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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE
Room 30, House Building
February 6, 2014

Members Present:    Rep. Francis Gibson, Chair
        Rep. Lowry Snow, Vice Chair
        Rep. Patrice M. Arent
        Rep. Rich Cunningham
        Rep. Steve Eliason
        Rep. Greg H. Hughes
        Rep. Bradley G. Last
        Rep. David Lifferth    
        Rep. Dan McCay
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Jim Nielson
        Rep. Val Peterson
        Rep. Marie H. Poulson
        Rep. Kraig Powell
        Rep. Dean T. Sanpei
        Rep. Keven Stratton                 
            
Staff Present        Ms. Constance C. Steffen, Policy Analyst
        Ms. Linda Service, Committee Secretary
        

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

Vice Chair Snow called the meeting to order at 8:07 a.m.

MOTION:    Rep. Peterson moved to approve the minutes of the February 4, 2014 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Eliason, Rep. Hughes, Rep. McCay, Rep. Moss, Rep. Poulson, Rep. Powell, Rep. Sanpei, and Rep. Stratton absent for the vote.

H.B. 36    Charter School Enrollment Amendments (Rep. D. Lifferth)

MOTION:    Rep. Lifferth moved to amend H.B. 36 as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 15 :    

             15              .    a child or grandchild of a member of the charter school governing board
{   .   }        ; and

    . allows a charter school to weight its lottery to give a slightly better chance of admission to educationally disadvantaged students.  

2.    Page 3, Lines 64 through 65 :    

             64      language learners may give an enrollment preference to English language learners.
 

    (7) A charter school may weight its lottery to give a slightly better chance of admission to educationally disadvantaged students, including:
    (a) low-income students;
    (b) students with disabilities;
    (c) English language learners;
    (d) migrant students;
    (e) neglected or delinquent students; and
    (f) homeless students.  

             65          
{   (7)   }        (8)       A charter school may not discriminate in its admission policies or practices on the

The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Eliason, Rep. Hughes, Rep. McCay, Rep. Moss, Rep. Poulson, Rep. Powell, Rep. Sanpei, and Rep. Stratton absent for the vote.

Rep. Lifferth explained the amended bill to the committee.

Dr. Martell Menlove, State Superintendent, Utah State Office of Education, spoke to the bill.

Chris Bleak, President, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools , spoke for the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. McCay, and Rep. Sanpei absent for the vote.

H.B. 72    Higher Education Grievance Procedure Amendments (Rep. M. Wheatley)

Rep. Wheatley explained H.B. 72 to the committee.

MOTION:    Rep. Poulson moved to pass the bill favorably. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hughes, Rep. McCay, and Rep. Sanpei absent for the vote.

H.B. 250    Local School Board Amendments (Rep. J. Draxler)

Rep. Draxler explained H.B. 250 to the committee.

JoDee Sundberg, Utah School Boards Association, spoke to the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Moss moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Nielson voting in opposition.

H.B. 96    Utah School Readiness Initiative (Rep. G. Hughes)

Rep. Hughes explained H.B. 96 to the committee.


Spoke to the bill:    David Crandall, Acting Chair, Utah State Board of Education
        Dr. Martell Menlove
        
Spoke for the bill:    Joan Nichol, day care provider
        Ben McAdams, Salt Lake County Major
        Jared Lisonbee, Weber State University and Utah Association for         the Education of Young Children

Spoke against the bill:    Joyce Kinmont, homeschool provider
        Gayle Ruzicka, Eagle Forum
        Stan Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute

MOTION:    Rep. Eliason moved to pass the bill out favorably.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:    Rep. McCay moved to adjourn. The substitute motion failed with Rep. McCay and Rep. Nielson voting in favor of the motion.

The motion to pass the bill out favorably passed with Rep. McCay, Rep. Nielson, and Rep. Peterson voting in opposition.

MOTION:    Rep. Nielson moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously. Vice Chair Snow adjourned the meeting at 10:00 a.m.





___________________________________
Rep. Francis Gibson, Chair