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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Thursday, January 24, 2008
        Room W130, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex


Members Present:        Sen. Margaret Dayton, Committee Chair
                Sen. Greg Bell
                Sen. Curtis Bramble
                Sen. Pat Jones
                Sen. Darin Peterson
                Sen. Ross Romero
                Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

Members Excused:        Sen. Lyle Hillyard
                                
Staff Present:            Phillip V. Dean, Policy Analyst
                Connie Steffen, Policy Analyst                                 Dee S. Larsen, Attorney
                Joan Tiffany, Secretary
                    
Public Speakers Present:    Senator Mark B. Madsen
                Kim Frank, Executive Director Charter Schools
                Steven H. Peterson, Executive Director, Utah School Boards                 Association & Utah School Superintendents                              Association (USBA/USSA)
                Larry Shumway, Deputy Superintendent,Utah State Office of                 Education (USOE)
                Mark O. VanWagoner, Counsel for Utah High School Activities                 Association
                Maddie Seegmiller, Charter School Student
                Julie Adamic, Chairman,Utah Charter School Board (UCSB)                     Darren Beck, Director, Utah Association Charter Schools (UACS)
                Stan Rasmussen, Public Affairs, Sutherland Institute
                Tamara Lowe, 1st Vice President, Utah School Boards Association                 Delanie Hathaway, President, Utah School Boards Association
                Murrell Martin, Pupil Transportation Specialist, Utah State Office                 of Education
                Jeff Leonard, Utah School Boards Association
                Ronald Mortensen, Citizens Coalition for Tax Fairness

A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Committee Chair Dayton called the meeting to order at the designated time of 8:08 am.

1.     S.B. 36, Charter and Online Schools - Participation in Extracurricular Activities

    Sen. Madsen introduced S.B. 36 and presented an amendment.


     MOTION: Sen. Peterson moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 21 :    

         21          .    
{   a public school that is open for the enrollment of nonresident students;   }        the public school from which the student withdrew for the purpose of attending a charter school;      

1.    Page 1, Line 27 :    

         27          .    
{   a public school that is open for the enrollment of nonresident students;   }        the public school from which the student withdrew for the purpose of participating in an online education program;       and

1.    Page 2, Lines 48 through 49 :    

         48          (b)
{   a school that is open for the enrollment of nonresident students under Section

              49      53A-2-207 and rules of the State Board of Education   }
  the public school from which the student withdrew for the purpose of attending a charter school       .

1.    Page 3, Line 89 through Page 4, Line 90 :    

         89          (b)
{   a school that is open for the enrollment of nonresident students under Section

         90          53A-2-207 and rules of the State Board of Education   }
  the public school from which the student withdrew for the purpose of participating in an online education program       .


    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Bramble absent for the vote.

    Comments and questions on S.B. 36 were heard from the Committee including Sens. Peterson, Stephenson, Dayton, Madsen, and Bell.

    Larry Shumway, Dep. Dir, USOE, spoke in opposition to the bill. He expressed concerns about the costs and eligibility requirements.                    
    Mark VanWagoner, Counsel for the UHSAA, commented on the bill.

    Maddie Seegmiller, Charter School Student; Julie Adamic, Chairman, UCSB, and Darren Beck, Dir.,UACS spoke in favor of the bill. Sen. Dayton expressed her support.

     MOTION: Sen. Bramble moved to send S.B. 36 out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously.

2.     S.B. 37, Home School and Extra Curricular Activities Amendments


    Sen. Madsen introduced S.B. 37 and explained the bill to the Committee. Sens. Jones, Madsen, Bell, Bramble, Romero, and Stephenson asked questions and made comments. Mr. Shumway raised concerns with the bill. Stan Rasmussen, Public Affairs for the Sutherland Institute spoke in support of the bill. Tamara Lowe, 1st Vice President USBA, and Mr. VanWagoner raised soncerns with the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Bramble moved to pass S.B. 37 out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

     SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Sen. Romero made a motion to hold the bill in committee and move to the next item on the agenda.

    The substitute motion passed with Sens. Bell, Jones, Peterson, Romero and Stephenson voting aye and Sens.Dayton and Bramble voting nay.

3.     S.B. 118, Education Transportation Amendments

    Sen. Peterson introduced S.B. 118 to the committee, noting that the fiscal note is $9 million. Comments and questions were heard from Sens. Peterson and Romero. Murrell Martin, Pupil Transportation Specialist, USOE; Delaney Hathaway, President, USBA; and Jeff Leonard, USBA. spoke in support of the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Peterson moved pass S.B. 118 out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Bell and Bramble absent for the vote.

4.     Committee Business

    Committee Chair Dayton announced bills that would be heard at the next meeting.

     MOTION: Sen. Jones moved to adjourn.

    The motion was passed unanimously.

    Committee Chair Dayton adjourned the meeting at 9:45 a.m.

    Minutes were reported by Joan Tiffany, secretary.






Sen. Margaret Dayton, Chair