MSA passes 33 pieces of legislation last week

The bills covered topics such as sustainability and security.

By Amanda Wysocki

Published March 16, 2009

The Missouri Students Association Senate passed 33 pieces of legislation at last week's meeting.

"This is the busiest the Senate has ever been," former MSA Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays said.

As a comparison, only 40 bills total were discussed in the 2005-2006 academic year, Mays said.

Mays relinquished his role as Senate speaker last meeting to Amanda Shelton who was sworn in at the end.

The bills covered a range of topics, including sustainability and security measures.

Along with a bill to change the date of trash pickup in East Campus, another bill focused on expanding recycling options to students living in apartments downtown.

The Campus and Community Relations Committee will also help fund a service learning class along with Sustain Mizzou.

The Senate also passed a bill to institute the $1 sustainability fee that passed in a referendum earlier this semester.

Expanding on a campaign promise from MSA President Jordan Paul, a resolution passed to look into installing cameras in Turner and Conley avenues and University Avenue parking garages.

Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services Jacquelyn Jones pledged to match any funding obtained by MSA, including any from the Student Fee Capital Improvement Committee, according to the bill.

MSA passed a bill in October 2007 that would require textbook publishers to disclose wholesale prices and revision history to the faculty of all Missouri colleges and universities. Rep. Jake Zimmerman, D-St. Louis, introduced a bill in the state legislature that made this a state law.

At the Senate meeting Wednesday night, a resolution passed that would require this type of textbook transparency on the elementary and secondary education levels.

Zimmerman expressed interest in supporting this legislation as well, Mays said.

Another resolution passed that would look into adding "Asian" to the title of the department of German and Russian studies.

Because the name does not appropriately reflect the variety of classes the department offers, the bill states "changing the name would clarify what it does offer and be more inclusive as to its contents."

MSA passed a resolution supporting state legislation that would require landlords to provide receipts or cost estimates for repairs when withholding security deposits.

The bill states that though landlords have the right to withhold security deposits when reasons are justified, tenants also have the right to be informed about the reasons for withholding the security deposit.

MSA pledged to support state legislation to fully fund the MU Extension Program in the 2010 fiscal year and other years.

The MU Extension Program allows people to get degrees at satellite campuses. The bill states because MSA technically represents students taking classes through MU Extension, they urge the state government to fully fund the program.

Another bill states a link to a bias reporting Web site should be included on all course syllabi. Although all syllabi state students cannot be discriminated against, they do not include the site where any discrimination can be reported.

A bill that was introduced into the Senate states MSA will help promote the availability of the HPV vaccine. Until March 31, students can get the vaccine for free at the Student Health Center as part of a grant program.