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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE

January 29, 2008
Room W135, West Office Building, State Capitol Complex

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Gregory H. Hughes, Chair
        Rep. Patrick Painter, Vice Chair
        Rep. Sylvia S. Andersen        
        Rep. Craig A. Frank
        Rep. James R. Gowans
        Rep. Kory M. Holdaway
        Rep. Bradley G. Last        
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold
        Rep. LaWanna "Lou" Shurtliff
        Rep. Kenneth W. Sumsion    
        Rep. Stephen Urquhart
        Rep. Mark A. Wheatley

MEMBERS ABSENT:    Rep. Brad L. Dee
        Rep. Rebecca Lockhart    
            
STAFF PRESENT:    Constance C. Steffen, Policy Analyst
        Linda Service, Committee Secretary
        Dee S Larsen, Associate General Counsel

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


Rep. Hughes called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m.

H.B. 85    Teacher Loan Program (Rep. L. Hemingway)

Rep. Hemingway introduced the bill which creates a home loan program for teachers.

The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Larry Shumway, State Board of Education
    Sarah Meier, Utah School Boards Association and Utah School Superintendents     Association
    Vic Arnold, Utah Education Association

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

1.    Page 2, Line 34 :    

             34          (i) teach full time in a school district
  or charter school       within the state;


2.    Page 2, Line 47 :    

             47          (i) $5,000 of the loan principal if the teacher teaches in a school district
  or charter school       for five


3.    Page 2, Line 49 :    

             49          (ii) the remaining amount of the loan principal if the teacher teaches in a school district
  or charter school      


4.    Page 2, Line 52 :    

             52          (i) does not teach in a school district
  or charter school       for five consecutive years after receiving the loan


5.    Page 2, Lines 54 through 55 :    

             54      period not to exceed five years after discontinuing teaching in a school district
  or charter school       ; or

             55          (ii) teaches in a school district
  or charter school       for more than five consecutive years but less than ten


6.    Page 2, Line 58 :    

             58      years after discontinuing teaching in a school district
  or charter school       ;


7.    Page 3, Line 62 :    

             62      time period a teacher teaches in any school district
  or charter school       or combination of school districts        or charter schools       in the


The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Sumsion was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Holdaway moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended. The motion passed with Rep. Newbold and Rep. Frank voting in opposition. Rep. Sumsion was absent for the vote.

H.B. 286    Permanent Teacher License Revocation for Sexual Activity with Students (Rep. C. Wimmer)

Rep. Wimmer introduced the bill which requires the State Board of Education to permanently revoke an educator's license under certain conditions.


The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Sarah Meier, Utah School Boards Association and Utah School Superintendents     Association

MOTION:    Rep. Anderson moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Urquhart was absent for the vote.

H.B. 86    Funding of Inmate Postsecondary Education (Rep. J. Draxler)

Rep. Draxler introduced the bill which provides an appropriation for existing inmate post- secondary education.

The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Jeff Galli, Utah State Office of Education
    Michael Kennedy, Utah State University
    Rick Bouillon, Salt Lake Community College
    Paul Hacking, Uinta Basin Applied Technology College

MOTION:    Rep. Painter moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Urquhart was absent for the vote.

H.B. 241    Repeal of Exemptions from Nonresident Tuition (Rep. G. Donnelson)

Rep. Donnelson introduced the bill which modifies eligibility criteria for an exemption from the nonresident position of total tuition at a state institution of higher education.

The following spoke in favor of the bill:
    Betty Watkin, parent
    Eli Cawley, Utah Minuteman Project
    Dr. Ronald Mortensen
    Karianne Lisonbee, Eagle Forum
    Charlene Booth, Citizen Construction Coordinator
    
The following spoke in opposition to the bill:
    Chris Gambroulas, Ivory Homes
    Dr. Octavio Villalpando, Chief Diversity Officer, University of Utah
    Jennifer Smith, United Way
    Amanda Covington, Utah State Higher Education
    Denise Castaneda, Utahns for the American Dream


MOTION:    Rep. Painter moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed with Rep. Moss, Rep. Wheatley, Rep. Gowans, Rep. Shurtliff, and Rep. Holdaway voting in opposition.

Rep. Painter moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:59 a.m.
    







_____________________________
Rep. Gregory H. Hughes, Chair