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HB 145UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah expands valid school excused absences to include youth rodeo competitions and specific student club activities

Original title: School Excused Absence Amendments

Last action · March 19, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Carl Albrecht and 2 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Utah amends student attendance rules to define valid school excused absences to include participation in sanctioned rodeo competitions and specific youth club activities for students maintaining a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0, effective July 1, 2026.

Why it matters

Students participating in rodeo competitions or eligible club activities can now receive an excused absence without penalty, provided they maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

school-age children

Students gain additional statutory categories for excused school absences related to rodeo participation and club activities conditional on their GPA.

Directly affected

parents

Parents are granted the authority to provide valid absence justifications for students maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.

Directly affected

local education agencies

School districts and charter schools must update their attendance policies to incorporate the newly expanded statutory definitions of a valid excuse.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What new reasons are recognized as valid school excused absences under this law?
Valid excuses now explicitly include participation in international non-profit sanctioned rodeos, as well as any reason provided by a parent if the student maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher—specifically naming mountain biking, shooting sports, and USU-administered youth development programs.
Is there a minimum grade requirement for a parent-excused absence under the new provisions?
Yes, for a parent-provided reason to qualify as a valid excuse (other than specific standard exemptions like illness or family death), the student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

Coverage by outlet perspective1 article
Lean Right 1
Blind spot - no left-leaning coverage
LR

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 7.2.26

Florida Politics — OpinionsJul 2, 2026

This edition of the 'Sunburn' newsletter serves as a daily summary of current political developments and trending topics across Florida. It is published by Florida Politics to provide readers with an overview of ongoing campaigns, lobbying efforts, and government activities.

Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

42 actions
  1. Mar 19, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
    Governor Signed
  2. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ to Governor
  3. Mar 12, 2026House
    House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
  4. Mar 11, 2026House
    House/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 11, 2026Clerk of the House
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 36 earlier actions
  1. Mar 6, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from House for Enrolling
  2. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Mar 6, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  4. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  5. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  6. Mar 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  7. Mar 6, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
  8. Mar 5, 2026Senate
    Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
  9. Mar 4, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
  10. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  11. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  12. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  13. Feb 20, 2026SenateCommittee
    Senate/ to standing committee
  14. Feb 19, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  15. Feb 18, 2026Senate
    Senate/ received from House
  16. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ to Senate
  17. Feb 18, 2026HouseFloor
    House/ passed 3rd reading
  18. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  19. Feb 11, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0145S01
  20. Feb 11, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0145S01
  21. Feb 10, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  22. Feb 10, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ substituted
  23. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  24. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
  25. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0145S01
  26. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0145S01
  27. Feb 4, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  28. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  29. Jan 20, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  30. Jan 16, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0145
  31. Jan 16, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0145
  32. Jan 14, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  33. Jan 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0145
  34. Jan 5, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0145
  35. Jan 5, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  36. Jan 5, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Carl AlbrechtHouse · District 70RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Karianne LisonbeeHouse · District 14RepublicanCosponsor
Mike McKellSenate · District 25RepublicanCosponsor

Connected Entities

Utah State University
OrganizationUtah State University“Administers youth development programs providing educational experiences.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance40
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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