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MINUTES OF THE
SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
    Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Room W130, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex



Members Present:        Sen. David L. Thomas, Committee Chair
                Sen. Patrice M. Arent
                Sen. Dan R. Eastman
                Sen. Karen Hale
                Sen. Mark Madsen
                Sen. Howard A. Stephenson
                                
Members Excused:        Sen. D. Chris Buttars        

Staff Present:            Phillip V. Dean, Policy Analyst
                Dee S. Larsen, Attorney
                Norda Shepard, Secretary
                    
Public Speakers Present:    Rep. Margaret Dayton
                Rep. Ronda Menlove
                Vik Arnold, Utah Education Association
                Greg Soter, Parent
                Carl Boyington, Secondary School Principals Association
                Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum
                Steve Peterson, Utah State School Boards Associations
                Creighton Horton, Parent
                Kaily Horton, Student
                Paul Mero, Sutherland Institute
                Mark Cluff, State Board of Education


A list of visitors is filed with the committee minutes.


Committee Chair Thomas called the meeting to order at 8:10 a.m.

Chair Thomas announced that Sen. Buttars was in the hospital and S.B. 97 and S.B. 78 would not be heard today.

MOTION: Sen. Arent moved to approve the minutes of February 3, 2006. The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Eastman and Stephenson absent for the vote.


1.
H.C.R. 2    Resolution Promoting Utah's Legislators Back to School Program

    Rep. Margaret Dayton presented the resolution. Vik Arnold, Utah Education Association;     Greg Soter, parent; and Carl Boyington, Secretary, Secondary School Principals Association;     spoke in support.

     MOTION: Sen. Arent moved to pass H.C.R. 2, "Resolution Promoting Utah's Legislators     Back to School Program," out with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously.

     MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to place H.C.R.2 on the Consent Calendar.

    The motion passed unanimously.

2. S.B. 204    High School Graduation Amendments

    Sen. Madsen presented the bill and the proposed amendments.

     MOTION: Sen. Madsen moved to amend S.B. 204 with the following amendments:

1.    Page 3, Lines 59 through 60 :    

             59          (1) A student enrolled in a high school in this state
{   may   }        shall       receive        , upon request of the student's parent or guardian,       a diploma from the

             60      high school in which the student is enrolled, and a student that attends a home school
{   may   }        shall, upon request of the student's parent or guardian,      


The motion passed with Sens. Arent and Hale voting in opposition.

Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum; Creighton Horton, parent; Kaily Horton, student; Paul Mero, Sutherland Institute; and Mark Cluff, State Board of Education spoke in support.
Carl Boyington, Secondary School Principals Association, and Steve Peterson, Utah State School Boards Association, spoke in opposition.

MOTION: Sen. Eastman moved to pass S.B. 204, High School Graduation Amendments, out with a favorable recommendation.

The motion passed with Sens. Arent and Hale voting in opposition.


3. H.B. 81    Tuition Program for Students Seeking Teacher Licensure


    
Rep. Ronda Menlove presented the bill. Steve Peterson, Utah State School Boards          Associations and Rhonda Rose, Utah PTA, spoke in support

     MOTION: Sen. Arent moved to pass H.B. 81, Tuition Program for Students Seeking     Teacher Licensure, out with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION: Sen. Hale moved to adjourn.

Chair Thomas adjourned the meeting at 9:14 a.m.

Minutes were reported by Norda Shepard, Secretary.





_________________________________
Sen. David L. Thomas, Chair