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Senate passes school‑fees bill to guarantee core courses without fees; exceptions, waivers remain in place
Summary
The Senate approved a first‑substitute of House Bill 344 to ensure students can complete a high‑school diploma without paying fees for core classes while allowing optional fees for extracurriculars and requiring more transparency.
The Utah Senate passed First Substitute House Bill 344, School Fees Amendments, with supporters saying the bill preserves a pathway to a diploma without school fees and opponents expressing concern about local budget impacts.
Senator Milner, sponsor of the Senate‑side motion, told colleagues the bill “is to have a pathway for students to be able to complete high school and graduate without having to pay school fees,” and that it protects core academic areas including English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and health education. Milner said the measure still allows fees for certain noncore items such as optional field trips, instructional equipment tied to elective courses and discretionary extracurriculars like marching band or travel, and requires schools to disclose any fees to families at registration.
Senator Kwan asked whether students would be excluded from extracurricular activities if fees were unpaid; Milner replied that existing fee‑waiver policies for students who qualify for free or reduced‑price lunch would continue, and that the Legislature provided a one‑time appropriation last year to help schools adjust to the new fee structure.
The sponsor clarified the bill does not cover fees for AP exam fees and similar externally administered tests; those costs remain the responsibility of families unless other aid is available. Milner said the bill was delayed a year previously to allow schools time to adapt and that the substitute includes transparency measures so families can see fees at registration.
The bill passed on a roll call of 23 yeas, 0 nays, 6 absent and will be returned to the House for further consideration.
Supporters framed the measure as protecting equitable access to graduation requirements while allowing communities to continue optional activities supported by parent contributions and fundraising. Questions from senators focused on local fiscal impacts and how waivers and one‑time state funding adopted last year have been used by districts.
Implementation details and any ongoing state funding needs would be determined by subsequent appropriations and local budget decisions.
