No changes to Higher Education bill in House Committee

Intro: Missouri's House Higher Education Committee voted Tuesday to keep an amendment which allows legislators without a graduate degree to teach political science at state universities. Sarah Wire has more from the Capitol. RunTime:
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The amendment restricts universities from using a legislator's lack of a degree as a reason not to hire them.

The committee's chairman, Poplar Bluff's Gayle Kingery, said he's not sure about the amendment but was not willing to slow down the bill's progress through the legislature.

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Description: "Anything we add on at this point probably would kill the bill, and that would jepordize all of the one time money for education and it would also jepordize all of the scholarship money for education."

St. Louis area Representative Rebecca McClanahan introduced legislation to remove the amendment but it was voted down in committee. The bill now goes to the House Rules Committee which will decide if the higher education bill will be heard in the House.

From the Capitol, I'm Sarah Wire.

Intro: A proposal to allow politicians without a graduate degree to teach at state universities held it's place in the Higher Education bill Tuesday. Sarah Wire has more from the Capitol. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

A failed voice vote marked the only challenge to proposed legislation that will make it easier for politicians to get jobs teaching political science at higher institutions, even without a graduate degree.

The legislation would prohibit universities from using a politician's lack of a graduate degree as a reason not to hire them.

St. Louis county Representative Rebecca McClanahan said the amendment to the higher education bill raises many questions about what politicians are doing in Jefferson City.

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Description: "Language like that in a bill contributes to some of the cynicism that we see and hear out there in the community regarding the legislative process."

St. Louis county Senator Tim Green wrote the proposal saying it will benefit students because they will have the chance to learn from career politicians.

The bill now goes to the House Rules Committee, which will decide if the higher education bill will be heard in the House.

From the Capitol, I'm Sarah Wire.

Intro: Attempts to remove legislation making it easier for politicians to teach at state universities without a graduate degree failed Tuesday. Sarah Wire has more from the Capitol. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

St. Louis area Representative Rebecca McClanahan introduced an amendment to remove language from the Higher Education bill that would prohibit universities from using a legislator's lack of a degree as a reason not to hire them.

The amendment was defeated in a voice vote and the bill was passed with no changes.

St. Louis county Senator Tim Green added the language to the bill. He says students would benefit by learning from politicians who have had real world experience.

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Description: "I would qualify and so would a lot of other politicians that have served in the past, who are currently no longer here."

In contrast to Green, McClanhan called the legislation "tongue in cheek" and described it as the type of policy making that causes the public to become cynical.

The bill will now go to the House Rules Committee, which will decide if the bill will be heard by the House.

From the Capitol, I'm Sarah Wire.