H.B. 183

1

VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR FEE
2 WAIVERS
3 2005 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Wayne A. Harper
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill requires the State Board of Education to make rules requiring a parent or
10 guardian of a student applying for a fee waiver to provide verification of the student's
11 eligibility to receive the fee waiver.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 . requires the State Board of Education to make rules:
15 . requiring a parent or guardian of a student applying for a fee waiver to provide
16 documentation and certification verifying the student's eligibility for a fee
17 waiver; and
18 . specifying the acceptable forms of documentation to verify eligibility for a fee
19 waiver, which shall include income tax returns, if the parent or guardian was
20 required to file a return.
21 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
22 None
23 Other Special Clauses:
24 None
25 Utah Code Sections Affected:
26 AMENDS:
27 53A-12-103, as last amended by Chapter 111, Laws of Utah 2000

28
29 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 Section 1. Section 53A-12-103 is amended to read:
31 53A-12-103. Waiver of fees.
32 (1) (a) A local school board shall require, as part of an authorization granted under
33 Section 53A-12-102 , that adequate waivers or other provisions are available to ensure that no
34 student is denied the opportunity to participate because of an inability to pay the required fee,
35 deposit, or charge.
36 (b) (i) If, however, a student must repeat a course or requires remediation to advance or
37 graduate and a fee is associated with the course or the remediation program, it is presumed that
38 the student will pay the fee.
39 (ii) If the student or the student's parent or guardian is financially unable to pay the fee,
40 the board shall provide for alternatives to waiving the fee, which may include installment
41 payments and school or community service or work projects for the student.
42 (iii) In cases of extreme financial hardship or where the student has suffered a
43 long-term illness, or death in the family, or other major emergency and where installment
44 payments and the imposition of a service or work requirement would not be reasonable, the
45 student may receive a partial or full waiver of the fee required under Subsection (1)(b)(i).
46 (iv) The waiver provisions in Subsections (2) and (3) apply to all other fees, deposits,
47 and charges made in the secondary schools.
48 (2) (a) The board shall require each school in the district that charges a fee under this
49 chapter to provide a variety of alternatives for satisfying the fee requirement to those who
50 qualify for fee waivers, in addition to the outright waiver of the fee.
51 (b) The board shall develop and provide a list of alternatives for the schools, including
52 such options as allowing the student to provide:
53 (i) tutorial assistance to other students;
54 (ii) assistance before or after school to teachers and other school personnel on school
55 related matters; and
56 (iii) general community or home service.
57 (c) Each school may add to the list of alternatives provided by the board, subject to
58 approval by the board.

59 (3) A local school board may establish policies providing for partial fee waivers or
60 other alternatives for those students who, because of extenuating circumstances, are not in a
61 financial position to pay the entire fee.
62 (4) With regard to children who are in the custody of the Division of Child and Family
63 Services who are also eligible under Title IV-E of the federal Social Security Act, local school
64 boards shall require fee waivers or alternatives in accordance with Subsections (1) through (3).
65 (5) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
66 State Board of Education shall make rules:
67 (a) requiring a parent or guardian of a student applying for a fee waiver to provide
68 documentation and certification to the school verifying the student's eligibility to receive the
69 waiver; and
70 (b) specifying the acceptable forms of documentation for the requirement under
71 Subsection (5)(a), which shall include verification based on income tax returns if the parent or
72 guardian was required to file a return.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-6-05 2:59 PM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel