Last night was the deadline for floor action on general bills originating in each chamber (i.e., House or Senate). Click here to review our latest bill tracking spreadsheet which reflects action as of last night’s deadline.Here is a summary of this week’s significant developments:
HB 1433, the school choice and voucher bill that sent public tax dollars to private schools, died on the House calendar last night after it was not brought up on the House floor for a vote due to a lack of support among rank-and-file House members. Thank you to everyone who contacted your representative and the Speaker’s office with your concerns on HB 1433. MPE extends our thanks to those House members who listened to their constituents’ concerns. We will monitor those bills that remain alive to make sure HB 1433’s language is not inserted into one of those bills.
The House passed HB 1617, the Tim Tebow Act, Tuesday morning. HB 1617 allows homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities. Click here to see how your representative voted on the bill which is now headed to the Senate.
The House passed HB 1432, the charter school bill, Wednesday morning.The bill expands opportunities for charter schools and allows charters in C districts, thereby expanding charters into more than 30 additional districts in our state. Click here to see how your representative voted on HB 1432 which is now headed to the Senate.
Lt. Governor Hosemann unveiled the Senate’s tax cut plan Wednesday, but the actual bill had not been filed as of yesterday afternoon. The Senate plan reduces the 4% individual income tax to 2.99% over the next four years, but does not eliminate the income tax, and reduces the 7% grocery tax to 5% effective July 1, 2026. It also includes a 9 cent per gallon gas tax over three years (3 cents/year). The Senate plan does not include a dedicated funding stream for PERS which is included in HB 1, the House tax cut plan.
The Senate adopted a strike all amendment Wednesday afternoon for SB 2439 which creates a new Tier 5 for new employees who become members of PERS on or after March 1, 2026.Click here to see how your senator voted on the strike all amendment. PERS is currently a pure defined benefit plan. The proposed Tier 5 is a hybrid plan consisting of a defined benefit component (4% of employee contributions) and a defined contribution component (5% of employee contributions). This Tier 5 significantly reduces the guaranteed benefits for state employees. A current Tier 4 PERS member receives 2% for the first 30 years of service and 2.5% for each year above 30. The defined benefit portion of Tier 5 only provides 1% for each year of service. An employee’s average salary benefit under the defined benefit portion of Tier 5 would be based on the employee’s eight highest consecutive years, rather than his/her highest four years under Tier 4. Tier 5 does not include a guaranteed cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and does not provide service credit for unused leave. SB 2439 is now headed to the House. As MPE’s 2025 legislative priorities state, “A new Tier 5 that provides reduced guaranteed benefits will negatively impact teacher recruitment and retention.”
The Lt. Governor and Speaker will now assign general bills from the other chamber to committee(s) in their respective chamber. The next significant deadline is Tuesday, March 4, when committees must pass general bills that originated in the other chamber.
Thank you for letting your voice be heard on the school choice and voucher bills in the House. It is critical that educators remain engaged and share their concerns with senators on those bills (HB 1078 less accountability for ESA special needs vouchers; HB 1617 homeschool students participate in public school extracurricular activities; HB 1432 expansion of charter schools; and HB 1435 public district to public district choice) that are now headed to the Senate. Click herefor contact information for legislators by school district.
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