Both resolutions on public ed governance head to Senate Floor

Superintendent Larry Shumway testifies about S.J.R. 1 and S.J.R 9 in the Senate Education Standing Committee.

Two constitutional amendment resolutions to change the governance of public education in Utah have cleared the first hurdle on their way to the ballot. The Senate Education Standing Committee voted 3-2 to pass out S.J.R. 1 and 4-1 to pass out S.J.R. 9. They now head to the full Senate for consideration, where they will need a two-thirds majority to progress. 

S.J.R. 1 is sponsored by West Jordan Senator Chris Buttars (R) and would add language to the Utah Constitution intending to take away the Utah State Board of Education’s constitutionally mandated general control and supervision of public education and instead place the board under legislative control. He believes this would increase transparency and accountability. Testifying on behalf of Buttars’ resolution were a handful of Utah parents who shared frustrations about their local school districts, specific instances of instruction they disagreed with and areas of curriculum they would like to see changed. This prompted Sen. Karen Morgan (D-Salt Lake City) to say that the bill sounds like it would turn the Utah Legislature into a super-school board. 

The other resolution, Sen. Stuart Reid’s (R-Ogden) S.J.R. 9, places control of the state’s public education system in the hands of the governor, “as provided by statute.” Sen. Reid said he was surprised and expects others Utahns would be as well, to learn the Utah Governor isn’t the executive over public education, as he is over other state agencies. He says his resolution would provide for a more seamless management and control of the agency that handles more than half the state’s budget. 

Utah State Board of Education Chairwoman Debra Roberts sent a statement to be read into the record restating the board’s constitutional mandate. “We believe the benefits from a strong elected entity far outweigh change,” she wrote. 

Superintendent Larry Shumway says the State Board of Education absolutely respects the rule of law and the Legislature’s powers. “I don’t know any state board member who thinks the State Board of Education is above the law,” he told the committee. 

In addition to these bills passing, Rep. Jim Bird’s (R-West Jordan) H.B. 199 allowing advertisements on school buses passed out of the House Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development on a 5-2 vote. And in House Health and Human Services, Clearfield Republican Rep. Paul Ray’s bill intending to protect athletes with head injuries, H.B. 204, passed unanimously and heads to the House floor for further review. 

In the House Education Commiteee, a bill changing how civics is taught in Utah, Rep. Michael Morley’s (R-Spanish Fork) H.B. 220, was amended and held for further review by the committee. The House committee also heard H.J.R. 8, a constitutional amendment resolution that seeks to allow schools to ask parents to voluntarily donate school supplies to classrooms. That bill will be held until the state’s Constitutional Review Committee can look at it Feb. 7. A third bill on the agenda, Murray Democrat Rep. Mark Wheatley’s energy efficient school’s resolution, H.J.R. 3, was not heard in the commimttee. 

Thursday at the Utah Capitol, look out for these education bills to watch heading to standing committees: H.B. 48 Fingerprints of Juveniles, H.J.R. 1 Joint Resolution Amending State and Local Taxing Authority, S.B. 115 School Performance Reporting and S.B. 119 School District Superintendents Amendments. 

Listen to the Senate Education Committee meeting here. 

Listen to the House Education Committee meeting here. 

Listen to the House Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development  Committee meeting here. 

Listen to the House Health and Human Services Committee meeting here.

Related posts: