There has been considerable discussion regarding the purpose and progress of the current special session. Though not complete, there have been definite improvements made for not only the citizens of the 31stDistrict, but for the entire state of Missouri.
During regular session, the passage and subsequent signing of SB 54, or the “Amy Hestir Student Protection Act,” began a debate about the use of social media for exclusive communication between teachers and students. One of the purposes for the special session call was to examine and re-evaluate the language of that bill. In SB 1, offered during special session, the General Assembly required a written policy be developed by the local school board regarding student-school employee communication by March 1, 2012, and that the written policy is to include the topic of electronic and social media, as well as other forms of communication that could be used to foster improper communication.
This legislation also does away with the prohibition of school employees using social media as a communication vehicle. The potential for social media as a teaching tool is one with a potential that should be explored. This measure allows for that possibility.
Another purpose for which the governor called this special session was to discuss job creation in our state. While SB 8 has stalled in a House Committee for two weeks, SB 7 was passed by the General Assembly and waits for the governor’s signature. The Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA) contains a handful of provisions designed to drive, attract, and retain science and technology-related industries in Missouri, such as rural biotechnology, veterinary medicine and information technology, among others, and to stimulate growth in those high-tech areas.
The bill also replaces the Missouri Technology Fund with the Missouri Science and Reinvestment Fund, which will be able to provide funds to corporations with a 100 percent match of those funds. The Missouri Technology Corporation, also created under SB 7, is required to provide the name of any entity receiving financial assistance to the General Assembly leadership and post it to its website 10 days prior to releasing any funds. All of these safety features offer a peace of mind that no state funds are misappropriated or spent on stem-cell research.
This special session is certainly an interesting one. The governor’s call was for handful of specific topics and we are attempting to address those topics to the best of our ability. This includes the debate regarding sunsets for a certain number of tax credits. Although both chambers are not always in complete agreement, both the Senate and the House approach our jobs with the best interest of Missouri’s citizens in mind. This special session can, by law, last until early November. That is 60 days after the initial call that began on Sept. 6.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.
Senator David Pearce serves Bates, Cass, Johnson and Vernon counties in the 31st State Senatorial District.
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