Education Omnibus Bill Controversial

Mar 04, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) In an unprecedented move, Legislative leaders decided to bundle all the education bills with fiscal notes into one omnibus bill. But in a controversial move, some of those included in the bill had previously failed to move forward in committee or on the House floor. This concerns many of the state's education leaders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, says Salt Lake County Democrat, Representative Carol Spackman Moss.

"Many legislators of both parties feel like the process is not working when we spend hours in committee hearings, listening to each proposal, and then prioritizing them, and then our work is all for nothing, when a few people decide which bills will go in here and which will not," Moss says.

Included in Senate Bill 2, the education omnibus, is additional charter school funding and a bill to give some preschoolers computers to prepare for kindergarten, which both failed on the House floor. Also included is a bill to give math and science teachers a $5,000 pay-increase, which failed to pass out of the House Education Committee. Moss says the move has put her in an odd situation - considering whether to vote AGAINST her own bill to fund additional International Baccalaureate programs, also included in the omnibus bill. However, Republican leadership in the House and Senate, who decided the move, say this shouldn't be a problem. Executive Appropriations Co-Chairman, Senator Lyle Hillyard says any unwanted proposals can still be amended out of the omnibus bill.

"They will zero in on those points they don't like, and debate them, and take them out if they want to take them out," Hillyard says. "So we can decide whatever we like behind closed doors, but all votes are taken out here in public."

Only two days remain for lawmakers in the Senate and House to approve Senate Bill 2, and make any changes necessary. It will likely get its first hearing today. Click here to read the full text of the bill.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW