The Native American Legislative Liaison Committee voted unanimously on Nov. 20 to send the American Indian and Alaska Native Education Amendments to the floor with a favorable recommendation after hearing historical context and impact data from Utah State Board of Education staff.

Patricia Owen, legislative counsel for the committee, said the draft bill would codify a state plan for American Indian and Alaska Native education implemented through local education agency (LEA) plans and would expand grant purposes to include books and supplementary materials.

Elise Nooyi, deputy superintendent for policy with the Utah State Board of Education, reviewed the program’s history — from pilot work in 2016 through HB43 and SB124 — and credited the initiatives with improving teacher retention in remote districts by providing stipends and professional development. ‘‘Before this bill, about 60% of teachers returned; after the program, retention rose to more than 90–95%,’’ she said, summarizing reporting the board received.

Committee members praised the effort’s track record but urged planners to remain forward-looking and to avoid repeating past approaches that yielded limited results. Representative Watkins will sponsor the bill in the upcoming session, committee members said.

Procedure: Representative Monson moved to pass the draft legislation out of committee with a favorable recommendation; the chair called the question, and the motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill would standardize statewide planning while preserving locally developed LEA plans that reflect district needs in remote and reservation communities. The committee requested continued attention to implementation details and to resources for recruiting and retaining Native educators.