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Senate expands parent representation and adds study of high‑school credit for middle‑school courses in SB 77
Summary
Senators amended and passed SB 77 to expand parent membership on a middle-school task force from one to three and to add study of awarding high‑school credit for some middle‑school coursework; amendments passed on the floor and the bill passed to the House.
On third reading the Utah Senate adopted two floor amendments to Senate Bill 77 and passed the bill to the House.
Senator Stevenson explained the first amendment would expand the number of parents of middle‑school children on the task force from one to three, with appointments by the Senate president, the House speaker and the governor. The second amendment adds a study item directing the task force to consider whether middle‑school students taking the same course as ninth graders should be eligible for high‑school credit. Stevenson said the addition would merely add the study to the task force’s charge "It doesn't put that into law. It just says study this as part of the other items you're studying."
Senator Hilliard raised a concern that enumerating many stakeholder categories can result in over‑categorization and make composition feel meaningless, noting many legislators themselves are parents of school‑age children. Supporters said the amendments keep 50% of members requiring middle‑school experience while preserving spaces for other perspectives.
Both amendments were called and adopted on the floor; the bill was then called and reported passed with 27 aye votes and 2 absent. Senators acknowledged a gallery of Catholic‑school students present for the debate.
The bill returns to the House for consideration with the task force composition and study items now included in the Senate‑passed version.
