HCS/SCS/SB 563 – This act modifies provisions relating to higher education. MISSOURI HIGHER EDUCATION SAVINGS PROGRAM: This act requires the board of the Missouri Higher Education Savings Program to study investment plans of other states. The board must contract with or negotiate to provide benefit options like other states' qualified plans for the purpose of offering additional options for members of the plan for any new contracts entered into after August 28, 2012. (Section 166.415) This section is identical to HB 1192 (2012). ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH PROJECTS: Under current law, the University of Missouri Board of Curators is given authority to award funds for research projects to advance knowledge in the area of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. This act increases the statutory award amount per individual award from $30,000 to $50,000 per year. This provision is identical to SB 482 (2012) and HB 1216 (2012). (Section 172.803) COMPACT FOR EDUCATION: This act corrects the name of the organization named in the Compact for Education so that it is correctly referred to as the "Education Commission of the States" instead of as the "Educational Commission of the States." This provision is identical to HB 1201 (2012). (Section 173.300) HIGHER EDUCATION CAPITAL FUND: This act creates the "Higher Education Capital Fund." The General Assembly may appropriate moneys to the fund to provide matching funds to public colleges or universities for capital projects. Funds cannot be distributed through the fund without a line item appropriation for a specific project. The state cannot issue bonds to provide funding. Funds cannot be used for any athletic facilities, parking structures, or student housing. To receive matching funds, a public college or university must raise fifty percent of the cost of the capital project from private donations or grants. The General Assembly may appropriate the remaining fifty percent of the cost of the project as matching funds to the institution. Public colleges and universities are prohibited from using operating budget funds, tuition, fees, bond revenues, or state appropriations to produce their portion of the capital project's cost. The Commissioner of Higher Education will administer the Higher Education Capital Fund and may promulgate rules to implement this act. (Section 173.480) This provision is identical to HCS/SCS/SB 655 (2012) and similar to HB 1502 (2012). MISSOURI SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS INITIATIVE: This act establishes the Missouri Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Initiative within the Department of Higher Education. Matching funds may be provided by the Department and the General Assembly to fund the programs described in the act. The Initiative will provide support to increase interest among K-12 students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to increase the number of students who enter these fields at Missouri's public institutions of higher education. Programs that may be supported through the Initiative include: endowed teaching professor programs to support faculty; scholarship programs to provide financial aid and loan forgiveness to Missouri students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics areas, as described in the act; experiential youth programs at public colleges or universities; and career enhancement programs for current elementary and secondary teachers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields to improve teaching quality. This act is identical to HB 1855 (2012) and substantially similar to SB 164 (2011), HB 352 (2011) and SB 936 (2010). (Section 173.670) SOCIAL WORKERS: This act authorizes accredited Missouri colleges and universities to issue a document that verifies and acknowledges completion of a school social work program. Individuals seeking the document must have a degree in social work and either hold a credential in school social work from a nationally recognized credentialing organization or passed a school social work exam approved by the State Committee for Social Workers. The Department of Higher Education will develop the document being issued. This section contains an emergency clause. (Sections 173.1400 & C) The State Committee For Social Workers is authorized to issue a document to verify and acknowledge completion of a school social work program. The document will be issued to individuals holding a license issued by the committee, submitting a fee, and either holding a credential issued by a nationally recognized organization or having passed a specified exam. The document issued is not a license or certificate and conveys no authority to practice social work. The document issued will not expire or subject the holder to discipline under a professional licensing provision. (Section 337.647) These provisions are identical to provisions contained in SS/SCS/HCS/HB 1563 (2012). NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS: This act provides that not more than two voting members of the board of regents of Northwest Missouri State University may be residents of the same county. This section is identical to SB 681 (2012) and a provision contained in SCS/HCS/HB 1042 (2012) and SS/SB 650 (2012). (Section 174.332) This section contains an emergency clause. (Section B) MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS: Currently, six of the nine members' terms of the Missouri State University board of governors expire in 2011. However, current law also requires that no more than three terms expire in any given year and does not provide a mechanism to modify term lengths to accommodate the timing of the term expiration. This act modifies the term lengths for the appointments to fill the six terms that expired in 2011 so that no more than three of the nine board members' terms will expire in any given year. This act would allow three members' terms to expire on January 1, 2013, three members' terms to expire on January 1, 2015, and three members' terms to expire on January 1, 2017. This section is identical to a provision contained in SCS/HCS/HB 1042 (2012) and CCS#2/HCS/SB 455 (2012). This section contains an emergency clause. (Section 174.450 & B) TITLE TO SCHOOL PROPERTY: Current law provides that the title of all schoolhouse sites and other school property is vested in the district in which the property is located. This act makes an exception for community college districts and provides that nothing will be construed to impair the duty and authority of the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to approve academic programs. This provision is also contained in SS/SCS/HB 1170 (2012), HB 1980 (2012) CCR/SS/SB 665 (2012), and CCR/HCS/SB 578 (2012). (Section 177.011) HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION LICENSE PLATES: This act provides that only a community college, four-year public or private institution of higher education, or foundation or organization representing the institution located in Missouri may itself authorize, or by the director of revenue be authorized, to use the school's official emblem to be affixed on multiyear personalized license plates. This act also requires applications for certain license plates be reviewed in the same legislative session in which the application is reviewed. These provisions are also contained in CCS/HCS#2/SCS/SB 480 (2012). (Sections 301.449 & 301.3150) VIRTUAL NETWORK FOR ENTREPRENEURS (MERVN): This act requires Missouri small business technology development centers to manage a virtual network for entrepreneurs. The small business technology development centers are required to seek private sector funding for this virtual network and disclose the name of donors to this network. The small business technology development centers are required to report on the development of the network to the chairs and ranking minority members of certain legislative committees by September 2012. (Section 620.2400) This provision is identical to HCS/HB 1214 (2012). AUTHORIZATION FOR LAND CONVEYANCES BY MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS: This act authorizes the Board of Governors of Missouri State University to convey a perpetual street right of way at National Avenue and Monroe Street to the City of Springfield. (Section 1) The board may convey a perpetual street right of way at National Avenue and Grand Street to the City of Springfield. (Section 2) The board may convey a drainage easement over, on, and under property owned by Missouri State University located at National Avenue and Grand Street to the City of Springfield. (Section 3) The board may convey a sanitary sewer easement over, on, and under property owned by Missouri State University located at National Avenue and Grand Street to the City of Springfield. (Section 4) The parties must negotiate the terms for each conveyance. The Attorney General must approve the form of the conveyance instrument. (Sections 1-4) These provisions are identical to SB 811 (2012). MICHAEL RUFF