MINUTES OF THE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, February 26, 2024 • 4:00 p.m. • 210 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. John D. Johnson, Chair
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. David P. Hinkins
Sen. Michael K. McKell
Sen. Ann Millner
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Members Absent:
President J. Stuart Adams
Sen. Jerry W Stevenson

Staff Present:
Finn Andrew Rose, Policy Analyst
Emma Johnsen, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
Chair John D. Johnson called the meeting to order at 4:31 PM.
1.3rd Sub. H.B. 84 School Safety Amendments (Wilcox, R.)
Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox presented the bill with the assistance of Matt Pennington, State Security Chief, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Lori Alhadeff, President, Make Our Schools Safe.
MOTION:Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe moved to replace 3rd Substitute H.B. 84 with 4th Substitute H.B. 84.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-5.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
Nicholeen Peck, President, Worldwide Organization for Women, spoke in favor of the bill.
Jim Moss, Chair, Utah State Board of Education, spoke in favor of the bill.
Sheri Mattle, Safety Commissioner, Utah PTA, spoke to the bill.
Brooke Stephens, Education Director, Utah Parents United, spoke in favor of the bill.
Clark Aposhian, Chair, Utah Shooting Sports Council, spoke in favor of the bill.
Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in favor of the bill.
Andrew Riggle, Public Policy Advocate, Disability Law Center, spoke to the bill.
Teri McCabe, Board Member, Provo City Schoolboard, spoke to the bill.
Will Weidner, Student Member, Provo City Schoolboard, spoke to the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Keith Grover moved to pass 4th Substitute H.B. 84 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-4.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
2.1st Sub. H.J.R. 3 Joint Resolution Regarding Higher Education Accreditation (Welton, D.)
Rep. Douglas R. Welton presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. David P. Hinkins moved to pass 1st Substitute H.J.R. 3 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-5.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
3.H.B. 112 Sex Education Instruction Amendments (Jimenez, T.)
Rep. Tim Jimenez presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to amend H.B. 112 with Amendment #2.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-5.
Amendment 2
H.B. 112
1 .        Page 2, Lines 46a through 46c :  Page 2, Lines 46a through 46c
46a         Ĥ → (b) Notwithstanding receipt of the consent described in Subsection (2)(a), a school may not
46b         provide sex education instruction that is not provided { in the curriculum described } in Section
46c         53G-10-402. ← Ĥ

Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to pass H.B. 112 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-5.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
4.1st Sub. H.B. 269 Public School History Curricula Amendments (Petersen, M.)
Rep. Michael J. Petersen presented the bill.
Brooke Stephens, Education Director, Utah Parents United, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nicholeen Peck, President, Worldwide Organization for Women, spoke in favor of the bill.
Gayle Ruzicka, President, Utah Eagle Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Danielle Asay, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Kathy Miner, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Dalane England, Vice President, United Women's Forum, spoke in favor of the bill.
Rita Heagren, Vice President of Political Action, AFT of Utah, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in favor of the bill.
Pam Pedersen, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Brady Arnold-Diaz, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.
Lillian Hadley, citizen, spoke in favor of the bill.
Melanie Mortensen, citizen, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 269 out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to move to next agenda item.The substitute motion failed with a vote of 1-3-5.
Yeas - 1Nays- 3Abs- 5
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. Grover's original motion to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 269 out favorably passed with a vote 4-0-5.
Yeas - 4Nays- 0Abs- 5
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Stevenson
5.1st Sub. H.B. 413 Student Mental Health Amendments (Eliason, S.)
Rep. Steve Eliason presented the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 413 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-4.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. Michael K. McKell moved to place 1st Substitute H.B. 413 on the Consent Calendar.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-4.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
6.H.B. 477 Criminal Investigations of School Employees (Birkeland, K.)
Rep. Kera Birkeland presented the bill.
Nicholeen Peck, President, Worldwide Organization for Women, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to amend H.B. 477 with Amendment #2.The motion failed with a vote of 2-3-4.
Amendment 2
H.B. 477
1 .        Page 3, Lines 68 through 72 :  Page 3, Lines 68 through 72
68                 (c) If the investigation results in the conviction of the employee { : } ,
69                 {   (i) } the local school board shall take further employment action in response to the
70         conviction, including leave without pay or termination { ; and
71                   (ii) the employee shall pay back all salary compensation that the employee received
72         during the paid administrative leave period described in Subsection (5)(a) } .

Yeas - 2Nays- 3Abs- 4
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. McKell moved to pass H.B. 477 out favorably.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-4.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. Hinkins moved to place H.B. 477 on the Consent Calendar.The motion failed with a vote of 4-1-4.
Yeas - 4Nays- 1Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
7.1st Sub. H.B. 420 School Code of Conduct Protections (MacPherson, M.)
Rep. Matt MacPherson presented the bill.
Nicholeen Peck, President, Worldwide Organization for Women, spoke in favor of the bill.
Rita Heagren, Vice President of Political Action, AFT of Utah, spoke in favor of the bill.
Maryann Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Legislative Watch, spoke in favor of the bill.
Brooke Stephens, Education Director, Utah Parents United, spoke in favor of the bill.
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to approve the minutes of the February 23, 2024 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-4.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. Grover moved to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 420 out favorably.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to adjourn.The substitute motion failed with a vote of 1-4-4.
Yeas - 1Nays- 4Abs- 4
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. Grover's original motion to pass 1st Substitute H.B. 420 out favorably failed with a vote 2-3-4.
Yeas - 2Nays- 3Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 5-0-4.
Yeas - 5Nays- 0Abs- 4
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. D. Hinkins
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. M. McKell
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. J. Adams
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. A. Millner
Sen. J. Stevenson
Chair Johnson adjourned the meeting at 6:03 PM.
NOTE: H.B. 0419 was not discussed in the meeting.