School Board Meeting Notification Requirements

4
53E-3-203
53G-4-202
0
School Board Meeting Notification Requirements
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Todd Weiler
House Sponsor:
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to state and local school board meetings.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
requires the State Board of Education to publish an agenda before holding certain
meetings;
requires local school boards to publish an agenda before holding a public meeting; and
makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53E-3-203
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
53G-4-202
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 293
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
53E-3-203
is amended to read:
53E-3-203
. State board meetings -- Quorum requirements.
(1)
The state board shall

:
(a)
meet at the call of the
chairman
chair
and at least 11 times each year
.
; and
(b)
at least 72 hours before holding the meeting required under Subsection
(1)(a)
,
publish an agenda for the meeting on the state board's website.
(2)
A majority of all members is required to validate an act of the state board.
Section 2. Section
53G-4-202
is amended to read:
53G-4-202
. Local school board meetings -- Rules of order and procedure --
Location requirements -- Expulsion of members prohibited -- Exceptions.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Disaster" means an event that:
(i)
causes, or threatens to cause, loss of life, human suffering, public or private
property damage, or economic or social disruption resulting from attack, internal
disturbance, natural phenomenon, or technological hazard; and
(ii)
requires resources that are beyond the scope of local agencies in routine responses
to emergencies and accidents and may be of a magnitude or involve unusual
circumstances that require a response by a governmental, not-for-profit, or private
entity.
(b)
"Local emergency" means a condition in any municipality or county of the state that
requires that emergency assistance be provided by the affected municipality or
county or another political subdivision to save lives and protect property within its
jurisdiction in response to a disaster or to avoid or reduce the threat of a disaster.
(c)
"Rules of order and procedure" means a set of policies that governs and prescribes in
a public meeting:
(i)
parliamentary order and procedure;
(ii)
ethical behavior; and
(iii)
civil discourse.
(2)
Subject to Subsection
(4)
, a local school board shall:
(a)
adopt rules of order and procedure to govern a public meeting of the local school
board;
(b)
conduct a public meeting in accordance with the rules of order and procedure
described in Subsection
(2)(a)
;
(c)
at least 72 hours before holding a public meeting, publish an agenda for the meeting
on the local school board's website;
and
(c)
(d)
make the rules of order and procedure described in Subsection
(2)(a)
available to
the public:
(i)
at each public meeting of the local school board; and
(ii)
on the local school board's public website, if available.
(3)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsections
(3)(b)
and
(c)
, a local school board may not
hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary of the local school board's
school district.
(b)
A local school board may hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary
of the local school board's school district if it is necessary for the local school board
to hold a meeting during a disaster or local emergency.
(c)
A local school board may hold a public meeting outside of the geographic boundary
of the local school board's school district to conduct a site visit if:
(i)
the location of the site visit provides the local school board members the
opportunity to see or experience an activity that:
(A)
relates to the local school board's responsibilities; and
(B)
does not exist within the geographic boundaries of the local school board's
school district; and
(ii)
the local school board does not vote or take other action during the public
meeting held at the site visit location.
(d)
This Subsection
(3)
does not apply to a charter school governing board.
(4)
The requirements of this section do not affect a local school board's duty to comply with
Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act
.
(5)
(a)
Except as provided in Subsection
(5)(b)
, a local school board may not expel a
member of the local school board from an open public meeting or prohibit the
member from attending an open public meeting.
(b)
Except as provided in Subsection
(5)(c)
, following a two-thirds vote of the members
of the local school board, the local school board may fine or expel a member of the
local school board for:
(i)
disorderly conduct at the open public meeting;
(ii)
a member's direct or indirect financial conflict of interest regarding an issue
discussed at or action proposed to be taken at the open public meeting; or
(iii)
a commission of a crime during the open public meeting.
(c)
A local school board may adopt policies or ordinances that expand the reasons or
establish more restrictive procedures for the expulsion of a member from a public
meeting.
Section 3.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
2-6-26 1:16 PM