Legislation that would provide scholarship assistance to students performing poorly in public schools so they could attend other schools such as Catholic schools continues to await debate by the Missouri House of Representatives as this Good News goes to print.

HB 1783, sponsored by Rep. Carl Bearden (R-St. Charles), targets its scholarship help to students attending public schools in the districts of the City of St. Louis, Wellston and Kansas City. None of these districts is fully accredited by the state of Missouri and student test scores lag far behind the scores of students in other districts.

Lawmakers have received a large volume of contacts in support of HB 1783. The Missouri Catholic Conference activated its Citizen Network, providing an MCC Quickfacts and Viewpoint as well as several action alerts. All of this information can be found on the MCC’s web-site at www.mocatholic.org. There have been favorable op-ed pieces in newspapers and television ads run on behalf of HB 1783.

But public school groups have mounted an intense campaign opposing the bill. Some lawmakers who do not represent the three affected school districts would rather not vote on HB 1783 with an election coming up in November. These lawmakers don’t see how the bill benefits their district and want to avoid political heat for supporting it.

Consequently, the MCC is stressing with lawmakers that HB 1783 would benefit the entire state. All Missouri taxpayers foot the bill for the education provided in the City of St. Louis, Wellston and Kansas City. Yet dropout statistics and statewide test scores document the continued poor student performance in these districts. The MCC has never claimed that HB 1783 is the complete answer to the current urban education crisis, but the MCC does say that empowering parents with more school options is a step in the right direction.

HB 1783 is supported by a variety of individuals and organizations interested in improving educational opportunities for Missouri’s urban poor, including Mayor Francis Slay of St. Louis, the St. Louis Regional Commerceand Growth Association, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, Rev. Daniel Herbster of the Tri-City Christian Schools, and the Missouri Catholic Conference.

DNA Restitution Bills Moving Through Legislature

Two bills that would correct a loophole in current law to allow for restitution payments to individuals exonerated through DNA evidence have been steadily moving through the General Assembly. SB 1023 sponsored by Sen. Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood) passed the Senate on April 12 and is pending in the House. A similar bill, HB 1322, sponsored by Rep. Scott Lipke (R- Jackson) has passed the House and is pending in the Senate.

Under these bills individuals who were exonerated by DNA evidence before the current DNA law was passed in 2004 would be eligible for restitution payments. According to state records three individuals were freed because of new found DNA evidence prior to 2004.

Other provisions in SB 1023 would create a more stable funding source for restitution payments. When the bill was originally passed two years ago restitution payments and the cost of required DNA testing for convicted offenders would be paid from a fund established through court fees. However, because of the high number of individuals that were required to take DNA tests there was no money available for restitution payments.

According to the bill the Department of Corrections would determine the amount of money owed in restitution payments and the funds could be appropriated through general revenue. (Missouri has set a rate of $50 a day for each day of post-conviction incarceration.) Persons entitled to restitution would receive $36,500 a year until the amount owed has been paid.

The MCC has testified in support of both of these bills. It is only fair that all individuals exonerated by DNA should receive compensation regardless of the date of their release.

Evidence shows that many exonerated individuals suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome and once released from incarceration do not have a plan or program to help them re-enter mainstream society.