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Senate adopts substitute directing roughly $21 million annually to school-equalization efforts
Summary
Senators replaced an earlier substitute of Senate Bill 255 with a third substitute that sponsors said would generate about $21 million per year to fund an equity program for low property-tax-yield school districts; the substitute drew questions about long-term impact but passed on the floor.
The Utah Senate on Monday approved a third substitute to Senate Bill 255 that sponsors said would dedicate roughly $21 million a year to an equity program aimed at boosting funding for school districts with low property-tax yields.
The senator presenting the substitute said the change channels revenue toward equalization rather than using a previously contemplated pupil-unit increase. “This gives us 21 [million],” the sponsor said, and added the substitute had picked up support from the State Superintendents Association and the State School Board.
Senators asked whether the adjustment is a one-time fix or an ongoing increase and compared it to prior measures that expanded statewide levies. One floor speaker noted that the amount—while meaningful—would not match a prior $75 million increase in the basic levy two years earlier but described the substitute as a practical compromise to deliver targeted assistance.
The transcript records a roll-call and reports the third substitute received 26 'yay' votes, 0 'nay' votes and 3 absent votes on final action.
What happens next: the bill, as substituted, will continue through the legislative process per Senate procedure and any implementation details will be hashed out in subsequent committee or budget work.
Source: Senate floor debate and roll-call as recorded in the session transcript.
