Senate Appropriations Committee Amends HCS for HB 3017-3020
The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby), convened on Monday, May 2, to mark up HBs 3017-3020, providing reappropriations to previously funded projects, maintenance & repair, new capital improvements, and American Rescue Plan initiatives.
The committee carried over most of the House recommendations to HBs 3018-3019, while HBs 3017 and 3020 contain several changes. On Friday, May 6, the House accepted those changes on the floor without going into conference committee on either bill. The notable items in each bill are as follows:
HB 3017 – FY 2023 Reappropriations
- The Senate increased reappropriation authority for several FY 2022 higher education capital improvement projects. Given the national supply chain issues, institutions have struggled to find the necessary supplies to complete their capital improvement projects during the current fiscal year.
HB 3018 – Maintenance and Repair
- Nothing impacting higher education or workforce development under DHEWD was considered.
HB 3019 – Capital Improvements
- $1.5 million for the University of Missouri–Kansas City to design a medical school located in St. Joseph, with a 50/50 local match (carried over from a House recommendation).
HB 3020 – American Rescue Plan
• $10 million for MO Excels competitive grants for private Missouri higher education institutions (unchanged)
- $500,000 for modernizing Missouri Job Centers ($250,000 increase from House proposal)
- Initially, the Senate Committee Substitute recommended $0 for grant funding to higher education institutions to implement agriculture innovation and agriculture workforce programs. However, in a Senate Substitute, the full $10 million originally recommended by the Governor and the House was reapplied.
- Higher Education Transformational Project Changes
- Southeast Missouri State University project description update
- $252,542 funding increase for the Missouri Western State University and North Central Missouri College’s proposal to construct a new facility Convergent Technology Alliance Center and equipment
- Northwest Missouri State University project change to Martindale Hall renovations per institution request, reducing project cost to $8.5 million in state funds
- Newly added projects by Senate
- $7.5 million for Missouri State University-West Plains’ Autism Center.
- $31.5 million for the University of Missouri’s School of Medicine - Thompson Center
- $3.24 million for University of Missouri Foundation Seed
- $1 million for University of Missouri Delta Research Center Soils Lab
Conference Committee members reach agreements on HB 3003
On Wednesday, May 4, House and Senate budget conferees met to reconcile differences between each chamber’s recommendations for higher education and workforce development spending. The meeting was chaired by Rep. Cody Smith (R-Carthage) and Sen. Dan Hegeman (R-Andrew).
Notable positions taken on conferenced items are as follows. Items supported by both chambers were not discussed during the meeting and are not listed here.
- $450,000 for commissioning a study that “provides recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on public higher education performance funding models, considering state fiscal climate and institutional mission, to be completed by Dec. 15, 2022; and for commissioning a study that makes recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly regarding higher education efficiency and possible reforms, considering current institutional missions and state fiscal resources, to be completed by July 1, 2023.”
- $2 million for a nursing simulation lab establishing a nursing simulation laboratory facility to enhance and expand nursing education and development opportunities through an online statewide nursing education program
- $7 million for the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment program. Language was also included to cover additional dual credit/dual enrollment costs for high-need students
- $200,000 for LaunchKC.
- $250,000 increase to the LaunchCode Program (now $750,000)
- $500,000 for the MOKAN Apprenticeship Program
- $5 million for an NGA Geospatial IT Program
- $1 million for the AccessPoint Program
- $11 million for the Council on Public Higher Education’s MOSERS rate increase and $10 million for community colleges
- $4.46 million increase to Lincoln University’s land grant to fully fund the federal match requirement
- $2.3 million for the Missouri Southern State University’s agriculture science program
- A new breakdown of the UM System campuses’ core funding and a $400,000 new decision item for Grace Chapel
During this discussion, the conference committee held the Senate position, which was to remove House language which stated, “No funds shall be expended in support of any general admission event that requires or inquiries about COVID-19 testing unless required by Missouri state statute or a Governor’s emergency order.”
On Friday, May 6, both chambers passed HB 3003; the bill now heads to Governor Parson.
House Higher Education holds public testimony on STEM funding for Access Missouri students legislation
On Thursday, May 5, the House Higher Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Brenda Shields (R-St. Joseph), convened to hear public testimony on HB 2763. The legislation introduced by Rep. Don Mayhew (R-Crocker) would establish a “bonus” award for undergraduate students that receive the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program funding and who are also enrolled in certain areas of study identified in the bill as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. In addition to receiving an Access Missouri award, individuals must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (2.5 on a 4 point scale) and maintain satisfactory progress as defined by the institution the individual is attending. The legislation would set the max award at $2,000.
During the hearing, Rep. Mayhew shared his intent with the legislation. “There is a shortage in the STEM field,” and this bill “aims to help address this problem.”
Given the short time between the bill’s introduction before the House Higher Education committee and the session's conclusion, the bill isn’t expected to pass this year but to serve as a start to this conversation for 2023.
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