Missouri parents have a right to play a central role in their kids’ education. A critical piece of legislation that would help to guarantee that right advanced out of committee last week. HJR 110, the Missouri Parents’ Bill of Rights (MPBR), was passed out of the House Rules Committee last Thursday, meaning its next stop is the Missouri House for debate and a vote. Among other things, the resolution would require curriculum transparency and impose meaningful grading of schools and districts so parents can see how their schools and districts stack up to their peers.
One notable thing about this MPBR legislation is that it’s being advanced as a “resolution” rather than just a “bill.” What makes a House Joint Resolution (HJR) different than a bill is that in contrast to a bill that would change state law and requires a governor’s signature, a joint resolution—if agreed to with the Senate —does not require a signature by the governor and is instead sent to the public. If approved by the public, the joint resolution’s language is then added to the state constitution. If approved by the House and Senate, a vote on the MPBR would happen either this summer or fall.
Although HJR 110 has advanced to debate in the House, when that debate will happen remains to be seen. It may get its vote in the next week, or it may get its vote in the next month; House leadership will determine the timeline from here. But given the friction in the Senate, I hope this resolution gets out of the House fairly quickly to provide some breathing room for a vote before the end of the session, should the Senate continue its slow grind. We’ll keep you posted.
