'Books of Mormon'? Senate debate halted

Sen. Howard Stephenson took a personal moment Wednesday in a Senate committee meeting to ask the burning question: Is it Books of Mormon or Book of Mormons?

Stephenson told Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, who was presenting her bill on charter schools, that he has wondered how to pluralize book titles such as Book of Mormon or the figurative Book of Life.

Moss, a former teacher and the Legislature's unofficial "grammarian," told Stephenson he could simply say "copies of the Book of Mormon."

With no need for formal action on Stephenson's question, the meeting continued with a bill by Moss, D-Salt Lake. HB206 urges charter schools to make annual reports on successful, innovative practices to the Charter School Board.

The Senate Education Standing Committee voted 5-1 to send HB206 to the full Senate.

Stephenson, R-Draper, voted against the bill, taking the opportunity to say that what needs to happen first is to take care of a $3.8 million budget shortfall for charter schools. The extra reporting on innovative practices, he added, would only add to the burdens of charter schools.