Utah Bill on Religious Accommodations in Universities Advances

A bill in Utah, aimed at ensuring public universities make “reasonable” accommodations for students when academic content clashes with their religious or personal beliefs, has cleared the state Legislature. It is now pending approval from Republican Governor Spencer Cox.

House Bill 204, titled “Consideration of the Beliefs of Higher Education Students,” mandates that institutions must “reasonably accommodate” student participation in exams and other academic requirements. Possible measures include waiving participation, offering alternative deadlines or schedules, and providing different exams or assignments.

For major or graduation-required courses, accommodations must be made unless fulfilling the request fundamentally alters the course’s purpose or obstructs a student’s ability to achieve necessary outcomes.

Republican Representative Michael J. Petersen, who sponsors the bill, drew inspiration from his daughter’s experience with a task requiring her to defend LGBTQ policies in a written assignment.

Petersen remarked, “About a year ago, my daughter, after finishing her master’s, called to tell me her job involved writing letters to congressmen about LGBT policy.” He expressed concerns that such requirements amounted to coercion of speech and touched on First Amendment issues.

The legislator also believes the bill would protect students worried about backlash for expressing beliefs contrary to those of their professors. “Students often feel indebted to their professors,” Petersen noted during a committee hearing, stating that such dynamics can place students in complicated situations.

Students will need to provide prior written notice for accommodations, which should be handled confidentially unless otherwise legally required. The bill also prohibits mandatory public advocacy, making it clear that instructors cannot compel students to openly express positions on public issues, such as writing letters to Congress or sharing opinions online.

If a request is denied by an instructor, that instructor must provide reasons for the refusal to both the student and the institution. There’s also provision in place for a neutral arbitrator to review such decisions.

Scheduled to take effect on May 6, the bill has sparked concerns among some professors about the implications for academic freedom.

Rick McDonald, an English professor at Utah Valley University, expressed worry over the bill’s vague wording, which might lead to students objecting to group assignments where peers hold differing viewpoints. Joe LaSure, a faculty member at Utah State University, echoed similar sentiments, suggesting the legislation could intensify the existing “chilling effect” following a recent ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in public education. “You cannot distribute content under conditions of fear,” LaSure said.

Petersen reassured that the bill does not enable students to skip classes or modify learning objectives and is not designed to support any specific political group or religion.