Gov. Cox signs bill addressing Alpine School District split, signs three others

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Governor Spencer Cox signed four new bills into law on Monday, including a bill addressing procedures of the upcoming Alpine School District split.

H.B.

188 — or School District Modifications — establishes several rules and procedures for the creation of new school districts. The bill comes after Utah County residents voted to split Alpine back in November.

The 39-page bill highlights several provisions, including amending the process around the election of board members and the duties of the Auditor General around a district split. It also discusses employee benefits and salary transfers, reduces thresholds for future votes for splits, and establishes requirements for reorganized districts to address.

The split is supposed to go into full effect in 2027, but the districts continue to move forward with their transition plans. Alpine has called for public input on recently released boundary lines that are set to be voted on Mar. 26.

Along with H.B. 188, Cox signed three other bills today:

• HB 441, Franchisee Protection Act
• SB 279, High School Rodeo Amendments
• SB 282, Higher Education Hiring Amendments

H.B. 441 provides religious protections for franchisees that are owned or operated within the state. S.B. 279 says that a student who participates in rodeos has a valid absence from school. S.B. 282 shields search committees for higher education institutions from the Open and Public Meetings Act.

To date, Cox has signed 39 bills into law and has yet to veto any. That leaves 543 laws for the Governor to act on before the March 27 deadline.