State school board elections may become more partisan

A bill that calls for revamping the current election process of the State Board of Education unanimously passed the House Education Standing Committee Friday morning.

HB150, pitched by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake, would eliminate the governor's nominating selection committee. Under Moss' proposal, the State Board elections would follow the pattern of local school board elections, with a primary election that allows the voters — not a committee — to weed out the candidates.

Moss said she believes the public is responsible and intelligent enough to "find people of stature in their own communities who can represent them."

The bill specifies the State Board election process is to remain nonpartisan. An attempt by Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-American Fork, to substitute the bill and make State Board races partisan was voted down 7-4 by the committee.

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