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House advances $4.9 billion public education base budget; first substitute passes unanimously
Summary
The Utah House on Feb. 5 approved a first-substitute version of House Bill 1, the public education base budget that Representative McKay said appropriates nearly $4.9 billion and sets the WPU at $3,300; the motion to substitute and the bill both passed without recorded opposition.
House Bill 1, the public education base budget, advanced from the House floor on Feb. 5 after Representative McKay presented a first-substitute and asked members to adopt it.
"The bill appropriates nearly $4,900,000,000 in funding," Representative McKay said, and noted the bill "initially sets a WPU value at $3,300." McKay described technical adjustments the education appropriation subcommittee made to improve transparency and to correct revenue-source errors for fiscal years 2018 and 2019.
Members completed a procedural motion to adopt the first substitute and then debated the bill briefly. Representative Thurston asked whether the base budget was an increase or decrease relative to the prior year; McKay replied it was "about the same." With no further lights for debate, the House recorded 73 yes votes and 0 no votes on the substituted bill.
Why it matters: HB 1 supplies most operating funding for Utah public schools and establishes the base per-pupil weight unit that local districts use to calculate state funding flows. The House approved the substitute and will transmit the bill to the Senate for further consideration.
What happens next: After transmission to the Senate, the bill will be considered there as part of the larger 2018 budget process. No amendments or implementation dates were specified on the House floor beyond passage and transmittal.
