House amends and passes bill to strengthen K‑12 vendor data protections
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Summary
Lawmakers amended HB55 on the floor to remove a fiscal note and then passed it 70-0; sponsor cited an audit that found over half of education vendors were sharing student information with third parties and said the bill lets LEAs cancel contracts within 30 days if vendors fail to remedy breaches.
The Utah House on Feb. 2 adopted an amendment to HB55 designed to eliminate a fiscal note and then passed the bill 70-0. Sponsor Rep. Auxier said an education committee audit found that more than 50% of technology vendors on school computers were sharing student information with third parties and that the bill gives local education agencies (LEAs) authority to cancel contracts within 30 days when a vendor cannot fix a detected breach, without cancellation fees.
Rep. Neil Walter and other supporters described the measure as an important protection for students and their private data. The amendment was described as the result of coordination with the Utah State Board of Education to remove the fiscal note; the sponsor asked colleagues for support and the House adopted the amendment and the bill.
Next steps: HB55 will be sent to the Senate for consideration.