Utah
Utah lawmakers OK bill requiring parental permission for ‘non-academic’ school surveys
The Utah Legislature has passed a bill to require schools to get parental consent before giving students any “non-academic” surveys. It also allows school districts to opt out of administering a statewide student health and risk prevention survey without risking funding.
There are concerns, however, from groups that use the data, including local health departments and those who work in prevention programming.
Among other things, the bill targets surveys that ask about a student’s or their family’s mental or psychological problems, sexual behavior, gender identity, political affiliations and illegal behavior. While some of these surveys did previously require parental consent, like the Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention survey, others were “opt-out” – meaning schools would give the survey to all students unless a parent said otherwise.
Republican Rep. Karianne Lisonbee told the House Education Committee she created this bill because of concerns she heard from parents and teachers who said the surveys were taking up valuable instruction time.
Lisonbee did not respond to KUER’s request for comment.
Her bill requires that schools obtain written consent annually from parents in order to give out these kinds of surveys. It also adds that schools can’t reward or give students consequences for participating or not.
Parents and parents-rights advocates who testified in support of the bill brought up privacy concerns and said some parents weren’t aware of what was in these surveys. Some also claimed they were not age-appropriate and that by asking about drugs or alcohol, the surveys were putting ideas into students’ heads.
Some parents specifically mentioned concerns with the Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention survey which is given to students in grades six, eight, 10 and 12. It asks about substance use, social and emotional health, and physical safety. Previously, school districts had to administer this survey to get grant funds for drug prevention programs, but Lisonbee’s bill has done away with that provision.
Carolyn Sharette, the executive director of American Preparatory Academy charter schools, testified in support of the bill. She said this bill respects that parents have the “primary role” in their children’s lives.
Sharette said American Preparatory Academy is against surveying minor children and that they requested a waiver last year so that they wouldn’t have to administer an anonymous, optional School Climate Survey to their students. Under the bill, schools no longer have to administer the model climate survey that the Utah State Board of Education created.
There have been similar efforts in other states to require parental permission on all surveys, rather than only allowing parents to “opt-out.”
This is one of the bills the Utah Association of Local Health Departments has listed as being concerned about.
Mara Hammer with Layton Communities that Care — a coalition of groups under the direction of the Davis County Health Department — told the House Education Committee the survey data is vital to their work. The organization’s website says it focuses on preventing substance use and improving mental health for youth.
Hammer said they use the data to run “evidence-based programs” and to know the best preventive measures to focus on.
“Without evidence, how can you run an evidence-based program?” she said.
Democratic Rep. Angela Romero echoed those concerns during the committee meeting. She said this data is important to her because she works with youth and prevention programming in Salt Lake City. “We need to know what’s going on in our community,” she said, in order to provide effective services.
The Utah Education Association and the Utah State Board of Education did not take a stance on the bill. The Joint Legislative Committee run by the Utah School Board Association and Utah School Superintendents Association opposed it because they think districts should get to decide whether surveys should be opt-in or opt-out.
The bill needs the signature of Gov. Spencer Cox to become law.
UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
PROVO — An organization that has been a beacon of hope for Utah children and families just got a big upgrade in Provo.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newest facility, marking the start of a new chapter in providing support for those who need it the most.
The new Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, 131 N. Olympic Blvd., replaces the organization’s former Provo clubhouse, which had been in operation for more than 50 years. Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County leaders said they had outgrown the aging facility and needed a larger, more modern space to support more community members.
“This new clubhouse is more than a building — it’s a central place where we can coordinate programs, support our staff, and amplify our impact across the region,” said David Bayles, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County, in a statement.
The organization’s mission was something the late former Utah County Commissioner Tom Sakievich was passionate about. His wife Marji and daughter Emily Sakievich attended Friday’s grand opening ceremony just as if he would’ve wanted to.
“He loved this project, and it meant the world to him,” Emily Sakievich told KSL. “This was actually one of the last places he went before he passed. (He) and my mom stopped by to just see how progress was going; he would be so excited to see this come together.”
The former commissioner died last December at the age of 72. Tom Sakievich resigned from the seat in September 2024 after being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer.
Emily Sakievich said her father was a big supporter of helping children in the Boys & Girls Clubs feel supported while he was in office.
“He would have all of them come to his office and talk about how government works and how they can be a part of it someday,” she said.
The new 20,000 square-foot facility expands on resources and programs offered at its previous site for community youth and families experiencing hardships.
The clubhouse will provide safe, engaging, and educational programs in a modernized building fit to serve more than 14,000 Utah children and teens.
A variety of programs including after-school, summer activities and STEM learning will be offered at the new facility. Other resources include internet safety programs, mental health support, nutrition initiatives, and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness.
“We’ve been able to increase the capacity so much and add preschool and other things; we can even benefit more families — and we can benefit them for a longer period of time, from younger to older, where there are no gaps.” Provo City Council Chair Katrice MacKay told KSL. “So I’m really excited. It’s a fantastic thing for the city and for our residents.”
Leaders of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County say the new $6 million Provo clubhouse was designed as a welcoming space where children and teens can explore new interests, build life skills, and receive mentorship from caring staff.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs have been a cornerstone of youth development in Utah County for decades,” said Janet Frank, board president, in a statement “This new clubhouse strengthens that mission, allowing the organization to extend its reach and impact across the entire region.”
Friday’s event took place while children who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs were in school, so another ceremony for kids and their families is planned for the end of the month.
“The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there,” Bayles said. “We want to accomplish what every parent wants for their kids — we want them to have a safe place to learn and grow, to be successful in school, to build social skills and to go on and be great members of society.”
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
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