Legislative Update 4/7/24

Missouri Equity Education Partnership-Action mobilizes those who support diversity, equity, and inclusion for ALL! Please see the calls to action outlined below and join us in bending the arc towards equity ensuring Missouri schools are a safe, welcoming space where folks can learn all things

Last week, we saw concrete evidence that grassroots activism makes a difference and can absolutely turn the tide. We are still celebrating school board elections around the state which rejected hate and voted for students rights to attend diverse and inclusive schools, and bent the arc closer equity and justice. Communities put equity candidates on boards all over the state; one municipality saw a clean sweep and changed their city council to a more equitable and diverse board in this single election! We are making a difference.

There are six weeks left before the end of session on May 17, and this week is short. Hearings will slow down because there is not really enough time to get things through both chambers. Our focus will shift to close monitoring of the Chamber debates, and sometimes things happen quickly, unexpectedly, and sometimes at odd hours of the day or night. It is not uncommon to send out updates on individual asks. Please know, though, that every email, every piece of written testimony, every share of the calls to action and updates moves the needle in some small way. We need everyone to keep bending the arc towards justice.

HOUSEKEEPING NOTES

The House and the Senate will hold technical sessions on Monday, April 8 due to the solar eclipse. The Senate has two hearings scheduled that day, but no bills we monitor appear on the agenda as of publication.

Please note some committees have not scheduled hearings yet.

THIS WEEK’S CALLS TO ACTION

CONTACT ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES!

Contact the Regulatory Oversight Committee before Tues 4/9, 4:30pm to oppose SB 727 (Koenig), the education omnibus, and protect public education based on these talking points. 

Contact the Legislative Oversight Committee by Tues 4/9, 3:30pm  to vote against SJR 74 (Coleman) and preserve direct democracy.

ALSO Call YOUR representatives and urge them to oppose BOTH of these bills.

Submit written testimony to the Special Committee on Education Reform!

HB 2938 (Baker) will allow anyone with an associate degree to be certified by individual districts.