Weber State University may be forced to drop a handful of its concurrent enrollment courses if Utah Governor Gary Herbert lends his signature to a sex education bill lawmakers passed this session. HB 363 requires public schools to teach abstinence-only sex education or none at all.
Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s 2012 campaign kickoff last night came only five days after the end of the annual session of the Utah Legislature, which had less discord than in years past, but at least a few sharply divisive issues. And with Republicans holding their caucuses tomorrow to select delegates to the convention, he hopes they’ll listen to his message of job creation.
The Utah Parent Teacher Association says Utahns are being misinformed about the controversial sex education bill that state lawmakers passed during the 2012 legislative session. HB 363 requires that schools teach abstinence-only sex education, or none at all.
Salt Lake City is back to fine tuning its regulation of electronic billboards now that efforts by state lawmakers to thwart the city’s proposed ordinance during the session were unsuccessful. Last January, the city put a moratorium on any new electronic billboards in the city, keeping in mind several recommendations by the city’s planning commission.
The 2012 legislative session is now over. And with no immigration battles or open records fight, it was certainly calmer than 2011. Still, Democratic lawmakers are fuming over a package of bills aimed at starting a fight with the federal government over public lands, and they’re not happy about a new abstinence-only plan for sex education in public schools.
After 45 days of negotiating bills and budgets, the Utah Legislature wrapped up its business last night at midnight. KCPW’s Jessica Gail reports on what lawmakers got done over the last seven weeks.
The 2012 legislative session concluded with lawmakers finalizing the details for the state’s $13 billion dollar budget Thursday. As KCPW’s Whittney Evans reports, several programs were saved and public employees got raises with the help of increased revenues.
It looks as though many Utah high school students won’t be able to get college credit through concurrent enrollment courses for free in the near future. As KCPW’s Jeff Robinson reports, a bill that allows Utah colleges and universities to charge them for that privilege is close to becoming law.
State Superintendent Larry Shumway received a prompt reply to a letter he sent U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan this week. Shumway wrote the letter to assert that Utah has complete control over its public school learning standards, amid concerns from Utah lawmakers, who are considering a resolution that urges the State board of Education to reconsider adopting the Common Core standards.
The Utah Senate approved a bill this morning that requires some welfare recipients in the state to be drug tested if they want to continue to receive benefits. Under House Bill 155, anyone applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF will have to complete a questionnaire designed to determine the likelihood that they’re using drugs. If it suggests they are, they’ll be asked to submit to a drug test.
