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Senate amends bill to allow Mandarin instruction in public schools, then passes it
Summary
Senate Bill 57, to enable Mandarin Chinese instruction and concurrent college enrollment for high school students, was amended on Feb. 6 to change mandatory language to permissive and passed the Senate; sponsors said the change removes an immediate fiscal note and lets the state board decide implementation.
The Utah Senate on Feb. 6 amended and passed Senate Bill 57, which would authorize Mandarin Chinese instruction in public high schools with the option for concurrent college enrollment.
Senator Stevenson described personal familiarity with Chinese-language students and framed the bill as an official recognition of outreach to Mandarin speakers, saying the program offers an efficient path for high school students to earn college credit. During floor debate he used a light anecdote, recalling a misused Chinese phrase while traveling in Beijing to emphasize cultural learning.
Senator Eastman offered a two-word amendment changing "requiring" to "allowing" and replacing "shall" with "may" in key lines of the bill to make implementation permissive rather than mandatory. Eastman said the change also removes an immediate fiscal note because the State Board of Education would exercise the option before incurring costs. Senator Stevenson and others characterized the amendment as friendly and consistent with the bill’s original intent.
The Senate proceeded to third reading and passed the amended bill by recorded vote; the President announced the bill had received 25 ayes with no nays and 4 absent. The bill will be referred to the House for further action.
Context: Sponsors said the bill is designed to expand language offerings and improve cultural and economic links for students; the floor emphasized permissive implementation to avoid mandating expenditures without board action.
