Inside the General Assembly
Published Jan. 17, 2006
Legislative Predictions
Rep. Jeff Harris
Democrat
District 23
Office phone number: 573.751.9753
Goals
Harris wants to make sure tuition is affordable and accessible for students, and he wants to get as many ideas passed from Moving Missouri Forward's agenda as possible. Moving Missouri Forward is the Democrats' plan to reform state politics. He wants to have an increase in higher-education spending that keeps up with inflation and to find creative ways for parents and students to afford public universities, such as having a possible income tax on tuition.
Concerns
He is concerned the legislature is not an environment in which there is much support for higher education.
In his own words
"If it is a good idea, it shouldn't matter whether it is a Democrat or Republican idea. Looking at ways to reduce tuition is a good idea, and I would welcome the support of the governor and the other side of the aisle."
Rep. Ed Robb
Republican
District 24
Office phone number: 573.751.1471
Goals
Robb wants to encourage the 2 percent increase in higher-education spending, and he introduced a bill to increase Bright Flight scholarships from $2,000 to $4,000. He introduced a bill that requires people to present a photo ID to register to vote. Overall, he thinks the biggest issues the House will discuss are eminent domain and keeping the budget balanced.
Concerns
He is concerned about working with Democrats and getting consensus from all the legislators on important issues.
In his own words
"We did a lot of things last year to put us in our position now, and so we have a slight surplus to supplement government spending,"
Rep. Judy Baker
Democrat
District 25
Office phone number: 573.751.1169
Goals
Baker is mainly working on health care issues and wants to focus on access, cost containment and preventative health care. She hopes to create an office under the surgeon general that would promote preventative health. She created the Health Professions Shortage Planning Commission to come up with a 20-year plan to address health-professions shortages.
Concerns
She is concerned about higher-education costs and is worried about getting parts of the Democrats' agenda passed in the House.
In her own words
"As Democrats, we've worked on Moving Missouri Forward, which is a seven-step platform. Since it is comprehensive, the challenge will be to make people understand it as a comprehensive approach to good government."
Sen. Chuck Graham
Democrat
District 9
Source:
Spokesman Ted Farnen
Office phone number: 573.751.2162
Goals
Graham would like to see a voting student representative on the UM system Board of Curators. He has supported this goal for several years. He wants to see higher education funding increased, and he hopes to see some corrections to mistakes made by some members of the government last year, such as Medicaid cuts.
Concerns
He is concerned it will be hard to get bills passed through a Republican legislature and Republican governor.
In Farnen's own words
"The governor offered an appropriation of 2 percent, which is OK, but that only brings the budget for higher education up to where it was eight years ago in 1998. He knows we can do better for Missouri's higher education."
ASUM
The Associated Students of the University of Missouri Board of Directors set four main points for this year's legislative priorities —
budget and appropriations, a student representative vote on the Board of Curators, educational funding, and financial aid and election reform.
When the Associated Students of the University of Missouri Board of Directors set this year's legislative priorities, its goals centered around four main points: budget and appropriations, obtaining a student representative vote on the UM system Board of Curators, educational funding and financial aid, and election reform.
Missouri Students Association President Tony Luetkemeyer, who is an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors, said the issues on ASUM's legislative priority list come not only from ASUM members but also from student input through polls and questioning.
"When ASUM lobbies at the Capitol, they see how these policies affect students, so their agenda is based on student input as well as ASUM coming up with the policies internally," Luetkemeyer said.
Student feedback is important in determining how to prioritize the issues ASUM interns will lobby for at state and federal levels, Luetkemeyer said.
According to the 2006 ASUM legislative priorities, the ASUM legislative staff will work to secure sufficient state funding to maintain and enhance UM programs and make higher education more affordable and accessible for Missouri citizens. ASUM also opposes the redistribution of public funds to private universities.
In 1984, ASUM secured student representation on the Board of Curators, and it gained access to closed meetings in 1999. Since obtaining this access, ASUM members continuously have worked to provide a vote for the student representative on the board. Last year, a bill that would have given the student representative a vote on the Board passed the House of Representatives in April, but failed to pass the Senate before the end of the General Assembly session.
ASUM Assistant Legislative Director Megan Block said obtaining a vote for the student curator was an issue brought up most often by students.
"I would say it's on top or at least near the top of the list," Block said. "We got really close last year but ran out of time in the Senate, so this year we're really pushing for it to get passed."
Continuing with its goal for affordable and accessible higher education for Missouri citizens, ASUM will lobby for more educational funding and financial aid. The push for more aid includes support for increased funding in the Missouri Higher Education Academic Bright Flight Scholarship Program and extending it for students who do not attend a Missouri university right after high school graduation. The Bright Flight scholarship offers $1,000 per semester for students who qualify and is renewable for up to 10 semesters. ASUM opposes the reduction of the number of semesters the scholarship is offered.
ASUM also supports the creation of a financial aid program that would encourage students to attend four-year universities.
The last major issue ASUM wants to address on its legislative priorities is finding an easier way for away-from-home college students to cast ballots. According to the list of priorities, ASUM favors a no-fault absentee balloting law and supports any method that would make voting easier for university students.
ASUM legislative interns lobby on behalf of UM students by speaking with legislators, proposing legislation, identifying bill sponsors, testifying in committee hearings, preparing news releases and working to engage students in legislative issues.
Bills
Several bills in this year's session deal with higher education funding and other issues. UM system officials and students will have to keep tabs on issues including student governing bodies , veterans of the Iraq war wishing to attend college and required coursework for students.
House Bill 1347
Rep. Peter Myers
R-Sikeston
This bill would require students at public universities to complete one course in American history and one in American literature. If passed, the law would take effect in Fall Semester 2007.
House Bill 1231
Rep. Jim Avery
R-St. Louis County
This bill would allow students who receive Bright Flight scholarships to attend out-of-state universities if the program of study they plan to pursue is not available at any Missouri public college or university. Currently, the scholarships can only be used at Missouri institutions.
House Bill 1229
Rep. Jim Avery
R-St. Louis County
This bill would add a voting student representative to the governing board of the UM system, Truman State University, Missouri State University and Missouri Southern State University. Student representatives do not vote with the board.
Senate Bill 670
Sen. Timothy Green
D-St. Louis
This bill would allow Missouri residents to deduct "qualified higher-education expenses" from their state income tax. The taxpaying student, or a parent claiming the student as a dependent, can write off the full cost of tuition and fees to accredited colleges as long as his or her taxable income does not exceed $200,000. If passed, the law would take affect Jan. 1, 2007.
Senate Bill 673
Sen. Chuck Graham
D-Columbia
This bill would allow student members of the governing body of three state universities to vote on the boards' decisions. The bill would give a vote to the student members of the governing boards of the UM system, Missouri State University and Truman State University. The bill would not allow current student members of those boards to vote, but it would take effect at the appointment of the next student member. If the bill passes, the law would expire in 2010 unless the General Assembly makes it permanent. A similar bill passed the House of Representatives last year, but it was not made law.
Senate Bill 708
Sen. Yvonne Wilson
D-Kansas City
This bill would provide grants for Missouri veterans of the Iraq war to attend college. According to the bill, grant awards are "limited to the actual tuition charged to the student or the highest amount of tuition charged a Missouri resident for attendance as a full-time student at any campus within the University of Missouri system, whichever is lower." Any member of the U.S. military who also is a Missouri resident would be eligible for the grant.