HB 1678 -- INTERSTATE COMPACT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR
MILITARY CHILDREN

SPONSOR:  Day

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Veterans by a vote of 11 to 0.

This bill authorizes Missouri to enter into the Interstate
Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and
establishes the Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity
for Military Children.  The compact becomes effective upon its
adoption by 10 states.  Military children include the
kindergarten through twelfth-grade children of active duty
members of the armed services including the National Guard and
the reserve, as well as the children of members who die while on
active duty, retire, or are medically discharged for a period of
one year afterward.  The compact covers issues including
facilitation of enrollment, both in classes and extracurricular
activities; placement; graduation; and information-sharing.  The
commission is made up of one voting member from each
participating state.  The duties of the commission include
dispute resolution between member states, enforcing the rules of
the commission, and providing training and other administrative
functions.  The bill contains provisions for the formation of the
commission's executive committee and other aspects such as its
budget, liability, and legal status.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Effect on General Revenue Fund of an
income of $0 or a cost of Less than $251,009 in FY 2009, an
income of $0 or a cost of Less than $284,364 in FY 2010, and an
income of $0 or a cost of Less than $289,894 in FY 2011.  No
impact on Other State Funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will establish an
agreement between the states without the involvement of the
federal government.  Currently, students who are military
dependents meet many obstacles trying to complete their
elementary and secondary education requirements because of
varying state requirements.  By entering into this compact, it
will create a level playing field for students of military
families by not penalizing or delaying them from obtaining their
educational goals with inflexible administrative and bureaucratic
policies.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Day and Pearce;
Martin Dempsey, United States Department of Defense; and Dewey
Riehn, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, Missouri
Department.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:10 pm