Missouri NEA Weekly Legislative Update, Week 2

By Otto Fajen

MNEA Legislative Director

LEGISLATURE TO OBSERVE MLK HOLIDAY

The House and Senate will observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on January 19. Both chambers are schedule to convene at 4 p.m. on January 20.

STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his second State of the State Address to a joint session of the House and Senate in the House Chamber on January 13.

Kehoe stressed his desire to significantly change the state's tax policy. The Governor proposed submitting a joint resolution for voters to approve full elimination of the individual income tax within five years. The Governor also proposed applying the sales tax to monthly subscriptions and digital services but vowed that his office would oppose any sales tax on agriculture, healthcare, or real estate services. The Association is concerned that elimination of the $9 billion in individual income tax will not be offset by any possible sales tax increase meeting this description and will result in a massive collapse of state support for vital public services, including education.

The Governor also announced that he had signed Executive Order 26-01, requiring DESE to propose an A-F grading scheme for public schools for adoption by the State Board of Education. The Association opposes this type of grading scheme based primarily on state-mandated, standardized tests.

The Governor's proposed K-12 budget keeps the funding formula lines level with the current year, except for a $15 million reduction to pupil transportation. The budget also includes a $7.5 million placeholder item for public school open enrollment, and Kehoe again urged the legislature to pass a public-school open enrollment bill. The State Treasurer's budget includes a $10 million general revenue increase to fund the state's ESA voucher program.

The Governor's budget for higher education keeps institutional aid flat while reducing a total of $22 million, including the following reductions to student aid programs: $11 million from Bright Flight, $7.6 million from A+ Schools Scholarships Program, $2.7 million from Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarships, and $1,5 million from Access Missouri scholarships.

SENATE DEMOCRATS HOLD UP APPOINTMENTS

Senate Democrats used the filibuster on January 15 to block approval of this week's portion of the Governor's interim appointments, including State Board of Education appointee Gretchen Shull. Appointments submitted during the interim must be approved within 30 calendar days of the first day of session or the appointments fail, and the person blocked can never be reappointed unless the appointment is pulled prior to the deadline and returned to the Governor. Senate Democrats announced that they do not ultimately plan to stymie approval of these appointments, but the caucus intends to force a slower legislative pace this session as a consequence for the Repulican caucus forcing votes without debate on several bills during the 2025 regular and special sessions.

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The committee heard four bills on January 13:

SB 905 (David Gregory) would establish a training program for Missouri Rangers. The Rangers would receive various law enforcement training and could be employed by public or private schools with limited school-related law enforcement powers.

SB 909 (Brad Hudson) would expand recent law pertaining to student religious liberties to also apply to all student political and ideological expression. The Association is concerned that the inclusion of authority to file private lawsuits over political and ideological expression will divert school resources to costly and time-consuming lawsuits and make it harder to attract and retain educators. The Association opposes the bill. The House General Laws Committee will hear a similar bill, HB 2682 (Darin Chappell) on January 21.

SB 948 (Rick Brattin) would enact new law regarding parental rights in the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of their children. The bill includes new authority to file private lawsuits over any alleged violation of these new provisions, thereby raising the same concerns as SB 909. The Association opposes the bill.

SB 998 (Brad Hudson) would revise the state's ESA school voucher program. The bill expands student eligibility to include students with a diagnosed disability, removes the requirement to have previously attended a public school, authorizes organizations of parents of eligible students to participate in certain lawsuits regarding the program, and exempts participating schools from any requirement to seek state or third-party accreditation or be subject to any rule or other requirement not specified in state law. Participating private schools are not currently subject to any accreditation requirement from the state.

The committee is scheduled to hear SB 863 (Jason Bean) on January 22. The bill would require the Governor to appoint a board of directors to oversee any statewide activities association that facilitates interscholastic activities for secondary school students.

HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The committee met on January 14, 2026, to hear invited testimony on teacher certification programs and related topics. Invited witnesses include:

Dr. Paul Katnik, DESE,

Travis Plume, DESE,

Dr. Barri Tinkler, Missouri State University,

Dr. Reesha Adamson, Missouri State University,

Matt Davis, Superintendent of Eldon School District, and

Dr. Michael Pantleo, University of Central Missouri.

The committee met again on January 15, 2026, to hear three bills:

HB 1748 (Scott Miller) would add a 60% pupil weight in the formula for gifted students. The Association believes educational programs and services for gifted and talented students must be supported by federal and state funding. The Association supports the bill.

HB 1757 (Brenda Shields) would establish procedures for school districts to evaluate for gifted students. The bill outlines screening requirements and requires review by trained staff members. The Association believes well-developed criteria and guidelines for identifying and teaching these students are essential. The Association supports the bill.

HB 2274 (Ed Lewis) would adopt the "Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact". Thirteen states have already adopted the compact. Missouri already has broad teacher certification reciprocity with other states. Adopting the compact would apply additional, baseline standards for certification reciprocity with fellow compact states. Eligible licenses, other than career and technical licenses, must require at least a bachelor's degree and the completion of a state-approved program for teacher licensure. The Association supports the bill.

HOUSE EMERGING ISSUES COMMITTEE

The committee heard HB 2061 (George Hruza) on January 12. The bill would require policies against discrimination and antisemitism in public schools and public colleges and universities.

HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

The committee heard HB 1871 (Peggy McGaugh) on January 13. The bill would enact many changes to the state's election law and procedures. The Association supports several provisions in the bill that help eligible citizens vote and participate in the political process, including: 1) lengthening the in-person no-excuse absentee voting period from two to four weeks and 2) providing that all lists of absentee ballot applications for people with permanent disabilities will be kept confidential.

The bill also: 1) allows a notice of election to be sent by email, 2) moves the filing time for declarations of candidacy for offices in political subdivisions, including school board elections, one week later, so that the period extends beyond the winter holidays, 3) increases the minimum distance for exit polling, surveying, sampling, and electioneering to fifty feet from a polling place, and 4) reinstates the presidential preference primary election, to be held on the first Tuesday in March of each presidential election year.

HOUSE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The committee heard HB 1628 (Willard Haley) on January 13. The bill updates laws relating to the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) and repeals statutes for outdated programs.

HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON RURAL ISSUES

The committee met on January 14 and heard two similar bills, HB 1905 (Adrian Plank) and HB 2097 (John Martin), to make the existing pilot program for agricultural education in elementary schools into an ongoing, statewide program. The Association supports the bills.