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NEW TAX CREDIT VOUCHER BILL HEARD, VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE
The House Special Committee on Urban Education Reform
heard House Bill 808 (Carl Bearden) on Feb. 14. H.B. 808 is
the newest version of the tax credit voucher bill. This year,
the bill is known as the “Betty L. Thompson Scholarship
Program.” Serving as this year’s version of the
“65% Deception,” the bill would create a 65 percent
tax credit for donations to private scholarship funds providing
payments for low-income students in unaccredited or provisionally
accredited districts to attend private or religious schools
or out-of-district public schools. House members are under
intense lobbying pressure to support this bill. Missouri NEA
testified in opposition. After the hearing, the committee
voted the bill “do pass” by a vote of 8-0, with
one member absent.
The bill
allows up to $40 million per year in tax credits for “contributions”
to scholarship funds to be used to fund private and religious
school tuition payments for low-income students in St. Louis
City, Wellston and Kansas City. One new wrinkle for this year
allows nearby school districts to volunteer to accept students
prior to allowing students to choose non-public schools. As
in previous years, however, this bill does nothing to fulfill
the state’s primary duty: to establish and maintain
quality public schools. The credits would reduce state revenues
by a like amount, reduce funds for the affected public schools
and force the state to forego real opportunities to help all
public school students or to fund specific programs to help
struggling students in urban public schools, such as early
childhood education or after school programs.
Missouri
NEA strongly opposes any measure to transfer state funds to
private, religious or home schools that are not accountable
to the standards placed on public schools. With the growing
efforts of extreme, out-of-state interest groups such as All
Children Matter, these new efforts to enact tax credit vouchers
present an extra challenge. MNEA needs active participation
of members speaking to legislators, fellow educators and the
public on the importance of this issue to all Missourians.
Action
needed:
Please call, write or e-mail to urge your state representative
to oppose H.B. 808, the new tax credit voucher proposal.
The following link will connect you to the MNEA Legislative
Action Center Action Alert on H.B. 808. The action alert
contains a brief summary and an editable message box to
help you send an e-mail to your state representative on
the issue. http://capwiz.com/nea/mo/issues/alert/?alertid=9277446&type=ST&show_alert=1 |
STATE
BOARD REINSTATES ST. LOUIS TRANSITIONAL DISTRICT
The State Board of Education voted, on Feb. 15, to take the
first step toward authorizing outside intervention in the
governance of the St. Louis Public Schools, Missouri’s
largest public school system.
The state
board voted to reinstate the "transitional school district,"
a structure authorized by state law in 1998. Under the law
(Section 162.1100, RSMo.), the transitional district can begin
functioning on March 17.
The State
Board of Education did not take any action today regarding
the accreditation of the St. Louis Public Schools.
Board
members said they believe conditions in the St. Louis Public
Schools have deteriorated to the point where action by the
state is warranted.
PENSION
TAX CUT BILL TO BE DEBATED BY HOUSE
House Committee Substitute for House Bill 444, 217, 225, 239,
243, 297, 402 & 172 was perfected on Feb. 15. After adoption
of several amendments to exempt more pension income, the bill
now has an estimated cost of between $250 million to $300
million per year. The bill exempts all Social Security pensions
from income tax, along with other public employee pensions
not eligible for Social Security, such as PSRS. The fiscal
impact will increase rapidly over time as Baby Boomers reach
retirement age. Missouri NEA continues to oppose HCS/HB 444
due to the regressive nature of the tax change and the significant
harm the bills will due to adequacy of state revenues.
Action
needed:
Please call, write or e-mail to urge your state representative
to oppose HCS/HB 444, the tax and service cut bill. The
following link will connect you to the MNEA Legislative
Action Center Action Alert on H.B. 444. The action alert
contains a brief summary and an editable message box to
help you send an e-mail to your state representative on
the issue. http://capwiz.com/nea/mo/issues/alert/?alertid=9349036&type=ST&show_alert=1 |
SCHOOL
RETIREMENT: HOUSE BILL FORWARD, SENATE BILL SENT BACK
The Senate Rules Committee struck Senate Bill 244 (Rob Mayer)
from the Consent calendar on Feb. 14. The bill will enact
a five-year extension for two key provisions of PSRS law:
the “25-and-Out” option and the enhanced 2.55
percent benefit factor for retirees with 31 years of service
or more. Both provisions will expire on June 30, 2008, if
not re-enacted prior to that date.
The bill
was voted out as a Consent Bill but removed because the bill
has an estimated fiscal impact of about $1 million per year
on school districts based on the contributions required to
fund the continuing actuarial cost of the provisions. S.B.
244 will return to the Senate Pensions Committee for further
action and will probably be voted out as a regular bill within
the next week.
Meanwhile,
the House companion bill, House Bill 625 (Tom Dempsey) was
heard on Feb. 15 in the House Special Committee on Retirement.
After the hearing, the bill was voted “do pass.”
Missouri
NEA strongly supports both bills. A logical system for teacher
retirement must take several factors into account. Teachers
and other education employees who have 25 or more years in
the profession should continue to have the option of retiring
with a fair return for their years of service. At the same
time, educators who choose to give more years of service,
from 30 to 35 years, should be rewarded with higher levels
of retirement benefits.
STUDENT
ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE
The House Special Committee on Student Achievement heard the
following bills on Feb. 14:
House
Bill 489 (Brian Baker) requires school districts to establish
special programs or services for students who are identified
as academically gifted. Missouri NEA supports the bill.
H.B. 690
(Brian Baker) allows open enrollment in another school district
when a student attends school in a district that is unaccredited
or provisionally accredited. Missouri NEA testified in opposition
and expressed concerns that the bill may undermine local accountability
for ensuring equitable access to at-risk students and special-needs
students and may create opportunities for student athletics
and activities recruitment. The bill does not fund the true
costs to both the sending and receiving districts and does
not serve the best interests of all students and schools.
The committee
voted out House Committee Substitute for H.B. 620 (Scott Muschany)
requiring the State Board of Education to create another alternative
teacher certification based on certification by the American
Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence and establishing
mentoring standards for beginning teachers and principals.
Missouri NEA opposes creation of another alternative certification
program that lacks adequate requirements to ensure that those
teachers are properly trained in essential teaching competencies
before achieving full certification. Missouri NEA supports
revisions to the existing alternative certification program
that would address teacher preparation and mentoring of teachers
in the first two years. Those changes will increase the likelihood
of success and continued participation on the part of the
participating teachers and better ensure quality instruction
for our students during this transitional time.
PENSION
AND TAX BILLS IN COMMITTEE
The House Special Committee on Tax Reform met Feb.13 to hear
the following bills:
House
Bill 218 (Bryan Stevenson) authorizes a gradual reduction
in the annual corporate income tax rate. Missouri NEA opposes
this reduction in corporate responsibility. Missouri NEA supports
revisions to ensure that all corporations in Missouri pay
an appropriate share of Missouri taxes using a formula of
general application, such as is used in most other states,
rather than allowing corporations to pick the factor that
allows the lowest tax.
H.B. 675 (Will Kraus) authorizes an individual income tax
credit for military retirement benefits.
House
Joint Resolution 8 (Cynthia Davis) proposes a constitutional
amendment prohibiting an increase in real property taxes above
the previous year's federal Consumer Price Index increase.
Missouri NEA strongly opposes this restriction. Any such restriction
on property taxation would be an administrative nightmare
for county officials and taxpayers. The limit would also tend
to shift tax burden from properties which actually have rapidly
increasing values onto properties with little or no growth
in value. Most crucially, the proposal would reduce operating
revenues for a great many school districts across the state
by arbitrarily limiting growth in local school property taxes.
This proposal would further reduce the adequacy and equity
of school district revenues needed to provide quality educational
services to Missouri’s children.
House
Concurrent Resolution 9 (Clint Zweifel) urges the United States
Congress to immediately repeal the Government Pension Offset
and Windfall Elimination Provision of the Social Security
Act. Missouri NEA supports this resolution. A similar resolution,
requested and supported by MNEA, was adopted in 2005. This
new HCR would renew the call on Congress to repeal the GPO
and WEP provisions on behalf of this new General Assembly.
Missouri NEA works with NEA to lead the way toward repeal
of these provisions at the federal level.
SMART
START SCHOLARSHIPS AND GAMING REVENUES
The Senate Ways and Means Committee heard Senate Bill 430
(Charlie Shields) on Feb. 12. S.B. 430 creates the Smart Start
Scholarship Program. The program is a significant expansion
of the approach of the A+ schools program to support two-year
scholarship grants for graduating high school seniors. The
scholarships would be supported by a separate funding source
generated by repealing the $500 loss limits on riverboat gambling
boats and enacting an additional one percent state assessment
on gambling proceeds over $30 million per boat. Scholarships
could be used at approved public and private institutions
and proprietary schools in Missouri.
Missouri
NEA supports the concept of the bill to expand affordable
access to higher education and increase educational attainment
in Missouri. Missouri NEA urged that scholarships also be
available to students who have a General Equivalency Diploma
and other non-traditional students with high school credentials.
The Association also noted that a significant statewide scholarship
program such as this should be supported by a general revenue
appropriation supported by a general tax, rather than by a
tax on gambling, especially if the state has a surplus of
revenues.
SEX
EDUCATION STATE MANDATES
The House Special Committee on Family Services heard House
Bill 716 (Cynthia Davis) requiring course materials and instruction
relating to human sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases
to be presented in a manner consistent with federal abstinence
education law and to prevent Planned Parenthood from providing
any course materials or instruction relating to human sexuality
or sexually transmitted diseases. Missouri NEA testified in
opposition to the bill as another unneeded violation of local
control. After the hearing, the bill was voted “do pass.”
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The Senate Education Committee heard the following bills on
Feb. 14:
Senate
Bill 83 (John Griesheimer) establishes a county municipal
court in Franklin County and alters the foundation formula
to compensate Franklin County school districts for any loss
of revenue from the establishment of the new municipal court.
S.B. 99
(Rob Mayer) increases by $250 million the assessed value thresholds
for tax rates that may be imposed without voter approval by
community college districts. Missouri NEA supports the bill.
S.B. 135
(Gary Nodler) allows the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority
to provide primary school loans. The bill was voted as a Consent
bill.
S.B. 236
(Charlie Shields) requires the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education to develop standards for high-quality
mentoring for beginning teachers and principals. The bill
was voted as a Consent bill. Missouri NEA supports establishing
both mentoring standards and teaching standards in law.
S.B. 456
(Chuck Gross) compensates certain districts for any loss in
fine revenues due to establishment of a county municipal court.
The bill was voted as a Consent bill. Missouri NEA supports
the bill.
The committee
also voted out the following bills:
S.B. 6
(John Loudon) refers to additional funds for school safety.
Senate
Committee Substitute for S.B. 64 (Jack Goodman) refers to
school start date. Sen. Charlie Shields offered a SCS and
then amended that SCS to allow districts to start school on
any date, but requires notice and a public hearing, if the
start date is more than 10 days before Labor Day.
SCS/S.B.
320 (Dan Clemens), regarding large animal veterinary scholarships,
includes an amendment allowing animal physical therapy without
the presence of a veterinarian, so long as the physical therapy
has been prescribed by a veterinarian.
HOUSE
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee heard
the following bills on Feb. 14:
House
Bill 228 (Mike Thomson) broadens the reporting of acts of
school violence under the Safe Schools Act. Missouri NEA went
on record in favor of the bill, while urging that information
regarding student offenses be maintained in permanent student
records but not permanently marked on a student’s academic
transcript.
H.B. 264
(Jane Cunningham) allows the State Board of Education greater
flexibility in investing funds deposited in the State Public
School Fund.
H.B. 265
(Jane Cunningham) expands the five-business-day notice requirement
for special education due process hearings to expedited due
process hearings.
H.B. 267
(Kenneth Jones) gives the local board of education authority
to identify a designee to bind the school district in a settlement
agreement reached during the resolution session regarding
a special education placement.
HOUSE
HIGHER EDUCATION
The House Higher Education Committee heard the following bills
on Feb. 13:
House
Bill 442 (Gayle Kingery) creates the Missouri Legacy Fund.
The bill transfers a part of the overage each year from the
Abandoned Fund account to a new fund to help benefit families
participating in the state’s 529 accounts (MOST plan
accounts). Missouri NEA testified in favor of the bill.
H.B. 613
(Bryan Pratt) requires that one voting member of the governing
boards of certain state institutions of higher education be
a full-time student.
The committee
also voted out the following bills:
H.B. 250
(Ed Robb) increases the amount of the Higher Education Academic
Scholarship Program, commonly known as Bright Flight, from
$2,000 to $4,000 a year.
H.B. 134
(Jim Guest) extends the sunset provision for equipment grants
for engineering programs at the University of Missouri to
June 30, 2017.
JOINT
MEETING ON MATH AND SCIENCE
On Feb. 13, inclement weather caused the House Special Committee
on Student Achievement and the Senate Education Committee
to cancel a joint session to hear a presentation by the Missouri
Chamber of Commerce on Math, Engineering, Technology and Science
and State Scholars.
CAPITOL
ACTION DAYS
MNEA’s Capitol Action Days continued with its second
week. Inclement weather caused school cancellations and road
closings that led MNEA members from governance district 5
to cancel their trip to the Capitol. Weather permitting, Capitol
Action Days are a great chance to meet with legislators to
discuss Missouri NEA’s priority issues and how to support
great public schools.
Capitol
Action Days offer a chance to educate legislators about vital
issues affecting public education. Capitol Action Days will
be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays continuing through the first
week of May. Your MNEA calendar includes the dates that members
of the MNEA Board of Directors selected for your governance
district.
As your
Capitol Action Day approaches, please contact Otto Fajen (otto.fajen@mnea.org)
by the preceding evening to confirm your plan to attend. If
your travel plans change, and you are unable to attend on
your designated day, please call Judy Glover at 1-800-392-0236
no later than 9:00 a.m. of the designated day to let us know
of the change. Feel free to contact Otto Fajen by e-mail to
arrange to attend a different Capitol Action Day.
Each Capitol
Action Day will start with a briefing at 10:00 a.m. to provide
you with the most up-to-date information. Participants should
meet MNEA Government Relation staff at the Capitol on the
second floor near the rotunda in the Senate side alcove under
the grand staircase.
PLAN
TO ATTEND YOUR MNEA LEGISLATIVE BRUNCH!
Legislative involvement is close to home at your MNEA Legislative
Brunch. The brunch is a great opportunity to visit with local
area legislators and hear a legislative briefing.
Area legislative brunch schedule:
Jefferson
County – Feb. 24, 2007
St. Charles – Mar. 3, 2007
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