Missouri House Passes Higher Education Budget Bill
Lawmakers returned to Jefferson City last week and turned their attention to the state’s FY21 budget. As anticipated, Rep. Cody Smith (R-Carthage) introduced several amendments to the budget bills passed by the House Budget Committee in March—this included the following:
- 10 percent reduction in public higher education institutions’ core budgets
- Elimination of the FY21 MOExcels project funding
- Fast Track funding reduced to $1 million in GR and $2 million in lottery
- Removal of Governor Parson’s NDIs for A+ Scholarship, Bright Flight, and Access Missouri
During floor discussions on Wednesday, April 29, several legislators expressed concern with the cuts to higher education. However, Rep. Smith indicated that he hopes to continue the conversation on higher education funding and would like the topic to be one of the first things the body considers restoring if additional federal funds are provided.
The FY21 budget moved to the Senate Appropriations committee for consideration on Friday, May 1.
House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee includes Higher Education Provisions in Omnibus Bill
The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Chuck Bayse (R-Rocheport), convened on Thursday, April 30, to consider several bills impacting elementary and secondary education. During the hearing, the Senate Substitute to Senate Committee Substitute to SB 528, sponsored by Sen. Mike Cunningham (R-Rogersville), was used to attach several comprehensive education measures, turning it into an education omnibus bill. As it relates to higher education, provisions from House Committee Substitute for HB 1774 & 1994 which combines the “Students Right to Know Act” and the “Informed Student Document Act” were included. These bills would require the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development to collect extensive information on institutions and outcome data for students and share those with elementary and secondary schools; the lead sponsor of the legislation is Rep. Ben Baker (R-Neosho).
In addition HB 2518, sponsored by Rep. Dottie Bailey (R-Eureka) which requires in-state public educational institutions to grant undergraduate course credit for students who score 3 or higher on advance placement examinations, was included in the legislation. The legislation was amended since its original public hearing on March 2 to incorporate the higher education Core Transfer Curriculum Act, commonly known as CORE 42.
Neither House Committee Substitute for HB 1774 & 1994 nor HB 2518 was originally considered by the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.
The final omnibus legislation, now House Committee Substitute for SS for SCS for SB 528 was passed out of committee that same day and was referred to the House Committee on Rules-Administrative Oversight.
Missouri House Passes Capital Improvement Legislation
The House Budget Committee, chaired by Rep. Cody Smith (R-Carthage), convened on Thursday, April 30, to consider funds for capital improvement projects. HB 2017, which includes several higher education projects, was passed without amendments or debate.
Senate Appropriation Committee Considers House Budget Bills
The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby), convened on Friday, May 1, to markup the House passed budget bills from Wednesday, April 29. While the Senate Appropriations Committee maintained many of the House’s recommendations for HB 2003, there were several modifications including:
- Removal of the proposed Dual Credit Certification position payed for through fees
- Reducing the $56.4 million line item for the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund to $15.3 million—these funds could be used to provide emergency support through grants to IHEs to support ongoing functionality of the institutions
- $800,000 lottery funding increase to A+ schools
- $3 million for Fast Track split evenly between GR, lottery, and GEER funds
- GR funding for Missouri public institutions of higher education remain the same but the 10 percent funding reduction would be restored through the Federal Budget Stabilization Fund, provided those funds are available
The almost 12-hour budget discussion concluded with the Senate Appropriations Committee voting out the budget bills.
This week, lawmakers in both chambers will continue budget discussions. There is optimism that the chambers can meet the May 8 constitutional deadline for passing a state budget after a multi-week absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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