Missouri Senate

Senate Committee Substitute

Adds the chair of the Missouri Veterans' Commission, or a designee, as an ex officio member of the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission, and provides that the Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission's duties include developing methods to improve the prosperity and employment opportunities of retired military members and the families of former military members. Section 41.1010.

Adds the chair of the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission, or a designee, as an ex officio member of the Missouri Veterans' Commission, and provides that the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission shall assist all veterans who are legal residents of Missouri. Section 42.007.

Allows a person in federal service who is eligible to register, but has not registered, to vote in any election. Currently, such a person is only authorized to vote in federal elections. Section 115.277.

Creates an income tax credit for taxpayer contributions of cash, stock, bonds, or other marketable securities for the purpose of providing body or vehicle armor to members of the armed forces of the United States, as well as contributions of body armor for members of the armed forces, armor plating for military vehicles, or materials consumed in the process of manufacturing body armor or armor plating for military vehicles. The tax credit is a dollar for dollar tax credit which is limited to one thousand dollars per taxpayer per year. The total amount of tax credits which may be claimed annually is capped at two million dollars. The tax credit is nontransferable and nonrefundable, but may be carried forward five years until fully claimed. Section 135.555

Allows military dependents who do not meet our state's age requirements to enter kindergarten or first grade if the child has completed an accredited prekindergarten or kindergarten program in another state. Section 160.053.

Requires the State Board of Education to develop recommendations for alternate assessments for military dependents who relocate after the commencement of a school term, in order to accommodate the student while ensuring he or she is proficient in the knowledge, skills, and competencies adopted by the State Board of Education. Section 160.518.

Requires the State Board of Education to establish a rule to permit the issuance of a provisional certificate of license to any spouse of a military member stationed in Missouri, who relocated to this state within one year of application, who otherwise qualifies for such certificate, if a background check was required for the issuance of the teaching certificate from the other state. Section 168.021.

Allows school districts to accept a course in state government completed in another state, for purposes of satisfying Missouri's graduation requirements, when a student transfers to a Missouri high school in ninth to twelfth grade. The act also deletes provisions in current law that require the state commissioners of education and higher education to make arrangements to carry out the provisions of this section, and to prescribe a list of suitable texts, and deletes provisions that provide that neglect by any superintendent, principal or teacher to observe the provisions of this section shall be sufficient cause for termination of his or her contract. Section 170.011.

Establishes a tuition grant program for spouses and children of qualifying military members who die, or who become eighty percent disabled, as the result of injury or illness sustained while serving in combat. Within the limits of amounts appropriated therefor, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall provide up to twenty-five tuition grants to the surviving spouses and children of any member of the military who served in the military after September 11, 2001, and who was killed in the line of duty and who was a citizen of Missouri at the time of enlistment or at the time death or injury occurred. The grants shall pay an amount not to exceed the actual amount of tuition charged a resident by the University of Missouri-Columbia, the actual cost of books up to $500 per semester, and up to $2,000 per semester for room and board. The grant will continue to be awarded annually to eligible recipients as long as the recipient continues to achieve certain standards of academic performance, as determined by the board. The grant is not available to surviving children who are 25 years of age or older or spouses who are 45 years of age or older, and is only available for a program leading to a certificate, or an associate or baccalaureate degree. The student shall report any other financial assistance granted under any other student aid program to the board, and no eligible student shall receive more than 100 percent of tuition when combined with similar funds. The provisions of this section shall automatically expire six years from the effective date of this act. Section 173.234.

Modifies the Guard at Home program by renaming it the "Hero at Home" program, and by providing that services under the program shall continue to be available to national guard members and their families, as well as reserve component service members and their families, during the one year period following a national guard member or any reserve component member's discharge from deployment. The program shall also assist returning national guard or reserve component service members to find employment in situations where the individual cannot return to employment held prior to deployment. Also, the act allows the Department of Economic Development to operate the Hero at Home program by utilizing existing programs, or by entering into contracts with qualified providers. Section 620.515.

Requires the Department of Higher Education to establish a rule ensuring that resident tuition continues to be available to the spouse and dependents of any military family who remain in Missouri after the military member has retired, died, or been reassigned. Section 1.

Requires the State Board of Education to pursue reciprocity agreements with other states for the transfer of students who are military dependents and specifies the contents of such agreements, which focus on timely transfer of student records, awarding credit for course work completed in another state, and allowing a student to satisfy graduation requirements. Section 2.

Requires the department of secondary and elementary education to facilitate the development of a memoranda of agreement between school districts and military installations to address strategies to assist children in transition to Missouri schools. Section 3.

Specifies that certain military dependents will be eligible to enroll full time in courses through the Missouri Virtual School. Section 4.

Allows governing boards of school districts to establish course credit and other policies to assist military dependents who have transferred to a new school due to military transfer or discharge of a parent or guardian to meet graduation requirements. Section 5.

Provides that no student who transfers into a school as the result of relocation of the student's parent or guardian as a member of the military shall be subject to exclusion from participation in school activities based on the timing of the relocation. Section 6.

Provides that every board or commission listed under subsection 15 of Section 620.010, RSMo, shall have the authority to collect and analyze information required to support workforce planning and policy development. Section 7.

The act contains an emergency clause for all provisions except for those regarding membership in the Missouri preparedness and enhancement commission and the Missouri Veterans' Commission (sections 41.1010 and 42.007) and those modifying the Guard at Home program (section 620.515).

Provisions within this act are similar to SB 1036 (2008), SB 1167 (2008), and SB 771 (2008).

ALEXA PEARSON

SA 1 - STRIKES SECTION 173.234 FROM THE ACT, AND REPLACES IT WITH A SIMILAR PROGRAM ESTABLISHING A TUITION GRANT FOR CERTAIN SURVIVORS OF WAR VETERANS.