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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE
February 8, 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. Gregory H. Hughes
        Rep. Bradley T. Johnson
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold
        Rep. LaWanna Shurtliff
        Rep. Stephen Urquhart
        
MEMBERS ABSENT: Rep. David L. Hogue
        Rep. Kory M. Holdaway
            
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 2:00 p.m. and explained the process for the committee meeting. She announced that public testimony will be taken if there is time after committee members' questions on the bill are answered.

MOTION:    Rep. Moss moved to approve the minutes of February 6, 2006. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Bigelow, Rep. Bourdeaux, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Christensen absent for the vote.

S.B. 96    Public Education - Instruction and Policy Relating to the Origins of Life (Sen. D. C. Buttars)

MOTION:    Rep. Ferrin moved to delete in body and title S.B. 96 and adopt 2nd Substitute S.B. 96. The motion passed unanimously, with Rep. Bigelow, Rep. Bourdeaux, Rep. Hughes, Rep. Johnson, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Christensen absent for the vote.

Rep. Ferrin reviewed the provisions of the 2nd Substitute, which requires the State Board of

Education to establish curriculum requirements and policies that stress that no scientific theory regarding the origins of life or the origins of species has been indisputably proven.

Brett Moulding, Curriculum Director, Utah State Office of Education, distributed a handout explaining the State Board of Education's position on the teaching of evolution. He stated that singling out one theory may create legal problems for the state.

Nels Timm, mechanical engineer, stated that schools teach Darwinian evolution and there are other theories on evolution.

Duane Jeffery, Professor, BYU, stated that evolution and creation don't have to be mutually exclusive alternatives.

Frank Strickland, independent geology consultant, spoke to the opportunity for youth to think critically about evolution and compare theories.

MOTION:    Rep. Hughes moved to pass 2nd Substitute S.B. 96 out with a favorable recommendation.

MOTION:    Rep. Dougall moved to cut off debate. The motion passed with Rep. Bigelow and Rep. Urquhart voting in opposition.

    A vote was taken on Rep. Hughes motion. The motion passed with Rep. Bigelow, Rep. Bourdeaux, Rep. Gowans, Rep. Moss, Rep. Shurtliff and Rep. Urquhart voting in opposition.

S.B. 56    Secondary School Amendments (Sen. D. C. Buttars)

This bill was not heard due to time constraints.

The meeting was adjourned at 3 pm.



            ____________________________                 Rep. Margaret Dayton, Chair