Two education budget bills, identical in form to those vetoed by Governor Holden last week, have been approved by the Missouri House. Approval came quickly as Republican leaders used parliamentary maneuvers to by-pass the committee process and cut off all debate, compressing a process that normally takes three days down to about one hour. A House Budget Committee meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, but enough Republicans signed a discharge petition to remove the budget bills funding public schools, colleges and universities from the committee in order to bring them straight to the floor for debate. But there was no debate. Majority Floor Leader Jason Crowell (R-Cape Girardeau) moved for the previous question each time after House Budget Committee Chairman Carl Bearden (R-St. Charles) introduced the “new” bills, which are identical in content to the two budget bills Governor Holden found objectionable last week.Representative Chuck Graham (D-Columbia) criticized the decision to not hold a committee meeting on the bills, saying that effectively cut the public out of the process. Other Democrats complained about being shut out of the process by the majority Republicans. Bearden rejected the claim during a speech on the House floor, stating the budget debate has been on-going in committee and on the floor since the end of the regular session last month. Republicans have refused to consider Governor Holden’s request for a 90-day emergency appropriation for public schools, colleges and universities so the legisalture can return in September to reconsider requests to increase revenue. The bills now go to the Senate which is expected to also approve versions without revision. The move by the legislature will force Governor Holden to decide whether to sign the bills or face possible litigation when the new fiscal year begins Tuesday.
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