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                    MINUTES OF THE HOUSE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
WORKFORCE SERVICES STANDING COMMITTEE
Room 25 House Building
February 20, 2013

MEMBERS PRESENT:        Rep. Becky Edwards, Chair
                    Rep. Rich Cunningham, Vice Chair
                    Rep. Jim Bird
                    Rep. Richard Greenwood
                    Rep. Lynn Hemingway    
                    Rep. Brad Last
                    Rep. Ronda Rudd Menlove
                    Rep. Merrill Nelson
                    Rep. Curt Oda
                    Rep. Angela Romero
                    
MEMBERS ABSENT:        Rep. Brad Wilson     
                                                 
STAFF PRESENT:            Ben Christensen, Policy Analyst
                    Rosemary Young, Committee Secretary
                
Note:     A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

Vice Chair Cunningham called the meeting to order at 4:07 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Bird moved to approve the minutes of the February 19, 2013 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Greenwood, Rep. Last, and Rep. Oda absent for the vote.

H.B. 139    Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Action Center (Rep. V. Peterson)

MOTION:    Rep. Bird moved to amend H.B. 139 as follows:

1.    Page 2, Lines 36 through 44 :    

             36      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             37          This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2014:
             38          .    to
{   the General Fund Restricted -   } Governor's Office of Economic Development        - Administration       , as

             39      an ongoing appropriation:
             40              .    from the General Fund,
{   $14,000,000   }        $15,000,000;

    .     to Governor's Office of Economic Development - Administration, as a one-time appropriation:
        .     from the General Fund, ($5,000,000)  
; and


             41
         .    to State Board of Education - State Office of Education, as
{   an ongoing   }        a one-time      

             42      appropriation:
             43              .    from the General Fund,
{   $1,000,000   }        $5,000,000       .

             44      Other Special Clauses:

2.    Page 3, Lines 67 through 69 :    

             67      process, to provide services as part of the STEM Action Center pursuant to this part.
    
  (5) "SEOP" has the same meaning as defined in Section 53A-1a-106.      

             68          
{   (5)   }        (6)       "STEM" means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

             69          
{   (6)   }        (7)       "STEM Action Center" means the center described in Section 63M-1-3204 .


3.    Page 4, Lines 116 through 118 :    

             116          (c) strategically engage industry and business entities to cooperate with the board:
             117          (i) to
{   provide   }        support       professional development and        provide       other assistance      {   to   }        for       educators and students;

             118      and

4.    Page 5, Lines 142 through 146 :    

             142          (c) ensure that the STEM Action Center:
             143          (i) is accessible by the public; and
             144          (ii) includes the components described in Subsection (2);
{   and   }       

    (d) work cooperatively with the State Board of Education to implement the State Board of Education's STEM initiative described in Section 63M-1-3206; and  

             145          
{   (d)   }        (e)       engage at least 25 private entities to provide financial support or employee time for

             146      STEM activities in schools in addition to what is currently provided by private entities.

5.    Page 5, Lines 147 through 151 :    

             147          (2) The executive director of the STEM Action Center shall:
             148          (a)
{   provide   }        support       professional development      {   to   }        for       educators regarding      {   :

             149          (i) blended learning models; and


             150          (ii)  
}
education related instructional technology
  that supports STEM education       ;

             151          (b) ensure that the STEM Action Center acts as a research and development center for

6.    Page 6, Line 157 :    

             157          (d) organize
{   and   }        ,       host        , and facilitate participation in       interscholastic STEM related competitions, fairs, and camps;


7.    Page 6, Line 182 through Page 7, Line 184 :    

             182          (o)
{   implement   }        support       best methods of professional development, including methods of

             183      professional development that reduce cost and increase effectiveness, to help educators learn
             184      how to most effectively implement best practice learning tools in classrooms;

8.    Page 7, Lines 193 through 201 :    

             193          (t)
{   track the performance of educators who receive   }        support STEM professionals working to obtain       a competency-based license in

             194      accordance with Section 53A-6-104.5 ;
             195          (u)
{   target   }        support targeted       professional development for improved instruction in STEM in grades 6, 7,

             196      and 8, including:
             197          (i) improved instructional materials that are more dynamic and stimulating for
             198      students;
             199          (ii) targeted instruction for students who traditionally avoid enrolling in STEM
             200      courses;
{   and   }

             201          (iii) introduction of stimulating engineering courses;
  and

    (iv) introduction of other research based methods that support student achievement in STEM areas;  


9.    Page 7, Lines 206 through 208 :    

             206          (w) develop and produce a low cost, highly-interactive, print and online mathematics
             207     
{   textbook   }        instructional support materials       , for students in grades 7 and 8,

that will meet the State Board of Education's core


             208      curriculum standards for mathematics.

10.    Page 8, Lines 229 through 230 :    

             229      find the best known methods of purchasing learning tools, including education related
             230      instructional technology,
{   at the lowest possible cost   }        in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 6, Utah Procurement Code       .





11.    Page 8, Lines 231 through 240 :    

             231          Section 6. Section 63M-1-3206 is enacted to read:
             232          63M-1-3206. Grants to schools for STEM
{   career and technical   } education.

             233          (1) Subject to legislative appropriations, the State Board of Education shall award a
             234     
{   grant   }        grants       to a school district or charter school to fund        :

    (a) the school district's or charter school's  
STEM career and technical education courses

             235      if the school district or charter school provides matching funds for at least 100% of the grant
             236      amount
{   .   }        ; or

    (b) the school district's or charter school's STEM education plan described in Subsection (2).
    (2)(a) A school district or charter school may apply for a grant from the State Board of Education, through a competitive process, to fund the school district's or charter school's STEM education plan.
    (b) A school district's or charter school's STEM education plan shall:
    (i) focus on STEM education in grades 6, 7, and 8; and
    (ii) include a plan to increase the number of students in grade 8 who, through an SEOP process, plan to enroll in STEM courses as part of the high school course selection.  

             237          
{   (2)   }        (3)       The money awarded to a school district or charter school described in      {   Subsection

             238      (1)  
}
  this section       may not be used to supplant funds for existing STEM      {   career and technical   } education

             239      courses, but shall be used to supplement STEM
{   career and technical   } education

courses.


             240          Section 7. Section 63M-1-3207 is enacted to read:

12.    Page 9, Line 262 through Page 10, Line 281 :    

             262      addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2014.
             263          To
{   General Fund Restricted -   }

Governor's Office of Economic Development
  -- Administration      

             264              From General Fund                        
     {   $14,000,000   }        $15,000,000

        From General Fund, one-time  
                        ($5,000,000)      

             265              Schedule of Programs:
             266                  Administration            
{   $14,000,000   }        $10,000,000      

             267          To State Board of Education -
{   State Office of Education   }        Related to Basic School Programs      

             268              From General Fund
  , one-time                                         {   $1,000,000   }        $5,000,000      

             269              Schedule of Programs:
             270                  
{   Career and Technical Education   }        STEM Education                 {   $1,000,000   }        $5,000,000      

             271          The Legislature intends that:
             272          (1) the appropriation for Administration be used:
             273          (a) to establish a STEM Action Center as described in Section 63M-1-3204;
             274          (b) to provide or establish a physical location for the STEM Action Center; and
             275          (c) for education related instructional technology as described in Section 63M-1-3205;
             276          (2) the appropriation for
{   Career and Technical Education   }        STEM Education       be used by the State Board of

             277      Education to award grants to school districts and charter schools for STEM related
{   career and

             278      technical education  
}
courses as described in Section 63M-1-3206;
{   and   }

             279          (3) the
{   appropriations   }        appropriation       described in Subsections (1)      {   and (2)   } :

             280          (a) be ongoing; and
             281          (b) not lapse at the close of fiscal year 2014
{   .   }        ; and

    (4) the appropriation described in Subsection (2):
    (a) be one-time; and
    (b) not lapse at the close of fiscal year 2014.  


The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Oda absent for the vote.


Rep. Peterson presented the bill to the committee assisted by Stan Lockhart, private sector chair of the Governor's Education Excellence Commission, who distributed a handout.

These individuals spoke in favor of the bill:

    Richard Nelson        Utah Technology Council
    Spencer Eccles        Governor's Office of Economic Development
    Wesley Smith            Salt Lake Chamber and Prosperity 2020
    Tami Goetz            Utah Valley University
    Lee Brinton            engineer
    Curtis Linton            School Improvement Network

Brenda Hales of the Utah State Office of Education spoke to the bill.

These individuals spoke in opposition to the bill:
    
    Kory Holdaway        Utah Education Association
    Peter Cannon            citizen

MOTION:    Rep. Last moved to pass H.B. 139 with a favorable recommendation.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:    Rep. Bird moved to hold the bill in committee. The motion passed with Rep. Last, Rep. Nelson, Rep. Edwards, and Rep Cunningham voting in opposition.

MOTION:     Rep. Last moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously.

Vice Chair Cunningham adjourned the meeting at 5:51 p.m.








                    _________________________________________
                    Rep. Becky Edwards, Chair