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Senate removes criminal-record ban for Regents scholarships, advances SB162
Summary
SB162 would remove a statutory prohibition that prevented people with criminal records from receiving Regents scholarships. Sponsors argued the change supports rehabilitation and reentry; the Senate voted to advance the bill with unanimous recorded support in the chamber at that vote.
The Utah Senate advanced Senate Bill 162, which would remove language that disqualifies applicants with a criminal record from receiving Regents scholarships. Sponsor Sen. Wyler said the change is modest and intended to give returning citizens opportunities for education: "…we're gonna want them to have an opportunity to hit the reset button and start their life," Wyler said.
Wyler told colleagues that the Regents practice already treats juvenile records differently (expunged juvenile convictions may not count) and that adult applicants historically had been excluded by explicit statute language. Senators asked about how many applicants had been excluded under the current statute; Wyler reported scholarship administrators had noted essentially zero adult applicants because the statute explicitly barred them.
Supporters framed the bill as a reentry and workforce-development tool; Sen. Milner said Utah is one of few states that still bars people with felony convictions from tapping state financial aid and urged removing barriers to education. The measure was moved to third reading and, at the roll call reported on the floor, received 27 'yay' votes, 0 'nay', and 2 absent.
