MINUTES OF THE

HOUSE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

Room 30, House Building

February 19, 2015

Members Present:                Rep. Brad G. Last, Chair

                                                Rep. V. Lowry Snow, Vice Chair

                                                Rep. LaVar Christensen

                                                Rep. Kim Coleman

                                                Rep. Steve Eliason

                                                Rep. Justin L. Fawson

                                                Rep. Eric K. Hutchings

                                                Rep. David E. Lifferth

                                                Rep. Marie H. Poulson

Members Excused:               Rep. Francis D. Gibson

                                                Rep. Gregory H. Hughes

                                                Rep. Daniel McCay

                                                Rep. Mike Noel

Members Absent:                 Rep. Carol Spackman Moss                            

Staff Present:                        Ms. Tiffany Stanley, 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 8:14 a.m.

H.B. 282         Online Education Program Amendments (Rep. B. Daw)

Rep. Daw explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Peter Cannon, citizen

Spoke to the bill:                   Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Deputy Superintendent, State Office of                                                 Education

                                                 Mr. Kurt Manwaring, college student

                                                 Ms. Laura Belnap, citizen

                                                 Dr. Sara Jones, Utah Education Association

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to replace H.B. 282 with 1st Sub. H.B. 282. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Lifferth moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed with Rep. Poulson voting against the motion. 

H.B. 264         Competency Licensing for Educators (Rep. D. Lifferth)

Rep. Lifferth explained the bill to the committee.

Spoke for the bill:                   Mr. Frank Atkinson, American Board for Certification of Teacher                                                 Excellence

                                                Mr. Shawn McCollough, American Board for Certification of                                                 Teacher Excellence

Spoke to the bill:                 Mr. Brad C. Smith, Superintendent, State Office of Education

                                                 Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Deputy Superintendent, State Office of                                                 Education

Spoke against the bill:            Dr. Sara Jones, Utah Education Association

                                                Mr. Brad Asay, American Federation of Teachers

MOTION:     Rep. Fawson moved to hold the bill. The motion passed with Rep. Hutchings and Rep. Lifferth voting against the motion.

S.B. 38            Behavioral Testing and Tracking Restrictions (Sen. A. Osmond) (Rep. F. Gibson)

Sen. Osmond explained the bill to the committee.

Mr. Peter Cannon, Eagle Forum, spoke for the bill.

Mr. Brad C. Smith, Superintendent, State Office of Education, spoke to the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Fawson moved to pass the bill out favorably. The motion passed unanimously.

MOTION:     Rep. Eliason moved to place S.B. 38 on the Consent Calendar. The motion passed unanimously.

S.B. 60            American Civics Education Initiative (Sen. H. Stephenson) (Rep. S. Eliason)

Sen. Stephenson explained the bill to the committee.

Ms. Daria O'Neill, student, spoke against the bill.

MOTION:     Rep. Eliason moved to hold the bill. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hutchings absent for the vote.                           

MOTION:     Rep. Fawson moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Hutchings absent for the vote. Vice Chair Snow adjourned the meeting at 9:53 a.m. 

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Rep. Brad Last, Chair