Lawmakers debate letting student vote
Published March 8, 2005
This afternoon, legislators in both houses of the General Assembly are scheduled to debate whether to grant voting powers to student members of various university governing boards, including the student representative to the UM system Board of Curators.
There are identical versions of the bill in the House and the Senate, and each will have a committee hearing this afternoon.
The House version has a hearing at noon, and the Senate version is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. hearing.
The bill would give voting powers to the student member on the governing boards of the UM system, Southwest Missouri State University and Truman State University.
The bill would not change the status of the students sitting on the respective boards, but would give future student members voting powers.
The Associated Students of the University of Missouri is one group lobbying for the bill.
ASUM Legislative Director Matt Pierson, who is a also a columnist for The Maneater, said having two versions of the bill gives it a better shot of passing.
"It lessens time being a factor," Pierson said. "During crunch time in the legislature, plenty of good bills die."
Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, a sponsor of the Senate bill, said the biggest obstacle the bill faces is getting floor time in the Senate.
"This is not going to be the highest priority of the Senate," Engler said. "There are too many other major bills. We're hoping we can have some floor time."
Engler said he is optimistic about the bill's chances if it does receive floor time.
"I've got to believe with the bipartisan support it currently enjoys, it's got a pretty good shot," Engler said. "There are a wide variety of people supporting it."
Charles Stadtlander, chief lobbyist for ASUM for both bills, said though ASUM lobbyists are concerned with both versions, they are particularly focused on the Senate version.
"It's already passed the House once, in the 2002 session," Stadtlander said. "We really concentrated on the Senate this session. The momentum really needs to go in the Senate, because that's where it died last time."
Pierson said ASUM lobbyists are optimistic about the bill's chances.
"We have our ducks in a row," he said. "Hopefully, the legislature will be convinced by our presentation."
Pierson said several legislators are on the fence regarding the issue. He said their support depends on how well ASUM and other supporters present themselves at the hearing.
The Senate version of the bill has 12 co-sponsors, seven of whom are on the Senate Education Committee.
Engler said this makes the process smoother.
"It makes it a lot easier when your sponsors are all in the committee," Engler said.
Stadtlander said the support of Senate Majority Floor Leader Charlie Shields, who is a co-sponsor, is vital.
"Shields is very behind the bill," Stadtlander said. "I would hope that since he is a co-sponsor he would give it floor time."