Missouri House Considers and Passes HB 3
The Missouri House of Representatives convened Tuesday, March 30, to consider the budget bills passed out of the House Budget Committee; this included HCS for HB 3 which provides funding for the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD), workforce programs, student financial aid programs, and public colleges and universities.
Several floor amendments to HCS to HB 3 were considered and passed on the House floor. They include the following:
- $3 million added to the community colleges’ core general revenue, bringing that appropriation total to $121,639,790 from $118,639,790.
- A language amendment to the A+ Schools Program that instructs participating institutions to submit sufficient data to MDHEWD in order for the department to provide the general assembly with detailed year-end information regarding the distribution and utilization of the program’s funds.
- A language amendment to provide MDHEWD with necessary flexibility to the 5 percent administrative cap on federal funds.
On Thursday, April 1, the House third-read and passed HCS for HB 3. The bill now awaits the Senate’s consideration.
Governor’s Priority Legislation in House and Senate Voted Do-Pass by Education Committees
On Tuesday, March 30 the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Chuck Basye (R-Rocheport) voted do-pass on HB 101, sponsored by Rep. Brad Pollitt (R-Sedalia). The legislation is a priority of Gov. Mike Parson and addresses topics related to career and academic planning, school innovation waivers, visiting scholars, retired teachers as substitute teachers, virtual school funding, and early childhood access. The legislation also aims to ensure that students are prepared for postsecondary life. The final vote was 12-7.
Later that day, the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) considered the Senate companion to HB 101, SB 265. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. Karla Eslinger (R-Wasola).
Sen. Eslinger said in her opening statement, “The major components of the bill, one of them, is a school innovation waiver. Basically, this bill allows for school innovation waivers where a single school, a group of schools, or two or more districts can submit a plan to the state board of education to improve student readiness for employment, or increase teacher pay, or improve teacher recruitment activities.”
The bill also requires students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to graduate, while also providing several waiver options. Another component of the bill includes aid for career and technical education programs, which requires MDHEWD to provide the means and capability for high school students enrolled in career and technical education programs to complete an application for aid under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). “It is designed to broaden awareness of careers with our high school students while helping fill out this application at our local career centers,” said Sen. Eslinger.
Proponents of the bill spoke on how the innovation waivers could be used to benefit all schools in the state. Michael Lewis, a student at the University of Central Missouri, emphasized the importance of the FAFSA and how he has benefited from the financial support.
MDHEWD also spoke in favor of the FAFSA and federal WIOA application components of the legislation; there were no opponents of the bill.
On Thursday, April 1, the Senate Education Committee reconvened and unanimously voted do-pass on the legislation.
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