HCSHB2211--EMPOWERMENTSCHOLARSHIPACCOUNTS
SPONSOR: Hurlbert
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElementaryandSecondaryEducationbyavoteof13to
6.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2211.
Thisbillmodifiesthedefinitionof"qualifiedstudent"toremove
"homeschoolstudents"fromthedefinitionasusedforSections
166.700to166.720,RSMoinrelationtoempowermentscholarship
accountsandincludeanelementaryorsecondaryschoolstudentwho
isaresidentofanycountywithatleast100,000inhabitants.
ThiswillincludethecountiesofBoone,Cass,Clay,Franklin,
Greene,Jackson,Jasper,Jefferson,Platte,St.Charles,andSt.
Louis,uponenactment.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatexpansionofthisprogramwill
benefitstudentsthatattendschooldistrictsincitiesthat
qualifyundertheprogrambuthappentoliveoutsideofcity
limits.Theexpansionoftheprogramiswarrantedtoprovide
opportunitiesforadditionalchoiceandschoolfreedom.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Hurlbert;CheriPello;
EimeeCook;LindiWilliford;AndrewDonaldWells,NoLeftTurnin
Education-Missouri;AmericanFederationforChildren;andJohn
Potter.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthislanguagewill
hurtpublicschoolsandtakemuchneededpublicfundsanddivert
themtoprivateandreligiousschools. CurrentlyMissouriis
rankedtowardthebottominpublicfundingforschoolsandthis
billwillfurthererodethesupportforeducation. Theprogramhas
notevenbeguntobeimplementedandthislanguageexpandsit
withoutanyproofthattheexpansionisnecessary.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereMatt,MissouriStateTeachers
Association;TracyTegethoff;AmandaSchmid;BlairPanzica;Eleanor
Gund;JennaRoberson;JenniferMain;JessicaRisenhoover;Laura
Burkhardt;LizRauls;LynnDerienzo;MarissaPolzin;Nancy
Copenhaver,LeagueofWomenVotersofMissouri;MissouriNEA; MissouriAssociationofSchoolAdministrators; TericaDonnelly;Tom
Ferri;ArnieC.AcDienoff;ChristyPotthast;KennethDerienzo;
LauraDeen;ChristineKeller;Dava-LeighBrush;andtheMissouri
StateTeachersAssociation.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.