Educator Organization Amendments

10
36-36-101
36-36-102
36-36-103
63I-1-236
0
Educator Organization Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Logan J. Monson
Senate Sponsor: Heidi Balderree
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Legislative Education Support and Professional Development
Commission.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
defines terms;
creates the Legislative Education Support and Professional Development Commission
(commission);
outlines the commission's membership;
establishes the commission's duties;
requires the commission to submit a report with recommendations;
provides for staffing and administrative support; and
establishes a repeal date for the commission.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-1-236
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapters 320, 506 and 507
ENACTS:
36-36-101
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36-36-102
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36-36-103
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
36-36-101
is enacted to read:
36. Legislative Education Support and Professional Development
Commission
36-36-101
. Definitions.
(1)
"Commission" means the Legislative Education Support and Professional Development
Commission.
(2)
"LEA" means the same as that term is defined in Section
53E-1-102
.
Section 2. Section
36-36-102
is enacted to read:
36-36-102
. Legislative Education Support and Professional Development
Commission created -- Membership -- Terms.
(1)
There is created the Legislative Education Support and Professional Development
Commission to:
(a)
study gaps in communication, coordination, and support among the state board, the
Legislature, LEAs, and individual educators;
(b)
evaluate professional development and support services available to educators
outside of existing membership-based organizations;
(c)
assess opportunities for innovation in educator recognition, professional
advancement, and accountability; and
(d)
make recommendations to the Education Interim Committee regarding legislative
solutions to address the issues described in
Subsections
(1)(a)
through
(
c
)
.
(2)
The commission membership shall include:
(a)
three members of the Senate, whom the president of the Senate appoints, with at least
one from each political party;
(b)
three members of the House of Representatives, whom the speaker of the House of
Representatives appoints, with at least one from each political party;
(c)
the state superintendent or the state superintendent's designee;
(d)
one member of the State Board of Education, whom the chair of the State Board of
Education appoints;
(e)
one member who is a superintendent of a school district, whom the Utah School
Superintendents Association appoints;
(f)
one member who is a director of a charter school, whom the

c
hair of the State Board
of Education
appoints;
(g)
two members who are currently employed as teachers in the state, whom the
president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives jointly
appoint;
(h)
one member who is a member of a local school board, whom the Utah School
Boards Association appoints;
(i)
the director of the Division of Risk Management or the director's designee; and
(j)
one member with expertise in educator professional development or educator
professional organizations, whom the president of the Senate and the speaker of the
House of Representatives jointly appoint.
(3)
The president of the Senate shall designate one member of the Senate appointed under
Subsection
(2)(a)
to serve as a cochair of the commission.
(4)
The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate one member of the House
of Representatives appointed under Subsection
(2)(b)
to serve as a cochair of the
commission.
(5)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection
(5)(b)
, a member of the commission described
in Subsection
(2)
shall serve a term that ends on the commission's repeal date
described in Section
63I-1-236
.
(b)
When a vacancy occurs in the commission membership for any reason, the
appointing authority for the vacant position shall appoint a replacement for the
unexpired term within 30 days after the day on which the vacancy occurs.
(6)
The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support to
the commission.
Section 3. Section
36-36-103
is enacted to read:
36-36-103
. Duties and powers of commission -- Quorum -- Compensation.
(1)
The commission shall:
(a)
hold the commission's first meeting before October 1, 2026;
(b)
study the issues described in Subsections
36-36-102(1)(a)
through (d);
(c)
examine gaps in communication, coordination, and support among the state board,
the Legislature, LEAs, and individual educators, including:
(i)
current mechanisms for educators to communicate concerns, ideas, and feedback
to:
(A)
the State Board of Education;
(B)
the state superintendent;
(C)
legislative committees; and
(D)
local school boards and LEA administration;
(ii)
barriers that prevent effective communication between the entities described in
Subsection
(1)(c)(i)
;
(iii)
the frequency and effectiveness of current communication channels;
(iv)
whether educators feel adequately represented in education policy decisions at
the state and local level; and
(v)
best practices from other states for facilitating educator input in policy
development;
(d)
examine professional development and support services available to educators,
including:
(i)
current professional development opportunities provided by:
(A)
the state board;
(B)
LEAs;
(C)
institutions of higher education;
(D)
professional organizations; and
(E)
private providers;
(ii)
gaps in professional development services, particularly for educators who are not
members of professional organizations;
(iii)
teacher leadership and advancement opportunities outside of administrative
positions;
(iv)
mentorship and peer support programs for early-career and experienced
educators;
(v)
innovative professional development models from other states or sectors; and
(vi)
potential state-supported professional development programs or networks;
(e)
examine educator recognition, accountability, and innovation, including:
(i)
current programs that recognize and reward effective teaching and innovative
classroom practices;
(ii)
gaps in recognition and incentive systems for educators;
(iii)
measures of teacher effectiveness beyond student test scores;
(iv)
opportunities to promote innovation and experimentation in instructional
methods;
(v)
accountability mechanisms that focus on student growth and professional
excellence; and
(vi)
potential state-supported programs for educator recognition or grants for
classroom innovation;
(f)
consult with:
(i)
the State Board of Education;
(ii)
representatives of LEAs;
(iii)
teachers who are members of professional organizations and teachers who are
not members of professional organizations;
(iv)
representatives of educator professional development organizations
;

a
n
d
(v)
other stakeholders the commission cochairs determine are relevant to the
commission's work;
(g)
identify potential state resources, programs, or agencies that could provide or
coordinate services to support educators;
(h)
identify statutory or regulatory changes needed to implement the commission's
recommendations; and
(i)
before November 1, 2027, submit a written report to the Education Interim
Committee that includes:
(i)
the commission's findings;
(ii)
recommendations for legislative action; and
(iii)
any proposed legislation the commission develops.
(2)
The commission may:
(a)
meet as often as the commission cochairs determine is necessary to fulfill the
commission's duties;
(b)
establish subcommittees to study specific issues related to the commission's duties
;
and
(c)
request information, data, or assistance from:
(i)
the State Board of Education;
(ii)
the state superintendent;
(iii)
LEAs;
(iv)
the Division of Risk Management;
(v)
the Utah Education and Telehealth Network; and
(vi)
other state agencies or entities the commission determines are relevant.
(3)
(a)
A majority of the members of the commission constitutes a quorum.
(b)
The commission shall take an action by majority vote of a quorum of the
commission.
(4)
(a)
A member of the commission who is a legislator shall receive compensation and
expenses in accordance with Section
36-2-2
and Legislative Joint Rules, Title 5,
Legislative Compensation and Expenses.
(b)
A member of the commission who is not a legislator and who is an employee of the
state may not receive compensation in addition to the member's regular state
compensation for the member's service on the commission.
(c)
A member of the commission who is not a legislator and who is not an employee of
the state may receive:
(i)
per diem compensation at the rate established by the Division of Finance under
Section
63A-3-107
for each day the member attends a meeting of the commission;
and
(ii)
reimbursement for travel expenses incurred in attending a meeting of the
commission at the rates established by the Division of Finance under Section
63A-3-107
and rules made by the Division of Finance under Sections
63A-3-106

and
63A-3-107
.
Section 4. Section
63I-1-236
is amended to read:
63I-1-236
. Repeal dates: Title 36.
(1)
Title 36, Chapter 17, Legislative Process Committee, is repealed January 1, 2028.
(2)
Section
36-29-111
, Public Safety Data Management Task Force, is repealed July 1,
2029.
(3)
Title 36, Chapter 28, Veterans and Military Affairs Commission, is repealed January 1,
2030.
(4)
Section
36-29-112
, Justice Court Reform Task Force, is repealed July 1, 2025.
(5)
Title 36, Chapter 36, Legislative Education Support and Professional Development
Commission, is repealed March 15, 2028.
Section 5.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
2-9-26 12:46 PM