1     
STUDENT GRADUATION ATTIRE MODIFICATIONS

2     
2023 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Karen Kwan

5     
House Sponsor: Steve Eliason

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill allows individuals to wear cultural attire during graduation ceremonies.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     allows all public school students to wear items of religious or cultural significance
13     as part of their graduation attire.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     ENACTS:
20          53G-4-414, Utah Code Annotated 1953
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 53G-4-414 is enacted to read:
24          53G-4-414. Religious or cultural attire at school graduation ceremonies.
25          (1) As used in this section:
26          (a) "Adornment" means something that a student attaches to or wears with, but does
27     not replace, graduation attire.
28          (b) "Cultural" means recognized practices and traditions of a certain group of people.
29          (c) "Graduation attire" means attire that an LEA requires a student to wear as part of

30     the dress code for a graduation ceremony.
31          (d) "Graduation ceremony" means a high school graduation ceremony.
32          (2) A student may wear recognized items of cultural or religious significance as an
33     adornment at a graduation ceremony.
34          (3) (a) Notwithstanding Subsection (2), an LEA may prohibit a student from wearing
35     an item of adornment that is likely to cause a substantial disruption of, or material interference
36     with, the graduation ceremony.
37          (b) Any prohibition imposed by an LEA on a student's item of cultural or religious
38     significance worn as an adornment shall be by the least restrictive means necessary to
39     accomplish a specifically identified compelling governmental interest.
40          (4) An individual may bring a violation of this section to the state board in accordance
41     with the process described in Subsection 53E-3-401(8)(d).
42          (5) Nothing in this section limits an LEA's authority related to student expression under
43     applicable federal and state law.
44          (6) Nothing in this section shall limit or impair the rights of a qualifying student under
45     Section 53G-4-412 to wear tribal regalia to a graduation ceremony.