JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri House of Representatives gave approval to a bill that would allow community colleges to grants bachelor degrees, thus giving institutions greater flexibility to offer degrees that meet the needs of their local communities.
It was one of four bills the House sent to the Senate on Thursday. The other legislation was on commercial insurance markets, corporate governance on insurance, and interpleading in civil proceedings.
House Bill 1465 — sponsored by Rep. Steve Cookson, R- Poplar Bluff — passed in a 133-8 vote. The legislation was signed off on by all 22 colleges in Missouri.
Under the legislation, community colleges, along with the West Plains Campus of Missouri State University and the State Technical College of Missouri, will be able to grant baccalaureate degrees if authorized by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. The University of Missouri is the only state college to offer doctor of philosophy degrees or first professional degrees.
A point of contention during perfection of the bill was the portion that no other school may seek the research designation currently held by the University of Missouri.
The bill was called “good legislation” and “everyone got something” out of the bill.
The other three bills third read and passed all related to insurance.
HB 1287 — sponsored by Rep. Kevin Engler, R- Farmington — specifies that commercial insurers are exempt from filing rates and policy forms with respect to certain lines of commercial insurance. It was passed 138-7.
HB 1381 — sponsored by Rep. Noel Shull, R- Kansas City — establishes procedures relating to financial accreditation standards for insurance companies and an insurance group’s corporate governance. It passed 120-23.
HB 1531 — sponsored by Rep. Bruce DeGroot, R- Chesterfield — modifies provisions relating to interpleading in civil proceedings. It was the most debated and controversial bill passed, in a 99-45 vote, on Thursday.
House’s Special Committee on Litigation Reform hears DeGroot’s interpleading bill
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
