House Budget Subcommittee on Federal Stimulus Spending marks up ARPA bill
On Thursday, March 10, the House Budget Subcommittee on Federal Stimulus Spending, chaired by Rep. Doug Richey (R-Excelsior Springs), considered HB 3020, which appropriates the federal dollars Missouri has received under the American Rescue Plan Act. There was no discussion on or changes to the transformational capital improvement projects at public colleges and universities listed in the bill, or to the department-specific items. The committee will now provide its recommendations to House Budget Committee Chair Cody Smith (R-Carthage).
Senate Education Committee approves Workforce Development in K-12 bill; FAFSA removed in House bill
On Tuesday, March 8, the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina), voted do-pass on SB 703, legislation that addresses college and career preparation in K-12 education. Information about the bill can be found in the Feb. 4 legislative update. The bill will be reported out of committee and added to the Senate formal calendar for floor consideration.
In the other chamber, the requirement to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which includes multiple exceptions, was removed from HB 2325, which focuses primarily on establishing a new “Workforce Diploma Program.” Language from SB 703’s companion legislation, HB 2203, was added to HB 2325 last week.
On Wednesday, March 9, HB 2325 was re-committed to the Rules–Administrative Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. J. Eggleston (R-Maysville). Other components of the legislation, including the requirement that students complete individual career assessment plans and that DHEWD staff provide WIOA youth application assistance may also be removed in committee before the bill returns to the House floor.
House General Law Committee considers female sports legislation
On Monday, March 8, the General Laws Committee, chaired by Rep. Curtis Trent (R-Springfield), considered two bills that would impact participation in higher education institutions’ athletic competitions. Both bills are identical and would prohibit public higher education institutions from allowing an individual of the male gender (as stated on a birth certificate at birth or another government record) to participate in a sport designated for the female gender.
The bills discussed are sponsored by Reps. Chuck Basye (R-Rocheport) (HB 2734) and Bennie Cook (R-Houston) (HB 2197).
House Higher Education Committee votes “do-pass” on AP credit legislation
On Monday, March 7, the House Higher Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Brenda Shields (R-St. Joseph), considered HB 1683, sponsored by Rep. Chris Brown (R-Kansas City), during executive session. The original version of HB 1683 would have required in-state public higher education institutions to grant undergraduate course credit for students who score 3 or higher on advance placement examinations. Rep. Shields offered a house committee substitute that will require institutions to adopt and implement an AP granting policy on subject matter test scores 3 or higher “for any similarly correlated course offered by the institution at the time of such student’s acceptance into the institution.” This change will allow an institution to continue to have autonomy over whether a score of 3 is sufficient for the foundational courses of a student’s underlying major. During the bill’s public hearing, examples discussed included engineering (mathematics) and pre-med (biology).
The bill also removes the Coordinating Board for Higher Education’s responsibility for implementing the law, allowing institutions to implement the law within their structures.
HCS for HB 1683 was voted out unanimously with three legislators absent.
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