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HB 448UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Utah Overhauls Governance, Funding, and Operations for Schools for the Deaf and Blind

Original title: Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind Amendments

Last action · March 26, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Stephen Whyte and 1 other

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 enacts comprehensive updates to the mission, governance, funding mechanisms, and capital facilities planning for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, taking effect July 1, 2026. The legislation establishes a new advisory council, outlines specific funding-remittance rules for local education agencies when USDB acts as the , and requires school districts to coordinate on facility space and colocation.

Why it matters

Local education agencies must remit 95% of state, federal, and per-pupil funding for students where USDB serves as the starting in July 2027, altering how school districts and the state school system allocate special education resources.

Background
  • The Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind operates under the supervision of the Utah State Board of Education to provide specialized educational services statewide. context

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

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

USDB operates under updated governance, supervision, capital facility planning, and mandatory student counting and reporting rules.

Directly affected

Local education agencies

LEAs must partner with USDB, provide program space, and remit 95% of state and federal funding for students where USDB serves as the designated LEA starting in 2027.

Directly affected

Deaf, blind, and deafblind students and their families

Students experience modified service delivery structures, eligibility guidelines, and access to newly established enrichment programs.

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 funding changes occur when USDB acts as a student's designated LEA?
Starting July 1, 2027, the student's local education agency of record must count the student in its enrollment and remit 95% of related per-pupil, state, or federal funding to USDB for the student's education.
Who serves on the newly established advisory council for USDB?
The advisory council includes members appointed by the state board representing individuals who are blind, deaf, deafblind, parents of deafblind children, parents receiving outreach services, and a non-voting member from the state board.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

44 actions
  1. Mar 26, 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 4, 2026House
    House/ enrolled bill to Printing
  5. Mar 4, 2026Clerk of the House
    Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
  6. Mar 3, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 38 earlier actions
  1. Mar 3, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
    Bill Received from House for Enrolling
  2. Feb 27, 2026House
    House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
  3. Feb 27, 2026House
    House/ received from Senate
  4. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate/ to House
  5. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
  6. Feb 27, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 3rd reading
  7. Feb 27, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 3rd reading
  8. Feb 26, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate/ passed 2nd reading
  9. Feb 26, 2026Senate
    Senate/ 2nd reading
  10. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
  11. Feb 25, 2026Senate
    Senate/ committee report favorable
  12. Feb 24, 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/ floor amendment
  19. Feb 18, 2026House
    House/ 3rd reading
  20. Feb 11, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0448S01
  21. Feb 11, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0448S01
  22. Feb 10, 2026House
    House/ 2nd reading
  23. Feb 10, 2026House
    House/ comm rpt/ substituted/ amended
  24. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
  25. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Amendment Recommendation
  26. Feb 9, 2026House
    House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
  27. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0448S01
  28. Feb 9, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0448S01
  29. Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
    House/ to standing committee
  30. Feb 4, 2026House
    House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
  31. Feb 4, 2026Released
    LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0448
  32. Feb 4, 2026Version Sponsor
    LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0448
  33. Feb 2, 2026HouseIntroduced
    House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
  34. Feb 2, 2026House
    House/ received bill from Legislative Research
  35. Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
    LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0448
  36. Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
    LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0448
  37. Jan 30, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
    Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
  38. Jan 30, 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

Stephen WhyteHouse · District 63RepublicanPrimary sponsor
John JohnsonSenate · District 3RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Deferred Financial Implementation

While the overall legislation takes effect July 1, 2026, the specific funding remittance requirement of 95% to USDB is delayed until July 1, 2027.

Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

Connected Entities

John D. Johnson, Division of Facilities Construction and Management, State Board of Education and 2 more
PersonJohn D. Johnson“Senate Sponsor of HB 448.”Map →
OrganizationDivision of Facilities Construction and Management“State division coordinating long-term capital facilities planning with the state”Map →
OrganizationState Board of Education“Governing board providing general control and supervision over USDB.”Map →
PersonStephen L. Whyte“Chief Sponsor of HB 448 in the lower house.”Map →
OrganizationUtah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind“State specialized school system restructured under the bill.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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