Missouri NEA Legislative Update    Week 6, No. 1, February 6, 2012

By Otto Fajen    MNEA Legislative Director

BUDGET COMMITTEES

The House Appropriations-Education Committee will meet on February 7 to begin the analyst markup phase for the DESE budget books for the K-12 schools budget.  The meeting gives committee members the opportunity to ask questions of staff regarding the various programs in the DESE budget.

VOTER ID

The House again debated HB 1104 (Shane Schoeller) on February 6, but did not bring the bill to a first round (Perfection) vote.  The bill is implementing legislation for SJR 2, regarding voter photo ID requirements, should it be approved by voters.  The bill requires a person seeking to vote in a public election to provide election officials a photo identification.  Missouri NEA believes voting is a constitutional right that should not be restricted by unnecessary voter photo identification requirements or other additional barriers to the voting franchise.  The Association opposes the bill.