The Senate has reached the midpoint of the session, and though it was a rocky start, it feels as though the work has finally hit its stride. I hope we all come back refreshed from spring break and can carry this momentum through to the end of session.
This week the Senate passed Senate Bill 727. This education reform bill allows for an expansion of the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) Program, expanding the funding for tax credits that can be handed out from $50 million to $75 million. This allows parents to choose the type of education they want for their children and makes the funding follow the child rather than be automatically designated to the school.
Another provision of the law clarified the difference between Family Paced Education (FPE) schools and home schools. Under the new law, only home schools who have joined the ESA program will be considered FPE schools. This allows families who educate their children at home to engage in these new programs, if they choose, by becoming an FPE school. If they instead want to stay wholly apart from the state, they may do so.
The bill allows for adjustments between rural and urban communities. Another positive is the increase to teacher's pay, raising the minimum teacher's salary from $25,000 to $40,000. The hope is that this will draw in more talented educators to our state and keep them here. Overall, SB 727 is a positive step forward in developing and maintaining an education system that will help our children succeed.
The Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety, which I chair, also voted to pass a bill out of committee this week that would prevent government overreach and protect our 2nd amendment rights by establishing the "Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act." This will prevent local law enforcement from receiving funding for the purposes of confiscating firearms and denounces any federal order that would confiscate arms as an infringement on our right to bear arms.
As the Senate reconvenes on March 25 for the second half of session, I am excited to see what progress we can make on the budget, and will keep you updated on the progress of the legislature.
Senator Travis Fitzwater serves residents of Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery, Pike and a portion of St. Charles counties in the Missouri Senate. For more information about Sen. Fitzwater, visit senate.mo.gov/Fitzwater.