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House passes bill to expand community access to public school facilities amid liability and scope debate
Summary
The House passed HB332, directing public school buildings and grounds be made available as civic centers for supervised community use; debate centered on charter-school coverage, insurance, local-district discretion and the bill passed 41-31.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah House narrowly approved House Bill 332 on a 41-31 vote, a measure that clarifies public school buildings and grounds “shall be made available” for resident use for supervised recreational activities and meetings.
Sponsor Representative Gregory Hughes said the bill remedies inconsistent local practice by establishing a presumption that school facilities are available to community groups when not used for school functions. Hughes emphasized local school districts would retain authority to adopt rules limiting uses for safety and custodial reasons.
Opponents including Representative Morgan argued the statute as written already allowed public use and warned that changing permissive language to a “shall” creates new obligations and unclear liabilities for districts. Questions on the floor addressed whether charter schools and privately owned charter facilities were covered and whether districts could require insurance or charge fees for custodial and cleanup costs.
Supporters said the bill would help community athletic leagues access underused school fields and facilities in areas with limited public park space. The House passed HB332 41-31 and referred it to the Senate for further consideration.
