Legislative Update

The Missouri legislature is now in session, and there are several proposed bills and issues that are of interest to teachers and proponents of public education. MNEA Legislative Director, Otto Fajen, helps us track these issues with weekly Legislative Updates from Jefferson City.

If you like to stay up-to-date on legislative issues, state or federal, visit the MNEA Legislative Issues site. Contacting your representatives couldn't be easier when you access the MNEA Political Action Program. You will find "Action Alerts" regarding specific bills before the legislature and links to your representative's email.

Februrary 1st Legislative Update:

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE

On Jan. 31, the House Special Committee on Student Achievement held its first organizational meeting. It was mainly an opportunity for several of the committee members to share their antagonistic attitudes toward public education in Missouri. Committee Chair Scott Muschany outlined his priority issues for the committee's work: measures relating to St. Louis Public Schools, math and science teaching initiatives, differential and "merit pay", American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence certification, open enrollment, charter schools and options for "failing" schools. Rep. Ted Hoskins indicated a desire to change the Missouri Constitution to make school vouchers legal. Rep. Carl Bearden hinted that his (not-yet-filed) version of a tuition tax credit voucher bill is likely to be heard in the House Special Committee on Urban Education Reform, chaired by Rep. Hoskins. Rep. Ed Robb reiterated his interest in legislation that would financially punish school districts if too many students in higher education institutions take remedial courses in math and science.
Rep. Muschany indicated that next week's hearing will feature his House Bill (H.B. 620). H.B. 620 would create another alternative certification route based on ABCTE testing and limited student contact. The bill also includes language requiring state standards for teacher mentoring. Missouri NEA believes the existing alternative certification route does not adequately support high teaching standards and opposes the addition of an additional alternative certification route that lacks sufficiently high standards. Missouri NEA would support legislation to revise and strengthen the existing alternative certification process.

LEGISLATORS ATTEND "FIRST FREEDOM EVENT"

Missouri NEA sponsored an important legislative event concerning legislative religious liberty issues. The First Freedom Event was held on Jan. 30 in Jefferson City. Religious liberty issues affect the very cornerstone of democracy in America and continue to be debated in the legislature, year-after-year.
This event provided Missouri legislators with an opportunity for dinner and relaxed dialogue about legislative religious liberty issues with leaders from a number of interested groups. William Juedemann, an MNEA member from Washington, MO, was one of two speakers to address the group. Mr. Juedemann spoke in support and acknowledgement of the progress in public education during his lifetime. Then, he spoke in opposition to two ongoing threats to public education and to the separation of church and state: diversion of public funds to private and religious schools via tuition tax credit vouchers and requiring creationism to be taught as science in public schools.
The event was sponsored by: Missouri National Education Association; Americans United for Separation of Church & State; Baptist General Convention of Missouri; Jewish Community Relations Council, St. Louis; Women's Voices Raised for Social Justice; Seventh Day Adventist Iowa-Missouri Conference; Christian Science Committee on Publications For Missouri; Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Missouri; Anti-Defamation League Missouri & Southern Illinois; The Ethical Society of St. Louis; and, Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee-Kansas City.

SCHOOL RETIREMENT LEGISLATION

The Senate Pensions, Veterans Affairs and General Laws Committee heard Senate Bill 244 (Rob Mayer) on Jan. 31. The bill will enact a five-year extension for two key provisions of PSRS law: the "25-and-Out" option and the enhanced 2.55 percent benefit factor for retirees with 31 years of service or more. Both provisions will expire on June 30, 2008, if not re-enacted prior to that date.
Missouri NEA strongly supports this legislation. A logical system for teacher retirement must take several factors into account. Teachers and other education employees who have 25 or more years in the profession should continue to have the option of retiring with a fair return for their years of service. At the same time, educators who choose to give more years of service, from 30 to 35 years, should be rewarded with higher levels of retirement benefits.

OMNIBUS HIGHER EDUCATION BILL

The Senate Education Committee met on Jan. 31 to hear Senate Bill 389 (Gary Nodler). S.B. 389 contains many provisions relating to higher education. Missouri NEA supports extending the purview of the Joint Committee on Education to higher education issues, the regulation of out-of-state institutions operating programs in Missouri, and the consolidation of the Gallagher and College Guarantee student loan programs into a single program with increased funding. However, Missouri NEA continues to have concerns about the impact of the proposed Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority asset sale on the ability of MOHELA to fulfill its mission to help promote affordable access for students. The Association also opposes the consumer price index-based tuition growth limits for public colleges that would combine with the current under-funding of institutional aid to diminish the quality of public higher education across the state. The bill contains other provisions relating to transfer of credits among public institutions, fines for institutions disregarding coordinating board policy, capping student financial assistance at the cost of attendance, requiring institutions to submit to binding dispute resolution and requiring institutional performance measures.

PENSION TAX CUT BILLS

The House Special Committee on Tax Reform heard similar House Bills on Jan. 30 that exempt Social Security income entirely from state income tax: H.B. 444 (Rod Jetton); H.B. 217 (Bryan Stevenson); H.B. 225 (Bob Nance); H.B. 239 (Mark Bruns); H.B. 243 (Don Wells); H.B. 402 (Charlie Denison). H.B. 217 and H.B. 239 also exempt other retirement income while H.B. 225 raises the $6000 exemption for other retirement to $18,000.
Missouri NEA believes taxes should be fair, adequate and sustainable. The Social Security tax cut bills violate each of these three principles. Accordingly, Missouri NEA opposes these bills. Since Social Security income is already exempted from taxation for many low-income people under federal rules, low-income seniors, who rely heavily on Social Security payments, will not pay lower taxes under these bills. Most of the total reduction in tax payments will go to wealthy seniors. This is a regressive change and undermines tax fairness. Worse, exempting all Social Security income will reduce state revenues by more than $100 million per year initially, increasing rapidly over time. Exempting other pension income entirely raises the cost to nearly $300 million per year.
Missouri NEA supports equalizing the tax treatment of school pensions and Social Security income but in a way that maintains overall tax fairness and doesn't diminish revenue adequacy now or over the long term. Giving school retirement income the same tax treatment that Social Security income now receives would provide that equality. This change should be done as a part of an overall tax reform package that improves the adequacy and sustainability of state revenues by making the state income tax more progressive, i.e. more nearly based upon the taxpayer's ability to pay.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

The Senate Seniors, Families and Public Health Committee heard Senate Bill 161 (Charlie Shields) on Jan. 30. The bill creates a quality rating system for child care facilities. Missouri NEA testified in favor of this bill that will help improve early childhood education in Missouri. The bill will create standards for rating daycare and early childhood education programs and should have the effect of helping parents compare programs with information about staffing standards and whether programs focus on school readiness. Also, if parents have this information, it will create pressure for providers to improve their programs and focus on instructional readiness.

UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE

The Senate Health and Mental Health Committee heard Senate Bill 122 (Joan Bray) on Jan. 30. The bill establishes the "Missouri Universal Health Assurance Program." The program is a publicly financed, statewide program that will provide comprehensive health care services for Missouri residents. Missouri NEA strongly supports this approach to ensuring access to quality health care services for all Missourians. Single-payer systems around the world and the federal Medicare system demonstrate higher efficiency than the complex, multiple payer, employer-based insurance programs common for those not eligible for Medicare. Single-payer systems also can ensure universal access, while employer-based systems leave many uninsured and make layoffs and job changes riskier for workers and their families due to reliance on employers for health care coverage.

MINIMUM WAGE LAW

On Jan. 30, the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industrial Relations Committee heard three bills designed to address an unintended change made by Proposition B in 2006 - the recently adopted voter initiative to raise the state's minimum wage. The initiative language removed the reference to the overtime exemption provided in federal law for certain public employees, such as firefighters and police officers. This has forced public employers to lower salaries to fit the budgeted revenues available for staff compensation when overtime adjustments are included. This has the unfortunate side effect of reducing some other employee benefits, including retirement contributions, and was not part of the intent of Proposition B.
Three Senate Bills bills would restore the reference to federal overtime exemptions. S.B. 249 (Chuck Gross), S.B. 255 ( John Loudon) and S.B. 279 (John Griesheimer) were heard and voted Do Pass as a Senate Committee Substitute for SBs 255, 249 and 279. The language is the same as the original S.B. 255, which restores the same exemption present in law prior to adoption of Proposition B. Missouri NEA supported Proposition B and supports the efforts of the Senate sponsors to ensure the full intent of Proposition B is carried out.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS

The Senate Transportation Committee heard Senate Bill 24 (Norma Champion) on Jan. 31. The bill bans bus drivers convicted of intoxication-related traffic offenses while operating a school bus from possessing a school bus endorsement. Missouri NEA supports this common sense precaution to ensure appropriately qualified bus drivers and safe pupil transportation.

ENGLISH AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

The House Special Committee on Immigration met on Jan. 31 to hear three bills requiring "English as the language of all official proceedings." Missouri NEA supports existing law recognition of English as the common language, but opposes further legislation to enact English as the official language or the language of official proceedings. Efforts to legislate English as the official language disregard the current facts of cultural pluralism and may have the unintended consequence of depriving access to those in need of education, social services, employment and equal rights under law.
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Springfield NEA will be sending a delegation to Jefferson City on February 20 and April 17 as part of MNEA's Capitol Action Days - a chance to educate our legislators on issues important to public education.