This bill establishes minimum safety standards for seclusion rooms in schools.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah schools that use seclusion rooms — spaces where students are involuntarily confined alone as an emergency safety measure — would be required to meet detailed physical standards under this bill, including a minimum size of 60 square feet, ceiling heights of at least eight feet, safe construction materials, proper lighting and ventilation comparable to other classrooms, shatterproof windows, specific door and locking requirements, and audio and video recording equipment that captures everything occurring during a seclusion, with access to recordings limited to administrators, parents, and law enforcement in certain circumstances. The bill would also replace the current blanket enforcement approach with a tiered system: violations of the physical room standards would trigger a required corrective action plan developed by the school district or charter school and reported to the State Board of Education, misuse of seclusion itself (such as improper notification or documentation) would trigger district investigation and staff discipline, and only violations serious enough to constitute unlawful detention would still result in referral to law enforcement and the state's teacher licensing commission. Additionally, the bill would allow a school, after a 30-minute seclusion period ends and a parent cannot be reached, to reassess the student and place them back in seclusion for up to another 30 minutes if the threat continues, repeating this process as needed. Schools operating or planning seclusion rooms would need to report their locations, compliance status, and timelines for meeting the new standards to the State Board by the end of 2026.
Current version: SB0181S03 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 22
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Feb 12
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 24
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 25
House Rules
Mar 2
House Committee
Feb 27
House Floor Vote
Mar 6
Senate Concurrence
Mar 6
Governor Signed
Mar 19
IntroductionJan 22
Senate Rules
Senate CommitteeFeb 12
Senate 2nd ReadingFeb 24
Senate 3rd ReadingFeb 25
House RulesMar 2
House CommitteeFeb 27
House Floor VoteMar 6
Senate ConcurrenceMar 6
Governor SignedMar 19
This bill establishes minimum safety standards for seclusion rooms in schools.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah schools that use seclusion rooms — spaces where students are involuntarily confined alone as an emergency safety measure — would be required to meet detailed physical standards under this bill, including a minimum size of 60 square feet, ceiling heights of at least eight feet, safe construction materials, proper lighting and ventilation comparable to other classrooms, shatterproof windows, specific door and locking requirements, and audio and video recording equipment that captures everything occurring during a seclusion, with access to recordings limited to administrators, parents, and law enforcement in certain circumstances. The bill would also replace the current blanket enforcement approach with a tiered system: violations of the physical room standards would trigger a required corrective action plan developed by the school district or charter school and reported to the State Board of Education, misuse of seclusion itself (such as improper notification or documentation) would trigger district investigation and staff discipline, and only violations serious enough to constitute unlawful detention would still result in referral to law enforcement and the state's teacher licensing commission. Additionally, the bill would allow a school, after a 30-minute seclusion period ends and a parent cannot be reached, to reassess the student and place them back in seclusion for up to another 30 minutes if the threat continues, repeating this process as needed. Schools operating or planning seclusion rooms would need to report their locations, compliance status, and timelines for meeting the new standards to the State Board by the end of 2026.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Governor Signed
Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Senate/ to Governor
Executive Branch - Governor
Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Senate Secretary
Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
Senate Secretary
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Senate Secretary
Last updated Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM