Utah 2026 General Session Status: To Executive Bipartisan · 1 I · 1 D cosponsors

SB 297 — School Social Worker Amendments

Last action — Senate/ filed

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

This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced February 16, 2026. It awaits signature.

Next likely step: the executive signs it into law or issues a veto.

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

Likely to advance 62% · moderate confidence

  • To Executive

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (1 I · 1 D) — cross-party backing.

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

128 added · 131 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill SB 297 updates the definition of "qualifying personnel" to include a wider range of professionals such as school social workers and nurses, in addition to counselors and psychologists. It also establishes that the State Board of Education must provide guidance that aligns with the requirements set by the Division of Professional Licensing. This change is important because it broadens the support services available to students, potentially improving their access to mental health resources and overall well-being.

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02-23 12:05 1st Sub.
SB0297S01 compared with SB0297 {Omitted text} shows text that was in SB0297 but was omitted in SB0297S01 inserted text shows text that was not in SB0297 but was inserted into SB0297S01 DISCLAIMER:
(Green) S.B.
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297 Emily Buss proposes the following substitute bill:
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Sahara Hayes 3 LONG TITLE General Description:
3 LONG TITLE General Description:
▸ requires the State Board of Education to provide certain guidance based on requirements the Division of Professional Licensing sets;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to {align } provide certain guidance based on requirements {with the Department } the Division of Professional Licensingsets;
AMENDS:
S B AMENDS:
1 t 53F-2-415, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, First Special Session, Chapter 9 S u b Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
2 53F-2-415 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, First Special Session, Chapter 9 9 SB0297 compared with SB0297S01 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
S B 53F-2-415 .
53F-2-415.
Student health and counseling support -- Qualifying personnel -- .
Student health and counseling support -- Qualifying personnel -- Distribution formula -- Rulemaking.
Distribution formula -- Rulemaking.
(1) As used in this section:
2 (1) As used in this section:
(a) "Behavioral health support personnel" means an individual who:
7 (a) "Behavioral health support personnel" means an individual who:
and 1st Sub.
and (B) support students by prompting, redirecting, encouraging, and reinforcing positive behaviors;
(Green) S.B.
297 02-23 12:05 (B) support students by prompting, redirecting, encouraging, and reinforcing positive behaviors;
[(b) "Qualifying personnel" means a school counselor or other counselor, a school psychologist or other psychologist, a school social worker or other social worker, or a school nurse who:] [(i) is licensed;
[(b) {(i)} "Qualifying personnel" means a school counselor or other counselor, a school psychologist or other psychologist, a school social worker or other social worker, or a school nurse who:] [(i){] {(A)} } is licensed;
and] [(ii) collaborates with educators and a student's parent on:] [(A) early identification and intervention of the student's academic and mental health needs;
and] [(ii){] {(B)} } collaborates with educators and a student's parent on:] [(A){] {(I)} } early identification and intervention of the student's academic and mental health needs;
and] [(B) removing barriers to learning and developing skills and behaviors critical for the student's academic achievement.] (b)(i) "Qualifying personnel" means an individual listed in Subsection (1)(b)(ii) who:
and] [(B){] {(II)} } removing barriers to learning and developing skills and behaviors critical for the student's academic achievement.] (ii){(b)} (i) "Qualifying personnel" {includes} means an individual listed in Subsection (1)(b)(ii) who:
(A) is licensed or working under qualified personnel as an intern;
(A) {a social service worker } is licensed or working under {Title 58, Chapter 60, Part 2, Social Worker Licensing Act} qualified personnel as an intern;
and (B) collaborates with educators and a student's parents on:
and (B) {a social service worker intern.} collaborates with educators and a student's parents on:
(I) early identification and intervention of the student's academic and mental health needs;
{(c)} early identification and intervention of the student's academic and mental health needs;
(A) school counselor;
- 2 - SB0297 compared with SB0297S01 (A) school counselor;
- 2 - 02-23 12:05 1st Sub.
(I) marriage and family therapist licensed under Title 58, Chapter 60, Part 3, Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing Act;
(Green) S.B.
297 (I) marriage and family therapist licensed under Title 58, Chapter 60, Part 3, Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing Act;
(2)(a) Subject to legislative appropriations, and in accordance with Subsection (2)(b), the state board shall distribute money appropriated under this section to LEAs to provide targeted school-based mental health support, including clinical services and trauma-informed care, through:
(2) (a) Subject to legislative appropriations, and in accordance with Subsection (2)(b), the state board shall distribute money appropriated under this section to LEAs to provide targeted school-based mental health support, including clinical services and trauma-informed care, through:
(b)(i) The state board shall, after consulting with LEA governing boards, develop a formula to distribute money appropriated under this section to LEAs.
(b) (i) The state board shall, after consulting with LEA governing boards, develop a formula to distribute money appropriated under this section to LEAs.
(3) To qualify for money under this section, an LEA shall submit to the state board a plan that includes:
- 3 - SB0297 compared with SB0297S01 (3) To qualify for money under this section, an LEA shall submit to the state board a plan that includes:
- 3 - 1st Sub.
(4) The state board shall[ ] :
(Green) S.B.
(a) {ensure that the use of funds } provide guidance for {a social service worker under this section aligns with the supervision requirements the Department of Professional Licensing establishes, ensuring no lapse } services in {clinical oversight;
297 02-23 12:05 (4) The state board shall[ ] :
and} schools that:
(a) provide guidance for services in schools that:
(b){(i)} align with scope of practice, supervision, and clinical oversight requirements the Division of Professional Licensing establishes;
(i) align with scope of practice, supervision, and clinical oversight requirements the Division of Professional Licensing establishes;
(a) progress toward achieving the goals submitted under Subsection (3)(a);
- 4 - SB0297 compared with SB0297S01 (a) progress toward achieving the goals submitted under Subsection (3)(a);
(a) 2% of an appropriation under this section for costs related to the administration of - 4 - 02-23 12:05 1st Sub.
(a) 2% of an appropriation under this section for costs related to the administration of the provisions of this section;
Show all 46 changed rows (6 more)
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(Green) S.B.
and (b) $1,500,000 in nonlapsing balances from fiscal year 2022 for the purposes described in this section to provide scholarships for up to four years to certain LEA employees, as defined by the state board, for education and training to become a school social worker, a school psychologist, or other school- based mental health worker.
297 the provisions of this section;
and (b) $1,500,000 in nonlapsing balances from fiscal year 2022 for the purposes described in this section to provide scholarships for up to four years to certain LEA employees, as defined by the state board, for education and training to become a school social worker, a school psychologist, or other school-based mental health worker.
(b)(i) youth suicide prevention programs described in Section 53G-9-702 ;
(b) (i) youth suicide prevention programs described in Section 53G-9-702 ;
Effective date.
- 5 -
2-19-26 4:12 PM - 5 -
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Amendments

1 amendment

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Action History

  1. Senate/ filed

  2. Senate/ received from House

  3. House/ to Senate

  4. House/ strike enacting clause

  5. House/ comm rpt/ sent to Rules [House Rules Committee]

  6. House Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  7. House Comm - Held [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  8. House Comm - Not Considered [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  9. House/ to standing committee [House Business, Labor, and Commerce Committee]

  10. House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  11. House/ received from Senate

  12. Senate/ to House

  13. Senate/ passed 3rd reading

  14. Senate/ 3rd reading

  15. Senate/ passed 2nd reading

  16. Senate/ uncircled

  17. Senate/ circled

  18. Senate/ 2nd reading

  19. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0297S01

  20. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0297S01

  21. Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar

  22. Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted [Senate Education Committee]

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

  24. Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation [Senate Education Committee]

  25. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0297S01

  26. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0297S01

  27. Senate/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst

  28. LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0297

  29. LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0297

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

  31. Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

  32. Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research

  33. LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0297

  34. LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0297

  35. Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed

  36. 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.

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"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
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 297?
SB 297 is sponsored by Sahara Hayes (Democrat) and Emily Buss (F).
What is the current status of SB 297?
This bill has been sent to the executive. Introduced February 16, 2026. It awaits signature.
Where can I track SB 297?
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