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House approves law letting parents use power of attorney for school decisions
Summary
The Utah House passed Substitute House Bill 178 to allow parents who leave the state to delegate schooling authority through a notarized power of attorney instead of seeking judicial guardianship; the measure passed unanimously and will go to the Senate.
Representative Stratton presented Substitute House Bill 178 on the House floor on Feb. 9, saying the bill responds to constituent concerns and clarifies longstanding confusion in code about delegation of schooling authority when parents leave the state. "What this bill simply does is it allows that to be accomplished through a power of attorney," Stratton said, adding that a notarized delegation would be accepted by a local school and include checks to protect school operations.
A colleague who spoke in support described the change as practical and less costly than obtaining judicial guardianship for students whose parents are temporarily out of state. "Requiring a full blown guardianship is often costly and time consuming. This is much more direct, much more efficient to use a power of attorney," the supporter said.
The House opened and closed debate quickly and approved the bill on third reading by a vote of 61–0. The measure will be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration.
The bill’s sponsor said the measure includes provisions for notarization and allows local school boards to consider impacts, aiming to balance parental delegation with school safeguards. No amendments or changes to the bill were recorded on the floor.
