Utah legislation · 2026 General Session
Utah SB54: Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program Amendments
Status: Signed into law, March 19, 2026
This bill amends provisions of certain scholarship programs.
What the bill says
From the enrolled text, March 12, 2026:
0 Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program Amendments 2026 GENERAL SESSION STATE OF UTAH Chief Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore House Sponsor: R. Neil Walter LONG TITLE General Description: This bill amends provisions of certain scholarship programs. Highlighted Provisions: This bill: - eliminates income based eligibility requirements for the scholarship; - removes scholarship eligibility for a sibling; - aligns the scholarship requirements with the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program; - allows the scholarship granting organization to approve qualified providers and private schools; - requires the scholarship granting organization to ensure physical education and extracurricular caps are followed; - amends the definition of scholarship expense to be the same across multiple scholarship programs; - establishes primary residency verification to be eligible for a scholarship; - creates a deadline for an eligible student to accept the scholarship that the scholarship granting organization determines; - clarifies entities that are not eligible to be a qualified provider under the scholarship program; and - makes technical and conforming changes. Money Appropriated in this Bill: None Other Special Clauses: This bill provides retrospective operation. Utah Code Sections Affected: AMENDS: 53E-7-401 Effective 05/06/26 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 466 53E-7-402 Effective 05/06/26 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 466 53E-7-404 Effective 05/06/26 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, …
Sponsors
- Fillmore, Lincoln (R, 17) · primary sponsor
- Walter, R. Neil (R, 74)
Latest actions
- : Governor Signed
- : Senate/ to Governor
- : Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- : Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
- : Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- : Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- : Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
- : Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
- : House/ to Senate
- : House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
Votes
- Senate/ concurs with House amendment (March 6, 2026): 27 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House/ passed 3rd reading (March 5, 2026): 67 yea, 2 nay, passed
- House Comm - Favorable Recommendation (February 26, 2026): 10 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate/ passed 3rd reading (February 23, 2026): 20 yea, 5 nay, passed
- Senate/ passed 2nd reading (February 20, 2026): 22 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation (February 3, 2026): 6 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Education, K-12 Education, State Tax Commission, Tax Credits, Revenue and Taxation, Special Education
Common questions
- What is SB54?
- SB54 is a bill in the Utah Legislature (2026 General Session): Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program Amendments.
- What does SB54 do?
- This bill amends provisions of certain scholarship programs.
- What is the status of SB54?
- Signed into law as of March 19, 2026. Latest action: Governor Signed (March 19, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB54?
- Fillmore, Lincoln (R, 17), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for SB54?
- On the Utah Legislature website: https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/SB0054.html
Source: official Utah record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.