MINUTES OF THE

SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

210 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

January 29, 2016

 

Members Present:    

                                    Sen. Ann Millner, Chair

                                    Sen. Jim Dabakis

                                    Sen. Lincoln Fillmore

                                    Sen. Mark B. Madsen

                                    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

                                    Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart

 

Members excused:     President Wayne L. Niederhauser

 

Staff Present:             Ms. Allyson Goldstein, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Tonya Hadley, Committee Secretary

 

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

 

Chair Millner relinquished the chair to Sen. Urquhart. Chair Urquhart called the meeting to order at 2:09 p.m.

 

S.B. 78         State Board of Education Candidate Selection   (Sen. Millner)

 

Sen. Millner explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Dorothy Bradford, mother

 

Spoke against the bill: Dr. Tami Pyfer, Education Advisor, Utah Governor’s Office

                                    Mr. Mark Thomas, Chief Deputy, Lt. Governor’s Office

                                    Ms. Heather Gardner, citizen

                                    Mr. Stan Rasmussen, Legislative Contact, Sutherland Institute

                                    Mr. Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to send SB 78 to the floor with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed 4-1, with Sen. Madsen and Sen. Stevenson absent. Sen. Dabakis voted in opposition.

 

Sen. Millner resumed the Chair.

 

SCR006       Concurrent Resolution Recognizing the 20th Anniversary of the Utah Educational Savings Plan (Sen. Vickers)

 

Sen. Vickers explained the bill to the committee and an amendment as follows:

1.          Page 2, Lines 45 through 46:    


                               45          WHEREAS, the Utah Educational Savings Plan now has more than 300,000 accounts,

                               46   with a total balance in excess of   {$8.5}    $8   billion;

           

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Lynne Ward, Executive Director, Utah Education Savings Plan           

                       

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

 

S.B. 0045     Compulsory Education Revisions   (Sen. Jackson)

 

Sen. Jackson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:                   Ms. Elaine Augustine, parent

                                                Ms. Dorothy Bradford, mother

                                                Ms. Wendi Baggaley, mother

                                                Ms. Lacey Seegmiller, Student Intern, Utah Eagle Forum

                                                Mr. Josh Daniels, Policy Analyst, Libertas Institute

                                                Ms. Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Eagle Forum

Mr. Stan Rasmussen, Director of Public Affairs, Sutherland Institute

                                                Ms. Dani Hartvitzen, mother

 

Spoke against the bill:             Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Acting Superintendent, Utah State Office of Education

                                                Mr. Chase Clyde, GR Director, Utah Education Association

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Sen. Dabakis voting in opposition.

 

S.B. 0086     School Building Coordination (Sen. Jackson)

 

Sen. Jackson explained the bill to the committee and proposed an amendment.

1. Page 1, Lines 15 through 17:         


             15               ∙      the Department of Transportation; and

             16               ∙      certain utility providers;   {and} 

         ▸   requires a school district or charter school to submit a child access routing plan to the Department of Transportation; and 

             17               ▸     makes technical corrections.


 

2. Page 2, Lines 37 through 43:         


             37        telephone corporation that provides service or maintains infrastructure within the immediate

             38        area of the proposed site.

             39        (b) (i)  Representatives of the local governmental entity   {and}    , Department of Transportation, and   the school district or

             40        charter school shall meet as soon as possible after the notification under Subsection (1)(a) takes

             41        place in order to:

             42               (A)  subject to Subsection (1)(b)(ii), review information provided by the school district

             43        or charter school about the proposed acquisition;


 

3. Page 3, Lines 82 through 83:         


                                   82      acquire a school site or construct a school building, without first obtaining the consent of the

                                   83      district or charter school.

              (5) Prior to beginning construction on a school site, a school district or charter school shall submit to the Department of Transportation a child access routing plan as described in Section 53A-3-402.   

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to accept amendment one. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent.

           

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Linda Hull, Policy and Legislative Services Director, Utah Department of Transportation

 

MOTION:  Sen. Madsen moved to pass out the bill, as amended. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent.

 

H.B. 43        State Instructional Materials Commission Amendments (Rep. Cutler)

 

Rep. Cutler explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Acting Superintendent, USOE

 

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Diana Suddreth, Director of Teaching and Learning, Utah Office of Education

 

MOTION:  Sen. Moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stevenson moved to adjourn.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent for the vote.

 

Chair adjourned the meeting at 4:04 p.m.

 

 

________________________

Sen. Ann Millner, Chair