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<leg xml:space="preserve" billnum="SB0131" sponsor="Heidi Balderree" designation="SB" otherSponsor="R. Neil Walter" otherHouse="House" sess="2026GS" fileno="2026FL0838" date="1/13/2026 15:01:70" printDate="02-10 14:00" subVer="0" minVer="0" office="LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL" actionDate="" impact="code"><info><nextbuid>4</nextbuid><aminfo anum="0" effdate="07/01/2026"><seclist><sect action="A" src="code" buid="1" uid="C53G-6-S502_2026070120260701" fromuid="C53G-6-S502_2025050720250507" sort="53G06 05020020260701" mtype="section" effdate="07/01/2026">53G-6-502</sect><sect src="uncod" untype="effdate" buid="3" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" mtype="uncod" effdate="05/06/2026"/></seclist></aminfo></info><tbox><sinfo><nextpairid>0</nextpairid></sinfo><st numlevel="1" lineno="1" slineno="0-1">Charter School Eligibility</st><sessionhead>2026 GENERAL SESSION</sessionhead><statehead>STATE OF UTAH</statehead><sponsorhead>Chief Sponsor: Heidi Balderree</sponsorhead><otherSponsorhead>House Sponsor: R. Neil Walter</otherSponsorhead></tbox><lt numlevel="1" lineno="2" slineno="0-2"><lthead lineno="3">LONG TITLE</lthead><gdhead lineno="4">General Description:</gdhead><gd numlevel="1" lineno="5" slineno="0-5">This bill enacts a provision relating to charter school enrollment preferences.</gd><hphead lineno="6">Highlighted Provisions:</hphead><hp numlevel="1" lineno="7" slineno="0-7">This bill:<hl numlevel="1" lineno="8" slineno="0-8" level="1">expands charter school enrollment preference to certain students within the boundaries of <ln numlevel="1" lineno="9" slineno="0-9"/>a political subdivision; and</hl><hl numlevel="1" lineno="10" slineno="0-10" level="1">makes technical and conforming changes.</hl></hp><moni numlevel="1" lineno="11" slineno="0-11" display="none">Money Appropriated in this Bill:</moni><moniNone lineno="12">None</moniNone><oc numlevel="1" lineno="13" slineno="0-13">Other Special Clauses:<ocl type="effdate" sort="2" numlevel="1" lineno="14" slineno="0-14">This bill provides a special effective date.</ocl></oc><sa numlevel="1" lineno="15" slineno="0-15">Utah Code Sections Affected:<saamd numlevel="1" lineno="16" slineno="0-16"><snhead>AMENDS:</snhead><sn num="53G-6-502" src="code" uid="C53G-6-S502_2026070120260701" buid="1" sort="53G06 05020020260701" numlevel="1" lineno="17" slineno="0-17"><bold>53G-6-502</bold>, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2025, Chapter 438</sn></saamd></sa></lt><enacthead lineno="18"/><enact numlevel="1" lineno="19" slineno="0-19">Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:</enact><bdy><bsec buid="1" num="53G-6-502" type="amend" src="code" uid="C53G-6-S502_2026070120260701" sort="53G06 05020020260701" numlevel="1" lineno="20" slineno="1-1" sn="1"><section number="53G-6-502" numlevel="1" lineno="21" slineno="1-2" type="amend"><secline lineno="20">Section 1. Section <bold>53G-6-502</bold> is amended to read:</secline><catline lineno="21"><bold>53G-6-502<parens/>. Eligible students.</bold></catline><subsection ssid="1-null-1" dnum="1-o" numlevel="1" lineno="22" slineno="1-3" level="1" placement="noreturn"><display>(1)</display>As used in this section:<subsection ssid="1-null-2" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="23" slineno="1-4" level="2"><display>(a)</display>"At capacity" means operating above the school's open enrollment threshold.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-3" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="24" slineno="1-5" level="2"><display>(b)</display>"COVID-19 emergency" means the spread of COVID-19 that the World Health <ln numlevel="1" lineno="25" slineno="1-6"/>Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-4" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="26" slineno="1-7" level="2"><display>(c)</display>"Open enrollment threshold" means the same as that term is defined in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53G-6-401" start="0"><ln numlevel="1" lineno="27" slineno="1-8"/>53G-6-401</xref>.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-5" dnum="d-o" numlevel="1" lineno="28" slineno="1-9" level="2"><display>(d)</display>"Refugee" means a person who is eligible to receive benefits and services from the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="29" slineno="1-10"/>federal Office of Refugee Resettlement.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-6" dnum="e-o" numlevel="1" lineno="30" slineno="1-11" level="2"><display>(e)</display>"School of residence" means the same as that term is defined in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53G-6-401" start="0">53G-6-401</xref>.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-7" dnum="2-o" numlevel="1" lineno="31" slineno="1-12" level="1"><display>(2)</display>All resident students of the state qualify for admission to a charter school, subject to the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="32" slineno="1-13"/>limitations set forth in this section and Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53G-6-503" start="0">53G-6-503</xref>.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-8" dnum="3-o" numlevel="1" lineno="33" slineno="1-14" level="1" space="false"><display>(3)</display><subsection ssid="1-null-9" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>A charter school shall enroll:<subsection ssid="1-null-10" dnum="i-o" numlevel="1" lineno="34" slineno="1-15" level="3" tab="1"><display>(i)</display>a foster child residing in the same residence as an individual who is enrolled in the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="35" slineno="1-16"/>charter school; and</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-11" dnum="ii-o" numlevel="1" lineno="36" slineno="1-17" level="3" tab="1"><display>(ii)</display>an eligible student other than a child described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(3)(a)(i)" start="0">(3)(a)(i)</xref> who <ln numlevel="1" lineno="37" slineno="1-18"/>submits a timely application, unless the number of applications exceeds the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="38" slineno="1-19"/>capacity of a program, class, grade level, or the charter school.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-12" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="39" slineno="1-20" level="2"><display>(b)</display>If the number of applications described in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(3)(a)(ii)" start="0">(3)(a)(ii)</xref> exceeds the capacity <ln numlevel="1" lineno="40" slineno="1-21"/>of a program, class, grade level, or the charter school, the charter school shall select <ln numlevel="1" lineno="41" slineno="1-22"/>students on a random basis, except as provided in Subsections <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(4)" start="0">(4)</xref> through <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(8)" start="0">(8)</xref>.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-13" dnum="4-o" numlevel="1" lineno="42" slineno="1-23" level="1"><display>(4)</display>A charter school may give an enrollment preference to:<subsection ssid="1-null-14" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="43" slineno="1-24" level="2"><display>(a)</display>a child or grandchild of an individual who has actively participated in the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="44" slineno="1-25"/>development of the charter school;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-15" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="45" slineno="1-26" level="2"><display>(b)</display>a child or grandchild of a member of the charter school governing board;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-16" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="46" slineno="1-27" level="2"><display>(c)</display>a sibling of an individual who was previously or is presently enrolled in the charter <ln numlevel="1" lineno="47" slineno="1-28"/>school;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-17" dnum="d-o" numlevel="1" lineno="48" slineno="1-29" level="2"><display>(d)</display>a child of an employee of the charter school;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-18" dnum="e-o" numlevel="1" lineno="49" slineno="1-30" level="2"><display>(e)</display>a student articulating between charter schools offering similar programs that are <ln numlevel="1" lineno="50" slineno="1-31"/>governed by the same charter school governing board;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-19" dnum="f-o" numlevel="1" lineno="51" slineno="1-32" level="2"><display>(f)</display>a student articulating from one charter school to another pursuant to an articulation <ln numlevel="1" lineno="52" slineno="1-33"/>agreement between the charter schools that is approved by the State Charter School <ln numlevel="1" lineno="53" slineno="1-34"/>Board;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-20" dnum="g-o" numlevel="1" lineno="54" slineno="1-35" level="2"><display>(g)</display>an individual seeking enrollment in a charter school if:<subsection ssid="1-null-21" dnum="i-o" numlevel="1" lineno="55" slineno="1-36" level="3"><display>(i)</display>the individual's sibling is a student enrolled in a charter school; and</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-22" dnum="ii-o" numlevel="1" lineno="56" slineno="1-37" level="3"><display>(ii)</display>the charter school where the individual is seeking enrollment has an articulation <ln numlevel="1" lineno="57" slineno="1-38"/>agreement with the charter school where the sibling is enrolled that the State <ln numlevel="1" lineno="58" slineno="1-39"/>Charter School Board approves;</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-23" dnum="h-o" numlevel="1" lineno="59" slineno="1-40" level="2"><display>(h)</display>a student who resides within up to a two-mile radius of the charter school and whose <ln numlevel="1" lineno="60" slineno="1-41"/>school of residence is at capacity;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-42" dnum="_-o:i-i" numlevel="1" lineno="61" slineno="1-42" ea="amend" anum="0" owner="jchristopherson" style="1" level="2"><display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1023" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="start">(i)</amend></display><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="4" groupid="3" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="end">a student who resides within the boundaries of a political subdivision containing the <ln numlevel="1" lineno="62" slineno="1-43"/>charter school and whose school of residence is at capacity;</amend></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-24" dnum="i-o:j-i" numlevel="1" lineno="63" slineno="1-44" level="2"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1024" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="both">(i)</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1025" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">(j)</amend></display>a child of a military service member;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-25" dnum="j-o:k-i" numlevel="1" lineno="64" slineno="1-45" level="2"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1025" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="both">(j)</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1026" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">(k)</amend></display>a child of a DOD civilian; or</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-26" dnum="k-o:l-i" numlevel="1" lineno="65" slineno="1-46" level="2"><display><amendoutstart style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="erase" pairid="1026" style="2" owner="o" level="1" deltag="both">(k)</amend><amendoutend style="2"/><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1027" style="1" owner="i" level="1" amendtag="both" space="true">(l)</amend></display>for the 2022-2023 school year, a student who withdraws from the charter school <ln numlevel="1" lineno="66" slineno="1-47"/>to attend an online school or home school for the 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 school <ln numlevel="1" lineno="67" slineno="1-48"/>years due to the COVID-19 emergency.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-27" dnum="5-o" numlevel="1" lineno="68" slineno="1-49" level="1" space="false"><display>(5)</display><subsection ssid="1-null-28" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>Except as provided in Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(5)(b)" start="0">(5)(b)</xref>, and notwithstanding Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(4)(h)" start="0">(4)(h)</xref>, a <ln numlevel="1" lineno="69" slineno="1-50"/>charter school that is approved by the state board after May 13, 2014, and is located <ln numlevel="1" lineno="70" slineno="1-51"/>in a high growth area as defined in Section <xref depth="3" refnumber="53G-6-504" start="0">53G-6-504</xref> shall give an enrollment <ln numlevel="1" lineno="71" slineno="1-52"/>preference to a student who resides within a two-mile radius of the charter school.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-29" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="72" slineno="1-53" level="2"><display>(b)</display>The requirement to give an enrollment preference under Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-502(5)(a)" start="0">(5)(a)</xref> does not <ln numlevel="1" lineno="73" slineno="1-54"/>apply to a charter school that was approved without a high priority status pursuant to <ln numlevel="1" lineno="74" slineno="1-55"/>Subsection <xref depth="4" refnumber="53G-6-504(7)(b)" start="0">53G-6-504(7)(b)</xref>.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-30" dnum="6-o" numlevel="1" lineno="75" slineno="1-56" level="1"><display>(6)</display>If a district school converts to charter status, the charter school shall give an enrollment <ln numlevel="1" lineno="76" slineno="1-57"/>preference to students who would have otherwise attended it as a district school.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-31" dnum="7-o" numlevel="1" lineno="77" slineno="1-58" level="1" space="false"><display>(7)</display><subsection ssid="1-null-32" dnum="a-o" level="2" placement="sameline"><display>(a)</display>A charter school whose mission is to enhance learning opportunities for refugees <ln numlevel="1" lineno="78" slineno="1-59"/>or children of refugee families may give an enrollment preference to refugees or <ln numlevel="1" lineno="79" slineno="1-60"/>children of refugee families.</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-33" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="80" slineno="1-61" level="2"><display>(b)</display>A charter school whose mission is to enhance learning opportunities for English <ln numlevel="1" lineno="81" slineno="1-62"/>language learners may give an enrollment preference to English language learners.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-34" dnum="8-o" numlevel="1" lineno="82" slineno="1-63" level="1"><display>(8)</display>A charter school may weight the charter school's lottery to give a slightly better chance <ln numlevel="1" lineno="83" slineno="1-64"/>of admission to educationally disadvantaged students, including:<subsection ssid="1-null-35" dnum="a-o" numlevel="1" lineno="84" slineno="1-65" level="2"><display>(a)</display>low-income students;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-36" dnum="b-o" numlevel="1" lineno="85" slineno="1-66" level="2"><display>(b)</display>students with disabilities;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-37" dnum="c-o" numlevel="1" lineno="86" slineno="1-67" level="2"><display>(c)</display>English language learners;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-38" dnum="d-o" numlevel="1" lineno="87" slineno="1-68" level="2"><display>(d)</display>migrant students;</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-39" dnum="e-o" numlevel="1" lineno="88" slineno="1-69" level="2"><display>(e)</display>neglected or delinquent students; and</subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-40" dnum="f-o" numlevel="1" lineno="89" slineno="1-70" level="2"><display>(f)</display>homeless students.</subsection></subsection><subsection ssid="1-null-41" dnum="9-o" numlevel="1" lineno="90" slineno="1-71" level="1"><display>(9)</display>A charter school may not discriminate in the charter school's admission policies or <ln numlevel="1" lineno="91" slineno="1-72"/>practices on the same basis as other public schools may not discriminate in admission <ln numlevel="1" lineno="92" slineno="1-73"/>policies and practices.</subsection></section></bsec><bsec buid="3" type="uncod" untype="effdate" src="uncod" uid="EF0000" sort="UZEFF" langlock="true" numlevel="1" lineno="93" slineno="2-1" sn="2"><section type="uncod" untype="effdate" display="false" src="uncod"><secline lineno="93">Section 2.  <bold>Effective Date.</bold></secline><sectionText lineno="94"><amend anum="0" ea="amend" pairid="1" groupid="1" style="1" owner="jchristopherson" level="1" amendtag="both">This bill takes effect on <effdate uid="code" date="7/1/2026">July 1, 2026</effdate>.</amend></sectionText></section></bsec></bdy><foot><rev><tm>1-13-26 3:33 PM</tm></rev></foot></leg>