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Show tafef ILo:mida.bur Tuesday, March 21, 1995 Legislature kills nurses bill leaving educators to fend for themselves by Christopher Thomas Forum Staff Writer which would increase the Bill 29, Four years of formal education and several years of teaching experience didnt prepare Michelle Daily to administer seven blood tests each day to a diabetic student. He would collapse and I would have to carry him to the office. I had to mother him and feed him to stabilize his insulin level, she somberly told the Human Services committee at the State Capitol. Daily and hundreds of other Utah teachers who have students that require special health care assistance were appalled when House number of school nurses, was sent back to the rules committee on the final night of the legislature, disintegrating like Cinderellas carriage after the midnight hour. Utah currently has 51 school nurses to accommodate 462,000 students or approximately one nurse for every 8000 students. House Bill 29 would have provided 56 new nurses to the ratio to 15000 by 1996 with an ultimate goal of improving the figure to 1750 by the year 2000. The national average is currently 1900. According to Utah Nurses Association lobbyist Paula Julander, the HIV exposure bill killed in the crunch Terresa Newport Special to the Forum West Valley City Attorney Greg HB331, Criminal Exposure to HIV, was killed in the crunch for time at this years legislative session. The bill was initially given high priority and backed by both House and Senate but was dismissed at the last minute. , Bradley T. Johnson sponsored the bill in compliance with the State Department of Corrections. Initially the bill was intended for monitoring HIV positive prison inmates let out on parole. This would allow the system to monitor known HIV positive individuals in society and allow the Department of Corrections to incarcerate them for knowingly spreading the disease. Curtis wrote the bill and stated that it was intended to look out for the person feeling that they were unjustly injured by society. These people feel their life is ruined due to reasons including past criminal records. In general, they are mad at everybody and use their HIV as a weapon. They feel that if they are going down, it is their right to take many people down with them. This bill did not require actual transmission of the virus for prosecution. Curtis explained the scenario used by the Board of Pardons as the HIV positive person must first know heshe has HIV before engaging in risky behavior with an unsuspecting partner. Even without transmission of the virus, this increase not only would have alleviated problems like Dailys, but would also have improved the general health of the public through prevention, early detection, education and intervention. As a teacher Im not qualified, nor do I feel comfortable, or that it is my responsibility to provide care for someone with a life threatening condition, Daily said. It was me deciding when he needed treatment; not to mention it interrupted the class. Its difficult to be a teacher and have to attend to someone with special needs. Federal law 42:94 mandates equal educational opportunity for would warrant a third degree felony charge. Transmission of the virus would call for a second degree felony. Curtis said, The problem with this bill was the typical case of he said, she said. One would have a hard time proving a particular individual passed on the disease. The HIV positive person could use the defense that the other person was told from the beginning. Either way, it would be a no win situation, both parties would have a death sentence. - r - Paris Brussels Frankfurt Milan Sao Paulo Tokyo New York V ''' f A i. 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According to Davis County Health Departments nursing director, Mary Meredith, teachers are expected to do too much. Some teachers are required to reinsert feeding tubes, administer shots for allergic reactions and teach all school, she said. House Bill 29 was introduced by Human Service Committee Vice Chairwoman Nora Stephens after a from recommendation Jordan School District Administrator Mark Michelson. Over a 13 month period Stephens and Michelson examined the problem and designed the bill. Michelson made the recommendation after his office received several calls from educators posing questions about students with special health care needs. We had a teacher call after a parent asked if she would inject her son with glucose everyday. The Call for a FREE Student Travels magazine! Csimsf tard 1310 East 200 South Salt Lake City, UT 84102 001-502-58- 40 5 teacher was frightened, so we called a nurse who said if injections are administered inappropriately it could harm the child, Michelson said. We found that this shouldnt be something done by educators. House Bill 29s biggest draw back was the cost of hiring 56 nurses, roughly $1.4 million. According to Michelson its a small price to pay for the health and well being of Utah students. Teachers cant be nurses! In the state of Utah enrollment is increasing along with the number of students with special health care needs, and the amount of nurses is decreasing, he said. For teachers like Daily the trauma of caring for students with special needs will continue until the legislature reconvenes next year and a new bill is proposed. Until then educators will be left to fend for themselves. day-to-d- ay Bingham High class pushed bill through legislature by Brett Boberg Staff Writer Forum Although House Bill 55 wasnt one of the most controversial or memorable bills of the 1995 legislative session, to Bingham High School teacher Mr. Crump and his fourth period Advanced Placement Political Science Class it couldnt be more valuable. The bill, which allows people to pay their licensing fees with one check instead of two separate ones to the State and County tax divisions, was proposed by Crumps class and sponsored by their representative Mont Evans. Crump used the bill as an educational tool to teach his students about the various aspects of state London REAL ESTATE The Forum government. This bill gives us an look at how bills become law and at the same time cuts government overhead, said Crump. Crumps AP Political Science class was an active ingredient in the entire bill process. Students listened to fiscal analysis to see if their bill was feasible, they stayed in close on-han- ds contact with their representative, they were present at the bill hearings, and they were present when Governor Mike Leavitt signed their bill into law on Feb. 21. Although the bill needed some modification, it served its purpose of teaching students about American government. It was a good experience for the kids, and it gave them a chance to really get involved, said Crump. Crumps students agree. It was fun to actually make a bill and watch it become a law, said Bingham High junior Heather White. Making bills is not new to Crump and his students. He and his classes have been proposing legislative bills for the past six years. Bills in the past have included a five cent deposit on beverage containers and the appropriation of more money to the Historical Society. Although most bills have failed in the past, they all were instrumental in educating students, according to Crump. Each bill has been a unique experience, and they have all helped students learn the bill process, said Crump. Gov. Leavitt visits Westminster Continued from front page the state that is to thank for Utahs current growth, and it will be responsible for Utahs growth in the future as well. Leavitt pointed out that one out of every nine jobs that exists today in Utah was developed in the last two years. Also, Leavitt said he is for the Olympics coming to Utah for the sole reason that he can think of no other thing which will cement the high quality image of Utah in the minds of the world. However, Leavitt said all of Utahs growth can no longer be accommodated by the Wasatch Front alone. He said the state needs to invest in rural Utah, including places like Monroe, Salina, and Kamas. Quality has to be our niche, not quantity, said Leavitt. Our basic community values should be rekindled and fostered since its a big part of our quality of life. Besides the Wasatch Front becoming too crowded, Leavitt sees crime and water as two other problems that need to be proactively dealt with due to the states growth. We cant sustain our level of growth right now, but due to natural market forces, well see it pull back to about 30,000 new jobs a year, which will be just enough to employ our young people that enter the work force each year, said |