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By
Otto Fajen
MNEA Legislative Director
Number
4
Jan. 29, 2009
GOVERNOR
DELIVERS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS
Gov. Jay Nixon delivered the State of the State address
to a joint session of the House and Senate in the House
Chamber at 7 p.m. on Jan. 27. The State of the State
address gives the governor a chance to present his vision
for the state and his budget priorities. Gov. Nixon
emphasized job creation, education and healthcare. The
governor proposed no cuts to the K-12 basic school funding
program and even included proposed increases to early
childhood education, Parents as Teachers and sheltered
workshops. The governor’s budget proposal will
maintain college scholarships and institutional aid
at current levels in exchange for an agreement to maintain
current college tuition rates.
While
the governor anticipates that the federal stimulus package
will pass and provide funding to avoid some cuts next
year, he still proposed significant reductions in the
state workforce, totaling a loss of 1300 state jobs.
As
Missouri prepares to struggle through the economic downturn
with insufficient state services and investment, the
MNEA urges the governor and General Assembly to address
the structural budget deficit, improve the fairness
of the state tax code and ensure adequate funding for
public education and other vital public services.
LEGISLATURE
REJECTS PAY RAISE FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS
The Senate approved House Concurrent Resolution 5 (Mike
McGhee) on Jan. 29, thereby blocking proposed cost-of-living
adjustments for legislators and other elected officials.
Under Article XIII of the Missouri Constitution, salaries
for legislators, judges (other than municipal judges)
and other elected officials are to be established and
revised every two years according to a schedule created
by a “citizen commission” appointed for
that purpose. The pay raises are proposed by Dec. 1
of each even numbered year and go into effect unless
a concurrent resolution to reject implementation of
the entire schedule of pay raises is approved by a two-thirds
majority of each chamber of the legislature before Feb.
1 of the following year.
The
legislature has generally approved such resolutions
and, thus, has blocked pay raises, including proposals
to merely approve cost-of-living adjustments for themselves,
for judges and other elected officials since the commission
was created in 1996. The governor’s signature
is not required for the resolution to become effective
and stop the pay raises.
CHIEF
JUSTICE DELIVERS STATE OF THE JUDICIARY ADDRESS
Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Laura Denvir Stith
delivered the State of the Judiciary address to a joint
session of the House and Senate in the House Chamber
on Jan. 28. The State of the Judiciary address gives
the chief justice a chance to update the legislature
on the key initiatives of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice
Stith identified the four strategic missions of Missouri’s
courts:
1.
Ensuring equal and affordable access to justice for
all our citizens;
2.
Providing a fair, unbiased and impartial forum for resolving
disputes;
3.
Effectively and efficiently administering our courts;
and
4.
Enhancing the public’s trust and confidence in
the justice system and, indeed, the whole government.
The
text of the entire address is available at this
link.
Chief
Justice Stith spoke about the urgent need to increase
state investment in the public defender system. Missouri
currently has the lowest per capita investment for its
public defender system. This is not only a weakness
in ensuring equal and affordable access to justice for
all, but may present serious safety concerns. The U.S.
Constitution guarantees all defendants a speedy trial
and competent legal counsel. If Missouri does not successfully
resolve the funding crisis for public defenders, state
courts may be compelled to let prisoners go if they
can not meet U.S. Supreme Court standards for a prompt
trial with competent and prepared counsel.
COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING
MNEA supports collective bargaining rights for all education
employees. An effective bargaining process must have
a unified employee voice. MNEA supports legislation
that would treat all public employees fairly and that
is built on broad consensus among public employee groups
and public employers. An effective bargaining law must
provide for exclusive bargaining representation, a duty
for both employees and employers to bargain in good
faith, binding agreements with a clear ratification
process and a fair process to resolve impasse and grievances.
HOUSE
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee
held its initial meeting on Jan. 28. The committee heard
the following House Bills:
1.
H.B. 96 (Maynard Wallace) enacts numerous provisions
regarding school safety. This lengthy bill makes a number
of changes designed to increase employee liability protection,
improve school safety precautions and improve notice
and reporting of acts of school violence by students.
MNEA testified in support of those efforts. Concerns
were raised last year by law enforcement associations
regarding broad language in the bill to allow school
districts to commission peace officers. Rep. Wallace
has indicated his willingness to address the concerns
of the law enforcement community by limiting the scope
of that provision and requiring buy in from all affected
local law enforcement jurisdictions before the school
would be allowed to proceed.
2.
H.B. 242 (Gayle Kingery) allows school districts to
change to a four-day-per-week school calendar. This
bill presents an option for a substantial change in
the school calendar that will affect students, parents,
staff and communities. Missouri NEA noted that, while
the proposal may offer operational savings that may
appeal to some districts, significant concerns must
be addressed concerning the impact of four-day schooling
on students, parents and school employees. Lack of available
child care on the fifth week day could be a safety and
educational concern for students and a financial concern
for parents. The extended school day may create difficulties
for younger students and special education students.
MNEA urges careful study of the experiences other states
have had with this proposal prior to passage of such
a bill. Missouri NEA also urges passage of a good collective
bargaining law for all school employees to ensure they
have an effective voice in improving their working conditions
and their students’ learning conditions.
SENATE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The Senate Education Committee met for the first time
this session on Jan. 28 and heard the following Senate
Bills:
1.
S.B. 117 (Tim Green) requires the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education to recalculate state school
aid for Riverview Gardens School District to correct
an error. MNEA supports this measure to correct a financial
error by a former district official that continues to
have a profound negative effect on the district’s
state aid, amounting to more that $2 million per year
for the last three school years.
2.
S.B. 55 (Rita Days) allows school districts to maintain
permanent records digitally or electronically. This
bill is being heard as a Consent Bill, meaning that
it is considered to be noncontroversial in nature. If
passed by the committee with Consent Status, the bill
will be placed on a special calendar and taken up for
floor debate without the option to amend the bill, but
only to approve or reject it by a final vote. Missouri
NEA testified in favor of this measure to improve efficiency
of school recordkeeping.
3.
S.B. 79 (Yvonne Wilson) modifies the definition of “bullying”
as used in school district antibullying policies to
include cyberbullying and electronic communications.
Missouri NEA spoke in support of this measure to improve
school safety.
4.
S.B. 182 (Matt Bartle) prohibits the use or attempted
use of false or misleading diplomas for admission to
higher education institutions or in connection with
businesses or employment.
HOUSE
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The House Higher Education Committee held its initial,
organizational meeting on Jan. 27. The committee chair
will again be Rep. Gayle Kingery and the vice-chair
will be Rep. Mike Thomson. Other committee members include
Walt Bivins, Bob Dixon, Chuck Gatschenberger, Denny
Hoskins, Rebecca McClanahan, Margo McNeil, Chris Molendorp,
Sue Schoemehl, Jill Schupp, Mary Still. Missouri NEA
is delighted to welcome Rep. McNeil, a recently-retired
MNEA leader, to the House!
WAYS
AND MEANS
The House Ways and Means Committee met on Jan. 29 to
hear several bills, including House Bill 64 (Scott Lipke).
H.B. 64 would reduce the top bracket of Missouri’s
state income tax from six percent to five percent, reduce
or eliminate taxes on the lower income brackets and
increase the allowable deduction for federal income
taxes paid. The bill’s fiscal note indicates a
reduction of state revenues by $102 million per year,
but the fiscal note radically underestimates the true
impact of the bill, which would permanently reduce state
revenues by at least $1 billion per year.
Missouri
NEA testified in strong opposition to this bill, as
it would make the state’s tax policy less fair,
less adequate and less sustainable. In a session where
the legislature is facing a difficult budgeting process
due to declining state revenues, this bill would significantly
compound the budget shortfall and require even more
permanent cuts to state services.
HOUSE
EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS COMMITEE
The House Education-Appropriations Committee held a
hearing on Jan. 28. The committee heard public testimony
from witnesses for Access Missouri scholarships, vocational
rehabilitation services, career and technical education
programs, Parents as Teachers, Character Plus and University
of Missouri Extension.
The
committee plans to meet each of the next four weeks
on both Tuesday and Wednesday at 2 p.m. in House Hearing
Room1 to complete its work.
MISSOURI
NEA’S COMPREHENSIVE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PROGRAM
Missouri NEA needs a vigorous grassroots lobbying effort
this session. Our members must take the initiative to
contact legislators about the key issues affecting public
education.
Here’s
what you can do to support MNEA’s legislative
agenda:
-
Be a part of your local Government Relations Team.
-
Take the initiative to contact local legislators now
to discuss our key issues.
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Attend the legislative brunch or dinner in your area.
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Attend the Missouri NEA Capitol Action Days for your
governance district. Capitol Action Days begin in
early February and include most Wednesdays until the
first week of May.
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Receive and read the daily MNEA Daily Legislative
Update 2009 via e-mail while the legislature is in
session from January to May.
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Visit the Missouri Legislative Action Center: http://capwiz.com/nea/mo/state/main/?state=MO.
The Missouri Legislative Action Center is a convenient,
Web-based way to lobby state legislators and other
elected officials on key education issues. MLAC uses
a program called CapWiz to make sending an e-mail
on a priority issue quick and easy. As priority issues
move forward this session, the MNEA Daily Legislative
Update will provide links to action alerts on the
MLAC Web site.
FINDING
INFORMATION ABOUT BILLS
To find out more about legislation this session, go
to: http://www.mnea.org/gr/legissues.htm.
This page contains numerous links, including the NEA
Legislative Action Center, which addresses key education
issues at the federal level, and the Missouri NEA Legislative
Action Center, which will address key education issues
at the state level. This page contains links to legislative
updates, the MNEA Legislative Platform, legislative
priorities and other policy-related links.
To
find information about a specific bill currently pending
before the Missouri General Assembly, go to:
http://www.house.mo.gov/billcentral.aspx.
Type the bill number (example: H.B.1000) or sponsor
name in the “search” box to find a link
to the bill. This link will take you to a “home
page” for the bill that provides bill text, bill
summaries, fiscal notes and information on legislative
action on the bill.
CAPITOL
ACTION DAYS RETURN
MNEA Capitol Action Days will allow planned, face-to-face
contact with legislators throughout the legislative
session. Capitol Action Days will generally be on Wednesdays
starting with the first week in February and continuing
through the first week of May. Your MNEA calendar includes
the dates MNEA Board members selected for your governance
district. If you are not able to attend on these designated
days, feel free to contact MNEA Legislative Director
Otto Fajen at otto.fajen@mnea.org
to let him know when you can attend on another Capitol
Action Day. The following is a typical Capitol Action
Day agenda:
10:00
a.m. Meet for briefing, 2nd floor Capitol rotunda, Senate
side alcove under the grand staircase
10:15 a.m. Visit with your legislator/watch floor debate
12:00 noon Invite legislator to lunch
1:00-4:30
p.m. Committee hearings, floor debate, visiting legislators
PLAN
TO ATTEND YOUR MNEA LEGISLATIVE BRUNCH OR DINNER
Legislative involvement is close to home at your MNEA
legislative brunch or dinner. The event is a great opportunity
to visit with local area legislators and hear a legislative
briefing. Area legislative brunch schedule:
St.
Charles Feb. 26, 2009
Kansas City Feb. 28, 2009
Jefferson County Mar. 7, 2009
St. Louis Mar. 21, 2009
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