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House passes overhaul of Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind code
Summary
The House approved first substitute HB296 to recodify Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind law, add associate superintendents for deaf and blind programs, refine eligibility and reporting requirements, and permit Section 504 accommodations so some students may remain through graduation.
Representative Assumption moved and the House approved an amendment to first substitute House Bill 296 to update language and remove offensive phrasing, then debated the bill’s substantive recodification before passing it 68–0.
Sponsor comments and the bipartisan work group: Representative Assumption described the bill as the product of two years of work to recodify statutes governing the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB), removing outdated language and consolidating decades of scattered code. Representative Selig told the House the measure grew from a ten‑meeting work group and seven public input sessions that included parents, higher‑education institutions, the State Board of Education and representatives of blind, deaf and deaf‑blind communities.
What the bill changes: HB296 clarifies student eligibility, adds definitions for “functional blindness” and “functional hearing loss,” and creates two new associate superintendent positions (one over blind services and one over deaf services). It eliminates a statutory treasurer position (the sponsor said the fiscal note on that change is $0), requires USDB to provide annual reports to the State Board and the Education Interim Committee, and gives the State Board authority to make limited exceptions allowing non‑deaf/non‑blind students to attend USDB where appropriate. The bill also affirms that blind students will be taught in Braille and that services will be coordinated through IEP and Section 504 processes; sponsors said Section 504 language now permits parents who want a child to stay at USDB through graduation to do so.
Vote and next steps: After brief discussion and summation, the House voted to pass first substitute HB296 68 yes, 0 no. The bill was transmitted to the Senate for consideration.
