Senate passes House Bill 5,011 to prioritize restoring WPU funding contingent on constitutional amendment

The Utah Senate on special session passed House Bill 5,011, a measure that would add a fourth element to the state’s public education funding framework to prioritize restoring previously promised weighted pupil unit (WPU) funding if a constitutional amendment is approved and revenues recover. Senator Milner, the sponsor, described the bill as adding a mechanism to “take after we do those 3 things, we will take 10% of the additional education revenue increase that’s available, and we will put that to trying to restore the full amount of the 6 WPU that we committed at the end of the 2020 general session.”

Supporters told the Senate they had consulted key education stakeholders. Senator Milner said sponsors had been “in communication with the State Board of Education, also the local school boards association leadership… as well as the leadership of the UEA,” and that stakeholders generally supported the bill while some salary questions remained.

Several senators pressed on timing and process. Senator Ringby said she would vote for the bill and noted backing from the Utah Education Association, but criticized the last‑minute timing and limited public notice: “This did not get stakeholder input… I do not support this process,” she said, urging that education bills be brought earlier in the session so educators and families can engage. Senators and the sponsor acknowledged the timing reflected the special session schedule and that implementation is contingent on both a constitutional amendment and future revenue availability.

The Senate called the question under suspension of the rules and the clerk reported the vote as recorded in the transcript: 28 yes, 0 no, 1 absent. The president said the bill had passed and would be signed and returned to the House for the speaker’s signature. The measure does not take effect until any referenced constitutional amendment and any implementing steps occur.