SALT LAKE CITY — Lawmakers gave early approval to extended-day kindergarten, a bill to divert sales tax to water development advances and lawmakers are considering using postal workers to help in disasters. Here's a roundup of what's happening on the hill.

Bill would give GOP majority control of two key legislative committees

The balance between Republicans and Democrats on two key legislative committees would shift toward the GOP majority under a new bill introduced Wednesday in the House.

The sponsor of HB220, Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, said it's not "true representative government" to have the same number of Republicans and Democrats on the Legislative Management Committee and Legislative Audit Subcommittee.

"I don't think you should have to apologize for the outcome of the people's votes," Christensen said, votes that have given Republicans supermajorities in both the House and Senate.

His bill would add the chairmen of the powerful House and Senate Rules committees to the management committee, while limiting the membership of the audit subcommittee to the speaker, majority leader and minority leader.

Extended-day kindergarten gets early thumbs-up from House

Two proposals to expand opportunities for families to enroll their students in extended-day kindergarten programs gained early approval from lawmakers.

The two bills were both endorsed by the Education Interim Committee late last year, but legislators were still somewhat hesitant Wednesday, debating whether $10 million set aside in one bill would put too heavy a focus on classroom technology and not enough on teaching.

While HB42 allows the money to be spent on devices and software for students, bill sponsor Rep. Lowry Snow, R-Santa Clara, said the bill identifies teachers as being central to helping students most at risk for academic struggles.

"I am a big proponent of technology," Snow said. "But I believe that there is something that goes beyond what a child can pick up and acquire in front of a computer screen."

House gives early approval to spend $30M on improving classroom instruction

Legislators are hoping to put $30 million toward giving educators more opportunities for training and teaching improvement, but some educators are asking whether that money could be better spent elsewhere.

The House Education Committee on Wednesday passed HB28, which would award that money to schools through a qualifying grant program. The bill is part of an effort to restore about $78 million that was once given to schools for teacher training but was diverted elsewhere following the Great Recession.

"We're trying to put money back into professional development," said bill sponsor Rep. Brad Last, R-Hurricane. "We're not getting back to the $78 million, but it's a significant step."

But leaders of Utah's largest teachers union say schools should be given the choice of whether to spend the money on professional development or other needs.

Lawmakers consider using postal workers to help in disasters

Utah lawmakers are looking at the possibility of using letter carriers to help identify at-risk residents and damaged buildings in a disaster.

No one is more familiar with neighborhoods and communities than postal workers, said Senate Minority Whip Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City.

"Letter carriers can assist first responders with the kind of information necessary to protect people in affected areas," she said.

Yesterday's roundup:

Committee approves $36M for charter schools; Utah Dems join election court battle

The Senate Education Committee unanimously approved $36 million in funding for charter schools, a watchdog group is already slamming a water project bill that will be proposed Wednesday and Utah Democrats have filed a motion to intervene in the ongoing court battle between Republicans and the state.

Pair of air pollution bills prompt flurry of questions

Twin air pollution bills aired before a legislative committee Wednesday raised more questions than answers, leaving them to languish without moving on for additional consideration.

However, Senate Assistant Minority Whip Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, may revive SB66, which deals with increasing criminal fines for polluters, as well as SB49, which would extend the statute of limitations from one year to five years for the state to bring action against a violator.

Many lawmakers on the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee expressed concern over the ability for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality to "retroactively" bring charges against companies caught violating state environmental codes, giving rise to uncertainty over monitoring and compliance with the law, and when a violation would prompt action.

Bill to divert sales tax revenue to water development advances

A legislative effort to divert a portion of the state's sales tax revenue to help finance water development projects passed a committee Wednesday to move on to the Utah Senate for full consideration.

The 5-2 endorsement of SB80 sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton, did not come without concerns voiced by some lawmakers over the viability of big-ticket proposals like the Lake Powell pipeline or the Bear River development project.

"You are setting up a fund to build projects, and we have had no discussion today about those projects and that kind of disturbs me a bit," said Sen. Pete Knudson, R-Brigham City. "There are some significant concerns about building a dam and diverting a river."

Knudson was joined by Sen. Jani Iwamoto, D-Holladay, in voting against recommending the bill.

State senator proposes to create gun safety program for Utah schools

Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said parents have the responsibility to talk to their children about guns. But because that doesn't always happen, he's proposing an optional school program to teach eighth-graders firearm safety and violence prevention.

"For good or bad, we teach kids how to balance checkbooks in school. We teach them some sex education in school. We teach them a lot of things in school," he said. "What we don't teach them is what to do if they happen across a gun."

Weiler's bill, SB43, would budget $75,000 to develop a pilot program that could be taught at a school assembly. Guns would not be used as part of the instruction. School districts and schools would decide whether to offer the training, and parents would decide whether their children attend.

Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche, Morgan Jacobsen, Dennis Romboy, Amy Joi O'Donoghue

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