Good afternoon MACRAO membership-
Below are the latest Missouri legislative updates and links to articles we thought might be of interest to the membership.
We will continue to provide you updates as the legislative season progresses.
MACRAO Government Relations Committee
[email protected]
Missouri Legislative Updates
SB 71 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=522)
House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill Substitute Language: https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/pdf-bill/House/HCS-SB/SB0071.pdf
Sponsor: David Gregory (R)
Synopsis: Creates the “First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act” to provide free college tuition for first responders and their legal dependents.
Status: Originally passed in the Senate; Voted Do Pass from House Emerging Issues Committee. Will need to return to Senate or request conference committee due to differing language in House and Senate versions.
SB 150 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=106)
House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill Substitute Language: https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/pdf-bill/House/HCS-SB/SB0150.pdf
Sponsor: Jill Carter (R)
Synopsis: Amendments adopted and rolled into a House Committee Substitute that contains a number of previously independent bills. Highlights include the following:
- Establishes the Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program and Program Fund to reimburse the costs of eligible students’ tuition, books, and fees to certain approved institutions, such as two-year community colleges and technical students.
- Modifies provisions related to the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program including the increase of minimum and maximum award amounts.
- Provides that the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (with assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives from each public community college and four-year institution of higher education, approve a 60 credit-hour transferable, lower-division course curriculum and common course numbering equivalency matrix for degree programs in the following subjects: general business, elementary education and teaching, general psychology, registered nursing, and general biology or biological science (or both). Work is to be completed before June 30, 2027 with implementation for the 2028-2029 academic year. Previously known as Core 60.
- Authorizes Missouri State University to grant Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in disciplines other than engineering and to grant Bachelor of Science degrees in veterinary technology.
- Requires in-state public educational institutions to grant undergraduate course credit for students who score 4 or higher on international baccalaureate examinations. The bill does not contain language that distinguishes between SL and HL exams.
Status: Originally passed in the Senate; Voted Do Pass from House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee. Will need to return to Senate or request conference committee due to differing language in House and Senate versions.
SB 160 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=363)
House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill Substitute Language: https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/pdf-bill/House/HCS-SB/SB0160.pdf
Sponsor: Brad Hudson (R)
Synopsis: Amendments adopted and rolled into a House Committee Substitute that contains a number of previously independent bills. Highlights include the following, some of which overlaps language from SB 150:
- Requires public institutions of postsecondary education to treat antisemitic harassment or discrimination in an identical manner to rationally motivated discrimination. Schools and institutions shall include antisemitism-related conduct and penalties in their codes of conduct for students, faculty, and employees. Institutions encourages to incorporate a Jewish American heritage curriculum that covers Jewish experiences throughout US history including the Holocaust.
- Prohibits public institutions of higher learning from taking adverse action against a student association because of the associations’ beliefs or actions of its leaders. Institutions shall not deny a belief-based student association, such as a political, ideological, or religious association, any benefits that are available to other student groups, including access to campus facilities and communication channels.
- Provides that the Coordinating Board for Higher Education (with assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives from each public community college and four-year institution of higher education, approve a 60 credit-hour transferable, lower-division course curriculum and common course numbering equivalency matrix for degree programs in the following subjects: general business, elementary education and teaching, general psychology, registered nursing, and general biology or biological science (or both). Work is to be completed before June 30, 2027 with implementation for the 2028-2029 academic year. Previously known as Core 60.
- Authorizes Missouri State University to grant Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in disciplines other than engineering and to grant Bachelor of Science degrees in veterinary technology.
Status: Originally passed in the Senate; Voted Do Pass from House Emerging Issues Committee. Will need to return to Senate or request conference committee due to differing language in House and Senate versions.
SB 326 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=339)
Sponsor: Ben Brown (R)
Synopsis: Prohibits public institutions of postsecondary education and proprietary schools from requiring the submission of diversity, equity, and inclusion statements.
Status: Voted Do Pass from Senate Education Committee
HCR 6 (https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HCR6&year=2025&code=R)
Sponsor: Cathy Jo Loy (R)
Synopsis: Approves the statewide mission designation expansion for Missouri Southern State University.
Status: Voted Do Pass from House Rules-Legislative Committee
National Articles of Interest
Higher Ed Dive: Congressional Bills Propose Varying Ideas for How to Close the Education Department
Inside Higher Ed: Beyond ‘Prestige’: New Carnegie Classification Focuses on Student Success
Inside Higher Ed: Is Admissions Trump’s Next Higher Ed Target?
Inside Higher Ed: Smashing the Student Visa System
Inside Higher Ed: Trump Admin Downplays Impact of Terminating International Students from Key Database
Inside Higher Ed: What is SEVIS, and How is the Government Using It to Go After International Students?
Inside Higher Ed: Trump’s Latest Executive Orders Target Accreditation, Foreign Gifts
Inside Higher Ed: Anti-DEI Guidance Letter Put On Hold, for Now
Inside Higher Ed: House Bill Calls for Risk-Sharing, Sweeping Changes to Student Loan Program
Yahoo: Trump Administration Reverses Abrupt Terminations of Foreign Students’ US VISA Registrations
