House Budget Committee Considers Chair's Amendments and Markups FY 2024 Budget
On Tuesday, March 21, the House Budget Committee, chaired by Rep. Cody Smith (R-Carthage), unveiled its recommended budget for HBs 3001-3013, and HB 3015. The committee reviewed the changes between Governor Mike Parson’s budget proposal, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education changes, and the chairman’s recommendations. Some of those recommendations include:
- Moving the 7% inflation adjustment for Missouri public universities to a performance funding model that is undergoing development under the provisions of House Bill 3003, Section 3.010, an Act of the 101st General Assembly
- Removing the $3 million GR Apprenticeship Missouri NDI
- Removing the $2.5 million P20W data system NDI
- Removing the University of Central Missouri and Harris Stowe State University from the MoExcels funded NDI list
- Providing a $500,000 increase for the “cost-free education, training, and apprenticeships for computer programming” appropriation, increasing its funding to $1 million. The recommendation further amends the line-item to remove the geographical language and includes the following in its place, “provided that this program shall be available to more than one vendor and that payments to any single vendor shall not exceed $500,000.”
- $311,215 to the State Historical Society
The House Budget Committee voted to accept the changes and adjourned.
The committee reconvened at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 23 to consider the Chairman’s Amendment across all budget bills and proceed with mark-up. During the process, members offered amendments across the HBs.
A notable change that was approved is $100,000 for a department-recommended Student Journey Mapping NDI. Student Journey Mapping is a tool that institutions can use to make their institutional processes and policies more efficient and ensure their campuses are more welcoming to adult learners.
The committee also held extensive conversations on three proposals that are not approved.
- A proposal to restore the 7% core increase to universities, removing the funding from the forthcoming performance funding framework.
- Language that would add an exemption to the “no funding to students with unlawful immigration status” requirement in HB 3. The language would have created an exception for higher education institutions to offer in-state tuition to students with unlawful immigration status who graduated from a Missouri high school.
- A proposal to move the Blue Scholarships program from HB 8 to HB 3 under the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.
Next week, the full House will debate and vote on the budget.
Senate Confirms New Members to CBHE and WDB
Late Tuesday, March 21, the Missouri Senate confirmed David Sater, Republican, as a member of the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, and Rob Binney, as a member of Missouri’s State Workforce Development Board.
Senate Passes Women's Sports Legislation
On Thursday, March 23, the Missouri Senate third read and passed SB 39 relating to participating in athletic competition. Specifically, the legislation prohibits public or private institutions of postsecondary education from “allowing any student to compete in an athletic competition that is designated for the biological sex opposite to the student's biological sex as stated on the student's official birth certificate or other government record as described in the act.”
The bill does allow for institutions to make an exception for a female student to compete in an athletic competition designated for male students “if no corresponding competition for female students is offered or available.”
Further, the bill states no state aid or other revenues from the state will go to those in violation. The legislation requires the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to make any necessary rules.
The bill was first read in the House that same day.
Other Updates:
- On Monday, March 21, the Special Committee voted “do-pass” on HB 1196, which prohibits any public institution of postsecondary education from requiring any applicant, employee, student, or contractor to endorse “discriminatory ideology” as defined by the legislation. It further prevents institutions from requiring a "diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) statement," as defined in the bill, from such individuals. Several changes were made to the legislation from its original version in committee, including a new definition of DEIB; you may find these changes under the House Committee Substitute.
- On Tuesday, March 28, the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee will consider SB 410, which establishes the "Do No Harm Act" relating to diversity-equity-inclusion requirements.
- On Tuesday, March 28, the Senate Emerging Issues Committee will hear public testimony on SB 159, which prohibits educational institutions from “mandating COVID-19 vaccines or gene therapy.”
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