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S.B. 184

             1     

YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION REVISIONS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Luz Robles

             5     
House Sponsor: Gage Froerer

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions related to parental notification of certain safety threats to a
             10      parent's student.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    requires a school to notify a parent:
             14              .     if the parent's student threatens to commit suicide; or
             15              .    of an alleged incident of bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, hazing, or
             16      retaliation involving the parent's student; and
             17          .    requires a school to have a parent sign a statement acknowledging that the parent
             18      was notified of the suicide threat or bullying.
             19      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25          53A-11-605, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 425
             26          53A-13-302, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1999, Chapter 284
             27      ENACTS:


             28          53A-13-303, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             29     
             30      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             31          Section 1. Section 53A-11-605 is amended to read:
             32           53A-11-605. Definitions -- School personnel -- Medical recommendations --
             33      Exceptions -- Penalties.
             34          (1) As used in this section:
             35          (a) "Health care professional" means a physician, physician assistant, nurse, dentist, or
             36      mental health therapist.
             37          (b) "School personnel" means [any] a school district or charter school employee,
             38      including a licensed, part-time, contract, [and] or nonlicensed [employees] employee.
             39          (2) School personnel may:
             40          (a) provide information and observations to a student's parent or guardian about that
             41      student, including observations and concerns in the following areas:
             42          (i) progress;
             43          (ii) health and wellness;
             44          (iii) social interactions;
             45          (iv) behavior; or
             46          (v) topics consistent with Subsection 53A-13-302 (6);
             47          (b) communicate information and observations between school personnel regarding a
             48      child;
             49          (c) refer students to other appropriate school personnel and agents, consistent with
             50      local school board or charter school policy, including referrals and communication with a
             51      school counselor or other mental health professionals working within the school system;
             52          (d) consult or use appropriate health care professionals in the event of an emergency
             53      while the student is at school, consistent with the student emergency information provided at
             54      student enrollment;
             55          (e) exercise their authority relating to the placement within the school or readmission
             56      of a child who may be or has been suspended or expelled for a violation of Section
             57      53A-11-904 ; and
             58          (f) complete a behavioral health evaluation form if requested by a student's parent or


             59      guardian to provide information to a licensed physician.
             60          (3) School personnel shall:
             61          (a) report suspected child abuse consistent with Section 62A-4a-403 ;
             62          (b) comply with applicable state and local health department laws, rules, and policies;
             63      and
             64          (c) conduct evaluations and assessments consistent with the Individuals with
             65      Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq., and its subsequent amendments.
             66          (4) Except as provided in Subsection (2) [and], Subsection (6), and Section
             67      53A-13-303 , school personnel may not:
             68          (a) recommend to a parent or guardian that a child take or continue to take a
             69      psychotropic medication;
             70          (b) require that a student take or continue to take a psychotropic medication as a
             71      condition for attending school;
             72          (c) recommend that a parent or guardian seek or use a type of psychiatric or
             73      psychological treatment for a child;
             74          (d) conduct a psychiatric or behavioral health evaluation or mental health screening,
             75      test, evaluation, or assessment of a child, except where this Subsection (4)(d) conflicts with the
             76      Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq., and its subsequent
             77      amendments; or
             78          (e) make a child abuse or neglect report to authorities, including the Division of Child
             79      and Family Services, solely or primarily on the basis that a parent or guardian refuses to
             80      consent to:
             81          (i) a psychiatric, psychological, or behavioral treatment for a child, including the
             82      administration of a psychotropic medication to a child; or
             83          (ii) a psychiatric or behavioral health evaluation of a child.
             84          (5) Notwithstanding Subsection (4)(e), school personnel may make a report that would
             85      otherwise be prohibited under Subsection (4)(e) if failure to take the action described under
             86      Subsection (4)(e) would present a serious, imminent risk to the child's safety or the safety of
             87      others.
             88          (6) Notwithstanding Subsection (4), a school counselor or other mental health
             89      professional acting in accordance with Title 58, Chapter 60, Mental Health Professional


             90      Practice Act, or licensed through the State Board of Education, working within the school
             91      system may:
             92          (a) recommend, but not require, a psychiatric or behavioral health evaluation of a child;
             93          (b) recommend, but not require, psychiatric, psychological, or behavioral treatment for
             94      a child;
             95          (c) conduct a psychiatric or behavioral health evaluation or mental health screening,
             96      test, evaluation, or assessment of a child in accordance with Section 53A-13-302 ; and
             97          (d) provide to a parent or guardian, upon the specific request of the parent or guardian,
             98      a list of three or more health care professionals or providers, including licensed physicians,
             99      psychologists, or other health specialists.
             100          (7) Local school boards or charter schools shall adopt a policy:
             101          (a) providing for training of appropriate school personnel on the provisions of this
             102      section; and
             103          (b) indicating that an intentional violation of this section is cause for disciplinary action
             104      consistent with local school board or charter school policy and under Section 53A-8a-502 .
             105          (8) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted as discouraging general communication
             106      not prohibited by this section between school personnel and a student's parent or guardian.
             107          Section 2. Section 53A-13-302 is amended to read:
             108           53A-13-302. Activities prohibited without prior written consent -- Validity of
             109      consent -- Qualifications -- Training on implementation.
             110          (1) Policies adopted by a school district under Section 53A-13-301 shall include
             111      prohibitions on the administration to a student of any psychological or psychiatric examination,
             112      test, or treatment, or any survey, analysis, or evaluation without the prior written consent of the
             113      student's parent or legal guardian, in which the purpose or evident intended effect is to cause
             114      the student to reveal information, whether the information is personally identifiable or not,
             115      concerning the student's or any family member's:
             116          (a) political affiliations or, except as provided under Section 53A-13-101.1 or rules of
             117      the State Board of Education, political philosophies;
             118          (b) mental or psychological problems;
             119          (c) sexual behavior, orientation, or attitudes;
             120          (d) illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;


             121          (e) critical appraisals of individuals with whom the student or family member has close
             122      family relationships;
             123          (f) religious affiliations or beliefs;
             124          (g) legally recognized privileged and analogous relationships, such as those with
             125      lawyers, medical personnel, or ministers; and
             126          (h) income, except as required by law.
             127          (2) Prior written consent under Subsection (1) is required in all grades, kindergarten
             128      through grade 12.
             129          (3) [The] Except as provided in Section 53A-13-303 , the prohibitions under Subsection
             130      (1) shall also apply within the curriculum and other school activities unless prior written
             131      consent of the student's parent or legal guardian has been obtained.
             132          (4) Written parental consent is valid only if a parent or legal guardian has been first
             133      given written notice, including notice that a copy of the educational or student survey questions
             134      to be asked of the student in obtaining the desired information is made available at the school,
             135      and a reasonable opportunity to obtain written information concerning:
             136          (a) records or information, including information about relationships, that may be
             137      examined or requested;
             138          (b) the means by which the records or information shall be examined or reviewed;
             139          (c) the means by which the information is to be obtained;
             140          (d) the purposes for which the records or information are needed;
             141          (e) the entities or persons, regardless of affiliation, who will have access to the
             142      personally identifiable information; and
             143          (f) a method by which a parent of a student can grant permission to access or examine
             144      the personally identifiable information.
             145          (5) (a) Except in response to a situation which a school employee reasonably believes
             146      to be an emergency, or as authorized under Title 62A, Chapter 4a, Part 4, Child Abuse or
             147      Neglect Reporting Requirements, or by order of a court, disclosure to a parent or legal guardian
             148      must be given at least two weeks before information protected under this section is sought.
             149          (b) Following disclosure, a parent or guardian may waive the two week minimum
             150      notification period.
             151          (c) Unless otherwise agreed to by a student's parent or legal guardian and the person


             152      requesting written consent, the authorization is valid only for the activity for which it was
             153      granted.
             154          (d) A written withdrawal of authorization submitted to the school principal by the
             155      authorizing parent or guardian terminates the authorization.
             156          (e) A general consent used to approve admission to school or involvement in special
             157      education, remedial education, or a school activity does not constitute written consent under
             158      this section.
             159          (6) (a) This section does not limit the ability of a student under Section 53A-13-101.3
             160      to spontaneously express sentiments or opinions otherwise protected against disclosure under
             161      this section.
             162          (b) (i) If a school employee or agent believes that a situation exists which presents a
             163      serious threat to the well-being of a student, that employee or agent shall notify the student's
             164      parent or guardian without delay.
             165          (ii) If, however, the matter has been reported to the Division of Child and Family
             166      Services within the Department of Human Services, it is the responsibility of the division to
             167      notify the student's parent or guardian of any possible investigation, prior to the student's return
             168      home from school.
             169          (iii) The division may be exempted from the notification requirements described in this
             170      Subsection (6)(b)(ii) only if it determines that the student would be endangered by notification
             171      of his parent or guardian, or if that notification is otherwise prohibited by state or federal law.
             172          (7) Local school boards shall provide inservice for teachers and administrators within
             173      their respective school districts on the implementation of this section.
             174          (8) The board shall provide procedures for disciplinary action for violations of this
             175      section.
             176          Section 3. Section 53A-13-303 is enacted to read:
             177          53A-13-303. Parental notification of certain incidents required.
             178          (1) For purposes of this section:
             179          (a) "Bullying" has the same meaning as defined in Section 53A-11a-102 .
             180          (b) "Cyber-bullying" has the same meaning as defined in Section 53A-11a-102 .
             181          (c) "Harassment" has the same meaning as defined in Section 53A-11a-102 .
             182          (d) "Hazing" has the same meaning as defined in Section 53A-11a-102 .


             183          (e) "Parent" includes a student's legal guardian.
             184          (f) "Retaliation" has the same meaning as defined in Section 53A-11a-102 .
             185          (2) A school shall notify a parent:
             186          (a) if the parent's student threatens to commit suicide; or
             187          (b) of an alleged incident of bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, hazing, or retaliation
             188      involving the parent's student.
             189          (3) If a school notifies a parent of an incident or threat required to be reported under
             190      Subsection (2), the school shall require the parent to sign a statement acknowledging that the
             191      parent was notified of the incident or threat.
             192          (4) The school shall maintain a copy of a parental statement described in Subsection
             193      (3) for at least four years.
             194          (5) At the request of a parent, a school may provide information and make
             195      recommendations related to an incident or threat described in Subsection (2).




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-12-13 8:45 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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