House approves bill to let school districts notify peers before disposing of textbooks

The Utah House on Jan. 28 approved House Bill 91, a measure that would require school districts to notify other districts prior to disposing of textbooks so districts with needs can claim usable books. Representative Martin R. Stevens, the sponsor, presented committee amendments to conform the bill to prior changes and added language authorizing the State Office of Education to adopt rules to implement the notice procedure.

Stevens said the bill aims to conserve state resources by giving districts an opportunity to reuse books that would otherwise be discarded or sent to landfills. He described the measure as a first step and said that practices across districts are not uniform—some donate usable books to charities, others dispose of them in landfills, and some offer them for sale.

Representative Lewis raised concerns that the bill may be too narrow and suggested the state consider a voluntary, more comprehensive program or use appropriations tools to incentivize better disposal practices. Supporters, including Representative Osterler and other educators, said the bill would save money and that the state office’s rulemaking authority could provide a framework for coordination. Stevens agreed the state office could study the issue more broadly but argued that local districts retain disposal authority and that HB 91 offers a practical first step.

After discussion and amendment, the House passed HB91 as amended by a vote of 64 yeas to 4 nays and forwarded it to the Senate for further consideration.