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House establishes Education Protection Fund, citing enrollment growth and projected shortfalls
Summary
House passed first substitute HB 273 to create an Education Protection Fund to buffer projected student growth and an expected slowdown in revenue; sponsor Kevin Garn framed it as prudent long-term planning. The bill was recorded as passing the House (75 yes, 0 no).
The Utah House on Feb. 26 approved a bill to create an Education Protection Fund intended to set aside resources for a projected surge in student enrollment and a possible slowdown in state revenue.
Representative Kevin Garn, sponsor of the first substitute to HB 273, told members the fund is designed to hedge against a projected increase of roughly 100,000 students over the next decade and cited five-year budget projections showing a potential general-fund shortfall beginning in 2003. Garn framed the measure as prudent fiscal management that builds on recent increases in education funding — the House record cited about $216 million in new money for public education over the last session cycle.
Supporters said the bill would preserve educational services during economic cycles; proponents described multi-year increases to education appropriations and emphasized forward planning.
The floor transcript records the bill’s passage with 75 yes votes and 0 no votes; the measure will be sent to the Senate.
