SB 56

03-03 09:00  S.B. 56
1Citizenship Education Amendments
  2026 GENERAL SESSION
  STATE OF UTAH
  Chief Sponsor: Kathleen A. Riebe
  House Sponsor:
2
3    LONG TITLE
4    General Description:
5This bill Ŝ→ [requires] allows ←Ŝ schools to provide legal awareness information to
 5a     10th grade students.
6    Highlighted Provisions:
7This bill:
8▸ Ŝ→ [requires] allows a [schools] school ←Ŝ to provide legal
 8a     awareness information to 10th grade students;
9▸ allows flexibility in how schools deliver the information; and
10▸ Ŝ→ if provided, ←Ŝ requires a local education agency to maintain a current and accurate
10a     list of information.
11    Money Appropriated in this Bill:
12None
13    Other Special Clauses:
14None
15    Utah Code Sections Affected:
16    ENACTS:
1753E-4-208, Utah Code Annotated 1953
18
19    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
20Section 1. Section 53E-4-208 is enacted to read:
2153E-4-208 . Legal awareness education for students.
  S.B. 56
22    (1) As used in this section, "legal awareness information" means information regarding
23legal rights, responsibilities, and obligations that apply to individuals upon reaching the
24age of majority.
25    (2) Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, an LEA Ŝ→ [shall] may ←Ŝ Ŝ→ [ensure
25a  that] provide ←Ŝ each student in grade
2610 Ŝ→ [receives] ←Ŝ legal awareness information that includes:
 S.B. 56  03-03 09:00
27      (a) voting rights and voter registration requirements;
28      (b) jury duty obligations and processes;
29      (c) military selective service registration requirements;
30      (d) the right to enter into contracts and legal consequences of contracts;
31      (e) the right to legal representation in court proceedings;
32      (f) medical decision-making authority and healthcare consent;
33      (g) credit and debt obligations, including student loans;
34      (h) tax filing requirements and obligations;
35      (i) employment rights and workplace protections under federal and state law;
36      (j) the adult criminal justice system and potential consequences of criminal violations,
37including criminal laws that will and do apply once entering certain age ranges;
38      (k) civil liability and personal responsibility for actions;
39      (l) individual rights during interactions with law enforcement;
40      (m) educational privacy rights under federal law;
41      (n) the right to access personal academic records; and
42      (o) employment discrimination protections.
43  (3) An LEA may provide the legal awareness information required under Subsection (2)
44      through:
45      (a) incorporation into existing coursework;
46      (b) dedicated presentations or assemblies;
47      (c) written materials or digital resources; or
48      (d) any combination of methods described in Subsections (3)(a) through (c), as the local
49governing board determines appropriate.
50  (4) Ŝ→ [An] If an ←Ŝ LEA Ŝ→ [shall ensure] provides ←Ŝ the legal awareness
50a        information described in Subsection (2) Ŝ→ , the LEA ←Ŝ shall
51      Ŝ→ [be provided] provide the information ←Ŝ in a manner that is age-appropriate
51a        and accessible to all students.
52  (5) An LEA Ŝ→ [shall] ←Ŝ :
53      (a) Ŝ→ may ←Ŝ develop or adopt materials to fulfill the requirements of this section; and
54      (b) Ŝ→ if the LEA develops or adopts the materials under Subsection (5)(a), the LEA
54a  shall ←Ŝ ensure that the information provided under this section is current and
54b  accurate.
55  (6) This section does not:
56      (a) require the creation of a new course or curriculum;
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03-03 09:00  S.B. 56
57(b) require student assessment or testing on the legal awareness information described in
58Subsection (2);
59(c) prevent an LEA from providing additional legal awareness information;
60(d) require a specific method of delivery; or
61(e) create a private right of action.
62Section 2. Effective Date.
63   This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.
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