MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 30, House Building

February 24, 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. Michael E. Noel

                                                Rep. Marie H. Poulson

Members Excused:               Rep. Gregory 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 4:20 p.m.

H.B. 331         Professional Learning Grant Program (Rep. B. Last)

Rep. Last explained the bill to the committee assisted by Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Deputy Superintendent, State Office of Education.

Spoke for the bill:                   Dr. Sara Jones, Utah Education Association

                                                Ms. Elizabeth Weight, American Federation of Teachers

                                                Ms. Deon Turley, Utah PTA

Rep. Hutchings assumed the chair.

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

1.    Page 4, Lines 108 through 112:      

108 (c) integrates the professional learning standards described in Section 53A-15-1501;

109 {  and  }

110 (d) includes an evaluation method to optimize effectiveness that:

111 (i) measures student growth; and

112 (ii) requires observation of educator practice {  .  }  ;

(e) is developed in collaboration with teachers, principals, and other educators; and

(f) incorporates a strategy for compensation, where appropriate, of professional learning participants. 

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

MOTION:     Rep. Poulson moved to pass the bill favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Coleman, Rep. Fawson, and Rep. Lifferth voting against the motion. Rep. Snow was absent for the vote.

Chair Last assumed the chair.

H.B. 263         State School Board Powers Modifications (Rep. N. Thurston)

Rep. Thurston explained the bill to the committee.

Mr. Brad C. Smith, Superintendent, State Office of Education, spoke to the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Moss moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Snow absent for the vote.

H.B. 345         Abuse Policy for Educators (Rep. D. McCay)

Rep. McCay explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:                   Ms. Rebecca Ivory, citizen

                                               Ms. Britta Schugk, citizen

Ms. Lisa Nentl-Bloom, Utah Education Association, spoke against the bill.

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

                                               Ms. Heidi Alder, citizen

                                               Ms. Jennifer Johnson, State Board of Education

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to replace H.B. 345 with 1st Sub. H.B. 345. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Snow absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Noel moved to pass the bill out favorably.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:   Rep. Moss moved to move to the next item on the agenda. The motion failed with Rep. Moss and Rep. Poulson voting for the motion. Rep. Snow was absent for the vote.

The motion to pass the bill out favorably passed with Rep. Moss and Rep. Poulson voting against the motion. Rep. Snow was absent for the vote.

H.B. 346         School Building Costs Reporting Amendments (Rep. J. Knotwell)

Rep. Knotwell explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Gibson, Rep. McCay, Rep. Noel, and Rep. Snow absent for the vote.

MOTION:     Rep. Coleman moved to place H.B. 346 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Gibson, Rep. McCay, Rep. Moss, Rep. Noel, and Rep. Snow absent for the vote.

S.B. 33            Public School Early Graduation Amendments (Sen. A. Osmond)

Sen. Osmond explained the bill to the committee.

MOTION:     Rep. Hutchings moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Gibson, Rep. Moss, Rep. Noel, and Rep Snow absent for the vote.

H.B. 349         School and Institutional Trust Lands Budget Amendments (Rep. M. Brown)

H.B. 349 was not considered.

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Gibson, Rep. Moss, Rep. Noel, and Rep. Snow absent for the vote. Chair Last adjourned the meeting at 6:39 p.m.

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Rep. Brad Last, Chair