March 2019 Legislative Update
Category: Legislative
Mar
05
MACRAO Legislative Update 2019-03-05
State:
- HB 1606 (From 2018) - Don’t forget that by Oct. 1, 2019, your institution must include in your catalog and on your website specific career and salary information for each credential offered by a public institution of higher education. Your IR folks should be deep into preparing the information that is due to MDHE by next week. See https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills181/hlrbillspdf/5095S.06T.pdf
- Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant – HCS HB 225 Goal is to meet increase the number of adults with college degrees and/or workforce training. The bill continues to move forward (it has passed out of the House and had one reading in the Senate), but the question of funding due to the recent discoveries about lower-than anticipated state revenue casts some doubt on the likelihood it can be fully funded. However, tweaks continue to be made. The current version states that to qualify individuals need to not have a degree, have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000 if the taxpayer's filing status is married filing combined, or $40,000 if the taxpayer's filing status is single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er). In addition, such student must be at least 25 years of age. Grant funding may be renewed, but the student must continue to meet the eligibility requirements and must demonstrate a grade-point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
- STEM Certificates for high school students - HB 456 https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills191/hlrbillspdf/1145H.01I.pdf This bill would allow high schools that want to do so to develop a STEM certification for their students. This would not directly impact all of higher ed.
- Returning Heroes – HB 400 (https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB400&year=2019&code=R) There is an effort to modify the act to include benefits for graduate students (masters and doctorate) seeking degrees. The maximum that the students can be assessed is 30% of tuition and fees. Students must have been in active duty combat and must claim the benefit within 20 years of being discharged. The veteran must have been a Missouri resident when first entering the military or entered military service in Missouri. Update – move to “Do Pass” in the House so it is ready for a hearing.
- Budget Time –Highlights from last week include a reduction in funding for the Fast Track program related to a new fiscal estimate for the revised bill and the Senate Appropriations Committee took up capital improvements, maintenance and repair, and capital re-appropriations budgets that include some $13 million in re-appropriations for higher education institutions.
- Required On-Campus Housing – HB 435 (https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=HB435&year=2019&code=R) Prohibits public institutions of higher education from requiring students to live on campus, except for first-year freshmen who may be required to live in campus housing for their first year. A public hearing was completed.
Federal/ national issues:
- Negotiators Convene to Rewrite Wide Range of Higher Ed Rules – The department held it’s second meeting, part of which was cancelled due to snow. At this point there is a lot of discussion and not much decision making. Topics include what is “regular and substantive interaction” for distance courses, allowing institutions to “outsource” to a non-Title IV entity more than the current 40% limit and could go up to a full 100%! This was not positively received by the non-federal negotiators. There will be a fourth round of negotiations due to the volume and number of proposed changes. There were also vocal opposition to some proposed changes to accreditation that included alternative standards and ensuring that transfer credits could never be denied. Stay tuned!
