Amendment 3 – November Ballot Issue

Missouri Votes 2016…

On the ballot this November there will be several ballot measures statewide. We would like you to be aware of Amendment 3. This amendment is proposed to provide additional revenue to Early Childhood programs in Missouri. At the current time Missouri ranks 38^th for public pre- K funding. This Amendment, if approved would:

increase taxes on cigarettes each year through 2020, at which point this additional tax will total 60 cents per pack of 20;
create a fee paid by cigarette wholesalers of 67 cents per pack of 20 on certain cigarettes, which fee shall increase annually; and
deposit funds generated by these taxes and fees into a newly established Early Childhood Health and Education Trust Fund

This ballot is sponsored by an organization MO PTA has a relationship with; Raise Your Hands for Kids. You can find out more about this organization by clicking here. Please take the time to read about this Amendment before heading to the polls in November. Here are several information sheets Raise Your Hands for Kids have provided for your convenience.

False Claims and Reasons to Support Amendment

National PTA Commends House Passage of Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Sept. 22, 2016)—The following statement can be attributed to National PTA Vice President of Advocacy Shannon Sevier:

“This evening, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act, which would reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) and strengthen the nation’s juvenile justice system. Reauthorization of the JJDPA is long overdue.

“The Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act is an improvement over current law. The bill includes provisions that would prevent children and youth from entering the juvenile justice system as well as better protect and support those currently in the system. National PTA commends the members of the House of Representatives who voted for the bill and the bipartisan commitment to ensuring greater opportunities and alternatives to incarceration for our nation’s youth.

“National PTA urges the Senate to take swift action to reauthorize the JJDPA before the end of the year to make certain every child can reach his or her full potential.”

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth.

Media Contact

Heidi May Wilson, National PTA

[email protected], (703) 518-1242

National PTA Applauds House Education and Workforce Committee Passage of Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Sept. 15, 2016)—Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce passed the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act, which would reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) and strengthen the nation’s juvenile justice system. The JJDPA was originally signed into law in 1974 and has been due for reauthorization since 2007.

“Reauthorization of the JJDPA is long overdue. Improvements need to be made to the law to prevent children and youth from entering the juvenile justice system and to better protect those currently in the system,” said Laura Bay, president of National PTA. “National PTA applauds the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and the leadership of Representatives Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) for passing the Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act.We commend their bipartisan commitment to ensuring greater support, opportunities and alternatives to incarceration for our nation’s youth.”

The Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act would improve current law by:

Incorporating family and community-based services and alternatives to incarceration
Keeping detained youth separate from adults while they are awaiting trial
Phasing out exemptions that allow youth detainment for minor offenses
Ensuring the continuity of children’s education while detained and a smooth transition back into the classroom after
Encouraging states to use data and implement strategies to reduce racial and ethnic disparities among youth in the juvenile justice system

“Since 1899, National PTA has advocated for policies that prevent juvenile delinquency, protect children and youth who come into contact with the juvenile justice system, and provide youth in the system with services to help them become productive members of society,” added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “National PTA is encouraged by the action today in the House, as well as that of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which passed a similar bill in July 2015. It is critical that Congress sign a strong JJDPA reauthorization bill into law this year that enhances protections for youth and helps every child reach his or her full potential.”

About National PTA

Media Contact

Heidi May Wilson, National PTA

[email protected], (703) 518-1242

Call for Resolutions for 2017 MO PTA Convention

The resolutions committee is seeking resolutions for consideration during the 2017 Missouri PTA Annual Convention in Columbia, MO. Has your Unit or Council identified an area of concern MO PTA should focus efforts? If so please submit your ideas to us for consideration to be adopted statewide.

All resolutions packets must be RECEIVED electronically at Missouri PTA no later than October 21, 2016.
You can download the Resolution Handbook and worksheet in the MO PTA tool kit. You can access the Tool Kit by logging into the member’s only section here.
Resolutions received after the deadline will not be presented at the 2017 Annual Convention.
Early submission is encouraged. If parts of the resolution or background information are missing, or if edits are necessary, the submitter will need to work with a committee member to ensure the final submission is completed by the deadline date.
Fax and hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

For more info, see our PTA Resolutions Toolkit. This is the guide National PTA publishes and is our preferred method of receiving Resolutions.

JC/DC ACTION ALERT: SB 641 and SB 1025

****DO NOT OVERRIDE VETO*** Please contact your Legislators now!

SB 641 has been placed on the calendar for a potential override of the veto given by Governor Nixon.

SB 641 would allow compensation in the form of tax deductions to agricultural producers who have suffered loss due to disaster or emergency. This bill would allow retroactive payments dating back to 2014.

SB 1025 has been placed on the calendar for a potential override of the veto given by Governor Nixon.

SB 1025 would allow recreational classes to avoid the current 4% sales tax.

If the veto is overridden on SB 641 it could cost education and other vital programs up to 50 million dollars in tax retributions. SB 1025 would also cost these programs up to an additional 8 million dollars. If these are bills effectively overridden and passed into law the budget that has already been passed by the Missouri Legislature and approved by Governor Nixon will not longer be balanced. The gaps in funding created by these would further cause the funding for education in both elementary, secondary and college to be drastically cut. This comes at a time when many school districts across the state are struggling to fund education. As you know, Missouri ended the 2016 budget year on June 30^th with general revenue collections well below the estimate. Decreased revenue then prompted the Governor to restrict state spending for critical services including for early education, k-12 schools transportation, programs for Missourians with disabilities and more. (The list of budget restrictions is available here: http://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY_2017_Expenditure_Restrictions_07_06_16.pdf). Adding addition decrease in fund from either SB 641 or SB 1025 would increase these deficits.

To put this into perspective MO Budget Project just released the following information:

**In addition, MBP just released an analysis of the implications of the drop in revenue for the new budget year (FY 2017, which began on July 1^st). What we’ve found:

Because of the FY 2016 general revenue shortfall, revenue needs to grow about 5 percentin the new budget year in order to fully fund the FY 2017 state budget approved by lawmakers. The amount of needed growth is far above the budgeted projection of 4.1 percent.
If state revenue grows at the lower, projected rate of 4.1 percent, Missouri will face a $216 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year.
Should the legislature choose to override the Governor’s vetoes of further tax reductions passed in the 2016 legislative session, the budget will be further strained.

Dear Senator,

As a community we prioritize the education of our children. Please vote NO to the override to SB 641 and SB 1025. With the passage of either of these bills vital programs will have to be cut to fund the tax decreases. As you know, Missouri ended the 2016 budget year on June 30^th with general revenue collections well below the estimate. Decreased revenue then prompted the Governor to restrict state spending for critical services including for early education, k-12 schools transportation, programs for Missourians with disabilities and more. Adding addition decrease in fund from either SB 641 or SB 1025 would increase these deficits. We ask that you do not do this on the backs of schools and districts that are already struggling with funding due to massive budget cuts federally within the Department of Education. We have watched other states struggle to fund their school and the damage to children this has caused. Please do not pass these and allow for the budget you passed and Governor Nixon approved to stand. Do this for the future, do this for our children!

Sincerely,

You name and PTA

Not sure how to contact your state legislators? Click here and insert your street address or 9-digit zip code.

Carla Wiese

Vice President & Director of Legislation and Advocacy

[email protected]