House passes health-education bill emphasizing abstinence and parental involvement, sends HB 363 to Senate

The Utah House on Feb. 22 passed House Bill 363, a package of health‑education amendments that reworks how human sexuality instruction is defined and delivered. The bill drew extensive floor debate, multiple amendments and close attention to wording about "instruction" versus "advocacy," whether to label materials "abstinence only" or "abstinence‑centered," and how much local school districts and parents should control curriculum.

Representative Wright, the bill sponsor, said the measure clarifies that state-developed curriculum should emphasize abstinence and that local districts could adopt state materials or craft their own abstinence‑focused content. Representative Ivory moved Amendment #1 to tighten language around advocacy and instruction; that amendment passed after floor debate. Representative Menlove successfully added Amendment #3 to require parent engagement in curriculum development and a parent‑training component.

Opponents argued the bill could restrict teachers’ ability to respond to students’ questions about contraception and sexually transmitted infections; supporters said the changes provide necessary safeguards and local control. Representative Moss proposed changing the bill language from "abstinence only" to "abstinence-centered" to allow factual discussion of contraceptives without advocacy; that proposal failed. Representative Wright warned that allowing broader language would let the line drift over time and urged a clear standard.

After a motion for the previous question and final summations, the House passed HB 363 as amended by a 45–28 vote. The bill, which changes statutory language and processes for local adoption and parent involvement, will be transmitted to the Senate.