Senate approves $3.5 billion public‑education base budget, leaves growth funding for later bill

The Utah Senate on Feb. 1 approved House Bill 1, a public‑education base budget that establishes a FY2013 base of $3,500,000,000 with approximately $2,400,000,000 coming from state funds. Senator Stevenson, who introduced the measure on the floor, said the bill “establishes a base budget of 3,500,000,000.0 for FY 2013 with 2,400,000,000.0 of that from state funds.”

The bill keeps ongoing state funding at the FY2012 level and does not account for enrollment growth. Stevenson listed specific one‑time items not included in the base: pupil transportation ($6,300,000), teacher supplies and materials ($5,000,000), the Beverly Taylor Sorensen Arts Learning Program ($4,000,000), early intervention ($7,500,000), and a pilot assessment ($1,000,000). “If we’re going to fund those with ongoing money in the coming budget, that would absorb a lot of the money that we have available to us,” he said.

Senators noted that growth‑related adjustments and other legislative priorities remain to be handled in a subsequent appropriations bill. Senator Hilliard and others underscored that the base budget intentionally does not fund enrollment increases; any new resources for growth would be decided later in the session.

The Senate suspended procedural rules to consider the bill and passed House Bill 1 on a roll‑call vote, 26 yea to 2 nay. The bill was signed by the presiding officer in open session and will be returned to the House for signature.

The next step for lawmakers is the larger budget bill later in the session, when the Legislature will consider funding for enrollment growth and other priorities that the base budget does not cover.