LEGISLATURE LEAVES FOR SPRING BREAK
Both the House and Senate have adjourned for a week of spring break and will reconvene in full session on March 24. Both chambers are scheduled to meet once during the break for a technical session. Upon return, the legislature will have eight weeks of session remaining before the session concludes on May 16.
HOUSE PASSES OPEN ENROLLMENT BILL
The House approved HCS/HB 711 (Brad Pollitt) on March 12 by a vote of 88-69. The bill would create a public-school open enrollment program. The Association believes that public school choice plans with state funding may harm students and our public schools unless essential criteria are in place for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating their effectiveness. The Association opposes HB 711 based on this concern and appreciates the support of those voting against the bill.
BUDGET SUPPLEMENTAL APPROVED
The Senate approved the House version of HCS/HB 14 (Dirk Deaton) on March 12. This bill contains the supplemental budget for the current fiscal, with $2 billion in funding included to support budget gaps in the current year. Most of the supplemental funding will support healthcare provided under the Medicaid program.
HOUSE PASSES OMNIBUS BILL
The House approved an omnibus version of HCS/HB 607 (Ed Lewis) on March 13. The HCS version of the bill will terminate CPI adjustments of minimum salary amounts established by SB 727 after five years. The HCS also requires districts to match the new teacher salary grant funds with funds received by the district from the Classroom Trust Fund.
House amendments added or revised the following provisions:
HCS/HB 32 (Bishop Davidson) to lower the minimum attendance age for Missouri's adult high schools to 18 years of age. The Association supports this provision.
HB 220 (Ed Lewis) to create standards for virtual schools or programs to administer statewide assessments.
HB 267 (Brenda Shields) to repeal the sunset on provisions governing teacher externships. The Association supports this provision.
HB 368 (Brad Banderman) to clarify that school districts will still qualify for the 1% increase in state aid for a school calendar of at least 169 school days, even if the school is in session fewer days due to inclement weather or another allowed reduction. The Association supports this provision.
HB 454 (Ian Mackie) banning district use of "zero tolerance" discipline policies.
HCS/HB 712 (Brad Pollitt) to require DESE to determine a student's grade-level equivalence on the MAP test. The Association supports this provision.
HB 792 (Ed Lewis) to allow teacher recruitment and retention state scholarships to also be used for educational costs other than tuition.
HCS/HB 941 (Ed Lewis) to limit school districts from using a "three-cueing system" model of reading instruction. The Association believes this provision is unneeded and may affect implementing the current literacy law.
HB 1039 (Stephanie Boykin) to extend the option for PSRS retirees to work as a substitute teacher while receiving their PSRS pension. The Association supports this provision.
HB 1153 (Cecilie Williams) to require the state Board of Education to issue certificates of license to teach upon certification by Teachers for Tomorrow.
HCS/HB 1238 (Willard Haley) regarding pupils attending non-resident schools where the pupil's parent is a regular employee or contractor.
The House also added a provision to exempt districts from competitive bidding requirements for construction projects over $50,000 when using a cooperative procurement service, state procurement services, a design-build contract, or other purchasing processes authorized by state or federal law.
HOUSE PASSES BILL REGARDING LOCAL TAXES AND LEVY ELECTIONS
The House approved HB 660 (Ben Keathley) on March 12. The bill contains additional requirements for publishing data regarding sales and property taxes of political subdivisions. The bill also provides that political subdivisions must wait two years to resubmit a levy proposal after the proposal is defeated by voters. The bill contains other requirements regarding the setting and adjustment of tax rates.
PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX CUT
The House approved HB 903 (Richard West) on March 13. HB 903 would lower the assessment ratio for personal property tax from 33 1/3% to 18% over three years. The bill would reduce local taxes on personal property, including school taxes, by an estimated $900 million over that three-year period. The reduction of local school taxes will be 70% of this amount. This rapid reduction will reduce school districts' ability to recruit and retain teachers and provide other services our students need. The Association opposes the bill.
FLAT STATE INCOME TAX
The House approved HCS/HB 798 (Christopher Warwick) on March 12. The bill would revise the state's income tax. The bill would change the income tax to a flat 4.7% tax by removing all the lower brackets and reducing the income tax rate to 3.7% when fully implemented. The bill also raises the standard deduction to the applicable federal standard deduction plus $4000. The bill will reduce state revenues by $1.2 billion when fully implemented. The Association opposes the bill.
HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SUPPORT
The House and Senate considered several bills pertaining to support for higher education students this week. The House perfected HCS/HB 331 (Ann Kelley) on March 11, and the Senate approved SS/SB 150 (Jill Carter) on March 13. These similar bills create a Career Tech certificate program to allow A+ eligible students to use A+ funds for certificate programs such as EMT, CDL, and LPN certificates that are not currently A+ eligible. The Association supports the bills.
The Senate approved SS/SCS/SB 71 (David Gregory) on March 13. The bill would create a program to provide free college tuition for certain first responders and their legal dependents. The SCS specifies that the free college tuition will be available if funds are appropriated for reimbursing the costs of the institutions.
ADULT HIGH SCHOOL
The House approved HCS/HB 32 (Bishop Davidson) on March 13. The bill would lower the minimum attendance age for Missouri's adult high schools to 18 years of age. The Association supports the bill.
MINIMUM WAGE AND SICK LEAVE
The House approved HCS/HBs 567, 546, 758 & 958 (Sherri Gallick) on March 13. The bill would repeal provisions approved last year by voters to increase the state's minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave. The bill blocks future increases to the minimum wage and repeals the sick leave provisions. The Association opposes the bill.
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The committee heard four bills on March 11:
SB 11 (Lincoln Hough) would repeal several restrictions regarding the conferring of doctoral, professional, and certain other degrees by institutions other than the University of Missouri.
SB 265 (Travis Fitzwater) would create the STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund for high school students.
SB 460 (Kurtis Gregory) to revise provisions relating to background checks for school bus drivers.
SB 556 (Mike Henderson) to prohibit school districts from using a three-cueing system model of reading instruction. The Association believes that current state law regarding literacy instruction closely aligns with MNEA Resolutions. The Association is concerned that this bill is unneeded and may affect implementing the current literacy law.
The committee also approved five bills:
SB 243 (Maggie Nurrenbern) to require public educational institutions to grant undergraduate course credit for students who score four or higher on international baccalaureate examinations.
SCS/SB 276 (Mary Elizabeth Coleman) to revise provisions relating to access to pornographic materials. The bill requires public schools and charter schools to post lists of required books and provide parental access to the school's digital library catalog. In addition, each school district and charter school shall adopt a policy that allows challenges to the age-appropriate designation assigned to any book, material, or display in the district or school. The Association is concerned that the bill allows a student's parent to bring a civil action, including an action for injunctive relief or for damages, for violations of the bill, and such actions may be made against board members or school employees.
SB 483 (Nick Schroer) to revise law relating to providing explicit sexual material to a student. The bill states that a library district or school district that hires any person found guilty of the offense of providing explicit sexual material to a student shall no longer be eligible to receive any state funds. The bill also adds "approve" to the list of actions regarding providing explicit sexual material to a student.
SB 485 (Nick Schroer) to move school board elections to the November general election. The bill also shifts school board terms to four years.
SB 11 (Lincoln Hough) would repeal several restrictions regarding the conferring of doctoral, professional, and certain other degrees by institutions other than the University of Missouri.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The committee heard the following bills on March 12:
HB 248 (Roger Reedy) to require public schools to offer a driver education course that students must complete before graduating. The instruction must include habits and skills necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles, distracted driving hazards, and traffic stop procedures, but does not require physical operation of a vehicle.
HB 1180 (Philip Oehlerking) to require DESE to develop a curriculum on personal finance to be used by school districts.
HB 1516 (Josh Hurlbert) to allow adults over 21 years of age without a high school diploma or equivalence certificate to enroll in a state approved virtual course or full-time virtual program offered by the student's resident district or charter school or to enroll in a MOCAP full-time virtual school and be counted as a resident pupil for state funding purposes.
The committee also approved two bills:
HCS/HB 332 (Ann Kelley) to grant flexibility to schools for certain school employee training requirements. Schools may place current annual requirements on a rotating basis based on school and employee needs. The Association believes this will allow more efficient use of staff training time and better meet student and school needs. The Association supports the bill.
HCS/HB 31 (Bishop Davidson) to revise provisions relating to home schools. The bill requires a prosecuting attorney to have probable cause to review home school records. The bill also provides that if a home school parent provides written notice of their intent to home school, the student shall be removed from enrollment in the school district.
HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The committee approved HCS/HB 937 (George Hruza) on March 12. The bill would require policies against discrimination and antisemitism in public schools and public colleges and universities.
HOUSE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE
The committee heard HB 1386 (Ben Keathley) on March 11. The bill allows charter schools and private schools to apply to the Commissioner of Education to host regional recovery high schools for students seeking to recover from substance use. Any such application will be reviewed under the same process now available for school districts. The Association supports establishing recovery high schools for students in recovery from substance use.
MSHSAA APPEALS
The Senate General Laws Committee heard SB 201 (Jason Bean) on March 11. The bill provides that the State Board of Education will review appeals of decisions made by statewide activities associations.