Utah Senate approves 'Test to Stay' suspension; back to House for one more vote

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) — The Utah Senate approved a bill Friday suspending the state’s “test to stay” program for schools.

House Bill 183, sponsored by Rep. Jordan Teuscher (R-South Jordan) and Sen. Todd Weiler (R-Woods Cross), removes the requirement that schools test all students for COVID-19 after they reach a certain threshold of cases. The bill passed the Senate in a 22 to 5 vote.

But the bill – which also clarifies how schools can move to temporary remote learning when they hit a certain threshold of cases -- has to go back to the House for one more vote because it was changed to more clearly define what remote learning is.

Republicans have argued there is an urgent need to legislatively clarify the process for schools and districts after the “Test to Stay” program was paused last week amid skyrocketing coronavirus case counts and limited testing supply.

Democrats criticized the process for passing the bill which did not include a public hearing as other legislation usually receives.