"You have to take drastic measures, and it's nothing I learned in library school.". The Missouri legislature passed a state operating budget totaling almost $49 billion on Friday, which is roughly $1 billion more than what Gov. I work hard not to punish people who disagree with me, Lavender said. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. BILL REPORTING. "We've had vendors reach out, we've had departments reach out, we've had contractors that the state works with that provide services for our communities, and they say if this language is attached, we're not sure that we can do business with the state and we can provide the services that we're providing," Hough said. Missouri Senate restores library funding -- for now - The Beacon We dont want to censor our collections like that because the books are there for a reason.. She was editor of her school newspaper and interned with KPRC in Houston. But thats wrong. Senate Bill 775prohibits teachers from providing explicit sexual materials to students. While all libraries have written policy explanations, not all of them have websites, Bowman explained. Missouri Senate passes $50 billion budget without anti-DEI - STLPR The Senate Appropriations Committee made those changes as well as others to the House-approved budget on Wednesday. In addition to adding the library funding, the Senate also removed anti-DEI language the House had added to every budget bill. Rep. Doug Richey (R-Excelsior Springs) put an amendment on every department's budget preventing any state money from being spent on diversity initiatives. Senate Appropriations Chair Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, spoke on that issue Wednesday. By, Afternoon Headlines from the Kansas News Service for Friday June 30, The economic ripple effects of the Supreme Courts big decisions, A pulse check of inflation across the globe, New rules for religious accommodation at work. Where does this end?' The cuts could hurt rural libraries more, if they remain, Durham said. " The kids cackle and quack back. Something that didnt make the budget was language prohibiting state spending on expenditures related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The House budget also sought to defund Diversity, Equity and Inclusion funding in government. Panel chairman: Senate to restore library funding Senators added $4.5 million for public library funding back into the state budget during a committee meeting Wednesday. Senate Bill 75 seeks to modify provisions relating to public school retirement systems, . State Funding For Public Libraries - Missouri Secretary of State MEG CUNNINGHAM is The Beacons Missouri Statehouse reporter. Republicans in the Missouri State House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to strip all public libraries of their funding a week after lawmakers debated the budget proposal that Governor Mike. The budget returned to the House, where the body on Wednesday refused to pass the Senates versions of the bills and requested conference committees to reach a compromise between the chambers. As president of the Missouri Library Association, she's currently in a bit of a panic over strict new rules that go into effect May 30 and could deny state funding to libraries over books deemed inappropriate for young readers. "We just need to stand up and speak out at board meetings to make sure we know who we're electing to the board seats, and where elected officials stand on supporting civil liberties, the First Amendment, the right to read and holding them to it.". "And if they're upset with how the government is spending their money, that's the recourse of the electorate.". By, St. Louis aldermen pass $1.32 billion budget, give initial OK to tenants rights bill, Parson signs Missouri budget that includes funding for I-70 expansion, teacher salaries, St. Louis Public Radios news, programming and marketing employees vote to unionize, Midwesterners celebrated Pride Month amid heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, new laws, Missouri budget agreement includes $2.8 billion to expand I-70 across the state, House Democrats say appointees for budget conference committees break precedent, Missouri Senate committee restores library funding in state budget, strips anti-DEI language, I-70 widening moves forward in House, Senate wants to expand it to include the whole road. 2023 KRPS | Four States Public Radio PO Box 899 Pittsburg, KS 66762 (620) 235-4288 KRPS is a broadcast service of Pittsburg State University, St. Louis Public Radio | Missouri legislature passes a $49 billion state budget, with full In addition to adding the library funding, the Senate also removed anti-DEI language the House had added to every budget bill. I don't think it's too much to ask to say, Hey this wokeness should not be in state government, and that's what this amendment does, Hoskins said. The decibel level is climbing as some 20 preschoolers sprawl out on an alphabet-pattern carpet for story hour. Equalization payments to be distributed in FY2023 amounted to $730,523.23 and will be distributed to 59 county libraries. Im going to help these churches get funding. Theyre getting their primary income from their property tax and theyre not bringing in as much property tax, Bowman said. Under the new rule, public libraries will lose state funding, which ranges from 1% to 20% of their budget, if they violate the rules. The fact that we did put the state aid in the final budget, I think was a great thing and it was the right thing to do, Patterson said. Here's what to know, Missouri Republicans proposed defunding public libraries. Once the Senate passes the budget, it goes back to the House, where compromise bills between the chambers are expected. Senate Appropriations Chair Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, thinks this is a six- or seven-year project. Whether by carrot or stick, Illinois state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, a Democrat who sponsored the bill there, says "taxpayer dollars should not be supporting [those who are] caving to the mob" and banning books. While the budget does include raises for care providers, including those who aid people with disabilities, many Democrats expressed disappointment the raises werent higher. The libraries regular Americans recall are gone. KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and powerful storytelling. I think its a small dollar amount, Hough, a Springfield Republican, said during an interview on This Week in Missouri Politics. I think it was kind of a punitive cut that the House made and I believe well be putting it back in.. The rule will require libraries to document the policies they use to add books to their library and ways they ensure those materials are age-appropriate. Library professionals across Missouri have spent months pushing back against actions being taken in Jefferson City. If you can, we hope youll help keep our journalism free for all readers by becoming a monthly member of The Beacon. Bowman said state funds make up about 1% of Daniel Boone Regional Library's budget, which includes the Columbia Public Library. 'St. Smith cited a lawsuit filed to overturn a state law that banned some books from library shelves as the reason for the cut. A total of 160 library districts have been certified and qualify for state aid per capita payment this year at a $0.707 per capita payment rate, with a $500,000 cap, for a total of $3,773,477.77 total payments. Speaking after its passage, Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, praised the budget. . The most efficient and effective way to eradicate the influence of DEI is to prohibit its funding, Richey said in the letter. Once it goes into effect at the end of May, the rule, 15 CSR 30-200.015 Library Certification Requirement for the Protection of Minors, will allow parents or guardians of a minor to challenge materials or events at a public library. The original proposed rule has little variation from the final, approved version. So I was disappointed that we didn't fairly compensate them, Arthur said. Missouri lawmakers pass nearly $49 billion operating budget - STLPR For any other uses, seek permission. While the Senate was able to get its version of the budget through, most of the debate was spent over two amendments that sought to insert anti-diversity, equity and inclusion language. She said for rural libraries, losing state funding could mean more service cuts and closures. Library hours also will likely have to be cut, she says, which would limit internet access for many people who don't have it at home. The Missouri House of Representatives has removed state funding for public libraries from its budget plan. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio. And in Arkansas, The Craighead County Library System saw its local funding cut in half after complaints about books and an LGBTQ exhibit. The state budget passed by lawmakers appropriates important funding for the state's agencies and departments. As usual, it gets the kids' attention and the gaggle settles down so Bowman can begin story hour. Yet, even as a Senate committee moved to restore all $4.5 million in funding for the state's 160 local public libraries, librarians like Joe Kohlburn, of the Missouri Library Association, say . She said on the House floor on Tuesday she believes Republicans had their feelings hurt regarding the lawsuit. 28, 2023 at 10:35 PM CDT. Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, supported the amendment and pushed back against the idea that the budget is not the place for this language. Having adults listen to them is important, especially for rural LGBTQ-plus teens who don't have support at home, she said. And kept out of the budget was House language that prohibited expenditures on diversity, equity and inclusion. Sarah Kellogg has been the Missouri Statehouse and politics reporter for St. Louis Public Radio since 2021. Feel free, however, to publish it on a page surrounded by ads youve already sold. Also kept in the Senate version of the budget was $4.5 million in state funding for libraries that the House initially removed. However, Hoskins amendment did not apply to vendors and businesses, and instead said that no funds shall be expended for intra-departmental Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, or Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging training, programs, staffing, hiring, or to other similar programs. Included in one of those bills is nearly $55 million for an expanded pre-kindergarten program. Copyright 2023 St. Louis Public Radio. removed state funding for public libraries, lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Missouri Library Association, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. DOCX Senate Minute Script Updated at 7:20 p.m. May 5 with more information on the budget and comments from lawmakers. If you have any questions about state aid payments for Missouri public libraries, contact Kayla Collins at (573) 522-4036. The committee also passed the operating budget bills, meaning they now go to the full Senate for debate. "The citizens have the final say. She said on the House floor on Tuesday she believes Republicans had their feelings hurt regarding the lawsuit. Those four bills passed the Senate Friday afternoon. 6 weather alerts in effect. Quack!' The Senate version of the budget outspends the House in almost every department, though the funding amounts could change during the joint committee discussion. I don't think it's too much to ask to say, Hey this wokeness should not be in state government and that's what this amendment does, Hoskins said. The Senate version of the budget outspends the House in almost every department, though the funding amounts could change during the joint committee discussion. By, Pasture and hay are low in much of the Midwest leading to tough decisions for farmers, Peak electricity rates will nearly quadruple under default Evergy electricity plans in Missouri, Supreme Court decision on student debt forgiveness leaves Midwest students disappointed and worried, Kansas Citys newest brewery isnt just the first in Missouri owned by African Americans, it's 'sacred soil', Missouri librarian calls on libraries to make a stand against state censorship and budget cuts, Missouri library funding gets restored in Senate committee's latest state budget proposal, I-70 widening plan moves forward, but some Missouri lawmakers wants whole highway to be 6 lanes, Missouri agencies say a ban on diversity initiatives in the budget would disrupt their operations. Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. Missouri State Library Funding Sources - Missouri Secretary of State Copyright 2023 NPR. And while one immediate funding threat has eased, librarians are still working to inform Missourians about a political landscape that has become newly hostile. She's on the bargaining team for the library union, DBRL Workers United. So they really rely on that state aid to help make ends meet. The committee also passed the operating budget bills, meaning they now go to the full Senate for debate. This is something the library administration and its union agree upon, she said. When funding was on the ballot there, only 20% of voters showed up at the polls and the funding cut passed by just 48 votes. Missouri libraries dodge GOP funding strike for now His office did not respond to multiple requests for comment. "The citizens thought some material was too sexually explicit to be in the children's section or even in the young adult section-- and the library board disagreed and kept the material where it was," says Arkansas state Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Republican who represents that area and supported the local cuts. (File photo) Library professionals across Missouri have spent months pushing back against actions being taken in Jefferson City. "In Chicago, they say, 'If they bring a knife, you bring a gun.' However, that money was removed by House Budget Chair Cody Smith, R-Carthage. Missouri is one of a growing number of places where government funding is being deployed as the newest weapon in the fight over books. They're not doing what they said they're doing.' Published: Jun. JEFFERSON CITY Members of the Missouri Senate put their final stamp of approval on a series of bills that make up the state's operating budget for the 2023 fiscal year. Merideth said he did support those raises, he just wished that 20% would have gone to other places in the budget too. It also includes $29.4 million to provide a baseline teacher salary of $38,000. That budget has $2.8 billion to widen Interstate 70 to a minimum of three lanes in each direction. "It's not clear-cut at all how in the world this is going to work, and there's so much that could go wrong.". Also approved Friday was $55 million toward expanded pre-kindergarten. By, Pasture and hay are low in much of the Midwest leading to tough decisions for farmers, Peak electricity rates will nearly quadruple under default Evergy electricity plans in Missouri, Supreme Court decision on student debt forgiveness leaves Midwest students disappointed and worried, Kansas Citys newest brewery isnt just the first in Missouri owned by African Americans, it's 'sacred soil', The Missouri Legislature has taken up a lot of bills affecting education. Missouri Republicans Vote To Defund Public Libraries | HuffPost Latest News "That's why we vote," he says. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. That would hurt rural communities most, Missouri House gives initial approval to $45.6 billion state budget that defunds libraries, I-70 widening plan moves forward, but some Missouri lawmakers wants whole highway to be 6 lanes. The state is giving them a grace period of a few months to figure it out. Copyright 2023 St. Louis Public Radio. The budget also has $29.4 million to provide a baseline teacher salary of $38,000. On teacher pay, the Senate added $7.6 million to pay for the 30% match requirement schools needed to contribute to raise baseline teacher pay to $38,000. I'm relieved that they didn't go down the path of insanity for the 100th time this session, Rizzo said. In a move that seemed to anticipate these kinds of bills, the University of Missouri removed diversity, equity and inclusion statementsfrom its hiring process last month. St. Louis Public Radio | This year, the legislature adopted an additional $7.6 million to eliminate the need for a local match. I would disagree that this is an inappropriate use of a budget bill, when we're clarifying how this particular pot of money, in this case state employees, can be used, Eigel said. The rule will require procedures intended to allow parents of minors to challenge events or materials that are not deemed age-appropriate. KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and powerful storytelling. Also, all events at the library including story hours must be labeled with "age-appropriate designations" in all their promotions. When the Senate Appropriations Committee restored the funding, no one spoke on the decision. Bowman has been scrambling with attorneys to figure out what exactly libraries need to do to comply, for example, with the new requirements for parental approval. State Funding: State funded grants, subject to appropriation, include State Aid, Equalization and Athletes and Entertainers Tax. After the vote on Hoskins amendment, the Senate worked through the budget and finished after 3 a.m. Wednesday. Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org. Press Releases. But Ashcroft insists that tying library funding to book selection is not banning books. And I want to make sure that we have the necessary investments put in place to make that thing go as well as it can.. by Meg Cunningham, The Beacon April 21, 2023, This article first appeared on The Beacon and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
. The statistics show that DEI is necessary because we still are in a community and in a state and in an America, where the color of your skin and the sex of your body determines where you can live, where you can work and how much money you can make, Washington said. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9. For the Kansas City area, $50 million was allocated to go toward stadium improvements for the World Cup. You can publish our photos and graphics only with the stories with which they originally appeared. Over that time, his office received over 20,000 public comments about the proposal. If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Short title. Once the Senate passes the budget, it goes back to the House, where compromise bills between the chambers are expected. "And my question would be, 'Where does that end? While the budget does include raises for care providers, including those who aid people with disabilities, many Democrats expressed disappointment the raises werent higher. Pasture and hay are low in much of the Midwest leading to tough decisions for farmers, Peak electricity rates will nearly quadruple under default Evergy electricity plans in Missouri, Supreme Court decision on student debt forgiveness leaves Midwest students disappointed and worried, Kansas Citys newest brewery isnt just the first in Missouri owned by African Americans, it's 'sacred soil', ACLU sues Missouri over book ban law that pushed school libraries to remove hundreds of titles, Missouri librarian calls on libraries to make a stand against state censorship and budget cuts, Missouri Senate approves a $50 billion state budget with library funding added back in, The Missouri Legislature has taken up a lot of bills affecting education.
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