House Committee on Workforce Development Amends and Passes Workforce Diploma Program Legislation
The House Committee on Workforce Development, chaired by Rep. Kathy Swan (R-Cape Girardeau), convened on Monday, Feb. 17, to consider Rep. Jonathan Patterson’s (R-Lee’s Summit) workforce diploma legislation, which aims to help adults earn high school diplomas. The bill, HB 2038, would originally have required the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development to administer the program. The bill was amended before it was voted out of committee, and the new version would make the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education responsible for implementation.
A representative of the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA) spoke for informational purposes at the request of the committee. The representative indicated that MCCA is neutral on the bill because they believe the legislation would not apply to them because they don’t issue high school diplomas. Rep. Louis Riggs (R-Hannibal) asked what language would be necessary to include community colleges but no information was provided during the hearing. Committee members also asked if language is needed to ensure an adult student doesn’t “double-dip” into other programs.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the committee voted the bill out of committee by a vote of 10-3.
Children's Savings Account Program Legislation Receives Hearing
The House General Laws Committee, chaired by Rep. Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis), convened on Mon., Feb. 17, to consider HB 2261, the Children’s Savings Account Program. Rep. Jonathan Patterson’s (R-Lees Summit) legislation would establish a grant of $100 to be deposited in a savings account upon the birth of any “qualified child.” The grants would be funded by the proceeds of state treasury investment earnings. Individuals with these savings accounts would have to use the funds for qualified higher education expenses by the person’s thirtieth birthday. Unused funds would revert back to the program fund.
House Higher Education Committee Hears Testimony on STEM Legislation, Passes Rep. Dohrman's Dual Credit Bill
The House Higher Education Committee convened on Monday, Feb. 17, to consider HB 1796, sponsored by Rep. Ron Hicks (R-Dardenne Prairie). The bill would amend the law regarding the Missouri Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fund. Currently Missouri taxpayers who hire a student pursuing a STEM degree for an internship in Missouri, or a STEM graduate from a Missouri college, for a full-time STEM position in Missouri, may apply to have $10,000 of state tax liability placed in the fund. The cumulative amount of taxes transferred to the fund is capped at an annual total of $200,000.
A representative of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri spoke in favor of legislation. The representative said the bill would help keep graduates in the state because it encourages businesses to hire STEM students completing their study in Missouri. The legislation passed out of the committee last year.
In executive session, the committee also considered and passed Rep. Dean Dohrman’s (R-La Monte) legislation, HB 2220: Dual Credit and STEM Studies Enhancement Scholarship Act, unanimously.
House Special Committee on Career Readiness Considers Combining Legislation on Postsecondary Information for Students
The House Special Committee on Career Readiness, chaired by Rep. Jason Chipman (R-Steelville), convened on Wed., Feb. 19, to hear public testimony on Rep. Chuck Basye’s (R-Rocheport) HB 1994—Students’ Right to Know Act. The bill would require the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to collect information including the most in-demand jobs in the state, starting salary, the education level required for such jobs, and information on the cost of colleges and vocational schools in the state. DESE would also be required to provide this information to high school students.
The committee also heard testimony on Rep. Ben Baker’s (R-Neosho) HB 1774—Informed Student Document Act. The bill would require the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to develop an informed student document that includes information relating to institution types, comparisons to other in- and out-of-state peer institutions in terms of costs, employment, and admissions. The bill would also require prospective students or students’ parents or legal guardians to verify that the document had been read before applying to the institution.
The committee discussed combining the bills through a committee substitute. The bill sponsors also indicated that they would remove provisions related to the Collegiate Learning Assessment. Proponents of the legislation discussed the value of having this specific information in one location that is accessible to students. Opponents questioned the bill’s necessity. Representatives of private institutions spoke in opposition to their inclusion in the legislation and stressed the unique nature of their institutions and interaction with prospective students.
The Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development spoke for informational purposes at the request of the committee.
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