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House passes bill defining noncustodial parents’ access to student records
Summary
The House approved HB 393 to codify state guidance on noncustodial parents’ access to children’s educational information, clarifying interaction with federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA); the measure passed unanimously and goes to the Senate.
The Utah House of Representatives on Feb. 24 passed House Bill 393, a measure that defines noncustodial parents’ access to a child’s educational information under state law.
Representative Chad Benyon, sponsor of the consent-calendar item, said HB 393 fills a gap between federal and state rules by making clear how schools should handle requests from noncustodial parents. “This bill just clearly states that so that there will be no question and fairly simple and straightforward,” Benyon said during the floor explanation.
Supporters noted that federal FERPA rules provide some guidance but that the lack of a clear state statute has created uncertainty for school districts. The House recorded 62 yes votes and 0 no votes on final passage; the bill will be referred to the Senate for further action.
The legislation was presented and passed on the consent calendar; Representative Benyon asked for the body’s support and voting was conducted without extended debate. No formal amendments were recorded on the floor.
The next step is Senate consideration. If enacted, HB 393 would provide static statutory language for local education agencies to apply when handling noncustodial-parent requests for student educational records.
