Utah 2026 General Session Status: Enacted 2 R cosponsors

HB 145 — School Excused Absence Amendments

Last action — Governor Signed

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 05, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Spencer Cox (Republican) on March 19, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 54% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

65 added · 79 removed

Plain-language change summary

The bill has shifted focus from discussing extracurricular activities to specifying definitions related to school absences. Now, it clarifies what counts as a valid excuse for being absent from school, particularly noting that participation in certain clubs can be a valid reason, provided the student maintains a grade point average of at least 2.0. This change matters because it highlights the importance of balancing academic performance with extracurricular involvement, ensuring that students who engage in activities like mountain biking or shooting sports won’t be penalized for their absences as long as they keep their grades up.

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HB0145S01 compared with HB0145 {Omitted text} shows text that was in HB0145 but was omitted in HB0145S01 inserted text shows text that was not in HB0145 but was inserted into HB0145S01 DISCLAIMER:
Enrolled Copy H.B.
This document is provided to assist you in your comparison of the two bills.
145 School Excused Absence Amendments GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor:
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Therefore, you need to read the actual bills.
This automatically generated document could contain inaccuracies caused by:
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bad input data;
or other causes.
{Extracurricular Activity } School Excused Absence Amendments GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor:
Albrecht Senate Sponsor:Michael K.
Albrecht Senate Sponsor:
Michael K.
This bill amends a definition related to {extracurricular activities in a public } a student being excused from school.
This bill amends a definition related to a student being excused from school.
▸ amends {the } a definition {of "valid excuse" } related to {include certain clubs} a student being excused from school;
▸ amends a definition related to a student being excused from school;
H Utah Code Sections Affected:
Utah Code Sections Affected:
B AMENDS:
AMENDS:
1 53G-6-201 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 34 4 HB0145 compared with HB0145S01 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
53G-6-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
53G-6-201.
53G-6-201 .
(1) (a) "Absence" or "absent" means the failure of a school-age child assigned to a class or class period to attend a class or class period.
(1)(a) "Absence" or "absent" means the failure of a school-age child assigned to a class or class period to attend a class or class period.
(3) (a) "Home-based microschool" means an individual or association of individuals that:
(3)(a) "Home-based microschool" means an individual or association of individuals that:
and (ii) for compensation, provides kindergarten through grade 12 education services to 16 or fewer students from an individual's residential dwelling, accessory dwelling unit, or residential property.
and H.B.
145 Enrolled Copy (ii) for compensation, provides kindergarten through grade 12 education services to 16 or fewer students from an individual's residential dwelling, accessory dwelling unit, or residential property.
(5) (a) "Micro-education entity" means a person or association of persons that:
(5)(a) "Micro-education entity" means a person or association of persons that:
- 2 - HB0145 compared with HB0145S01 (7) "Parent" includes:
(7) "Parent" includes:
(11) (a) "Truant" means a condition in which a school-age child, without a valid excuse, and subject to Subsection (11)(b), is absent for at least:
(11)(a) "Truant" means a condition in which a school-age child, without a valid excuse, and subject to Subsection (11)(b), is absent for at least:
or (ii) if the school-age child is enrolled in a learner verified program, as that term is defined by the state board, the relevant amount of time under the LEA's policy regarding the LEA's continuing enrollment measure as it relates to truancy.
or (ii) if the school-age child is enrolled in a learner verified program, as that term is - 2 - Enrolled Copy H.B.
145 defined by the state board, the relevant amount of time under the LEA's policy regarding the LEA's continuing enrollment measure as it relates to truancy.
(13) (a) "Valid excuse" means:
(13)(a) "Valid excuse" means:
- 3 - HB0145 compared with HB0145S01 (iv) an approved school activity;
(iv) an approved school activity;
(vii) {if } any reason a parent provides to justify a {school-age child } student's absence if the student maintains a {2.0 } cumulative grade point average{, } of at least 2.0, including an event related to participation in the following clubs:
(vii) any reason a parent provides to justify a student's absence if the student maintains a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, including an event related to participation in the following clubs:
or (C) a youth development program Utah State University administers, which provides educational experiences in areas including agriculture, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, civic engagement, leadership, and healthy living through hands-on learning, mentoring, and community- based clubs or activities;
or (C) a youth development program Utah State University administers, which provides educational experiences in areas including agriculture, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, civic engagement, leadership, and healthy living through hands-on learning, mentoring, and community-based clubs or activities;
(b) "Valid excuse" does not mean a parent acknowledgment of an absence for a reason other than a reason described in [Subsections (13)(a)(i) through (vii)] Subsections (13)(a)(i) through (viii), unless specifically permitted by the local school board, charter school governing board, or school district under [Subsection (13)(a)(viii)] Subsection (13)(a)(ix).
(b) "Valid excuse" does not mean a parent acknowledgment of an absence for a reason other than a reason described in [Subsections (13)(a)(i) through (vii)] Subsections - 3 - H.B.
145 Enrolled Copy (13)(a)(i) through (viii), unless specifically permitted by the local school board, charter school governing board, or school district under [Subsection (13)(a)(viii)] Subsection (13)(a)(ix).
Effective date.
2-9-26 3:49 PM - 4 -
- 4 -
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Action History

  1. Governor Signed

  2. House/ to Governor

  3. House/ received enrolled bill from Printing

  4. House/ enrolled bill to Printing

  5. Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate

  6. Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared

  7. Bill Received from House for Enrolling

  8. House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling

  9. House/ received from Senate

  10. Senate/ to House

  11. Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House

  12. Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension

  13. Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension

  14. Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar

  15. Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]

  16. Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar

  17. Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Education Committee]

  18. Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Education Committee]

  19. Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Education Committee]

  20. Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  21. Senate/ received from House

  22. House/ to Senate

  23. House/ passed 3rd reading

  24. House/ 3rd reading

  25. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0145S01

  26. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0145S01

  27. House/ 2nd reading

  28. House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Education Committee]

  29. House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Education Committee]

  30. House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Education Committee]

  31. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0145S01

  32. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0145S01

  33. House/ to standing committee [House Education Committee]

  34. House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  35. House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst

  36. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0145

  37. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0145

  38. House/ received bill from Legislative Research

  39. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0145

  40. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0145

  41. Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

  42. Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 102 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (102)

102 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 102 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 145?
HB 145 is sponsored by Michael K. McKell (Republican) and Carl R. Albrecht (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 145?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 05, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 145?
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