| Members Present: Sen. Heidi Balderree, Senate Chair Rep. Stephen L. Whyte, House Chair Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, Senate Vice Chair Rep. Matt MacPherson, House Vice Chair Sen. David P. Hinkins Sen. John D. Johnson Sen. Ann Millner Rep. Tiara Auxier Rep. Walt Brooks Rep. Steve Eliason Rep. Tracy J. Miller | Rep. Carol S. Moss Rep. Jason E. Thompson Members Absent: President J. Stuart Adams Sen. Luz Escamilla Rep. Candice B. Pierucci Staff Present: Ben Leishman, Finance Manager Rachelle Gunderson, Senior Financial Analyst Kiki Hudson, Financial Analyst An Bradshaw, Committee Secretary |
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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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| 1.Call to Order/Approval of Minutes June 17, 2025 |
| Chair Whyte called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. |
| 2.New USBE Superintendent Introduction and Vision |
| Chair Whyte invited Molly Hart, Superintendent, Utah State Board of Education (USBE), to introduce herself and explain her vision for Utah students. |
| Rep. Thompson welcomed Molly Hart to her new position. |
| MOTION:Rep. Auxier moved to approve the minutes from the June 17, 2025 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-5. | |||
| Yeas - 11 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 5 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. W. Brooks Rep. S. Eliason Sen. D. Hinkins Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. MacPherson Rep. T. Miller Rep. C. Moss Rep. J. Thompson Rep. S. Whyte | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. A. Millner Rep. C. Pierucci |
| 3.Accountable Process Budget Preliminary Recommendations |
| 3a. Accountable Budget Process_ College and Career |
| 3b. Accountable Budget Process Health |
| 3c. APB Child Nutrition Supplementary Tables |
| Rachelle Gunderson presented preliminary recommendations for the Accountable Budget Process - College and Career. |
| Chair Whyte asked when the budget carve-outs were created and last reviewed, and Rachelle Gunderson and Ben Leishman replied. |
| Rep. Auxier asked for clarification on concurrent enrollment, and Rachelle Gunderson responded. |
| Rep. MacPherson asked if funding is being used for its intended purposes, and Ben Leishman responded. |
| Rep. Miller asked for information on Comprehensive Guidance Program and Performance-Based Funding, and Rachelle Gunderson responded. |
| Sen. Hinkins asked how the information applies to San Juan County, and Ben Leishman replied. |
| Rachelle Gunderson continued with the presentation. |
| Sen. Milner spoke in support of working through options regarding CTEs, and Rachelle Gunderson responded. |
| Rep. Thompson agreed with Sen. Milner's comments. |
| Rep. MacPherson commented on staff's intent with the recommendations, and Rachelle Gunderson responded. |
| Rep. Thompson clarified his position. |
| Rachelle Gunderson continued with the presentation. |
| Rep. Auxier asked if ACT tests should be funded prior to the junior year, and Rachelle Gunderson responded. |
| Sen. Hinkins asked if student contributions could be increased so more classes can be added, and Ben Leishman responded. |
| Sen. Milner commented on fee changes made so more children could afford to take classes. |
| Sen. Hinkins made further comments on the fee charged. |
| Rachelle Gunderson continued with the presentation. |
| Rep. Auxier asked for information on funding sources, and Rachelle Gunderson and Ben Leishman responded. |
| Rep. MacPherson asked how maintenance of effort is impacted by a contracting education center, and Ben Leishman responded. |
| Sen. Fillmore asked if the definition of maintenance of effort varies across government entities, and Ben Leishman responded. |
| Rep. MacPherson asked for more information on increased funding for FTEs, and Rachelle Gunderson responded. |
| Rep. Eliason suggested that funding for gang prevention be restored. |
| Rep. MacPherson asked for clarification on funding gang prevention, and Rep. Eliason responded. |
| Rep. Auxier asked if money used to fund school security could be used for the gang prevention program. |
| Sen. Fillmore noted that risk management funding has gone up by 40 percent and school districts can spend the money on gang prevention programs if they so choose. |
| 3b. Accountable Budget Process Health |
| Chair Whyte turned the time over to Kiki Hudson to discuss recommendations for Technology Programs and Health and Wellness Programs. |
| Rep. Eliason noted that the rate of youth suicides has declined by over forty percent since the implementation of state suicide prevention programs. |
| Rep. Thompson asked for suicide trend data over the past 10 years. |
| Rep. Moss talked about the profound effect of suicide on those who knew the students. |
| Kiki Hudson provided information on funding line-item contracts. |
| Rep. Auxier requested more information on the Early Warning Program, and Kiki Hudson responded. |
| Rep. MacPherson stated that data shows modest outcomes from some programs requiring substantial funds, and Kiki Hudson responded. |
| Kiki Hudson continued with the presentation. |
| 4.USBE Report on Internal Budget Process and Controls |
| 4. USBE_FY2025_USBE BudgetProcess |
| Chair Whyte invited Scott Jones, USBE Deputy Superintendent of Operations, and Deborah Jacobson, USBE Assistant Superintendent of Operations, to present the report. |
| Rep. MacPherson asked if administrative costs have remained flat, and Scott Jones responded. |
| 5.USDB FY 2025 Budget Closeout |
| 5. USDB Integration into the USBE |
| Chair Whyte invited LeAnn Wood, USBE Vice Chair, and Molly Hart to discuss the changeover of funding for the School for the Deaf and Blind (USDB) to USBE. |
| Rep. Miller asked for clarification on the restructuring of USDB, and LeAnn Wood responded. |
| 6.Public Education Stabilization Account Review |
| 6a. PED Economic Stabilization_2025 Interim |
| 6b. Public Education Economic Stabilization Statute - 53F-9-204 |
| 6c. DRAFT Stabilization Account Statutory Changes - 53F-9-204 |
| Ben Leishman presented information on the Public Education Economic Stabilization Account. |
| Sen. Hinkins commented that his district doesn't receive benefits from the Catalyst Center Grant Program, and Ben Leishman responded. |
| MOTION:Sen. Balderree moved to include the proposed statutory clarifications to 53F-9-204 in the 2026 Public Education Base Budget Bill as proposed.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. W. Brooks Rep. S. Eliason Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. D. Hinkins Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. MacPherson Rep. T. Miller Sen. A. Millner Rep. C. Moss Rep. J. Thompson Rep. S. Whyte | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. C. Pierucci |
| 7.SPED Funding Overview |
| 7a. Special Education Overview_August 2025 |
| Chair Whyte stated the agenda item will be discussed at a future meeting due to time constraints. |
| 8.Other Business |
| No additional business was discussed. |
| 9.Adjourn |
| MOTION:Sen. Balderree moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-3. | |||
| Yeas - 13 | Nays- 0 | Abs- 3 | |
| Rep. T. Auxier Sen. H. Balderree Rep. W. Brooks Rep. S. Eliason Sen. L. Fillmore Sen. D. Hinkins Sen. J. Johnson Rep. M. MacPherson Rep. T. Miller Sen. A. Millner Rep. C. Moss Rep. J. Thompson Rep. S. Whyte | Sen. J. Adams Sen. L. Escamilla Rep. C. Pierucci |
| Chair Whyte adjourned the meeting at 3:47 p.m. |