College scholarship, International Baccalaureate bill clears House

By lindsay whitehurst

The Salt Lake Tribune

Published: February 28, 2013 01:59PM
Updated: March 5, 2013 04:12PM

A “cleanup” bill for state-funded college scholarships cleared the Utah House on a 65-7 vote Thursday without the debate it sparked in the Senate.

SB100 “raises the bar” on college students who use the scholarships, requiring them to maintain a 3.3 GPA and 15-credit-hour schedule, said sponsor Rep. Derek Brown, R-Cottonwood Heights.

It also allows the Board of Regents to give greater weight to high school credits earned through the International Baccalaureate program when awarding scholarships — similar to its treatment of Advanced Placement grades.

Some senators expressed concern about the lack of local control over the international program, but ultimately the provision stayed in the bill.

The bill awaits the governor’s signature.