Committee backs dyslexia testing and early-intervention measures, funds state screener pilot

Multiple bills and substitutes addressing dyslexia and early reading interventions were considered in committee and advanced. Senator Plumb presented SB81, which clarifies who may administer diagnostic assessments, defines dyslexia versus screening, and protects educational professionals who recommend screenings from discipline. Parents and advocates, including Carrie Atkinson of Decoding Dyslexia Utah, described lengthy waits and high costs to obtain diagnostic testing: "It can cost up to $3,000 for that diagnosis," Atkinson told the committee, and she and other witnesses gave examples of multi-year waits for evaluations.

Representative (speaker 21) presented HB393, which would appropriate a one-time $1.5 million to develop a state-owned dyslexia screener in partnership with USBE and the University of Utah for pilot use in kindergarten and first grade and to create an intervention hub and professional development supports. The sponsor described the pilot, data collection and validation plan and said the University would report data to USBE and the Legislature. The committee adopted substitutes and favorably recommended SB81, SB393-related substitutes and HB393 (first substitute) by voice votes recorded as unanimous in the transcript; numeric vote counts were not specified.

Supporters urged early identification to reduce long-term academic and mental-health harms and recommended steady implementation with university partnership, pilot validation and reporting requirements.