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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2006
Room W135, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair
        Rep. LaVar Christensen, Vice Chair
        Rep. Ron Bigelow
Rep. Duane Bourdeaux
        Rep. John Dougall
        Rep. James A. Ferrin
        Rep. James R. Gowans
        Rep. David L. Hogue
        Rep. Kory M. Holdaway
        Rep. Gregory H. Hughes
        Rep. Bradley T. Johnson
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold
        Rep. LaWanna Shurtliff
                
MEMBERS ABSENT: Rep. Stephen Urquhart
            
STAFF PRESENT:    Constance C. Steffen Policy Analyst
        Barbara Thomas, Committee Secretary
        Dee S Larsen, Associate General Counsel

Note: List of visitors and copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes.

Chair Dayton called the meeting to order at 8:05 a.m.

Rep. Moss gave a brief lesson on English grammar.

MOTION:    Rep. Gowans moved to approve the minutes of Jan 27, 2006. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes absent for the vote.


H.B. 226    Kindergarten Readiness (Rep. L. Shurtliff)

 Rep. Shurtliff said the bill changes the recommended time for the administration of a kindergarten readiness test.

Mary Kay Kirkland, Box Elder School District, spoke about their practice of administering a kindergarten readiness test in the spring.

The following spoke in support of the bill:

Brett Moulding, Curriculum Director, Utah State Office of Education, speaking on behalf of the State Board of Education.
Lynn Greenwood, Literacy Specialist, Utah State Office of Education
Rhonda Rose, Utah PTA
Vik Arnold, UEA

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Representatives Bigelow, Bourdeaux, Hughes, Johnson, and Christensen absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to place the bill on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Representatives Bigelow, Bourdeaux, Hughes, Johnson and Christensen absent for the vote.

H.B. 143    Instructional Expenses Requirements (Rep. G. Hughes)

Chair Dayton indicated that this bill would not be heard today.

H.B. 294    Creation of Education Fund (Rep. J. Alexander)

 Rep. Alexander said the bill creates the Education Fund in which income tax revenue would be deposited.

MOTION:     Rep. Dougall moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Representative Hughes absent for the vote.


H.B. 297    School Busing Amendments (Rep. D. Cox)

Rep. Cox said the bill only allows state transportation funds for transportation to a student's closest school.

Ray Timothy, USOE spoke to the bill.
Sarah Meier, Granite School District, said that school busing is a local issue.

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


1.    Page 2, Lines 31 through 44 :    


             31          (1) A student is eligible for state-supported transportation [means:] if the student:
             32          (a) attends the public school within the student's school district of residence that:
             33          (i) is nearest to the student's place of residence;
             34          (ii) offers the student's grade; and
             35          (iii) is not a charter school; and
             36          [(a) a student] (b) (i) is enrolled in kindergarten through grade six [who] and lives at
             37      least 1-1/2 miles from school;
  or      

             38          [(b) a student] (ii) is enrolled in grades [seven] 7 through 12 [who] and lives at least
             39      two miles from school
[[   ;   ]] [and]      [[   or   ]]        .      

             40          [(c) a student]
[[   (iii) is   ]]        (2) Notwithstanding the provision of Subsection (1), a student is eligible for state-supported transportation if the student is       enrolled in a special program offered by a school district and

             41      approved by the State Board of Education for trainable, motor, or multiple-disabled students, or
             42      other students with severe disabilities who are incapable of walking to school or where it is
             43      unsafe for students to walk because of their disabling condition, without reference to distance
             44      from school.

2.    Page 2, Line 45 :    

             45          
[[   (2)   ]]        (3)       If a school district implements double sessions as an alternative to new building


3.    Page 2, Line 50 :    

             50          
[[   (3)   ]]        (4)       (a) The State Office of Education shall distribute transportation monies to school


4.    Page 3, Line 61 :    

             61          
[[   (4)   ]]        (5)       (a) Approved bus routes for funding purposes shall be determined on fall data


5.    Page 3, Line 65 :    

             65          
[[   (5)   ]]        (6)       A Transportation Advisory Committee with representation from

local school



6.    Page 3, Line 69 :    

             69          
[[   (6)   ]]        (7)       (a) A local school board may provide for the transportation of students who are not


7.    Page 3, Line 76 :    

             76          (c) (i) If a local school board levies a tax under Subsection
[[   (6)   ]]        (7)       (a)(ii) of at least .0002,


8.    Page 3, Line 82 :    

             82      be entitled to under Subsection
[[   (6)   ]]        (7)       (c) may not be reduced for the sole reason that the district's


9.    Page 3, Line 85 :    

             85          (ii) Subsection
[[   (6)   ]]        (7)       (d)(i) applies for a period of two years following the change in the



The motion passed unanimously with Representatives Hughes and Johnson absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion failed with Representatives Bigelow, Dougall, Hughes, Ferrin, Johnson, Hogue, and Dayton voting in favor of the motion.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 am .



            ____________________________                 Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair