MINUTES OF THE

SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

210 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

March 6, 2014

 

Members Present:     Sen. Stuart C. Reid, Chair

                                    Sen. Patricia W. Jones

                                    Sen. Mark B. Madsen

                                    President Wayne L. Niederhauser

                                    Sen. Aaron Osmond

                                    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

                                    Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart

                                   

Staff Present:             Ms. Tiffany Stanley, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Wendy Hill, Committee Secretary

 

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

 

Chair Reid called the meeting to order at 8:10 a.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Madsen moved to approve the minutes of the March 4, 2014 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with President Niederhauser, Sen. Stevenson and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.    

 

S.B. 80         Statewide Online Education Amendments (Sen. H. Stephenson)

 

MOTION:   Sen. Stephenson moved to replace S.B. 80 with 1st Sub. S.B. 80. The motion passed unanimously with President Niederhauser, Sen. Stevenson and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Stephenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Dr. Martell Menlove, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

                                    Sarah Jones, Director of Education Excellence, Utah Education

                                                Association

 

Spoke for the bill:       Judi Clark, Executive Director, Parents for Choice of Education

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed with Sen. Jones voting in opposition and President Niederhauser, Sen. Stevenson and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

1st Sub H.B. 116         School Construction Modifications (Rep. R. Cunningham)

 

Rep. Cunningham explained the bill to the committee.         

 

 

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

2nd Sub. H.B. 286       Child Sexual Abuse Prevention (Rep. A. Romero)

 

Rep. Romero explained the bill to the committee. “radKIDS” packet and “H.B. 286” handout were distributed to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Edward Smart, advocate, radKIDS

                                    Kristin Parry, parent

                                    Ciera Pekarcik, Miss Utah 2013

                                    Holly Todd, counselor, Wasatch School District, Utah School Counselor

                                                Association

                                    Preston Jenson, citizen

                                    Jennifer Johnson, citizen

                                    Sarah Jones, Director of Education Excellence, Utah Education

                                                Association

 

Spoke to the bill:         Gayle Ruzicka, President, Utah Eagle Forum

 

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

1.    Page 3, Lines 62 through 71

House Floor Amendments

2-27-2014:   


                         62             {(5) (a)  An elementary school student may not be given the instruction described in

                         63   Subsection (4) unless the parent or guardian of the student is:

                         64           (i)  notified in advance of the:

                         65           (A)  instruction and the content of the instruction; and

                         66           (B)  parent or guardian's right to have the student excused from the instruction;

                         67           (ii)  given an opportunity to review the instructional materials before the instruction

                         68   occurs; and

                         69           (iii)  allowed to be present when the instruction is delivered.

                         70           (b)  Upon the written request of the parent or guardian of an elementary school student,

                         71   the student shall be excused from the instruction described in Subsection (4).}    

 (5) (a) A school district or charter school that chooses to provide the instruction described in Subsection

(4) to an elementary school student shall provide a consent form to a parent or guardian of the elementary school student that:

        (i) includes information regarding the content of the instruction;

(ii) requires a parent or guardian to indicate whether the parent or guardian consents to the instruction by checking either a box marked yes or a box marked no;

       (iii) contains a signature line; and

(iv) is on a single, separate page for the sole purpose of obtaining consent regarding the instruction described in Subsection (4).

(b) A school district or charter school may not provide the instruction described in Subsection (4) to an elementary school student unless a parent or guardian of the elementary school student:

(i) returns the signed consent form, with an indication that the parent or guardian has granted consent; and

       (ii) is allowed to be present when the instruction is delivered.     

 

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:   Sen. Urquhart moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

                    

H.B. 111      School Building Costs Reporting (Rep. J. Knotwell)

 

Rep. Knotwell explained the bill to the committee.  

 

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Madsen, President Niederhauser and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

H.B. 329      Programs for Youth Protection (Rep. Eliason)

 

Rep. Eliason explained the bill to the committee. “Utah Youth Suicide Facts” was distributed to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Holly Todd, counselor, Wasatch School District, Utah School Counselor

                                                Association

 

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with President Niederhauser and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

Chair Reid adjourned the meeting at 9:41 a.m.

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Stuart C. Reid, Chair