MINUTES OF THE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
ROOM 210, SENATE BUILDING, UTAH STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX
FEBRUARY 27, 2013
Members Present:
Sen. Stuart C. Reid, Chair Sen. Patricia W. Jones Sen. Mark B. Madsen Sen. Aaron Osmond Sen. Howard A. Stephenson Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson
Members Excused: Pres. Wayne L. Niederhauser
Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart
Staff Present: Ms. Allison Nicholson, Policy Analyst
Ms. Wendy Hill, Secretary
A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.
Chair Reid called the meeting to order at 8:24 am.
Approval of Minutes
MOTION: Sen. Osmond moved to approve the minutes of the February 25, 2013 meeting.
The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Madsen and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.
S.B. 81 School Property Tax Funding (Sen. A. Osmond)
Sen. Osmond introduced and explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Osmond moved to amend the bill as follows:
I. Page 1, Lines 13 through 16:
13 • sets the school minimum basic tax rate at a fixed rate;
• provides for certain notification and certification requirements related to the school minimum basic tax rate;
14 repeals certain public notice requirements related to the school minimum basic tax 15 rate;
• requires specified increases in the value of the weighted pupil unit as the
minimum basic tax rate generates additional revenue for the basic program;
16 amends a school board local levy;
2. Page I, Lines 23 through 24:
93 Other Special Clauses:
24 This bill has retrospective operation to January 1, 2013.
This bill coordinates with S.B. 1, Public Education Base Budget, by providing superseding substantive amendments.
3. Page 2, Line 34:
34 631-1-253, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 369
Utah Code Sections Affected by Coordination Clause:
53A-17a-135, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapters 4 and 421
4. Page 9, Lines 266 through 268:
266 KO] (3) (a) On or before June 8, the State Tax Commission shall provide the
State Board of Education and each school district with an initial estimate of:
(i) the minimum basic tax rate to be imposed under Subsection (2); and
(ii) the basic levy increment rate.
(b) The State Tax Commission shall certify on or before June 22 the [ latL that
• • •
267 • • ] minimum basic tax rate to be imposed under 268 Subsection (2) and the basic levy increment rate .
5. Page 10, Lines 283 through 288:
283 (6) The Legislature shall annually increase the { I • • •
th-e-ha-sic-}
284 the value of the weighted pupil unit, except for the value of add-on
weighted pupil units for the special education program described in Section 53A-17a-111 and the career and technical education program described in Section 53A-17a-113, by an amount that fully appropriates an amount equal to any difference between:
285 (a) the amount of revenue generated statewide by the tax rate imposed in accordance 286 with Subsection (2); and
287 (b) the amount of revenue that would be generated statewide by a tax rate equal to the
Minutes of the Senate Education Standing Committee February 27, 2013 Page 3
288 certified revenue levy.
6. Page 23, Line 707:
707 This bill has retrospective operation to January 1, 2013.
Section 10. Coordinating S.B. 81 with S.B. 1 -- Superseding substantive
amendments.
If this S.B. 81 and S.B. 1, Public Education Base Budget, both pass and become law, the Legislature intends that the amendments to Section 53A-17a-135 in this S.B. 81 supersede the amendments to Section 53A-17a-135 in S.B. 1, when the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel prepares the Utah Code database for publication.
The motion passed with Sen. Madsen absent for the vote.
Spoke against the bill: Mr. Tim Leffel, Finance Director, Davis School District, also representing School
Business Officials, Utah School Boards, and Utah School Superintendents
Spoke to the bill: Mr. Bruce Williams, Associate Superintendent, Utah State Office of Education
Spoke for the bill: Ms. Judi Clark, Executive Director, Parents for Choice in Education
MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with
Sen. Jones voting in opposition.
S.B. 79 Student-centered Learning Pilot Program (Sen. H. Stephenson)
Sen. Stephenson introduced and explained the bill.
Spoke to the bill: Dr. Martell Menlove, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Spoke against the bill: Ms. Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, President, Utah Education Association
Dr. Patti Harrington, Executive Director, Utah School Superintendents Association, Utah School Boards Association
Spoke for the bill: Mr. Stan Rasmussen, Public Affairs Director, Sutherland Institute
MOTION: Sen. Madsen moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Sen. Jones
voting in opposition and Sen. Osmond absent for the vote.
S.B. 230 Miners' Hospital Grants Amendments (Sen. D. Hinkins)
Sen. Hinkins introduced and explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Jones moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen.
Osmond absent for the vote.
MOTION: Sen. Jones moved to place S.B. 230 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed
unanimously with Sen. Osmond absent for the vote.
MOTION: Sen. Jones moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Osmond absent
for the vote.
Chair Reid adjourned the meeting at 9:36 am.
Minutes were reported by Ms. Wendy Hill, Secretary.
Sen. Stuart C. Reid, Chair