HB 526

 02-09 12:01  H.B. 526
1Student Welfare Check Amendments
                                           2026 GENERAL SESSION
                                              STATE OF UTAH
                                      Chief Sponsor: Doug Welton
                                               Senate Sponsor:
2
3   LONG TITLE
4   General Description:
5This bill addresses student welfare checks for students with unknown whereabouts.
6   Highlighted Provisions:
7This bill:
8▸ requires an LEA to refer a student for a welfare check under certain circumstances; and
9▸ provides that a welfare check referral does not preclude or obligate other actions.
10   Money Appropriated in this Bill:
11None
12   Other Special Clauses:
13None
14   Utah Code Sections Affected:
15   ENACTS:
1653G-6-214, Utah Code Annotated 1953
17
18   Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
19Section 1. Section 53G-6-214 is enacted to read:
2053G-6-214 . Student welfare check referrals -- Unknown whereabouts.
21   (1) An LEA shall make a referral for a student welfare check if a student has been absent
22for 10 or more consecutive school days and all of the following conditions are met:
23(a) the student's parent has failed to notify the school of the student's absence;
                                                                                                          H.B. 526
24(b) the student's parent has not filed a home school affidavit under Section 53G-6-204;
25(c) the student's parent has not provided notice of unenrollment to the LEA;
26(d) the student's parent has failed to respond to repeated communications from the
27school, including communications through email, telephone, text message, postal
28mail, or other reasonable methods; and
29(e) one of the following is true:
30(i) the LEA has not received a request for student records from another educational
 H.B. 526  02-09 12:01
31entity; or
32(ii) there is no record of the student being enrolled in another LEA.
33  (2) An LEA shall make a referral described in Subsection (1) to:
34      (a) local law enforcement; or
35      (b) the Division of Child and Family Services.
36  (3) A referral under this section is for the purpose of conducting a welfare check to verify
37      the student's safety and well-being.
38  (4) This section does not preclude or obligate any other action under this part or Title 80,
39      Chapter 3, Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings.
40Section 2. Effective Date.
41  This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.
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