Link to Zipped WordPerfect Minutes 5K bytes

MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE

February 17, 2003
Room 129, State Capitol Building

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair
        Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold, Vice Chair
        Rep. LaVar Christensen
        Rep. John Dougall
        Rep. James A. Ferrin
        Rep. James R. Gowans
        Rep. Ann W. Hardy
        Rep. David L. Hogue
        Rep. Kory M. Holdaway
        Rep. Gregory H. Hughes
        Rep. Bradley T. Johnson
        Rep. Brad King
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Loraine T. Pace
        Rep. LaWanna Shurtliff
                
    
STAFF PRESENT:    Constance C. Steffen, Policy Analyst
        Greta Rodebush, Committee Secretary

VISITORS LIST:    Attached to and made a part of these minutes.        


Vice Chair Newbold called the meeting to order at 8:02 a.m.

MOTION:     Rep. Hogue moved to approve the minutes of February 13, 2003. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Dougall, Rep. Ferrin, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson,
    Rep. King, Rep. Pace, and Rep. Shurtliff absent for the vote.

H.C.R. 5    Resolution Urging Limited Use of School and Institutional Trust Land Principal (L. Christensen)

Rep. Christensen introduced H.C.R. 5 which urges Congress to enact legislation to allow the state to access up to 5% of the principal balance of the School and Institutional Trust Land Fund for public education during times of budget shortfalls.

Mr. Wes Quinton, Utah Farm Bureau, Utah Mining Association, and Utah Petroleum Association, expressed concern over changes to the Utah Enabling Act and urged caution in considering this bill.



The following spoke against the bill:
Ms. Margaret Bird, Utah State Office of Education
Mr. Steven H. Peterson, Utah School Boards Association and Utah State Superintendents Association.
Mr. Ed Alter, Utah State Treasurer
Mr. Kim Christy, Assistant Director, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration

MOTION:    Rep. Ferrin moved to proceed to the next item on the agenda. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes and Rep. King absent for the vote.

H.B. 111    Public Education - Alternative Language Programs (D. Bourdeaux)

MOTION:    Rep. Gowans moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 2, Line 54:    After "(1)" Delete "The" and insert "Effective fiscal year 2005-06, the"

2.    Page 3, Line 74:    After "(1)" insert "(a)"

3.    Page 3, Line 76:    After "Education" delete the colon and insert a period and after line 76 insert the following:

        "(b)(i) The State Board of Education may use up to $242,500 of the money appropriated in Subsection (1) to pay for:
        (A) salary and expenses of State Office of Education personnel who administer alternative language services programs; and
        (B) contracted technical assistance procured for developing and implementing state and school district alternative language services master plans.
        (ii) The remaining money shall be used:
        (A) as a funding base for school districts to provide alternative language services as defined in Section 53A-15-1004; and
        (B) effective fiscal year 2005-06, to pay for the cost of a third-party evaluator as provided in Section 53A-15-1004.
"

4.    Page 3, Lines 77-79:    Delete lines 77-79

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. King, and Rep. Dayton absent for the vote.



Rep. Duane Bourdeaux introduced H.B. 111 which requires the State Board of Education and each school district to create an alternative language services master plan. The bill requires the state superintendent of public instruction to appoint an alternative language services coordinator and requires the State Board of Education to hire an external evaluator to conduct an evaluation of alternative language programs and to provide technical assistance.

Mr. Patrick Ogden, Utah State Office of Education, stated that the State Board of Education recommended that the Alternative Language Services funding be broken out into a separate line item in the minimum school program.

Ms. Nancy Giraldo, Utah State Office of Education, Alternative Language Services Program, stated that under the block grant funding arrangement, there is no alternative language services masterplan.

The following spoke in favor of the bill:
Ms. Wanda Carrasquillo, citizen
Mr. James Yapios, Chairman, Utah Hispanic Democratic Caucus
Ms. Sarah Meier, Utah School Boards Association, Utah State Superintendents Association, and Granite School District
Mr. Michael Clara, Coalition of Minority Advisory Committee
Ms. Pat Rusk, Utah Education Association

MOTION:    Rep. Gowans moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with
    Rep. Dougall, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Pace voting in opposition. Rep. Ferrin and Rep. Dayton were absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to place H.B. 243, H.B. 341, and H.B. 153 on the next agenda. The motion passed with Rep. King voting in opposition. Rep. Ferrin and Rep. Dayton were absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Johnson moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Ferrin and Rep. Dayton absent for the vote.

Vice Chair Newbold adjourned the meeting at 9:55 a.m.




_________________________
            Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair