Governor Signs Higher Education Board Bill Handled by Senator David Pearce
JEFFERSON CITY — This week, a bill ushered through the Senate by State Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, was signed into law by the governor. House Bill 174 makes changes to several of the state’s higher education governing boards.
Currently, three of Missouri’s higher education boards, the Coordinating Board of Higher Education; the University of Missouri Board of Curators; and the Missouri State University Board of Governors, have nine voting members a piece. On these boards, no more that one appointee may be from the same U.S. congressional district. With Missouri losing a congressional seat, new language had to be created to define the organization of these boards.
“It might seem a small enough item to the general public, but in order to make certain that the entire state is represented fairly, there had to be new definitions put into place,” said Sen. Pearce. “By signing this bill, higher education is in front of any conflicts that might arise in appointing new board members, and by streamlining this process, we ensure there will be more time spent making decisions for the betterment of higher education.”
In addition, HB 174 allows for the at least one member, and no more than two members, be appointed from each congressional district. With this bill, every district get a representative, and only one district will have an extra appointee.
Having been signed by the governor, HB 174 will go into effect August 28, 2011. All appointees currently serving will complete his or her term as appointed.
Senator Pearce serves as chair of both the Senate Education Committee and the Joint Committee on Education.
