House adopts conference report for Fourth Substitute Senate Bill 230 to create reading-improvement program, sends bill to Senate

The Utah House of Representatives adopted the conference committee report for Fourth Substitute Senate Bill 230, a reading-improvement program that combines state funding and an optional local match, and sent the bill to the Senate after a recorded vote.

Representative Cheryl Allen, the bill sponsor, moved adoption and described the program as a district-level plan submitted to the State Board of Education. The plans must include assessment, intervention, professional development and measurable targets tied to GAIN scores; the State Board will approve model plans and annually review progress. "We really have worked very hard on this for 3 days. We've talked to many of you," Allen said in summation, urging members to support the bill.

The funding structure described by Allen includes an 8% per-district base to be distributed equitably to all school districts and charter schools once a plan is approved, and the remainder split into two state contributions: 46% distributed based on total weighted pupil units (WPU) and 46% distributed based on free-and-reduced-price-lunch (FRLP) counts. Local participation is optional: a district must either reallocate existing non-state resources or raise local taxes to trigger the 46% local match. Allen told members a district that chooses the local levy option would face about $6.64 per year on a $100,000 home if the district implemented the full levy.

Opponents raised concerns about the levy option and the funding formula. Representative Greg Hughes warned the bill could create a tax-policy precedent, saying the measure "authorizes, doesn't mandate, that we raise property taxes for this program" and arguing it could lead to a potential $15,000,000 tax increase. Representative Alexander and others objected to language they said ties the program to ongoing appropriations and urged sending the matter back to conference to fix that provision. Representative Last said the hybrid funding approach mixes WPU equalization with local levies in a way he finds problematic and predicted the Legislature would revisit the formula.

Sponsors said the conference considered multiple scenarios and chose the formula to better target students with the greatest need. Allen emphasized accountability: districts must show gain-score improvements within 36 months or terminate levies, and may be required to revise plans if goals are not met.

The House called the previous question to end debate and proceeded to voice and recorded votes. The Speaker announced earlier voice tallies and then the final recorded vote on Fourth Substitute Senate Bill 230: 44 yes, 27 no. The bill passed the House and will be referred to the Senate for further action.

Next steps: the bill proceeds to the Utah Senate for consideration. No amendments or Senate actions are reflected in this transcript.