Omnibus Education Bill Advances with QRS (SB 291)

Last Wednesday, the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee debated and voted on approximately 50 amendments to SB 291 sponsored by Sen. Shields. The original bill related solely to virtual schools, but the House Committee Substitute approved Wednesday became a massive omnibus education bill that includes some priority provisions supported by Partnership for Children as well as some controversial issues opposed by many state education groups.

The size of the bill has made its fate in the House uncertain. If the bill advances to the floor, Partnership for Children will be advocating to keep the following provisions:

-          A voluntary, statewide Quality Rating System for child care programs (HB 387)

-          Establishing a P-20 Council to coordinate education from pre-k through college (SB 344)

-          A Persistence to Graduation Fund to address drop-out prevention (SB 116)

-          A Foster Care Education Bill of Rights (SB 96)

-          Enhanced physical education requirements for Missouri’s youth

Of interest to education advocates in Kansas City, the HCS also includes an amendment offered by Rep. Jonas Hughes to create an interim legislative committee studying the issue of governance in the KCMSD.

Two other bills in the House Education Committee are set to follow SB 291 as “mini-omnibus” education bills: SB 55 (Days) and SB 79 (Wilson). These may be smaller, less controversial bills with a more realistic chance of passage. The Committee voted on a House Committee Substitute for SB 55 on Thursday which includes the Foster Care Education Bill of Rights and physical education requirements for primary-grade students.

Child Care added to Foster Grandparents Bill

Last Tuesday, Rep. Ruestman’s HB 154 was given initial approval in the Senate after several amendments were adopted. HB 154 requires the state to make diligent efforts to locate the grandparents of a child before placing them into foster care.  The bill requires background checks of the grandparents and has adequate safeguards in place to ensure the safety and well-being of children who need to be removed from their home. An amendment offered by Senator Bray would give the department 24-hours to locate the grandparents of a child instead of 3-hours as was required in the introduced version of the bill. 

The bill also now includes several other priority provisions of Partnership for Children’s, including Senator Justus’ Foster Care Education Bill of Rights and child care assistance eligibility. The child care provision reinforces that income eligibility for assistance is subject to annual appropriation, but it also allows DSS to implement a transitional scale up to 45% above the initial eligibility level. Transitional assistance for child care is an important workforce incentive, allowing parents to accept raises and work towards financial independence while keeping child care affordable. HB 154 must still undergo review by the Senate Government Accountability & Fiscal Oversight Committee before final approval by the Senate.

Autism Coverage Passes Senate

On Thursday of last week, the Senate passed SB 167 sponsored by Sen. Rupp (R-Wentzville) by an overwhelming margin – 29 to 2.  This legislation requires health insurance companies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.  Nationally, it is estimated that 1 in 150 children has some form of autism within the spectrum.  The bill will now move to the House where similar legislation has sat idle for several weeks.

Foster Kids’ Education Bill Becomes Omnibus Children’s Bill

Sponsored by Senator Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City), SB 96 recently grew in size and scope while in the House Committee on Children and Families, chaired by Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-O’Fallon).  Sen. Justus’ original bill, the Foster Care Education Bill of Rights, modified provisions relating to assistance for children in foster care as they switch schools and school districts.  Rep. Davis offered a committee substitute that takes out language in Sen. Justus’ legislation requiring school districts to “designate a staff person to be an educational liaison for foster care children,” while keeping the requirements of such a person intact.  Other provisions in the new legislation include:

• Requirements for foster children, to the degree possible, be placed in the same educational setting as their siblings;
• A parent’s right to direct the care, education, and upbringing of their children without government hindrance (HJR 16 - strongly opposed by PFC)
• Various requirements relating to the evaluation of hotline and social when a foster child dies or is seriously injured after a report is made;
• Similar language to the grandparents as foster parents legislation (HB 154);
• Requirements that the department of health and senior services collect and maintain tissue samples of unborn children when an abortion is obtained by a foster child less than 18 years old;
• Similar language to the “Child Witness Protection Act” (HB 863)

PFC supports the majority of the language in the new committee substitute, however we strongly oppose the provision on parental rights because it could override all of the state’s current laws protecting children from abuse and neglect. PFC will continue to work with the bill sponsor as SB 96 makes its way through the House and back to the Senate to remove any language that is harmful to children.

“Fair Tax” Could Increase Cost of Child Care

Legislation proposing a “Fair Tax” in Missouri passed the House on April 16^th and may receive a hearing this Wednesday in the Senate Ways & Means Committee. HJR 36 is far more regressive towards low-income families than “fair” -- the bill proposes a constitutional amendment to eliminate Missouri’s corporate and individual income taxes and replace it with a greatly expanded sales tax. The bill would result in a significant increase in the cost of living in Missouri and may reduce state revenue for critical services by as much as $1.5 billion a year.

In addition to potentially increasing the sales tax rate to 9%, HJR 36 would expand taxation to services that are currently exempt, including child care. This means that parents in Jackson County would have to pay between $600 to $1,000 more a year for two children in care – an increase in cost that many parents cannot afford and will likely cause some parents to remove their children from licensed care.

MO Budget Project Policy Brief: Consequences of HJR 36: Proposal to Dramatically Alter Missouri’s Tax Structure Would Burden Missouri Families and Economy. 

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Children’s Services Commission Reviews Child Care Background Screenings

The MO Children’s Services Commission met last Monday to review a proposal to create a comprehensive, consistent background check policy for all state departments that screen employees working with children. Current gaps in the background check requirements for child care providers leave thousands of Missouri children at risk of being in the care of someone with a history of child abuse or criminal activity. Licensed child care programs in Missouri only receive an in-state background check that would not pick up violations committed in other state – a loophole of critical concern in Missouri with 8 surrounding border states.

HB 1200, sponsored by Rep. Grisamore, is the first attempt to coordinate background checks performed by the Departments of Social Services, Health & Senior Services, Mental Health, & Elementary & Secondary Education. The Children’s Services Commission decided last Monday to create a sub-committee to further explore the issue and to work out the details of a final policy that could be presented next legislative session.

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Child Witness Protection Act (HB 863 – Dixon): Establishes the Child Witness Protection Act that applies to all children 14 years of age or younger who are testifying in any judicial proceeding. Senate General Laws. Tues, 4/28 at 1pm.

Health Care Reform on the Horizon?

As many of you may have been hearing lately, it appears that some form of comprehensive health care reform at the federal level is on its way.  Recent articles with more details can be read in the Boston Globe, CNN, and the Huffington Post.  Bills will likely come out some time in June to begin the legislative process with the hope that passage will come this fall.  What the introduced bills will look like is anybody’s guess, but it is widely rumored that it will contain provisions to require states to cover adults up to as high as 135% of the federal poverty level.   Missouri currently covers parents up to 20% FPL, and there is a proposal working its way through the state legislature to increase that to 50% FPL.  This new legislation is important for a number of key reasons, and PFC is watching it closely because of the impact it promises to have on the lives of millions of children and parents.  Numerous studies have shown that when parents are covered, their children generally are as well.  With 137,000 kids in Missouri without health insurance, federal health care reform will go a long way to serve the needs of Missouri’s children.