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SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE
Monday, February 5, 2007
Room W130, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex
Members Present: Sen. Margaret Dayton, Committee Chair
Sen. Greg Bell
Sen. Curtis Bramble
Sen. Lyle Hillyard
Sen. Pat Jones
Sen. Darin Peterson
Sen. Ross Romero
Sen. Howard A. Stephenson
Staff Present: Phillip V. Dean, Policy Analyst
Norda Shepard, Secretary
Public Speakers Present: Paul Mero, Sutherland Institute
Dave Lifferth, Parent
Jon Yarrington, President, Utah Home Educators Association
Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum
Sarah Myers, President, Utah School Boards Association
Jerry Bovee, Associate Director, Utah High School Activities
Association
Debra Taylor, Utah PTA
Dave Buhler, Associate Commissioner, Utah State Higher Education
Susan Kuziak, Executive Director, Utah Education Association
A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.
Committee Chair Dayton called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. Chair Dayton announced that at the request of the sponsor, S.B. 180, School Construction Contract Amendments, would not be heard.
MOTION: Sen. Bell moved to approve the minutes of January 30, 2007 and February 1, 2007.
The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Bramble, Hillyard, Jones, Peterson, and Stephenson absent at the time of the vote.
1. S.B. 81 Home School and Extracurricular Activity Amendments
Sen. Mark B. Madsen presented the bill. Paul Mero, Sutherland Institute, spoke in support and distributed a handout. Dave Lifferth, parent; Jon Yarrington, President, Utah Home Educators
Association; and Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum, also spoke in support. Sarah Myer,
President, Utah School Boards Association, also representing the Utah School Superintendents
Association; Jerry Bovee, Associate Director, Utah High School Activities Association; and
Debra Tabor, Utah PTA, spoke in opposition.
MOTION: Sen. Bell moved to pass S.B. 81, Home School and Extracurricular Activity
Amendments, out of committee with a favorable recommendation.
The motion passed unanimously.
Chair Dayton turned the chair to Sen. Peterson.
2. S.B. 62 College and University Tuition Tax Credits
Sen. Bell presented the bill and proposed amendments and distributed a handout.
MOTION: Sen. Bell proposed to amend S.B. 62, College and University Tuition Tax Credits,
with the following amendments:
1. Page 1, Lines 15 through 18
15
. establishes definitions, including eligibility for the credit;
16
. requires the State Tax Commission to verify certain eligibility
information with
17
institutions of higher education;
}
and
18
. gives rulemaking authority to the State Tax Commission.
2. Page 2, Lines 37 through 38
37
(ii) is legally claimed as a personal exemption on the federal and state individual
38
income tax return of a claimant who has claimant's income of $30,000 or less
3. Page 3, Lines 67 through 73.
67
section if the amount of the tax credit exceeds the claimant's tax liability under this
chapter.
68
(b)
(i) Prior to issuing a refund for a refundable tax credit as provided in
Subsection
69
(3)(a), the commission shall, at a minimum, verify enrollment and qualified higher
education
70
expense information with the eligible institution.
71
(ii)
}
Upon request of the commission, the eligible institution shall release
the
requested
72
information, including
}
applicable enrollment and qualified higher education expense
73
information
,
}
to the commission for an eligible student.
The motion passed unanimously with Chair Dayton and Sen. Bramble absent at the time of the
vote.
Chair Dayton assumed the chair.
Dave Buhler, Association Commissioner, Utah State Higher Education, spoke in support. Susan
Kuziak, Executive Director, Utah Education Association, spoke to the bill.
MOTION: Sen. Hillyard moved to pass S.B. 62, College and University Tuition Tax Credits,
out of committee with a favorable recommendation as amended.
The motion passed with Chair Dayton and Sen. Stephenson voting in opposition with Sen.
Bramble absent at the time of the vote.
MOTION: Sen. Hillyard moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Sen.
Bramble absent at the time of the vote.
Chair Dayton adjourned the meeting at 9:59 a.m.
Minutes were reported by Norda Shepard, Secretary.