All Roll Calls
Yes: 160 • No: 23
UtahS.B. 582026 General SessionSenate
Public School Attendance Amendments
Sponsored By: Lincoln Fillmore (Republican)
Signed by Governor
EducationStudent Health and SafetyK-12 EducationLocal Education Agencies (LEAs)Public Education Data and Reporting
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 5 mixed.
Families gain protections against neglect findings
Beginning July 1, 2026, absences alone cannot support an educational-neglect finding unless they lack both a valid excuse and good cause. Those absences must exceed 10 consecutive instructional days or one-tenth of the school term. Neglect requires clear and convincing evidence of failed progress after required school steps, or a child at least two years behind age expectations without remedial services. Parents can defend themselves by showing school failures, lawful homeschooling, learning progress, good-faith efforts, valid excuses or disability accommodations, court orders, or alternative curricula. Parents must prove these defenses by showing they are more likely true than not.
Free kindergarten and half-day family choices
Beginning July 1, 2026, kindergarten classes are free for eligible children living in the district or attending a charter school. Schools must explain the full-curriculum half-day option during registration, allow families to sign up, and cannot require full-day attendance. A dedicated half-day class is required when enrollment at an individual or regional school exceeds 18 half-day students. An individual school with more than 18 half-day students must be a half-day provider; mixed classes must meet state half-day standards. Half-day programs receive state funding, and schools must tell families about resources for choosing half-day. The State Board must select an assessment for every kindergartner and collect and report results; kindergarten enrollment reporting uses October 1 and a schedule equivalent in length to grades 1–3.
Attendance notice limits and parent penalties
Beginning July 1, 2026, compulsory-education violation notices to parents are limited to grades 1–6 after at least five truancies that school year. Parents must enroll and send school-age children to public or regularly established private school unless a legal exemption applies. After notice, intentionally or without good cause missing the required school meeting, failing to enroll a nonexempt child, or failing to prevent five more truancies during the remaining school year is a class B misdemeanor. School boards or education agency officials must report compulsory-education violations to the county or district attorney. Schools must also report to child welfare officials when they believe parents have not made a good-faith effort to ensure education.
Toilet training required before public school
Starting in the 2026–27 school year, state rules require students to be toilet trained before public-school enrollment. Parents must confirm this during enrollment. An exemption applies when a student cannot meet the requirement because of a qualifying condition covered by federal disability-identification duties. It also applies when the qualifying condition is described in an individualized education program or Section 504 accommodation plan.
Families get attendance alerts and support
Beginning July 1, 2026, schools must notify parents within two instructional days of an unexcused absence, including the year’s total unexcused absences. Schools must review attendance regularly and provide non-punitive, increasingly intensive help, such as mentoring, tutoring, or community-resource connections. These duties cover children enrolled or required to enroll, excluding attendance-exempt students and students in regularly established private or part-time schools. Schools must offer voluntary truancy mediation, consider parent alternatives, and obtain revocable parental consent for individual plans linking attendance to grades. Schools must keep accurate records, adopt written rules, train staff annually, and explain expectations consistently. Governing boards must review attendance and intervention results annually, provide adequate resources, and approve policy changes publicly.
New attendance rules for Utah students
Beginning July 1, 2026, schools measure scheduled programs by attendance and direct teacher interaction, and self-paced programs by academic progress. Self-paced programs must have written rules for continued enrollment, equivalent instructional hours, learning standards, and student support. Missing an assigned class counts as an absence in scheduled programs; failing continued-enrollment measures counts in self-paced programs. Truancy requires no valid excuse and at least half a scheduled instructional day missed, or the self-paced program’s policy threshold. Students cannot be counted truant more than once daily. Chronic absence means missing at least 10% of instructional days after at least 60 calendar days enrolled, counting excused and unexcused absences.
Teen truancy notices and penalties expand
Beginning July 1, 2026, school governing boards can authorize specified staff, school resource officers, or truancy specialists to issue notices. Notices require at least five truancies that school year and cannot go to exempt students, students under 12, or students below grade 7. Students and parents must meet with school authorities and cooperate to restore regular attendance. Schools must provide a process for students or parents to contest notices. The law removes specified bans on issuing or enforcing notices and taking punitive action during the period covered by the administrative-penalty rule; that rule covers truant students age 12 or older in grade 7 or above.
School attendance data checks and funding risks
Beginning July 1, 2026, school agencies must accurately report enrollment, attendance, and membership data and review accuracy annually. The State Board must set standards, audit data, offer technical help, and publish annual attendance and data-quality reports. Agencies failing the standards must submit a corrective plan within 60 days and monthly progress reports. State funding can be withheld until compliance is shown. Corrective plans, monthly reports, and possible withholding do not apply when the only failure involves tracking or reporting excused absences.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Lincoln Fillmore
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Jason E. Thompson
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 3/4/2026
House/ floor amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2026
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 48 • No: 22
Senate vote • 3/4/2026
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
Yes: 26 • No: 0
House vote • 2/9/2026
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 12 • No: 0
House vote • 2/9/2026
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Yes: 12 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/28/2026
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 29 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 26 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/22/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/21/2026
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 3 • No: 1
Senate vote • 1/21/2026
Senate Comm - Amendment Recommendation
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/19/2026Senate/ to Governor
3/11/2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/11/2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/6/2026SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/6/2026Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/6/2026Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/6/2026Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
3/5/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
3/5/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/4/2026HouseSenate/ to House
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
3/4/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ floor amendment
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
3/3/2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
3/3/2026HouseBill Substituted by Sponsor in House Rules Comm
2/24/2026House/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact
2/10/2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
2/10/2026House
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/6/2026
Amended 3/5/2026 16:03:79
3/5/2026
Substitute #5
2/24/2026
Substitute #2
2/9/2026
Substitute #3
2/9/2026
Substitute #4
2/9/2026
Substitute #1
2/4/2026
Amended 1/22/2026 11:01:258
1/22/2026
Introduced
12/29/2025