MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 30, House Building

February 2, 2015

Members Present:                Rep. Brad G. Last, Chair

                                                Rep. V. Lowry Snow, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. LaVar Christensen

                                                Rep. Kim Coleman

                                                Rep. Steve Eliason

                                                Rep. Justin L. Fawson

                                                Rep. Francis D. Gibson

                                                Rep. Eric K. Hutchings

                                                Rep. David E. Lifferth

                                                Rep. Daniel McCay

                                                Rep. Carol Spackman Moss

                                                Rep. Mike E. Noel

                                                Rep. Marie H. Poulson

Members Excused:               Rep. Greg H. Hughes  

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 2:08 p.m.

MOTION:     Rep. McCay moved to approve the minutes of the January 28, 2015 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Gibson, Rep. Hutchings, and Rep. Noel absent for the vote.

H.B. 54           Public Education Increased Funding Program (Rep. J. Draxler)

Rep. Draxler explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:     Rep. Poulson moved to replace H.B. 54 with 1st Sub. H.B. 54. The motion passed with Rep. Fawson, and Rep. McCay, voting in opposition. Rep. Gibson and Rep. Hutchings were absent for the vote.

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Steve Norton, Superintendent, Cache County School District

                                                Ms. Deon Turley, Utah P.T.A.

                                                Mr. Zane Woolstenhulme, Utah State Superintendents Association                                                 and Utah School Boards Association

Spoke against the bill:            Mr. Peter Cannon, Utah Eagle Forum

                                                Mr. Billy Hesterman, Utah Taxpayers Association

                                                Mr. Mark Terran, Salt Lake City resident

Spoke to the bill:                    Mr. Brad C. Smith, Superintendent, Utah State Board of Education

                                                Dr. Sarah Jones, Utah Education Association

                                                Ms. Sydnee Dixon, Deputy Superintendent, Utah State Office of                                                 Education

MOTION:     Rep. Last moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion failed with Rep. Moss and Rep. Poulson voting in favor of the motion.

MOTION:     Rep. McCay moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. Vice Chair Snow adjourned the meeting at 3:45 p.m.

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Rep. Brad Last, Chair