H.B. 183 Enrolled

VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR FEE
WAIVERS
2005 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
Senate Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill requires the State Board of Education to make rules requiring a parent or
guardian of a student applying for a fee waiver to provide verification of the student's
eligibility to receive the fee waiver.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
. requires the State Board of Education to make rules:
. requiring a parent or guardian of a student applying for a fee waiver to provide
documentation and certification verifying the student's eligibility for a fee
waiver; and
. specifying the acceptable forms of documentation to verify eligibility for a fee
waiver, which shall include income tax returns or current pay stubs.
Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53A-12-103, as last amended by Chapter 111, Laws of Utah 2000

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:

Section 1. Section 53A-12-103 is amended to read:
53A-12-103. Waiver of fees.
(1) (a) A local school board shall require, as part of an authorization granted under
Section 53A-12-102 , that adequate waivers or other provisions are available to ensure that no
student is denied the opportunity to participate because of an inability to pay the required fee,
deposit, or charge.
(b) (i) If, however, a student must repeat a course or requires remediation to advance or
graduate and a fee is associated with the course or the remediation program, it is presumed that
the student will pay the fee.
(ii) If the student or the student's parent or guardian is financially unable to pay the fee,
the board shall provide for alternatives to waiving the fee, which may include installment
payments and school or community service or work projects for the student.
(iii) In cases of extreme financial hardship or where the student has suffered a long-term
illness, or death in the family, or other major emergency and where installment payments and the
imposition of a service or work requirement would not be reasonable, the student may receive a
partial or full waiver of the fee required under Subsection (1)(b)(i).
(iv) The waiver provisions in Subsections (2) and (3) apply to all other fees, deposits,
and charges made in the secondary schools.
(2) (a) The board shall require each school in the district that charges a fee under this
chapter to provide a variety of alternatives for satisfying the fee requirement to those who qualify
for fee waivers, in addition to the outright waiver of the fee.
(b) The board shall develop and provide a list of alternatives for the schools, including
such options as allowing the student to provide:
(i) tutorial assistance to other students;
(ii) assistance before or after school to teachers and other school personnel on school
related matters; and
(iii) general community or home service.
(c) Each school may add to the list of alternatives provided by the board, subject to

approval by the board.
(3) A local school board may establish policies providing for partial fee waivers or other
alternatives for those students who, because of extenuating circumstances, are not in a financial
position to pay the entire fee.
(4) With regard to children who are in the custody of the Division of Child and Family
Services who are also eligible under Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act, local school
boards shall require fee waivers or alternatives in accordance with Subsections (1) through (3).
(5) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
State Board of Education shall make rules:
(a) requiring a parent or guardian of a student applying for a fee waiver to provide
documentation and certification to the school verifying:
(i) the student's eligibility to receive the waiver; and
(ii) that the alternatives for satisfying the fee requirements under Subsection (2) have
been complied with to the fullest extent reasonably possible according to the individual
circumstances of both the fee waiver applicant and the school; and
(b) specifying the acceptable forms of documentation for the requirement under
Subsection (5)(a), which shall include verification based on income tax returns or current pay
stubs.
(6) Notwithstanding the requirements under Subsection (5), a school is not required to
keep documentation on file after the verification is completed.