MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 30, House Building

February 18, 2016

Members Present:                Rep. Brad G. Last, Chair

                                                Rep. V. Lowry Snow, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. LaVar Christensen

                                                Rep. Kim Coleman

                                                Rep. Bruce R. Cutler

                                                Rep. Steve Eliason

                                                Rep. Justin L. Fawson

                                                Rep. David E. Lifferth

                                                Rep. Daniel McCay

                                                Rep. Marie H. Poulson           

Members Absent:                 Rep. Francis D. Gibson

                                                Rep. Eric Hutchings

                                                Rep. Carol Spackman Moss

                                                Rep. Michael E. Noel                                      

Staff Present:                        Ms. Tiffany Stanley, Policy Analyst

                                                Ms. Linda Service, Committee Secretary

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

Vice Chair Snow called the meeting to order at 8:15 a.m.

S.C.R. 6          Concurrent Resolution Recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Utah Educational Savings Plan (Sen. E. Vickers) (Rep. J. Stanard)

Sen. Vickers explained the resolution with the assistance of Ms. Lynne Ward, Executive Director, Utah Educational Savings Plan.

MOTION:     Rep. Poulson moved to pass the resolution out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McCay absent for the vote.

H.B. 301         School Bus Route Grant Program (Rep. J. Stanard)

Rep. Stanard explained the bill.

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

1.    Page 3, Lines 63 through 74:   

63   (a) describes an unsafe route for which the school district intends to receive a grant;

64 {  and  }

65   (b) includes a written statement describing why the route is unsafe from:   

66   (i) the school district;

67   (ii) local law enforcement; and

68   (iii) the municipality or county in which the described route is located {  .  }  ; and

       (c) includes other information as required by the board. 

69   (4) (a) The Transportation Advisory Committee shall:

70   (i) evaluate a proposal submitted to the board under Subsection (3); and

71   (ii) make recommendations to the board regarding whether to fund the proposal.

72   (b) The board shall {  award a grant to a school district based on  }  consider  the recommendations of

73the Transportation Advisory Committee  before awarding a grant as described in Subsection (2)(b)  .

74   (5) In awarding a grant under this section, the board may not:

2.    Page 3, Lines 81 through 82:   

81   (b) make a recommendation to the board regarding whether the board, subject to

82legislative appropriations, should renew the grant.

 (7) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the board shall make rules to implement the grant program described in this section. 

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

Spoke to the bill:

                       Mr. Tyler Slack, Utah PTA

Spoke against the bill:

                       Mr. Wayne Reese, Cache and Logan School Districts

                       Mr. Tom Given, Granite School District

MOTION:     Rep. Eliason moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McCay absent for the vote.

H.B. 175         Public Education Employment Amendments (Rep. K. Powell)

At the request of the sponsor, H.B. 175 was not considered.

H.B. 289         Charter School Closure Amendments (Rep. S. DiCaro)

Rep. DiCaro explained the bill with the assistance of Mr. Royce Van Tassell, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools.

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to replace H.B. 289 with 1st Sub. H.B. 289. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. McCay absent for the vote.

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

1.    Page 3, Lines 57 through 59:   

57   (5) (a) On or before January 1, 2017, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah

58Administrative Rulemaking Act, the State Board of Education shall, after {  consultation with  }  considering suggestions from 

59charter school authorizers, make rules establishing requirements, procedures, and deadlines for

2.    Page 8, Lines 231 through 233:      

231Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the State Board of Education [may] shall, after

232 {  consultation with  }  considering suggestions from  charter school authorizers, make rules that:

233 (a) provide additional closure [requirements upon] procedures for charter schools [or

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

Spoke to the bill:

                       Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Acting State Superintendent of Public Instruction

                       Ms. Jennifer Johnson, 2nd Vice Chair, State Board of Education

Spoke for the bill:

                       Mr. Ben Horsley, Granite School District

                       Dr. Sara Jones, Utah Education Association

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Coleman absent for the vote.

H.B. 94           Local Funding Options for Public Education (Rep. N. Thurston)

Rep. Thurston explained the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Poulson moved to replace H.B. 94 with 1st Sub. H.B. 94. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Coleman absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Last moved to delete Section 53A-17a-162 from the bill.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:   Rep. Cutler moved to hold the bill and recommend the topic for interim study.

PRIVILEGED MOTION:   Rep. McCay moved to adjourn. The motion passed with Rep. Lifferth voting against the motion. Rep. Coleman was absent for the vote. Vice Chair Snow adjourned the meeting at 9:52 a.m.

H.B. 329         Federal Funds Procedures Act Amendments (Rep. J. Fawson)

H.B. 329 was not considered.

___________________________________

Rep. Brad Last, Chair