MOScout Daily Update: Ed Groups Oppose Omnibus Bills - Grain Belt Notch Senate Win - Budget Conference Today and more...
Ed Groups Criticize Omnibus Bills
In a letter to legislators, a coalition of education groups announced their opposition to several pending omnibus education bills. They argue that amid the current economic uncertainty, legislators shouldn’t add mandates or risk revenue streams. The groups signing the letter as commonly called the “establishment” as they represent the teacher, principals, administrators and school boards that operate public schools.
Excerpts from the letter:
As the economy has contracted, sales tax revenues are dropping dramatically. Missouri school districts will, in all likelihood, lose millions in revenue from Proposition C funds. Fully funding the foundation formula is a tremendous achievement for the Legislature, and that effort is greatly appreciated. However, we also realize that economic realities cannot be avoided, and the Governor may be forced to withhold funding at some point. During these economic times, certainty and stability are paramount. As such, now is not the time to place additional state mandates and costs on our local school districts. It is important the Legislature not complicate the situation by passing controversial education issues that would draw additional valuable resources away from districts and the students they serve…
There are numerous education issues in many of these omnibus bills that will cost local school districts millions of dollars and hurt districts' ability to serve their students. Changes to the funding distribution for charter schools, creation of charter recovery high schools with open enrollment, virtual school expansion with no local school district oversight, a costly reading intervention program mandate, and harmful modifications to property assessment protocols, are among the harmful provisions. We urge you to vote "No" on these controversial omnibus bills…
Two of these bills include House Committee Substitute for SB 528 and Senate Committee Substitute for HB 1540. Other omnibus bills with controversial education/property assessment modifications have been added in House Committee Substitutes for SB 544, SB 570, SB 594, SB 600, SB 676, SB 704 and SB 725….
Missouri Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Missouri School Boards' Association (MSBA) Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) Missouri Elementary School Principals Association (MAESP) Missouri Secondary School Principals Association (MoASSP) Missouri Association of Rural Education (MARE) Missouri Association of School Business Officials (MoASBO) Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City (CSDGKC) EducationPlus (EdPlus) Missouri K-8 Association (K-8) Missouri Council of Career and Technical Administrators (MCCTA) Missouri National Education Association (MNEA) American Federation of Teachers for Missouri (AFT-Missouri)
Grain Belt Restrictions Repelled in Senate
The effort to prohibit eminent domain in the Grain Belt project had its first run in the Senate last night. Sen. Mike Berskoetter added the provision to a Senate substitute to HB 1330. A variety of senators from different parts of the ideological spectrum spoke against the proposal. Eventually the substitute was withdrawn and HB 1330 passed the Senate.
Supporters of Grain Belt cheered the outcome because the debate showed strong opposition in the Senate to adopting the prohibition.
Of course, nothing’s dead until 6:01PM on May 15. Right now…
· There’s over a week left (lots of time).
· This is said to be the speaker’s top priority.
· It’s been added to several other bills in the mix.
Budget Conference Today
House and Senate conferees are expected to meet today to hammer out the final budget ahead of tomorrow’s constitutional deadline.
The House didn’t name their conferees yesterday, so Senate Appropriations Chair Dan Hegeman said last night he expected that this morning’s scheduled conference committee wouldn’t take place until early this afternoon.
The Senate conferees are:
HB 2002: Lauren Arthur, Jamilah Nasheed, Hegeman, Lincoln Hough and Jeanie Riddle.
HB 2003: Arthur, Nasheed, Hegeman, Hough and Caleb Rowden.
HB 2004: John Rizzo, Brian Williams, Hegeman, Hough and Denny Hoskins.
HB 2005: Rizzo, Arthur, Hegeman, Hough and Mike Cunningham.
HB 2006: Rizzo, Arthur, Hegeman, Hough and Cunningham.
HB 2007: Rizzo, Gina Walsh, Hegeman, Hough and David Sater.
HB 2008: Rizzo, Nasheed, Hegeman, Hough and Justin Brown.
HB 2009: Rizzo, Williams, Hegeman, Hough and Hoskins
HB 2010: Rizzo, Williams, Hegeman, Hough and Sater.
HB 2011: Hegeman, Hough, Sater, Nasheed and Williams.
HB 2012: Hegeman, Hough, Sater, Rizzo and Williams.
Rumorville: Wood for Parson
Rumors in the House have Rep. David Wood getting an appointment in a week or two, soon after session ends. Wood is term-limited, and has been a consistent supporter of the governor.
Help Wanted
Consumers Council of Missouri seeks Executive Director. “The part-time Executive Director oversees all aspects of Consumers Council of Missouri and is the key management leader of the organization. Must have ability to lead and manage a statewide membership organization; build membership; lead development activities; and communicate the mission of the organization to diverse constituencies, including donors, other organizations and coalitions and consumers. The position reports directly to the Board of Directors…” See the ad here.
New Committees
Connie Simmons formed a candidate committee (Simmons 4 House) to run for House 53 as a Democrat.
Lobbyists Registrations
Nexus Group added STACS DNA Inc.
Gamble & Schlemeier added National Restaurant Association.
Thomas Robbins added Group XI Health LLC.
Mark Habbas added Strategic Capitol Consulting LLC.
Charles Miller added CFRE - Bourgmont, LLC - Series KC Lofts.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, Sen. Scott Sifton, Stuart Murray and Don Phillips.