House approves first-substitute to redraw State Board of Education districts to avoid splitting homes

The Utah House of Representatives on Oct. 3 unanimously approved a first-substitute to House Bill 3,002 that redraws State Board of Education districts and fixes technical mapping issues that split some houses across district lines.

Representative Assumption, the bill sponsor, said the substitute keeps the board at 15 seats while reducing population deviations among districts and preserving a staggered election schedule so nine seats will be up in the next cycle and eight and seven in the following cycle. Representative Sumption described staff work that "took Google Earth and overlaid the census blocks and found places where literally houses are split in half by boundary" and said those census blocks were adjusted "so that we're not splitting any houses."

According to sponsors, the map began with a citizen submission from Robert Horning and was modified by the redistricting committee; the substitute reflects those technical adjustments. The House voted 72–0 to pass the first-substitute and will transmit the bill to the Senate for further consideration.

The substitute also clarifies which incumbents must stand for election sooner because of midterm appointments, a point sponsors said helps align future election cycles. Sponsors waived summation and moved quickly to a recorded vote, which showed unanimous support.

The bill now moves to the Senate; sponsors and staff said updated maps and the electronic block assignment file are available on the Legislature's website.