SB 135 -- MISSOURI HIGHER EDUCATION LOAN AUTHORITY

SPONSOR:  Nodler (Kingery)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Higher
Education by a vote of 5 to 2.

Currently, the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA)
is authorized to administer loans for college-level courses,
including loans to high school students taking these courses.
This bill adds elementary and middle school-level work, including
remediation, developmental work, and test preparation to its
authority.  The bill also removes a provision that restricts
loans to parents and guardians of postsecondary students and
authorizes MOHELA to create, invest in, contribute to, or acquire
financial aid programs or research that improves student access
to or completion of higher education.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2008, FY 2009, and
FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that since middle school students
need to begin preparing for college, extending the authority of
MOHELA to administer loans for younger students is a way of
providing more access to higher education.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Kingery; Quentin
Wilson, Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority; and Thomas
Ousley, Infinite Scholars Program.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that the subsection
that authorizes MOHELA to invest in research is so broadly
written that it could be interpreted as permitting stem cell
research.

Testifying against the bill was Missouri Right to Life.

OTHERS:  Others testifying on the bill say rules of statutory
construction will not support a broad reading of the research-
authorization subsection.

Testifying on the bill was David Klarich, Missouri Higher
Education Loan Authority.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:21 am