MINUTES OF THE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
2:00 pm • 210 Senate Building
Members Present: Members Absent:
Sen. Ann Millner, Chair President Wayne L. Niederhauser
Sen. J. Stuart Adams
Sen. Deidre M. Henderson Staff Present:
Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard Mr. Nathan W. Brady, Policy Analyst
Sen. Jani Iwamoto Ms. Lorna Wells, Legislative Session Worker
Sen. Howard A. Stephenson
Note: A list of others present, a copy of related materials, and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at le.utah.gov.
Chair Millner called the meeting to order at 2:13 p.m.
1. S.B. 35 Veterans Tuition Gap Program Act Amendments (Escamilla (Robles), L.)
Sen. Luz Escamilla presented the bill with the assistance of Mr. Gary Harder.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to amend S.B. 35 with Amendment #1.
1. Page 2, Lines 47 through 54:
47 (2) "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means [a]:
48 [(a) credit-granting higher education institution within the state system of higher
49education; or]
50 [(b) an institution of higher learning, as defined in the federal program, that is located
51in the state.]
52 (a) an institution of higher education listed in Subsection 53B-2-101(1); or
53 (b) a private, nonprofit, postsecondary institution
{
}
54accredited by a regional accrediting organization
{
}
2. Page 2, Line 56 through Page 3, Line 66:
56 (4) (a) "Qualifying military veteran" means a veteran, as defined in Section 68-3-12.5,
57who:
58 (I) is a resident student under Section 53B-8-102 and rules of the board;
59 (ii) is accepted into an institution and enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's
60degree;
61 [(iii) has qualified for the federal program;]
62 [(iv)] (iii) (A) has [maximized] exhausted the federal benefit under [the] a federal
63program; or
64 (B) demonstrates that the veteran
{
}
65federal program; and
66 [(v)] (iv) has not completed a bachelor's degree.
3. Page 3, Lines 70 through 74:
70 There is established a Veterans Tuition Gap Program to serve qualifying military
71veterans with tuition assistance at institutions of higher education when:
72 (1) federal benefits under the federal program [are no longer] have been exhausted or
73are not available; and
74 (2) a qualifying military veteran has not finished a bachelor's degree
The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Adams, Sen. Henderson,
Sen. Hillyard L, Sen. Iwamoto
Absent or not voting were: Sen. Stephenson.
MOTION: Sen. Henderson moved to amend S.B. 35 with Amendment #2
1. Page 2, Lines 53 through 55:
53 (b) a private, nonprofit, postsecondary institution headquartered in Utah that is
54accredited by a
{
}
55 (3) "Program" means the Veterans Tuition Gap Program created in this chapter.
Ms. Renae Cowley, Lobbyist, spoke in favor of the bill.
The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-2.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Adams, Sen. Henderson, Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Iwamoto
Absent or not voting were: Sen. H Stephenson.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to pass S.B. 35 as amended out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Adams, Sen. Henderson,
Sen. Hillyard L, Sen. Iwamoto and Sen. H. Stephenson
2. S.B. 59 Students with Disabilities Evaluation Amendments (Davis, G.)
Sen. Gene Davis explained the bill.
Ms. Glenna Gallo, State Director of Special Education spoke to the bill.
Ms. Shelley Halverson, Special Education Director, Salt Lake City School District, spoke in favor of the bill.
Mr. Andrew Riggle, Disability Law Center, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to pass S.B. 59 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 6-0-1.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Adams, Sen. Henderson,
Sen. Hillyard L, Sen. Iwamoto and Sen. H. Stephenson
3. S.B. 60 School District Amendments (Davis, G.)
Sen. Gene Davis explained the bill.
Ms. Shelley Halverson, Special Education Director, Salt Lake City School District, spoke to the bill.
Ms. Allyson Eddie, citizen, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to pass S.B. 60 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Henderson, Sen. Iwamoto, Sen. Stephenson. Absent or not voting were: Sen. Adams and Sen. Hillyard
4. S.B. 61 Students with Disabilities Accommodations Funding (Davis, G.)
Sen. Gene Davis explained the bill.
Ms. Glenna Gallo, State Director of Special Education spoke in favor of this bill.
Ms. Angie Stallings, Deputy Superintendent, Utah State Board of Education spoke to the bill.
Mr. Andrew Riggle, Disability Law Center, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to pass S.B. 61 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Iwamoto, and Sen. Stephenson
Absent or not voting were: Sen. Adams and Sen. Hillyard.
5. S.B. 49 Purpose of Minimum School Program (Fillmore, L.)
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore explained the bill.
Mr. Terry Shoemaker, Executive Director of Superintendent's Association, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Henderson moved to pass S.B. 49 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Henderson, Sen. Iwamoto, and Sen. Stephenson
Absent or not voting were: Sen. Adams, and Sen. Hillyard.
6. S.B. 64 Student Scholarship Amendments (Fillmore, L.)
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore explained the bill.
Dr. Sydnee Dickson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Utah State Board of Education spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Iwamoto moved to pass S.B. 64 out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Henderson, Sen. Iwamoto, and Sen. Stephenson
Absent or not voting were: Sen. Adams, and Sen. Hillyard.
7. S.B. 80 School Funding Amendments (Fillmore, L.)
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore explained the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to amend S.B. 80 with Amendment #1.
2. Page 15, Lines 433 through 435:
433accordance with this section by a local school board.
434 (2) (a) A local school board shall impose or modify a voted local levy on
{
}
435located in the school district of the local school board if a majority of the electors of the school
The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-3.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Henderson, Sen. Iwamoto, Sen. Stephenson
Absent or not voting were: Sen. Adams and Sen. Hillyard
Sen. Fillmore gave a presentation entitled, “The Equity Pupil Unit”
Mr. Ben Leishman, Product Manager, Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst spoke to the bill.
Mr. Terry Shoemaker, Executive Director of Superintendent's Association spoke to the bill.
Ms. Lisa Cummings, citizen, spoke against the bill.
Dr. Sara Jones, Utah Education Association, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to pass S.B. 80 as amended out favorably. The motion passed with a vote of 4-1-2.
Voting in the affirmative were: Sen. Millner, Sen. Henderson, Sen. Hillyard and Sen. Stephenson
Voting in the negative was: Sen. Iwamoto
Absent or not voting was: Sen. Adams
MOTION: Sen. Henderson moved to adjourn.
Chair Millner adjourned the meeting at 4:56 p.m.
___________________________
Sen. Ann Millner