Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Energy Workforce topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House adopts HB 157 to create industry advisory group for K–12 energy curriculum
Summary
Second substitute HB 157 passed the House 73-0; the bill establishes an industry-funded advisory group to help the Office of Energy Development create voluntary K–12 energy curriculum and links workforce development via TalentReady; sponsor said the advisory group is not a new board or commission and carries no fiscal note.
The Utah House on February 3 passed second substitute HB 157, “energy education amendments,” by voice vote, sending the bill to the Senate with a 73-0 recorded tally. Representative Jack, the bill sponsor, said the measure forms an industry advisory group to help the Office of Energy Development develop K–12 curriculum and teacher professional-development resources.
The bill matters because it creates a permanent mechanism for industry input into energy-related curriculum and workforce connections while avoiding the creation of a new state board, commission or task force. Sponsors and supporters said the change will provide free curriculum materials to K–12 science teachers, offer professional-development opportunities for educators, and tie into workforce programs such as TalentReady.
On the House floor, Representative Jack said the second substitute resolves a naming and structure question raised during prior consideration: the group will be an “advisory group,” not a board, commission, or task force. “Industry will man the advisory group at their own expense, and they appoint it themselves, which alleviates the burden on the executive branch and on the legislature,” Jack said. He described curriculum materials as voluntary and free to teachers and said the bill includes pathways into energy-sector jobs, noting employers report demand for engineers and technical workers.
Representative Thurston praised the sponsor for avoiding creation of another board or commission, saying the Legislature has worked to decommission some entities and should avoid adding workload. “I do appreciate the sponsor’s willingness to take care of the bill in a way that does not create a new board commissioner task force,” Thurston said.
Representative Perucci also supported the bill, framing it as basic energy literacy for students: “I think this is really important that our students understand how the lights turn on for them,” she said.
Sponsor remarks on fiscal effect said there is no fiscal note and that the industry will fund advisory-group activities. The bill also includes a workforce-development component intended to coordinate with TalentReady and other initiatives so high-school graduates can prepare for energy-sector jobs.
The House approved the second substitute 73-0 and the bill will go to the Senate for consideration.
Votes at a glance: 2nd substitute HB 157 — passed 73 yes, 0 no.
