HERE IT IS – OUR LEGISLATORS TRYING TO BREAK DOWN SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

(see 2nd item in Legislative Update for 2/13/12)

Missouri NEA Legislative Update Week 7, No. 1, February 13, 2012
By Otto Fajen MNEA Legislative Director

SCHOOL LEVY ELECTION DATES

The Senate Financial & Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee heard SB 569 (Will Kraus) on February 13. The bill eliminates both the February and June election dates for public elections.  The Association opposes the bill.  School districts rely on local tax funding to build and operate schools.  School districts should have the option to hold elections at the February and June dates.  Any bond elections on such dates must have strong community support to reach the two-thirds majority required for passage.

PUBLIC FUNDS TO RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

The Senate General Laws Committee will hear SJR 47 (Scott Rupp) on February 14.  The SJR would remove the existing constitutional provision to keep public funds from being given to religious institutions.  The General Assembly is responsible for establishing and maintaining free public schools, not private or religious schools.  Association believes that public funds should support public schools and opposes the joint resolution.

BUDGET COMMITTEES

The House Appropriations-Education Committee will meet on February 14 to continue the markup phase for the education budget.  The committee will prepare budget recommendations concerning K-12 and higher education funding for presentation to the House Budget Committee.

HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The House Higher Education Committee will meet on February 14 to hear three bills:

1) HB 1216 (Margo McNeil) to increase the maximum annual grant amount that the University of Missouri Board of Curators can award for a research project on Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

2) HB 1502 (Caleb Jones) to create the Higher Education Capital Fund to provide state matching funds to public colleges and universities for capital projects.

3) HB 1467 (Jamilah Nasheed) to require the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA) to reserve $30 million for loan forgiveness when the state unemployment rate exceeded 7.5% each month in the previous fiscal year.

CAPITOL ACTION DAYS RETURN!

MNEA Capitol Action Days will allow planned, face-to-face contact with legislators throughout the session.  The first Capitol Action Day will be February 15.  Capitol Action Days will be held on Wednesdays continuing through the end of session in May.

Your MNEA calendar includes the dates that MNEA Board of Directors members selected for your Governance District.  If you are not able to attend on these designated days, feel free to contact Otto Fajen (otto.fajen@mnea.org) 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.

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