STANDING COMMITTEE
January 24, 2002
Room 129, State Capitol Building
Rep. Loraine T. Pace, Vice Chair
Rep. Duane Bourdeaux
Rep. Judy Buffmire
Rep. James A. Ferrin
Rep. James R. Gowans
Rep. Bradley T. Johnson
Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold
Rep. Matt Throckmorton
Rep. A. Lamont Tyler
MEMBERS EXCUSED: Rep. LaWanna Shurtliff
MEMBERS ABSENT: Rep. Jeff Alexander
Rep. David L. Hogue
STAFF PRESENT: Ms. Constance C. Steffen, Research Analyst
Ms. Greta Rodebush, Committee Secretary
VISITORS LIST: Attached to and made a part of these minutes.
Vice-Chair Pace called the meeting to order at 8:03 a.m.
MOTION: Rep. Throckmorton moved to approve the minutes of January 22, 2002. The motion passed unanimously.
H.B. 111 State Responsibility for Regulation of Postsecondary Proprietary Schools (A. Bradshaw)
Motion: Rep. Newbold moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Page 6, Lines 160-163: After "exemption." delete the rest of line 160 and lines 161,162, and 163
2. Page 6, Line 181: After "action." insert "Subsection 2 does not apply to an institution exempted under Subsection (1)(e)."
The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Throckmorton and Rep. Tyler absent for the vote.
Rep. Bradshaw introduced H.B. 111 and explained that the bill transfers the responsibility for registering and regulating postsecondary proprietary schools from the State Board of Regents to the Division of Consumer Protection.
The following spoke in support of the bill:
Mr. Jonathan Bullen, Chairman, Provo College, Eaglegate College
Mr. Darris Howe, Vice-President Director, University of Phoenix, Utah Campus
MOTION: Rep. Dayton moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously
with Rep. Throckmorton and Rep. Tyler absent for the vote.
H.B. 76 Process for Creation of New School Districts (D. Cox)
Rep. Cox introduced H.B. 76 which provides a process for creating new school districts.
MOTION: Rep. Ferrin moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Page 1, Line 25: After "Education;" delete "or"
2. Page 1, Line 26: After "governor" delete the period and insert "; or"
3. Page 1, Line 26: After line 26 insert the following:
"(v) at the request of the board of the existing district or districts to be affected by the creation of the new district."
The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION: Rep. Newbold moved to amend the bill as follows:
1. Page 2, Lines 31-32: After "once" delete "for each of the procedures referred to in Subsection (2)(a)"
The motion failed with Rep. Newbold and Rep. Pace voting in favor of the motion.
Dr. Gary Carlston, Utah State Office of Education, reported on research on school district size.
The following spoke in opposition to the bill:
Ms. Karen Derrick, Utah School Boards Association, Utah School Superintendents Association
Ms. Marilyn Kofford, Board of Education, Alpine School District
Supt. Stephen Ronnekamp, Granite School District
MOTION: Rep. Throckmorton moved to pass the bill out favorably.
MOTION: Rep. Tyler moved to end debate. The motion passed unanimously.
A vote was taken on Rep. Throckmorton's motion. The motion passed with Rep. Bourdeaux, Rep. Buffmire, Rep. Gowans, and Rep. Pace voting in opposition.
H.B. 222 School and School District Size Task Force (D. Cox)
Rep. Cox reviewed studies showing the benefits of small schools and smaller districts.
MOTION: Rep. Throckmorton moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Bourdeaux, Rep. Buffmire, Rep. Gowans, and Rep. Pace voting in opposition.
H.B. 253 Rural Schools - Equity in Education (B. Johnson)
Rep. Johnson introduced H.B.253 which allows the State Board of Education to award scholarships to teachers in necessarily existent small schools or small school districts to obtain endorsements and master's degrees. He was assisted by Supt. Brent Thorne, Sevier School District.
The following spoke in favor of the bill:
Mr. Steve Peterson, Utah School Superintendents Association
MOTION: Rep. Bourdeaux moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.
Motion: Rep. Ferrin moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously.
Vice-Chair Pace adjourned the meeting at 9:59 a.m.
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Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair