eligible-student definition. Students must seek middle-school or high-school credit. They must attend a Utah public school, including a charter school, or be home-based with a Utah-resident custodial parent.
Families get course details but fewer options
The private course program's manager must review course content, fees, pacing, prerequisites, materials, teaching support, and delivery. Credit recovery and packet-based courses cannot be offered. Beginning May 7, 2025, providers must submit course lengths, standardized completion and withdrawal deadlines, and fees for approval. Providers must post the required information with each listing. They must report enrollment and withdrawals within five business days.
Course managers gain control with oversight
The state board was required to contract with qualified managers by April 1, 2025; initial contracts cannot exceed three years. Annual renewal options require performance review and procurement-law compliance, and the board reviews managers' records and performance. Managers handle administration, appropriated money, provider approval and oversight, financial records, and performance reporting. The board cannot make rules directing program administration, including enrollment, provider payments, lessons, or curriculum. Managers have 60 days after written notice to correct and report violations; the board may bar those that fail. Barred managers and managers awaiting appeal cannot accept state funds, although those awaiting appeal may keep administering courses.
Online course oversight limits enrollment rewards
People cannot offer rewards to encourage statewide online enrollment, except students' relatives; needed learning materials, software, and device access remain allowed. The superintendent must forward noncompliance reports received by board staff to the board, which must act to ensure compliance. These duties no longer belong to the contractor. Certified providers must get access through existing board systems to licensing, endorsement, certification, and assignment records for educators teaching their courses. The law removes the former July 1, 2024, deadline for that access process.
Online provider pay depends on completion
Beginning May 7, 2025, private-program provider payments depend on legislative appropriations. Providers receive 60% of the course fee when an eligible student enrolls and 40% upon completion. They forfeit the final 40% when the student misses the provider's completion deadline. The manager must process payments within 30 days of the relevant enrollment, withdrawal, or completion deadline. Payments cannot include transaction fees.
Online providers face checks but keep independence
Private-program provider applicants need three years of relevant digital-course experience and quality, instructor, safety, privacy, conduct, and academic-integrity safeguards. They must report no specified sanctions, investigations, adverse malfeasance audit findings, or official censures in the prior five years, and no current lawsuits where they deliver digital courses. Providers and courses approved for the statewide online program by July 1, 2024, must be allowed to serve private-school students. Reviews cannot require changes to beliefs, practices, admissions, hiring, or curriculum, including religious content; regular renewals require at least 80% course completion, parent or eligible-student reviews, and continued compliance where applicable. Beginning May 7, 2025, oversight includes regular performance reviews, annual finance, privacy, and security audits, and at least one site visit each academic year; approval can be revoked for noncompliance or poor performance.
Private course funding gets administrative caps
Beginning May 7, 2025, private course program funding is separate from public education program funding, subject to legislative appropriation. Lawmakers must adjust the appropriation for expected enrollment increases. Managers can spend up to 8% on administration when annual funding is $10 million or less. Above $10 million, the limit is 5% of the entire annual appropriation. The law specifies no funding amount.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Kirk A. Cullimore
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Moss, Jefferson
Affiliation unavailable
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/7/2025
House/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/7/2025
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
Yes: 22 • No: 4
House vote • 3/7/2025
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 46 • No: 23
House vote • 3/7/2025
House/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/7/2025
House/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2025
House Comm - Amendment Recommendation
Yes: 12 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2025
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 8 • No: 4
Senate vote • 2/28/2025
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 23 • No: 3
Senate vote • 2/27/2025
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/27/2025
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 23 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/27/2025
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/21/2025
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/19/2025
Senate/ motion to reconsider
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/18/2025
Senate/ failed
Yes: 12 • No: 13
Senate vote • 2/18/2025
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/10/2025
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/30/2025
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 5 • No: 1
Senate vote • Unknown
Senate/ motion to reconsider
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
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
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/27/2025Senate/ to Governor
3/14/2025SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/14/2025SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/12/2025SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/12/2025Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/7/2025Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/7/2025Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
3/7/2025SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/7/2025HouseSenate/ to House
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
3/7/2025SenateSenate/ received from House
3/7/2025SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ substituted
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ uncircled
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ circled
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ amended
3/7/2025HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
3/7/2025House
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/12/2025
Substitute #4
3/7/2025
Substitute #3
3/6/2025
Amended 3/5/2025 13:03:906
3/5/2025
Substitute #2
2/27/2025
Substitute #1
2/25/2025
Introduced
1/17/2025