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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE

January 30, 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. Rebecca D. Lockhart        
        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 Dee    
            
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 8:21 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Shurtliff moved to approve the minutes of January 25, 2008 and January 29, 2008. The motion passed unanimously.

H.B. 321    Higher Education Savings Incentive Program Amendments (Rep. K. Garn)

Rep. Garn introduced the bill which modifies provisions relating to the Utah Educational Savings Plan Trust.

MOTION:    Rep. Last moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Lockhart and Rep. Painter were absent for the vote.

H.B. 112    Public Education Foundation Amendments (Rep. S. Allen)

Rep. Allen introduced the bill which addresses financial accountability of school district foundations.

The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association


MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. the motion passed unanimously. Rep. Lockhart and Rep. Painter were absent for the vote.

H.B. 287    Regulation of Teacher - Student Relationships (Rep. S. Sandstrom)

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

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


1.    Page 2, Line 56 :    

             56      76-5a-2 , with a student, including a student who
  :

    (A)  
is not a minor      {   .   }        ; and

    (B) attends a school where the person is employed.  


The motion passed with Rep. Hughes voting in opposition. Rep. Painter was absent for the vote.

Larry Shumway Utah State Board of Education, commented on the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Urquhart moved to move to the next item on the agenda. The motion passed with Rep. Lockhart and Rep. Sumsion voting in opposition.


H.B. 266    Accelerated Learning Program Revisions (Rep. C. Moss)

Before introducing the bill, Rep. Moss mentioned, for the public record, a newspaper account of the January 29, 2008 House Education Standing Committee meeting. The article stated that the meeting started 30 minutes late and that the Chair left only 10 minutes for public comment. Rep. Moss felt it necessary to speak in defense of the Chair. She stated she thought the Chair conducted the meeting in a fair and even-handed manner. A number of people were late due to weather and other circumstances. She did not see it as a deliberate delay and wanted to thank the Chair for the way he handled the meeting.

Rep. Moss introduced the bill which authorizes the use of appropriations for accelerated learning programs for International Baccalaureate programs.

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


1.    Page 4, Line 107 :    

             107          (1) the appropriation for
{   class size reduction   }        accelerated learning programs       under Subsection 53A-17a-104 (2)      {   (m)   }        (w)       in



2.    Page 4, Line 113 :    

             113      Subsection 53A-17a-104 (1) in H.B. 1 shall be increased by
{   $100,000   }        $300,000       .


3.    Page 4, Line 118 :    

             118          (1) the appropriation for
{   class size reduction   }        accelerated learning programs       under Subsection 53A-17a-104 (2)      {   (m)   }        (w)       in


4.    Page 5, Line 124 :    

             124      Subsection 53A-17a-104 (1) in S.B. 2 shall be increased by
{   $100,000   }        $300,000       .


The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Rebecca Odwardi, Davis School District
    Marjorie Parker, Principal, West High School
    Holly Langston, Utah PTA
    Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association and Utah School          Superintendents Association
    Vic Arnold, Utah Education Association
    Debbie Johnson, Parent of Provo High School student

MOTION:    Rep. Holdaway moved to pass the bill out with a favorable motion. The motion passed with Rep. Urquhart voting in opposition. Rep. Frank and Rep. Last were absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Wheatley moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:47 a.m. Rep. Last and Rep. Frank were absent for the vote.





_____________________________
Rep. Gregory H. Hughes, Chair