House extends SafeUT commission after lawmakers cite life‑saving interventions

The Utah House of Representatives unanimously approved HB 45 on Jan. 17, 2024, extending the commission that governs the SafeUT school‑safety and crisis‑response app.

Representative Elison, sponsor of the bill, told the chamber the measure "simply extends the time of the existence of the Safe UT and School Safety Commission." He said the program serves two primary functions: receiving school‑safety tips and providing a 24/7 chat line staffed by clinical social workers at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute. "We had nearly 30,000 chats between our K through 12 and our higher education institutions, which resulted in over a million back and forth chat messages," Elison said, adding that last year "there were over 500 life saving interventions where a mobile crisis team or law enforcement is dispatched to a school or a student's home."

Lawmakers described the program as a model other states are examining and noted the service addresses suicide, crisis, bullying, school threats and other mental‑health concerns. Elison also noted the program’s ties to law enforcement and education stakeholders through the commission that oversees the app.

The House opened and closed voting on HB 45 the same day; the presiding officer announced the bill passed with 73 yes and 0 no votes and will be sent to the Senate for consideration. Representative Elison waived further summation.

The bill’s immediate effect is to continue the commission that governs SafeUT. Lawmakers stressed the program’s operational features—tip intake and clinician chat—during floor remarks, and highlighted the number of contacts and interventions as the principal justification for extending oversight. The Senate will now receive the bill for its consideration.