House approves multi-bill supplemental package that includes major education increases

The Utah House on March 6 approved a series of supplemental budget bills that together add substantial funding for the next fiscal year and for K–12 education.

Representative Mel Brown, the sponsor on several of the measures, described House Bill 2 as a ‘‘supplemental’’ that adds to previously adopted base budgets and lists tens of millions from multiple funds. He told members the bill includes roughly $53,685,700 in general fund ongoing dollars, $57,452,900 in one-time general fund, $66,079,600 from the education fund ongoing and $62,625,000 one-time education funding, plus about $674,922,800 in other funds. "This is a lot of money. A Very important bill," Brown said on the floor.

Members adopted a sequence of amendments on the floor. Representative Dougal’s amendment…