Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 378 (2021GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Last, B.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/17/2021

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the State Board of Education (state board) to notify the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the Senate before establishing a standards review committee;
• permits the chair of the state board, instead of the speaker of the House of Representatives or the president of the Senate, to appoint certain members of a standards review committee if the speaker of the House of Representatives or the president of the Senate does not make the appointments within a certain time frame; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

EDUCATION STANDARDS REVIEW COMMITTEE
AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Bradley G. Last
Senate Sponsor: 
Ann Millner
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to the appointment of members of a committee that
reviews core standards for Utah public schools.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ requires the State Board of Education (state board) to notify the speaker of the
House of Representatives and the president of the Senate before establishing a
standards review committee;
▸ permits the chair of the state board, instead of the speaker of the House of
Representatives or the president of the Senate, to appoint certain members of a
standards review committee if the speaker of the House of Representatives or the
president of the Senate does not make the appointments within a certain time frame;
and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53E-4-203
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53E-4-203
 is amended to read:
53E-4-203.
Standards review committee.
(1) Subject to Subsection (4), the state board shall establish:
(a) a time line for the review by a standards review committee of the core standards for
Utah public schools for:
(i) English language arts;
(ii) mathematics;
(iii) science;
(iv) social studies;
(v) fine arts;
(vi) physical education and health; and
(vii) early childhood education; and
(b) a separate standards review committee for each subject area [
specified
] 
described
 in
Subsection (1)(a) to review, and recommend to the state board revisions to, the core standards
for Utah public schools 
for the subject area
.
(2) 
(a)
 At least one year before the state board takes formal action to adopt new core
standards for Utah public schools, the state board shall establish a standards review committee
[
as required by Subsection (1)(b)
].
(b) The state board shall notify the speaker of the House of Representatives and the
president of the Senate at least 30 business days before establishing a standards review
committee.
(3) A standards review committee shall meet at least twice during the time period
described in Subsection (2)
(a)
.
(4) In establishing a time line for the review of core standards for Utah public schools
by a standards review committee, the state board shall give priority to establishing a standards
review committee to review, and recommend revisions to, the mathematics core standards for
Utah public schools.
(5) 
(a)
 The membership of a standards review committee consists of:
[
(a)
] 
(i)
 seven individuals, with expertise in the subject 
of the core standards
 being
reviewed, appointed by the state board chair, including teachers, business representatives,
faculty of higher education institutions in Utah, and others as determined by the state board
chair;
[
(b)
] 
(ii) except as provided in Subsection (5)(b)(i),
 five parents of public education
students appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; and
[
(c)
] 
(iii) except as provided in Subsection (5)(b)(ii),
 five parents of public education
students appointed by the president of the Senate.
(b) The state board chair may appoint a parent of a public education student to a
standards review committee in place of:
(i) an appointment described in Subsection (5)(a)(ii), if the speaker of the House of
Representatives does not make the appointment within 30 days of the state board providing the
notification described in Subsection (2)(b); or
(ii) an appointment described in Subsection (5)(a)(iii), if the president of the Senate
does not make the appointment within 30 days of the state board providing the notification
described in Subsection (2)(b).
(6) The state board shall provide staff support to [
the
] 
a
 standards review committee.
(7) A member of [
the
] 
a
 standards review committee may not receive compensation or
benefits for the member's service on the 
standards review
 committee.
(8) Among the criteria a standards review committee shall consider when reviewing the
core standards for Utah public schools is giving students an adequate foundation to
successfully pursue college, technical education, a career, or other life pursuits.
(9) A standards review committee shall submit, to the state board, comments and
recommendations for revision of the core standards for Utah public schools.
(10) The state board shall take into consideration the comments and recommendations
of a standards review committee in adopting the core standards for Utah public schools.
(11) (a) Nothing in this section prohibits the state board from amending or adding
individual core standards for Utah public schools as the need arises in the state board's ongoing
responsibilities.
(b) If the state board makes changes as described in Subsection (11)(a), the state board
shall include the changes in the annual report the state board submits to the Education Interim
Committee [
under
] 
described in
 Section 
53E-4-202
.