The House Education Committee voted unanimously to send House Bill 43 to the floor, praising the measure's emphasis on local control.

"This money is where we really get tremendous bang for the buck," said sponsoring Rep. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George. "No two schools are alike."

Public school groups support removing the cap, saying school communities are in the best position to spend the money wisely.

No one spoke in opposition to the measure.

Right now, the School Trust Lands Program funnels public schools about $10 million in interest and dividend earnings generated through various uses of about 3.5 million acres owned by the school system. The federal government set aside that land at Utah's statehood to compensate for untaxable federal lands in Utah.