Senate advances Snow College South proposal to third reading after heated debate on process and funding

Substitute House Bill 114, a site‑specific measure to create Snow College South (a Snow College branch in Sevier County), moved to the third‑reading calendar on March 2 after an extended and often heated floor debate over process, mission boundaries and fiscal implications.

Senator Blackham, speaking for the bill, described a large packet of local endorsements and argued the proposal would bring “more opportunities for those students and those families… with no additional cost.” He said the measure had wide local support and would address an underserved area.

Opponents pressed procedural and policy concerns. Senator Steele, Senator Hilliard and others said the proposal sidestepped the joint liaison and strategic planning processes meant to handle higher‑education mission issues. ‘‘If you wanna kill something, then study it,’’ Senator Steele said during the debate — a remark that several colleagues seized on to argue both for careful study and for action responsive to local petitions.

Senators also raised fiscal questions about an amendment that would remove a Sevier Valley line item and designate the Snow College president as decision‑maker for funding; one senator warned the amendment could carry a substantial fiscal note (an estimate cited in debate was on the order of tens of millions). The line‑item amendment failed on a voice vote.

After further discussion and procedural votes, the clerk announced the final tally on whether to read H.B. 114 for the third time: 20 ayes and 9 nays. The measure therefore passed to the third‑reading calendar.

Next steps: H.B. 114 will return to the floor for third reading, and senators said outstanding questions about articulation, funding and governance will need to be addressed in committee and implementation planning.