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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE
January 24, 2006
Room W135, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair
        Rep. LaVar Christensen, Vice Chair
        Rep. Ron Bigelow
Rep. Duane Bourdeaux
        Rep. John Dougall
        Rep. James A. Ferrin
        Rep. James R. Gowans
        Rep. David L. Hogue
        Rep. Kory M. Holdaway
        Rep. Gregory H. Hughes
        Rep. Bradley T. Johnson
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold
        Rep. LaWanna Shurtliff
        Rep. Stephen Urquhart
        
MEMBERS ABSENT:
            
STAFF PRESENT:    Constance C. Steffen Policy Analyst
        Barbara Thomas, Committee Secretary
        Dee S Larsen, Associate General Counsel

Note: List of visitors and copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes.

Vice Chair Christensen called the meeting to order at 3:45 p.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Hogue moved to approve the minutes of January 23, 2006. The motion passed unanimously with Representatives Bigelow, Bourdeau, Dougall, Ferrin, Hughes, Johnson, Urquhart and Dayton absent for the vote.

H.B. 68    School Fee Waiver Amendments (Rep. L. Shurtliff)

Rep. Shurtliff introduced the bill which allows the State Board of Education to distribute funds to school districts impacted by fee waivers.

Larry Latham, Principal, Freemont High School, discussed the financial impact of fee waivers.



MOTION:     Rep. Moss moved to amend the bill as follows:


1.    Page 3, Lines 74 through 79 :    

             74          (7) (a)[ To compensate school districts for impacts of fee waivers, the] The State Board of
             75      Education [may] shall distribute funds [to school districts] appropriated to compensate school districts for impacts of fee waivers as provided in this Subsection (7).
             76          (b) Each school district shall receive up to $40 per student in grades 9 through 12
             77      eligible for
[[   free school lunch   ]]        fee waivers       .

             78          (c) The State Board of Education [may] shall make rules specifying procedures for the
             79      application for and distribution of funds under this Subsection (7).

        The motion passed unanimously with Representatives Bigelow, Dougall, Hughes, Urquhart and Dayton absent for the vote.

The following spoke in support of the bill:

Larry Latham, Principal, Freemont High School
Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association and Utah School Superintendents Association
Kimberly Campbell, UEA
Bruce Penland, Ogden City Schools

Ray Timothy, State Office of Education, spoke to the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Johnson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Newbold voting in opposition and Representatives Bigelow, Dougall, Hughes, Urquhart and Dayton absent for the vote.

H.B. 289    Utah Education Network Amendments (Rep. K. Holdaway)

Rep. Holdaway presented the bill which modifies provisions relating to the Utah Education Network (UEN).

MOTION:     Rep. Holdaway moved to amend the bill as follows:


1.    Page 1, Lines 12 through 13 :    


             12          .    
[[   establishes an expanded   ]]        modifies the       definition of UEN, including      [[   expanded   ]]        modified       duties and authority

             13      related to the provision of broadcasting and telecommunication services;


2.    Page 2, Lines 39 through 51 :    

             39          (2) The center shall provide services to citizens of the state in cooperation with higher
             40      and public education, state
  and local       government, and private industry.

             41          (3) Distribution services provided through the center shall include KUED [Channel 7,
             42      KULC Channel 9] - TV, KUER - FM [90, the statewide two-way interactive system for video
             43      and audio, hereafter referred to as EDNET, Instructional Television Fixed Service, hereafter
             44      referred to as ITFS, educational data communications network facilities, hereafter referred to as
             45      UtahLink, and satellite uplink and downlink services], and the Utah Education Network.
             46          (4) KUED - TV and KUER - FM are licensed [and accountable] to the University of
             47      Utah.
             48          (5) [KULC] The Utah Education Network's broadcast entity, KUEN - TV, is licensed
             49      to the Utah State Board of Regents [and, together with EDNET, UtahLink, and the satellite
             50      services, is operated by the University of Utah on behalf of the state's systems of public and
             51      higher education]
  and, together with UEN, is operated on behalf of the state's systems of public and higher education       .



3.    Page 3, Lines 69 through 71 :    

             69      of public and higher education;
             70          (e) develop or implement other programs or services for
  the delivery of       distance learning as directed    

             71      by law; and

        The motion to amend passed unanimously with Representatives Bigelow, Dougall, Hughes, and Urquhart absent for the vote.

Dr. Peterson, Executive Director, UEN, indicated that the bill clarifies statutory authority of the UEN as well as removes acronyms no longer being used. Terminology has been updated, but day to day operations will not be impacted.

MOTION:    Rep. Shurtliff moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed

unanimously with Representatives Bigelow, Dougall, Hughes, and Urquhart absent for the vote.

H.B. 285    Appropriation for Highly Qualified Teachers (Rep. K. Holdaway)

Rep. Holdaway stated the bill reimburses costs of teachers to obtain National Board certification or to take tests to meet federal highly qualified teacher standards.

Travis Lemon, teacher, Alpine School District, distributed information on how National Board certification impacts the classroom.

Ray Timothy stated the State Board of Education has not yet taken a position on the bill. He noted the State Board of Education is in support of the National Board certification program.

Becky Hatch, Granite School District, spoke in support of the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Ferrin moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Dayton voting in opposition and Representatives Bigelow, Hughes, Johnson, Moss, and Urquhart absent for the vote. .

The meeting was adjourned at 5:25 p.m.



            ____________________________                
            Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair