Weekly Update
April 26, 2024
| |
Examining education finance 40 years after landmark report | |
|
House sends IP reform back to Senate
This week, the House tackled two controversial and divisive measures that are priorities for the majority: defunding Planned Parenthood and Initiative Petition Reform.
-
HB 2634 (Jones) bans any use of public funds for services by Planned Parenthood, including Medicaid funding. Lawmakers passed the bill along party lines in both chambers and sent it to the Governor.
-
SJR 74 (Coleman) would create a ballot question to ask voters to approve additional requirements for the passage of a constitutional amendment proposed by the initiative petition process.
The House Committee Substitute incorporated several issues which were rejected during Senate debate on the bill earlier this session, including a provision that voters must be citizens of Missouri and of the United States, a provision that prohibits foreign activity in the initiative petition process, and voters in each Congressional District be permitted the opportunity to review and comment on initiative petitions proposing a constitutional change with the Office of Secretary of State. This bill passed the House and must now go back to the Senate for concurrence or rejection of the House changes or be committed to a conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions. Either way, the bill is likely to spark more intense debate between Democrats and Republicans.
In addition to debating the budget next week, the Senate may attempt to finally discuss the FRA (Federal Reimbursement Allowance) legislation that would fund Missouri’s hospitals, nursing homes, and Medicaid program, setting the stage for very long days and nights of floor debate.
With only three weeks remaining in session, both chambers attempted to pass several bills of the opposite chamber this week.
House Committee Activity
Financial Services Omnibus - On Tuesday the House Financial Institutions Committee passed a Substitute for SB 835 (Crawford), a large financial institutions omnibus bill, adding provisions from over 20 other bills, including HB 1727 (O'Donnell), which requires DESE to develop an updated curriculum for the state's mandated high school personal finance course, by a vote of 9-4.
School Health Professionals - On Tuesday the House Special Committee on Public Policy heard HB 2858 (Young), which establishes a state supplemental fund for high needs school districts to match funding from for the hiring of health and mental health professionals.
School Waivers - On Tuesday, the House Special Committee on Education Reform heard HB 2938 (Davidson), a bill that Creates "Earned Autonomy Schools Waivers" for school districts and enacts other education reform measures.
Boeing Workforce Initiatives - On Wednesday, the House Committee on Workforce and Infrastructure heard a presentation on PK-12 Initiatives by John Frederick from Boeing.
Senate Floor Activity
Utility Omnibus - On Monday the Senate spent several hours debating SB 740 (Cierpiot), a large utility omnibus containing several provisions relating to the regulation and taxation of electric, gas, and water utility providers in the state. After a bipartisan filibuster and several floor substitutions the bill was laid over.
Razer's Last Stand - On Tuesday the Senate Perfected SB 1388 (Razer), establishing a sales tax exemption for the purchase of materials to expand the National Nuclear Security campus in Kansas City. Later in the week Sen. Razer was confirmed as a member of the Missouri Tax Commission, resigning his seat in the senate.
Pharmacy Benefits - On Thursday the Senate surprisingly Perfected SB 751 (Brown-16), which modifies provisions known as 340B governing the purchase and dispensing of pharmacy products in rural and underserved hospitals.
Senate Committee Activity
The Senate Committee on Empowering Parents and Children heard SB 1125 (Brown), a bill that Prohibits public institutions of postsecondary education from requiring the submission of diversity, equity, and inclusion statements.
Standings So Far
- House Third Read Bills: 121 (including 18 Budget bills)
- Senate Third Read Bills: 43
- Truly Agreed: 4
Reports
Read our full, unabridged legislative report here.
See all tracked legislation here.
| |
Budget Update
The Senate Appropriations Committee reviewed and conducted the mark-up process of its version of the FY2025 budget. Over the course of two days, the committee reinstated almost all of the $2 billion cut by the House from the Governor's $53 billion budget.
Several Senators received new decision items (NDIs) for individual projects and organizations throughout their districts. Some of the larger items added by the Senate include $9.5 million for an MS First Responder grant program, over $1 billion in ARPA spending for various projects for Higher Education institutions, an increase to $27.31 per prisoner per day for county jail reimbursements, $363 million in bonding for construction improvements on I-44, an additional $75 million for various road projects throughout the state, restored $3 million for tourism funding and $4 million to raise the minimum teacher salary to $40,000.
While the committee did not make any monetary changes to the appropriation for the foundation formula, they did switch the funding source from lottery back to general revenue.
The committee also made some large cuts, including removing $25 million for Close the Gap programs, $3 million for low-income housing programs, and $1.2 million for childcare quality initiatives. The Senate also removed several vacant full-time employee line items throughout the budget and any expiring grant authority spending.
We expect the Senate to debate the 18 budget bills next week. There have been rumblings that members of the Freedom Caucus are proposing to cut up to 5% in spending for all departments through a series of amendments. The Senate and House must work through differences and pass the bills before the May 10th Constitutional deadline.
In other news
| |
|
Aligned Priority Bills Report for Missouri
With the passage of SB 727, we don't expect to see any additional education bills moving this session. However, there are still three weeks remaining for lawmakers to consider the child care tax credits.
Early Childhood Education and Childcare
Free and voluntary Pre-K for all students who qualify for free- and reduced lunch
-
HB 1486 (Shields) - Hearing conducted in Select Committee on Empowering Parents and Children - 4/9/24. No change.
-
SB 871 (Eslinger) -Removed from Senate Hearing Agenda - Senate Select Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children. 3/26/24. NO CHANGE
-
SB 727 (Koenig) - Education omnibus with ESA's as underlying bill and Pre-K expansion included. Sent to Governor on 4/24/24.
Childcare tax credit package
-
HB 1488 (Shields) - Placed on Senate Informal Calendar. 4/10/24. NO CHANGE.
-
SB 742 (Arthur) - Placed on Senate Informal Calendar 2/27/24. NO CHANGE.
Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Differentiated Pay
-
HB 1447 (Lewis) - Placed on Informal Calendar on 4/3/24. NO CHANGE.
-
SB 727 (Koenig) - Education omnibus with ESA's as underlying bill and Pre-K expansion included. Sent to Governor on 4/24/24.
School Finance Reform
Alternative Poverty Metric
-
SB 1080 (Arthur) - referred to Senate - Select Committee on Empowering Parents and Children on 1/25/24. NO CHANGE.
Other education legislation
Open Enrollment
-
HB 1989 (Pollitt) - Hearing Conducted in Senate - Select Committee on Empowering Parents and Children on 4/9/24. NO CHANGE.
Accountability Measures
-
HB 2184 (Haffner) - Reported Do Pass from House Rules Regulatory Oversight on 4-17-24. NO CHANGE
-
SB 1366 (Trent) - Voted Do Pass as substituted. 2/21/24. NO CHANGE.
See the status of all Aligned priority bills here.
| |
|
Veto session happening now
Today the Kansas House and Senate reconvened for the 2024 Veto Session. The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn Sine Die on Tuesday, April 30th, concluding the 2024 Legislative Session.
To date, Governor Laura Kelly has signed 84 bills, vetoed 16 bills, and allowed three bills to become law without her signature. In addition, the Governor line-item vetoed 24 provisions in the budget bill.
On Thursday, the House and Senate budget committees met to assemble the omnibus budgets, which include budget changes from consensus revenue estimates, Medicaid caseload estimates, the budget needs of passed or potentially passed bills, and possible provisos to authorize legislative changes for one year.
When they return, the House and Senate will work to override HB 2036, the global tax bill that includes the elimination of the income tax on social security benefits and a reduction in the individual income tax rates, among other measures. The Legislature will also work to override the Governor’s Veto on HB 2098, which includes sales tax exemptions for disabled veterans, telecommunications infrastructure, and others. To read the Governor’s explanation for the vetoes, click here.
They will also consider several of the line-item vetoes in SB 28. Key vetoed items include funding to protect the southern border, airport development funding, IDD waiver enhancements, BUILD KS fund changes, STAR bonds at Kansas universities, a youth career exploration pilot, and a childcare pilot. To read the Governor’s explanation for the line-item vetoes, click here.
The Legislature will also continue its work to adopt several key conference committee reports, including K-12 education funding, changes to the Governor’s Council on Tourism, adoption of a permanent STAR Bonds Sales Tax Reduction Fund, reinstatement of suspended drivers license, enactment of a film tax credit, the purchase of land by foreign adversaries within 100 miles of military bases and allowing the discovery of third parties financing of lawsuit in the state.
| |
Governor honors youth apprenticeship program | |
|
Today, Torree Pederson traveled to Topeka as Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation honoring the Kansas Youth Apprenticeship program.
Members of the Kansas Youth Apprenticeship team include:
- Mike Beene, Assistant Secretary, Workforce Services, Kansas Department of Commerce
- Frank Harwood, Deputy Director, Kansas State Department of Education
- Greg A. Mosier, Ed.D, President, Kansas City Kansas Community College
- Angela Wright, Director of Diploma+, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools
- John Nave, Executive Vice President, KS AFL-CIO
- Keely Schneider; Executive Director of Workforce Partnerships
- Hilary Worchester, Manager of Learning and Development, Mid Kansas Coop
- Torree Pederson, President and CE, Aligned
- Taylor Spangler, Career, Standards and Assessment Services, Kansas State Department of Education
- Shonda Anderson, Director of Apprenticeship, Kansas Office of Apprenticeship
The first annual Youth Apprenticeship Week is coming up - May 5-11th. Expanding on the success of National Apprenticeship Week, Youth Apprenticeship Week (YAW) will spotlight the advantages and significance of Registered Apprenticeship program opportunities tailored for youth aged 16–24.
Have great weekend!
| | | | |
