Legislature briefs

Student transfer bill clear a House hurdle

A bill making it easier for parents to transfer students into different schools passed its first legislative hurdle Friday.

HB349, sponsored by Rep. Julie Fisher, R-Fruit Heights, would extend schools' open enrollment windows, change the definition of when a school is full and make schools post enrollment capacity information and other data online to better inform the public.

The bill also contains provisions to prevent loopholes for coaches to inappropriately recruit students from other schools. It also aims to protect already-full special education or Title I programs, where enrollments are purposely kept small.

"Some school districts are doing open enrollment currently quite well, and it hasn't been an issue," Fisher told the House Education Committee. "But there are some districts that have not done so well."

But Granite Board of Education President Sarah Meier said her district is doing a good job and that the bill could damage staffing efforts — particularly difficult in a teacher shortage. "This is problematic," she said.

The committee approved the bill and sent it to the full House for debate.

Wimmer opposes bill but offers to buy seats

In a confusing gesture, Utah lawmaker Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, offered to buy $1,000 worth of booster seats at a House committee hearing, in lieu of voting for a bill requiring safety seats in vehicles for children up to 8 years old.

Current statutes require safety seats for kids up to 5 years of age.

HB140, sponsored by Rep. Tim Cosgrove, D-Murray, attempts to address an "in-between" stage of child development wherein children are too big for a car seat with integrated restraints but too small to be appropriately protected by adult-size seat belts.

The bill was passed out favorably by the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice standing committee, with Wimmer, who is a police officer and father of two, issuing the sole dissenting vote.

The bill essentially mandates the use of booster seats for children aged 5-8, who are exposed to a higher risk of injury via use of in-car seat belts that don't fit their body size.