Utah Senate removed requirement for college campus safety assessment from bill last session

OREM — As Utah Valley University reviews what happened during the shooting of Charlie Kirk, the college has hired an outside firm to help investigate, KSL learned.

A UVU spokesperson declined to say which firm had been retained, citing the “ongoing investigation.” But Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, who co-chairs the state’s School Security Task Force, confirmed the move and said recommendations from the independent firm will help lawmakers decide if anything needs to change.

However, one recent proposal aimed at bolstering safety on Utah’s college campuses was removed from a closely watched bill during the past legislative session, never making it to the governor’s desk.

It was a bill Wilcox himself sponsored.

Safety needs assessment

Wilcox, who’s served two stints in the House of Representatives, has made school safety his personal mission.

“There isn’t a moment that goes by that we do not see clearly our responsibility here,” Wilcox said, noting he hasn’t slept much since Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at UVU.

In 2024, the lawmaker sponsored a bill establishing new requirements designed to improve school safety. One of those requirements was for K-12 schools to conduct a safety needs assessment to determine how things were working — and what needed to be improved.

During the past legislative session, Wilcox sponsored another bill that sought to require colleges and universities to conduct the same assessment. That bill passed overwhelmingly out of the House of Representatives in a 69-2 vote.

But when it got to the Senate, that requirement for a safety assessment was stripped out.

Now, after the shooting last week of Kirk — the Turning Point USA co-founder who was on a speaking tour at colleges — the issue of campus safety in Utah is top of mind.

“I don’t think it’s possible to not ask the ‘what if’ question,” Wilcox said, speaking of that provision being removed from his bill. “What else should I have done? Should I have pushed harder on one piece or another?”

Senate sponsor responds

Sen. Ann Millner, R-Ogden, was the Senate sponsor of Wilcox’s bill this year. She’s a former president of Weber State University and co-chairs the School Security Task Force.

“Unlike many K–12 institutions, colleges maintain public safety operations, and the Utah Board of Higher Education already oversees student safety and training. We recognize the ongoing efforts to enhance preparedness across our state colleges and universities,” Millner said in a statement “These institutions understand their unique needs best and are well-positioned to implement effective, tailored practices. That’s why we entrusted them with this responsibility.”

She added, “Our focus should be on reinforcing the Utah Board of Higher Education, providing it with the authority, resources and support necessary to lead this work efficiently and effectively.”

Millner also expressed sadness about Kirk’s murder and the impact it’s had on many people.

“Political violence has no place on our campuses, state or nation,” Millner said. “My heartfelt prayers go out to Charlie’s family, as well as to the students, faculty and everyone affected by this devastating act of an individual.”

What’s next?

Wilcox said he doesn’t blame the Senate for changing his bill, and that policymaking is a group effort.

“The most important thing now is the next play. It always is. What happened has happened,” he said. “What can we learn from it?”

The lawmaker also noted that many — though not all — institutions of higher education in Utah have already started conducting safety assessments on their own.

Wilcox said he will await the results from the independent, outside firm helping conduct the investigation into the UVU shooting. He expects there will be “additional legislation” on the issue of campus and school safety, but he doesn’t know yet what that will include.

Regardless, Wilcox said he and other members of the School Security Task Force will keep working.

“There should never be a moment where we can’t engage in civil dialogue for fear of violence, and we’re committed to make sure that all kids are worried about when they go to school is learning,” Wilcox said. “That’s it.”