A bill to give up to a $2,000 tuition tax credit to parents paying private school tuition, and another credit to a business or person giving to a private school scholarship foundation, will resurface. Rep. Jim Ferrin, R-Orem, has said he might scale the tax credit to favor low-income families and join his bill with another that includes money to bail out districts hurt by the credits. The efforts could attract key moderate votes.

Another bill vetoed last year will re-emerge through Rep. Merlynn Newbold, R-South Jordan. Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarships would set aside $1.4 million in general — not school — funds as vouchers for parents sending children with disabilities to private schools.

Huntsman supports both bills' concepts, unlike his predecessors.

Education leaders oppose the measures philosophically and fear they will take money from cash-strapped public schools.

Higher education

College presidents and Utah System of Higher Education officials have been turning up the volume in recent months about losing their best and brightest faculty to higher paying jobs outside of Utah.

In addition to the need to fund three "critical" building projects, the big push this year will be to get more state money for pay raises. The goal that the USHE shares with other state agencies is a 3 percent salary increase for all state employees with additional support for health insurance.

Huntsman's recommendation, however, appears to fall short of expectations for a salary increase.

The USHE also wants $3.75 million to establish an account for funds that institutions could use as bargaining power when threatened with the loss of key faculty and staff to the lure of more money elsewhere.

The highest profile request for building funds will be the University of Utah's Marriott Library. The U. needs $48.5 million in state monies for a $71 million project that includes major seismic upgrades, renovating the inside and a new high-tech book retrieval system.

In all, USHE is asking for $102 million to fund the U. library, a new digital learning center/library at Utah Valley State College and a new health sciences building for Dixie State College.

Huntsman's proposal is to fully fund the request for the U. library and to put over $18 million toward the UVSC building.

Health/human services

Lawmakers will be expected to tackle a number of proposed changes in child welfare, demands for more Medicaid dollars and family issues dealing with everything from divorce law to new paternity guidelines.