Dr. Diane Golden has been hired to serve the MO-CASE Board as the Advocacy Specialist. She began working for MO-CASE in January. She will be assisted by Steven Beldin, who has been appointed to the Board as the Advocacy Representative. Current legislative summaries will be posted on this site.
Please click on each of the following for that document.
Kaitlyn's Law Q&A
Bill of Rights Q&A- UPDATED 2010
Social Security Position Summary Table
AARA Spending Considerations
2009 Missouri Legislative Summary
2010 Missouri Legislative Session
Major Bills Status as of March 10, 2010
HB 2002 – DESE Appropriations
Special Education line items with increases include ECSE ($11,646,095 increase) and the High Need Fund ($8,310,793 increase). All other special education line items are level funded. Overall foundation formula is not fully funded which could impact all other line items.
Status: In House Budget Committee.
HB 1311 – Representative Scharnhorst
Requires insurance coverage for autism services, including ABA intervention when prescribed by a physician or psychologist for children younger than 19 years of age and allows an annual cap of $36,000 for ABA services. Also creates a new regulated profession the “practice of applied behavior analysis” which is broadly defined and will require a state issued license to practice. An exemption to the licensure is included for IDEA providers but it is unclear if the language is inconsistent with IDEA requirements. MO-CASE is continuing to work on the licensure part of this bill to restrict application to health care services.
Status: Passed the House, sent to Senate. Not yet assigned to Senate Committee.
SB 618 – Senator Rupp
Requires insurance coverage for autism services, including ABA intervention when prescribed by a physician or psychologist and allows ABA services to have an annual cap of $55,000 per year for children up to age 21. There is no ABA licensure included with this bill.
Status: Perfected in the Senate, waiting third read and passage.
SB 603 – Senator Mayer
Establishes open enrollment of students in a district other than their district of residence based on parent preference. Parents are responsible for providing transportation. The receiving district may disapprove the transfer of an IDEA eligible student to their district if they do not “maintain a special education instructional program that is appropriate to meet the child's educational needs” or enrollment would cause the size of the class to exceed the “maximum class size established in rules.” The sending district pays all special education costs but the receiving district determines FAPE. MO-CASE testified about a number of issues/concerns related to special education services and MSBA, SAC and other education organizations testified about general concerns.
Status: Senate Committee hearing held.
HB 1543 – Representative Wallace
Revises a variety of laws regarding elementary and secondary education, school employee liability, safety practices, and reporting acts of violence. An amendment prohibiting the use of corporal punishment on students with certain types of disabilities was added then removed in the House Education Committee. MO-CASE continues to work with the House on the issue of corporal punishment as a floor amendment is likely.
Status: Reported to House Floor.
HB 1548 – Representative Calloway
This bill establishes the High School Sports Brain Injury Prevention Act which requires school boards to work with the Missouri State High School Activities Association to develop guidelines, information, and forms for coaches, student athletes, and their parents or guardians on the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including information on continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. An athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury must be removed from competition until evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and receives a written clearance from the provider to return to play.
Status: Voted do pass by House Committee.
HB 1552 and 1553 – Representative Schoeller
HB 1552 is similar to SB 603 establishing open enrollment of students in a district other than their district of residence based on parent preference. HB 1553 would establish procedures by which the issue of open enrollment by contract may be placed before the voters of a school district.
Status: Referred to House Education Committee.
HB 1879 – Representative Grisamore
Requires K-12 schools to provide instruction on disability history and awareness in October of each year. The instruction is to expand knowledge, understanding, and awareness of individuals with disabilities, the history of disability, and the disability rights movement.
Status: Net yet referred to committee.
HB 1215 – Representative Dusenberg
Requires a health examination for 2nd and 8th graders including vision exam, hearing exam, weight, height measurements, blood pressure, asthma screening and diabetes screening. Parents shall provide certification of a completed exam to the school. Parents may request in writing to be exempted from the requirement.
Status: Net yet referred to committee.
HB 1463 – Representative Hodges
This bill requires, beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, every public school district to screen its students for Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) before the end of first grade and again before the end of third grade.
Status: Net yet referred to committee.
HB 1880 - Representative Grisamore
Amends existing statute language related to accessible instructional materials requiring schools to procure from vendors who provide accessible electronic text (such as the NIMAS file sets required by IDEA) for purchase. In addition, it gives schools the right to transcribe, reproduce and distribute materials in alternative format needed by IDEA and 504 eligible students.
Status: Not yet referred to committee.
2010 Missouri Legislative Session
Major Bills Status as of February 22, 2010
HB 2002 – DESE Appropriations
Special Education line items with increases include ECSE ($11,646,095 increase) and the High Need Fund ($8,310,793 increase). All other special education line items are level funded. Overall foundation formula is not fully funded which could impact all other line items.
Status: In House Committee.
HB 1311 – Representative Scharnhorst
Requires insurance coverage for autism services, including ABA intervention when prescribed by a physician or psychologist for children younger than 19 years of age and allows an annual cap of $36,000 for ABA services. Also creates a new regulated profession the “practice of applied behavior analysis” which is broadly defined and will require a state issued license to practice. An exemption to the licensure is included for IDEA providers but it is unclear if the language is inconsistent with IDEA requirements for the “highest standard” be adopted. MO-CASE is continuing to work on the licensure part of this bill.
Status: Passed the House, sent to Senate.
SB 618 – Senator Rupp
Requires insurance coverage for autism services, including ABA intervention when prescribed by a physician or psychologist and allows ABA services to have an annual cap of $55,000 per year for children up to age 21.
Status: Perfected in the Senate, waiting third read and passage.
SB 603 – Senator Mayer
Establishes open enrollment of students in a district other than their district of residence based on parent preference. Parents are responsible for providing transportation. The receiving district may disapprove the transfer of an IDEA eligible student to their district if they do not “maintain a special education instructional program that is appropriate to meet the child's educational needs” or enrollment would cause the size of the class to exceed the “maximum class size established in rules.” The sending district pays all special education costs but the receiving district determines FAPE. MO-CASE testified about a number of issues/concerns related to special education services and MSBA, SAC and other education organizations testified about general concerns.
Status: Senate Committee hearing held.
HB 1552 and 1553 – Representative Schoeller
HB 1552 is similar to SB 603 establishing open enrollment of students in a district other than their district of residence based on parent preference. HB 1553 would establish procedures by which the issue of open enrollment by contract may be placed before the voters of a school district.
Status: Referred to House Education Committee.
HB 1543 – Representative Wallace
Revises a variety of laws regarding elementary and secondary education, school employee liability, safety practices, and reporting acts of violence. An amendment prohibiting the use of corporal punishment on students with certain types of disabilities was added then removed in the House Education Committee. MO-CASE continues to work with the House Committee on the issue of corporal punishment.
Status: Voted out of House Committee.
HB 1548 – Representative Calloway
This bill establishes the High School Sports Brain Injury Prevention Act which requires school boards to work with the Missouri State High School Activities Association to develop guidelines, information, and forms for coaches, student athletes, and their parents or guardians on the nature and risk of concussions and head injuries, including information on continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. An athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury must be removed from competition until evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and receives a written clearance from the provider to return to play.
Status: House hearing held.
HB 1879 – Representative Grisamore
Requires K-12 schools to provide instruction on disability history and awareness in October of each year. The instruction is to expand knowledge, understanding, and awareness of individuals with disabilities, the history of disability, and the disability rights movement.
Status: Referred House Education Committee, no hearing has been held.
HB 1215 – Representative Dusenberg
Requires a health examination for 2nd and 8th graders including vision exam, hearing exam, weight, height measurements, blood pressure, asthma screening and diabetes screening. Parents shall provide certification of a completed exam to the school. Parents may request in writing to be exempted from the requirement.
Status: Net yet referred to committee.
HB 1463 – Representative Hodges
This bill requires, beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, every public school district to screen its students for Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) before the end of first grade and again before the end of third grade.
Status: Net yet referred to committee.
HB 1880 - Representative Grisamore
Amends existing statute language related to accessible instructional materials requiring schools to procure from vendors who provide accessible electronic text (such as the NIMAS file sets required by IDEA) for purchase. In addition, it gives schools the right to transcribe, reproduce and distribute materials in alternative format needed by IDEA and 504 eligible students.
Status: Was not referred to committee.