| Members Present: Rep. Candice B. Pierucci, Chair Sen. Heidi Balderree Sen. Lincoln Fillmore Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe Rep. Tiara Auxier Rep. Ariel Defay Rep. Joseph Elison Rep. Sahara Hayes Rep. Michael L. Kohler Rep. Karianne Lisonbee Rep. Tracy J. Miller Rep. Carol S. Moss Rep. Clinton D. Okerlund Rep. Karen M. Peterson | Rep. Val L. Peterson Rep. Douglas R. Welton Members Absent: Sen. John D. Johnson, Chair Sen. Chris H. Wilson Rep. Jefferson Moss Staff Present: Finn Andrew Rose, Policy Analyst Micah Ann Wixom, Policy Analyst Mike Curtis, Managing Associate General Counsel Tyler Keetch, Associate General Counsel Jeff Van Hulten, Associate General Counsel Amy Hawkes, Administrative Manager |
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Pierucci called the meeting to order at 8:42 a.m. |
| 1.Committee Business |
| MOTION:Sen. Balderree moved to approve the minutes of the November 20, 2024, meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 12 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. A. Defay Rep. J. Elison Rep. S. Hayes Rep. M. Kohler Rep. C. Moss Rep. C. Okerlund Rep. K. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. K. Riebe Rep. D. Welton | Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. J. Johnson Rep. K. Lisonbee Rep. T. Miller Rep. J. Moss Rep. V. Peterson Sen. C. Wilson |
| 2.Education Interim Committee 2025 Study Items and Interim Preparation |
| 2 - Open and Public Meetings Act Overview (Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (OLRGC)) |
| Finn Rose summarized the Open and Public Meetings Act for the committee. |
| 2 - 2025 Approved Interim Study Items List, Audits, & Sunsets (OLRGC) |
| Finn Rose presented the 2025 interim study item list. |
| MOTION:Rep. Auxier moved to amend the study item list to include a review of policies, best practices, and research around the time students are given to eat meals and have recess.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 12 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. A. Defay Rep. J. Elison Rep. S. Hayes Rep. T. Miller Rep. C. Moss Rep. C. Okerlund Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. K. Riebe Rep. D. Welton | Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. Kohler Rep. K. Lisonbee Rep. J. Moss Rep. K. Peterson Sen. C. Wilson |
| MOTION:Rep. Auxier moved to approve the 2025 interim study item list, as amended.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 12 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 7 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. A. Defay Rep. J. Elison Rep. S. Hayes Rep. T. Miller Rep. C. Moss Rep. C. Okerlund Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. K. Riebe Rep. D. Welton | Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. Kohler Rep. K. Lisonbee Rep. J. Moss Rep. K. Peterson Sen. C. Wilson |
| MOTION:Rep. Lisonbee moved that the committee grant the chairs the authority to independently open bill files related to the study items list as adopted, including the sunset items and audit reports.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-6. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 6 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. A. Defay Rep. J. Elison Rep. S. Hayes Rep. K. Lisonbee Rep. T. Miller Rep. C. Moss Rep. C. Okerlund Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. K. Riebe Rep. D. Welton | Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. Kohler Rep. J. Moss Rep. K. Peterson Sen. C. Wilson |
| 3.Legislative Audit: OpenEd Program |
| 3 - AUDIT: A Performance Audit of the OpenEd Program Reviewing Educational Service Provider Funding and Improving Oversight (Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG)) |
| 3 - PRESENTATION: A Performance Audit of the OpenEd (Formerly My Tech High) Program Reviewing Educational Service Provider Funding and Improving Oversight (OLAG) |
| Darin Underwood, Deputy Legislative Auditor, and Rusty Facer, Audit Supervisor, OLAG, gave a presentation on the OpenEd Program and shared recommendations based on the audit for potential future legislation. They also answered committee questions. |
| Scott Jones, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, and Matt Hymas, Board Chair, Utah State Board of Education (USBE), responded to the audit and answered committee questions. |
| Lance Hatch, Superintendent, Iron County School District, responded to the audit. |
| MOTION:Rep. Lisonbee moved to open a committee bill file to address the findings in the audit and other concerns brought up by committee members.The motion passed with a vote of 16-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 16 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. A. Defay Rep. J. Elison Sen. L. Fillmore Rep. S. Hayes Rep. M. Kohler Rep. K. Lisonbee Rep. T. Miller Rep. C. Moss Rep. C. Okerlund Rep. K. Peterson Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. K. Riebe Rep. D. Welton | Sen. J. Johnson Rep. J. Moss Sen. C. Wilson |
| 4.Public Education: Local Education Agency Employee Disciplinary Action |
| 4 - Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission Overview (OLRGC) |
| Micah Wixom gave a brief overview of the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission Overview (UPPAC). |
| 4 - Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (Utah State Board of Education (USBE)) |
| Ben Rasmussen, Director of Law and Professional Practices, and Matt Hymas, Board Chair, Utah State Board of Education (USBE), went through the process for addressing disciplinary action by UPPAC and answered committee questions. |
| 4 - Education Interim Committee Report (Davis County School District) |
| John Zurbuchen, Assistant Superintendent, and Ben Onofrio, General Counsel, Davis County School District, gave an overview of the disciplinary action process for Davis School District employees and answered committee questions. |
| 4 - Education Interim Committee Report (Salt Lake City School District) |
| Yandry Chatwin, Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations, Salt Lake City School District, presented on Salt Lake City School District's process for disciplinary action and answered committee questions. |
| 4 - Education Interim Committee Report (Tooele County School District) |
| Mark Ernst, Superintendent, Tooele County School District, explained Tooele County School District's process for disciplinary action and answered committee questions. |
| David Gray, board member, and Priscilla Wadman, HR Director, Leadership Learning Academy, presented on Leadership Learning Academy's process for disciplinary action and answered a committee question. |
| 5.Higher Education: Institutional Statements Acknowledging Relationships with Tribes and Ancestral Lands |
| 5 - R252, Institutional Statements Acknowledging Relationships with Tribes and Ancestral Lands (Utah System of Higher Education (USHE)) |
| Geoffrey Landward, Commissioner, Utah System of Higher Education, shared the process for the creation of R252, Institutional Statements Acknowledging Relationships with Tribes and Ancestral Lands. |
| 6.Other Items/Adjourn |
| MOTION:Rep. V. Peterson moved to adjourn the meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 16-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 16 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. A. Defay Rep. J. Elison Sen. L. Fillmore Rep. S. Hayes Rep. M. Kohler Rep. K. Lisonbee Rep. T. Miller Rep. C. Moss Rep. C. Okerlund Rep. K. Peterson Rep. V. Peterson Rep. C. Pierucci Sen. K. Riebe Rep. D. Welton | Sen. J. Johnson Rep. J. Moss Sen. C. Wilson |
| Chair Pierucci adjourned the meeting at 11:06 a.m. |