If
you care about the arts, arts education
and the quality of life in Missouri, we
urge you to make your voice heard.
The arts sharpen
the state's competitive edge, fuel creativity
and innovation, and are a sound investment
in the economy
and a vital part of Missouri's future.
Take action now
to urge Missouri lawmakers to support a
sensible budget solution to appropriate
important funding for the
arts and arts education
programs.
CONTACT
YOUR LAWMAKERS
Missouri
State House of Representatives
Missouri
State Senate
Who
Are My Legislators?
Nonprofit
Arts Generate $1.1 Billion
in Direct Economic Impact in Missouri
Arts
Education Study Report
National
Assembly of State Arts Agencies FY2011 Legislative
Appropriations Preview
The
Department of Economic Development Creative
Studies Report
MCA End of Session Report May 19,
2010
Nearly 1,800 bills and resolutions were
introduced during the 2010 legislative session,
by the 95th General Assembly. Only 32 Senate
bills and 74 House bills were Truly Agreed
to and Finally passed and sent to the Governor
for his signature. Many legislators fault
the tight fiscal crisis for passing the
fewest number of bills since 2000.
Several priorities discussed early in the
session by Republican Leadership were among
the legislation passed including: ethics
reform, insurance coverage for autism, stronger
regulations for adult businesses, expanded
informed consent requirements for abortion,
the Health Care Freedom Act, changes to
some of the state's college scholarship
programs and tougher DWI laws.
BUDGET
Missouri Arts Council
This session for Missouri Citizens for
the Arts was one of fighting for survival
throughout the budget process. Due to falling
revenues, the legislature was forced to
cut $500 million from the proposed state
budget for Fiscal Year 2011. This is on
top of Governor Nixon's drastic withholds
for the current fiscal year.
The Governor and the House of Representatives
recommended an appropriation of $3 million
from the non-resident athletes and entertainers
tax to go to the Missouri Arts Council Trust
Fund. They also recommended $500,000 for
each of the other four Cultural Partners:
Missouri State Library Networking Fund,
Missouri Humanities Council, Missouri Public
Broadcasting Corporation Special Fund, and
the Missouri Historic Preservation Revolving
Fund.
However, when the Senate Appropriations
Committee was forced to cut the additional
$500 million, nothing was sacred. The committee
cut everyone to zero. That forced the issues
into Conference Committee.
During Conference, the Chairman of the
Senate Committee - Senator Rob Mayer, asked
the Governor's budget person how much funding
was in the Cultural Trust Fund. When she
replied that there is nearly $17 million
in the fund, the Conference Committee voted
to zero out any new General Revenue.
The Committee did approve full requested
spending authority for MAC of $9,950,000,
which can be used to meet program requests
for July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011.
A minimum of $3 million transferred to
the MAC Trust Fund from the non-resident
athletes and entertainers tax is required
annually in order to fulfill the contract
amendments between Capital Incentive Program
participants and the MAC Trust Board, which
triggers a 5% payout, based on the $12 million
matching set aside amount in the Trust,
totaling a payout of $600,000 annually to
the 26 CIP participants. Unfortunately,
this contract will not be met this year.
Fortunately, Senate Bill 1000, which would
sweep numerous state funds, died in the
Senate Committee. This would be tragic to
have zero new general revenue appropriated
and zero funds in the Cultural Trust Fund
which we have to rely on for grants.
Missouri Fine Arts Academy
It was another tough year for the Academy
line item. The Governor, the Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education, and
the House and Senate all zeroed out the
line item for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy
(and the Missouri Scholars Academy). Last
year, the academies were cut from $720,000
to $259,000. This year, as stated before,
nothing was sacred.
OTHER LEGISLATION
Show-Me Fine Arts Initiative
Missouri Citizens for the Arts has been
working closely with the Missouri Alliance
for Arts Education (MAAE), to support passage
of Senate Bill 734, sponsored by Senator
David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and House Bill
1274, sponsored by Rep. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield.
The Division of School Improvement within
the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education may ensure that each Regional
Professional Development Center (RPDC) provide
professional development educational assistance
for fine arts.
Currently, fine arts teachers are experiencing
fewer opportunities for professional development
in their specialty area. There are also
very few opportunities for the arts to be
integrated into the school curriculum.
SB734 and HB1274, would have provided a
fine arts education consultant in each RPDC
across the state "to strengthen fine
arts programs and to assist schools in implementing
arts integration lessons and strategies
in non-arts classes in Missouri public schools".
The legislation made it through the Senate
and through the House Committee for Education.
Unfortunately, SB734 didn't make it through
the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, May
11, to go to the House floor for final debate.
The session ended at 6:00 p.m. on Friday,
May 14, 2010.
Senator Pearce amended the language on
to the omnibus education bill (HB1543) when
it went to Senate Education Committee; however,
was forced to take the language out of the
bill to get it passed in the Senate.
Tax Credit Reform
House Republicans refused to consider reforming
the state tax credit programs. The Governor
and six members of the Senate were pushing
for restrictions on state tax credits and
incentives, wanting them to go through the
state appropriations process. The state
has more than 60 tax credits that have grown
to more than $600 million annually.
Ethics Reform
In the final days of session, a compromise
was reached to pass a much weaker version
of ethics reform. Senate Bill 844, sponsored
by Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields,
allows the Missouri Ethics Commission to
investigate ethics violations without an
outside complaint being filed and makes
it a crime to obstruct an ethics investigation.
It also requires contributions of more than
$500 to incumbent officials and their challengers
during legislative session be electronically
reported within 48 hours; makes clear that
no statewide elected official or lawmaker
may offer employment where compensation
is above actual expenses to another statewide
elected official or lawmaker in exchange
for his or her official vote; and limits
the transferring of contributions among
most committees. It does not include campaign
donation caps.
A provision failed that would have prohibited
advocates from speaking to any legislator,
other than their own state representative
and state senator, without registering as
a lobbyist with the State Ethics Commission.
There were many issues that could not be
ironed out in the last hours of the session
including a jobs bill or tax credit reform
and several moneysaving bills needed to
help with Missouri's budget and the lack
of revenues, which will guarantee the need
for more withholdings and spending cuts
from the Governor. Among those money savings
bills was changing the states employees
retirement system; eliminating two state
holidays, Lincoln's birthday (Feb. 12) and
Truman's birthday (May 7); and cut backs
on overtime pay at 24-hour state institutions.
Proposals that would have allowed a "no-excuses
needed" early voting period and requirement
for a government-issued photo ID to vote,
along with legislation to make it illegal
for drivers of all ages to send text messages
while driving all failed to pass the legislature
this year.
Thanks to all who made calls and
wrote letters and visited the Capitol to
advocate on behalf of the Arts.
April 22, 2010 Legislative Report
The House and Senate Conference Committee
discussed the differences between the two
chambers on the funding for the Missouri
Arts Council. The House recommended $3 million,
the Senate zero. The vote was for Senate
- zero.
The Senate Chairman announced the Missouri
Arts Council could use their spending authority
to draw money from the Missouri Cultural
Trust Fund, in order to support arts programs
for FY2011. He also asked Governor Nixon's
Director of Budget & Planning what the
Governor's current position was, and she
stated "that as much as the Governor
supported the arts, they would have to rely
on the Trust for funding next year."
Rep. Rachel Bringer spoke up in favor of
the arts and how important that funding
is to Hannibal, Missouri, and the state.
Senator Joan Bray asked how much was in
MAC's spending authority (which is nearly
$10 million).
Then the committee took the Senate position
and cut the budget to zero. They cut all
Cultural Partners to zero as well. Unfortunately,
Public Broadcasting, Historic Preservation
and Libraries do not have a fund to fall
back on.
MCA is still fighting to preserve all funds
in the Cultural Trust Fund which could still
be swept at any time, but at least time
is on our side right now. Session adjourns
May 14.
Thank you to all who made calls and sent
letters. Kyna Iman, MCA's Governmental Consultant,
spoke with Chairman Mayer and Senator Schaefer
following the vote, and they really hated
to have to make the cut, but need the money
to reach the $500 million cut overall. They
committed to help restore the funding in
better financial times.
Governor Nixon announced another $43 million
of withholdings for the remainder of THIS
fiscal year. We were not on that list.
April 20, 2010 Legislative Report
Conference Committee will begin on Thursday,
April 22nd at 8:30 a.m.
Conference Committee members were announced
this afternoon. They are: Senators Mayer,
Schaeffer, Rupp, Bray and Green and Representatives
Icet, Stream, Silvey, Komo and Bringer.
Please contact these elected
officials to ask for their support of funding
for the Missouri Arts Council and our Cultural
Partners!
Sen. Rob Mayer
573-751-3859
Rob.Mayer@senate.mo.gov
Sen. Kurt Schaefer
573-751-3931
Kurt.Schaefer@senate.mo.gov
Sen. Scott Rupp
573-751-1282
Scott.Rupp@senate.mo.gov
Sen. Joan Bray
573-751-2514
JBray@senate.mo.gov
Sen. Tim Green
573-751-2420
timothy_green@senate.mo.gov
Rep. Allen Icet
573-751-1247
Allen.Icet@house.mo.gov
Rep. Rick Stream
573-751-4069
Rick.Stream@house.mo.gov
Rep. Ryan Silvey
573-751-5282
Ryan.Silvey@house.mo.gov
Rep. Sam Komo
573-751-6625
Sam.Komo@house.mo.gov
Rep. Rachel Bringer
573-751-9818
Rachel.Bringer@house.mo.gov
April 16, 2010 Legislative Report
MAC FUNDING
The Senate Appropriations Committee and
full Senate zeroed out the funding from
non-resident professional athletes and entertainers
to the Missouri Arts Council and the four
Cultural Partners:
· Missouri State Library Networking
Fund,
· Missouri Humanities Council,
· Missouri Public Broadcasting Corporation
Special Fund, and the
· Missouri Historic Preservation
Revolving Fund.
The House appropriated $3 million for MAC
and $500,000 for each of the partners.
This funding will now go to Conference
Committee to be agreed upon for FY2011.
Below, please find advocacy talking points
which further detail why MAC needs at least
$3 million in new money in order to honor
the Capital Incentive Program.
The House and the Senate did appropriate
over $9 million for spending authority to
allow MAC to meet grant obligations out
of the Cultural Trust Fund.
ACADEMY FUNDING
Senator Kurt Schaefer made an attempt to
restore the $259,000 to fund the Missouri
Scholars and the Missouri Fine Arts Academy
for FY2011. After much debate, the committee
voted against the funding. Commissioner
Chris NiCastro spoke against taking funding
from the MSIP accreditation standards line
item and School Improvement Training to
fund the Academies. Since the House and
the Senate are both at zero, there will
be no conference and no funding next year
for the Academies.
During full Senate debate on Wednesday,
the only amendment to HB2002, was to add
the $37 million for Career Ladder back in
to the bill. Senator Jason Crowell and Senator
Brad Lager were filibustering the bill until
Senator Mayer agreed to restore the funding.
The item will still have to go to conference
because the House funded Career Ladder out
of General Revenue and the Senate funded
it out of Federal Stimulus funds.
Because state revenues are more than 13
percent below last year's income at this
same time, the Senate's version of the budget
bills reduced Gov. Jay Nixon's January proposal
by about $500 million.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
All the budget bills now go to Conference
to work out the differences between the
House and the Senate. The conference committee
has not been appointed at this time but
it looks like the legislators who will be
on conference committee are:
House Budget Committee - Chairman Rep. Allen
Icet, R-Wildwood/St. Louis County, Vice-Chairman
Rep. Rick Stream, R-Kirkwood, Ranking Minority
Leader Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia and
two other members (one Republican/one Democrat)
Senate Appropriations Committee - Chairman
Senator Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, Vice Chairman
Senator Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, Ranking
Minority Member Senator Joan Bray, D-St.
Louis and two other members (one Republican/one
Democrat)
In these challenging times, MCA
needs your advocacy support NOW more than
ever to make sure that the arts remain in
the budget this session.
Below, please find a sample letter that
you can personalize to get you started:
Dear __________,
In conference committee, please support
funding for the Missouri Arts Council in
House Bill 2007.
Funding for MAC has allowed _______
organization_________ the opportunity to
do XXXXXXX in your community.
(Explain program and where you have
spent the funding, or how you utilized the
CIP funding for your endowment, etc.)
Please appropriate $3 million for the
Missouri Cultural Trust Fund for FY2011
to sustain our programs.
Respectfully,
YOUR NAME
ADVOCACY TALKING POINTS
· A minimum of $3 million transferred
to the MAC Trust Fund from the state's revenue
from the Athletes' and Entertainers' Income
Tax is required annually in order to fulfill
the contract amendments between Capital
Incentive Program participants and the MAC
Trust Board, which triggers a 5% pay out,
based on the $12 million matching set aside
amount in the Trust, totaling a payout of
$600,000 to the 26 CIP participants.
· The Missouri Department of Revenue's
collection of income tax from Non-resident
Professional Athletes and Entertainers for
FY2009 totaled $29.5 million. Collections
for FY2010, through March 31, 2010, amount
to $24.6 million. By statute (RSMo143.183)
"60% of the annual estimate of taxes
generated from the nonresident entertainer
and professional athletic team income tax
shall be allocated annually to the Missouri
arts council trust fund, and shall be transferred
from the general revenue fund to the Missouri
arts council trust fund...".
· In FY2009 the Missouri Arts Council
awarded $10.2 million to 596 organizations
in 132 Missouri communities. MAC's funding
was provided to every Missouri Senate district
and 79% of the House districts. MAC grantees
(nonprofit arts and cultural organizations)
produced over 11,900 arts events attended
by 7.3 million people. MAC grantees provided
6,404 full and part-time jobs and hired
over 47,900 artists. MAC grantees paid $121
million in salaries, which generated about
$3.6 million in state tax revenues. MAC
grantees generated $154 million in revenue.
· The Nonprofit Arts Industry in
Missouri generates $1.1 billion in statewide
economic activity. This spending -- $510.2
million by nonprofit organizations and an
additional $562.5 million in event-related
spending by their audiences - supports 14,893
full-time equivalent jobs, generates $742.9
million in household income to local residents,
and delivers $110.6 million in local and
state government revenue. (Information from
a survey produced by Americans for the Arts.
See full report online at https://www.missouriartscouncil.org/page.a
spx?NavID=2)
· Arts Education makes a difference
in Missouri schools. Nearly all students
in MO public schools have opportunities
to participate in fine arts education. The
level of student participation in fine arts
classes is significantly related to student
disciplinary rates. The higher the number
of fine arts courses and student enrollment
in these courses, the lower the rate of
infractions that require student removal
from the classroom. Attendance rates are
higher for districts with higher levels
of student enrollment in the arts. Higher
high school graduation rates correlate with
student participation in arts education,
as well as higher standardized test scores
in Math and Communication Arts. (Information
from a study provided by the Missouri Alliance
for Arts Education. See full report online
at http://www.moaae.org/Study-of-State-
Arts-Education/text/Arts-Education-Makes-A-Difference-
In-Missouri-Schools.pdf)
Conference Committee members (five from
the House and five from the Senate) will
be forwarded as they become available. They
will most likely be the Chairmen from both
the House and Senate Appropriations Committees,
the Vice Chairmen, and the ranking Minority
Members and others.
The conference committee will most likely
begin mark-up the week of April 19.
Capitol Switchboard is 573-751-2000.
April
6, 2010 Legislative Report
MAC
BUDGET
The Senate Appropriations Committee did
preliminary mark-up for the budget last
week. The Chairman Rob Mayer asked the line
item for the Missouri Arts Council and the
four Cultural Partners - public broadcasting,
humanities, historic preservation, and libraries
be cut to zero and closed for further debate.
This
appropriation will next be discussed on
the Senate floor by the entire Senate, probably
the week of April 12.
Unless funding is added on the Senate floor
by amendment, the Conference Committee will
be conferencing on $3 million funding for
MAC from the House and zero funding from
the Senate.
Below, please find an article published
in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch regarding
this news.
http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2010/04/senate-panel-swings-budget-ax-hits-arts-funding/
Please contact your Senator
to let them know how the state budget affects
your organization.
Capitol Switchboard is 573-751-2000.
ACADEMY BUDGET - ACTION NEEDED
NOW!
The Senate Appropriations Committee started
to cut the Missouri Fine Arts Academy to
zero, however, Senator Kurt Schaefer asked
to leave the line item open for further
discussion. The Committee will begin a second-round
of discussion on those items that were left
open on Tuesday, April 6, at 9:00 a.m.
The House cut the Academies to zero, so
we have to have money added to the Academy
line item to be able to conference on it.
Please contact Senators on the Senate Appropriations
Committee and urge their support for funding
for the MFAA for FY2011. Thank Senator Schaefer
for advocating for restored funding for
the academies.
A list of conference committee members
(five from the House and five from the Senate)
will be forwarded as they become available.
They will most likely be the Chairmen from
both Committees - Rep. Allen Icet &
Sen. Rob Mayer, the Vice Chairmen - Rep.
Rick Stream & Sen. Kurt Schaefer, the
ranking Minority members - Rep. Chris Kelly
or Rep. Sara Lampe and Senator Joan Bray.
The conferece committee will most likely
begin mark-up the week of April 19.
Senate
Appropriation Committee members are:
Rob Mayer, 25th, Chairman
Kurt Schaefer, 19th, Vice-Chairman
Tom Dempsey, 23rd
Jim Lembke, 1st
David Pearce, 31st
Chuck Purgason, 33rd
Scott Rupp, 2nd
Frank Barnitz, 16th
Joan Bray, 24th
Tim Green, 13th
Yvonne Wilson, 9th
Friday,
March 5, 2010 Legislative Report
ACADEMIES
ZEROED OUT!
The House Committee Substitute recommendations
proposed by the House Budget Chairman, yesterday,
deleted any funding for the Missouri Scholars
Academy and the Missouri Fine Arts Academy
for FY2011 (June, 2011).
The House Budget Committee will begin hearings
on the budget bills on Monday, March 15,
at 9:00 a.m.
Please contact members of the committee
below and urge their support for $259,000
for the Academies. Last year, when the academies
were cut from $720,000 to $259,000, legislators
challenged us to find other support - AND
WE DID - alumni support, corporate support
and University support. They cannot completely
eliminate the state support for these academies!!
Please contact your Representative
today!!
Members of the committee are:
Icet, Allen, Chair
Stream, Rick, Vice Chair
Bringer, Rachel L.
Bruns, Mark J.
Carter, Chris
Cunningham, Mike
Curls, Shalonn "KiKi"
Dethrow, Mike
Faith, Sally
Flanigan, Tom
Harris, Belinda
Hobbs, Steve
Hoskins, Denny
Hughes, Leonard S.
Kander, Jason
Kelly, Chris
Komo, Sam
Lampe, Sara
McClanahan, Rebecca Payne
Morris, James
Rucker, Martin T.
Sater, David
Schaaf, Robert
Scharnhorst, Dwight
Schlottach, Charles
Silvey, Ryan
Storch, Rachel
Thomson, Mike
Wasson, Jay
Capitol Switchboard is 573-751-2000.
Friday,
January 29, 2010 Legislative Report
MAC BUDGET
In FY2010, $10.185 million was appropriated
from non-resident athletes and entertainers
who work in Missouri to the Missouri Arts
Council Trust Fund. And though, we are barely
through half of the FY2010 fiscal year,
due to tough fiscal budgetary times, the
state has put spending restrictions on all
but $4.4 million of this amount.
Fortunately, for the arts grantees, the
Missouri Arts Council is able to honor their
FY2010 contracts, because funds will be
taken out of the Missouri Arts Council Trust
Fund to cover these statewide spending restrictions.
For FY2011 (which will begin July 1, 2010),
the Governor has recommended to the State
Legislature an appropriation of $3
million from the non-resident athletes
and entertainers tax to go to the Missouri
Arts Council Trust Fund. An appropriation
of $500,000 has been recommended for each
of our four Cultural Partners: Missouri
State Library Networking Fund, Missouri
Humanities Council, Missouri Public Broadcasting
Corporation Special Fund, and the Missouri
Historic Preservation Revolving Fund.
Kyna Iman testified this week on behalf
of funding for the Missouri Arts Council
before the House Appropriations Committee
for Economic Development. Iman discussed
the Governor’s recommendation with
the committee and asked the Appropriations
Committee to keep MAC’s core spending
authority to $9,750,000. This will
allow MAC to continue to draw necessary
funding from the Missouri Arts Council Trust
Fund for FY2011 grants.
The Governor also recommended a new decision
item for MAC for an increase of $200,000
in Federal spending authority to allow MAC
to accept any possible increases in Federal
Funds.
MISSOURI FINE ARTS ACADEMY
The Governor and the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education recommended core
funding for the Missouri Fine Arts Academy
(and the Missouri Scholars Academy), which
was cut last year from $720,000 to $259,000.
Julie Bloodworth, the Director of the MFAA
testified before the House Appropriations
Committee for Education and stressed the
need for more state funding. She did an
excellent job explaining how the Academies
have stepped up to the state’s challenge
to add more partners in funding the Academies,
ie. Alumni support, more University support
for room and board, corporate contributions,
etc. Bloodworth explained now is not the
time for the State to remove their support
for Missouri’s best and brightest
in the arts.
MISSOURI FINE ARTS CONSULTANT
The Missouri Alliance for Arts Education
(MAAE) has partnered with high school students
from Logan-Rogersville High School, Jefferson
City High School and other Show-Me schools
across the state to develop a bill to fund
fine arts education consultants in each
of 11 Regional Professional Development
Centers located across the state. The role
of the fine arts education consultants will
be to provide professional development services
to strengthen fine arts programs and to
assist schools in implementing arts integration
lessons and strategies in non-arts classes
in Missouri public schools.
Representative Bob Dixon, R-Springfield,
has filed House Bill 1274, and Senator David
Pearce, R-Warrensburg, has filed Senate
Bill 734, to push for a Fine Arts Consultant
in the RPDCs. The Senate Education Committee
held a hearing this week on SB734. Pearce
and MAAE Executive Director Deb Fisher,
and three fine arts students did an excellent
job explaining to the committee the need
for more arts instruction in curriculum
for our teachers. There was no vote taken
on the legislation.
ADVOCACY
As you can see, the arts are in this budgetary
fight with the rest of the state. Legislators
must hear from you and your members regarding
how you are best serving their constituents
with your arts grant. We are thankful that
Governor Nixon recommended the $3 million
instead of zero. However, our work is not
finished.
Please join Missouri Citizens for the Arts
in advocating for the FY2011 appropriation.
Please write you legislator and thank them
for last year’s appropriation. Stress
to them the need for continued support.
Explain how your MAC grant gives back to
your community.
Invite Legislators to your performances,
gallery openings, classroom, etc. And get
your picture with them to put in your newsletter,
showbill, website, or local newspaper to
show their support for the Arts (it’s
harder for them to vote against us after
you have published their picture in support!!)
Come to the Capitol on Wednesday, February
10, 2010 to show your support with other
statewide arts advocates for Missouri Citizens
for the Arts Citizens’ Day at the
Legislature.
October
29, 2009 Legislative Report
On
Wednesday, October 28, Missouri Gov. Jay
Nixon announced an additional $204 million
in spending cuts to the fiscal 2010 budget
in response to declining state revenue.
The cuts include 200 full-time jobs, 450
part-time jobs, $20 million for state building
maintenance and repair, $15.8 million for
K-12 school transportation, $13 million
for life science research grants, $11.2
million from a fund for retiree health care
benefits, $9 million for one-time and pilot
mental health projects, $8.8 million for
broadband Internet efforts and another $4.4
million from the Missouri Arts Council.
Already this year, the Nixon administration
had made $430 million in spending cuts to
the state's $23.7 billion budget.
Year-to-date net general revenue collections
have dropped 10 percent from last year,
to $1.7 billion from $1.9 billion.
Net general revenue collections for September
decreased 16 percent to $648.7 million,
down from $774.7 million in September 2008.
Missouri recently borrowed another $150
million from its budget reserve fund to
pay bills and the salaries of government
workers, mostly teachers.
That brings this year's total borrowing
to $325 million since the fiscal year started
July 1. The state's $510 million rainy day
fund has $170 million left to last until
June 30, 2010.
What does this mean for Missouri
Arts Council grant recipients?
Fortunately, the Arts Council has the ability
to take money from the Missouri Arts Council
Cultural Trust Fund. The fund was created
by income tax paid by non-resident professional
athlete and entertainers. The $4.4 million
expenditure restriction will be covered
by the fund; therefore, there will be no
cuts this fiscal year on arts council grants
that were awarded in July.
However, the arts community MUST take a
pro-active advocacy stance to prepare for
the 2010 legislative session. Please contact
your state representative and state senator
and inform them of how your arts grant is
being spent in their district. Make sure
you are able to tell your elected officials
how your arts organization serves their
constituency.
Thank your legislator for their continued
support for Missouri Arts Council funding.
Stay involved with Missouri Citizens for
the Arts to get the latest action alerts
on House and Senate Committee votes and
actions taken that will affect arts funding.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate
to contact MCA lobbyist Kyna Iman at 314.651.1185.
LAST SESSION
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY WRAPS UP SESSION
The last week of session saw the usual cobbling
together of omnibus bills by conference
committees, many of which did not make it
past the Friday, 6:00 p.m. deadline for
adjournment. Hefty bills relating to local
government, judicial reform and health care
reform were among those bills that did not
pass. Legislation relating to economic development
that was a priority for the Republican-controlled
legislature and Democratic Governor Jay
Nixon was finally passed on the final day
of session.
HOUSE BILL 299 - MISSOURI ARTS
COUNCIL LEGISLATION
This bill removes the $10 million appropriation
limit per fiscal year to the Missouri Arts
Council from the estimate of state revenues
from the nonresident professional athletes
and entertainers' tax. This was being misinterpreted
as a cap on MAC's spending authority. The
legislation was approved overwhelmingly
by the House (151 - 3) and unanimously by
the Senate (29 - zero).
BUDGET
Passage of the $23 billion state budget
that includes an infusion of $785 million
from federal stimulus monies to avoid deep
cuts to the state's operating budget. HB
22, which contains $381 million in expenditures
from federal stimulus funds, also passed.
The bill specifies a number of projects
to be funded, including $112 million for
an interoperability emergency communications
system for emergency responders, $50 million
in incentives for future jobs growth at
two Missouri-based battery manufacturing
companies; $12 million for St. Louis mass
transit; $36 million for construction of
a new cancer facility at the University
of Missouri-Columbia; and over $120 million
in capital improvement projects for higher
education institutions. Governor Jay Nixon
has indicated that he may use his line-item
veto power in regard to the bill.
House Bill 7 contains funding for the Missouri
Arts Council. The Council took a five percent
cut as well as our cultural partners. Our
General Revenue of $500,000 was also cut.
Although, we hated to take any cuts, given
the economic climate, MCA appreciates the
legislature's leadership in not making deeper
cuts to the arts. House Bill 21 contains
$400,000 of funding for the Missouri Arts
Council from the federal budget stabilization
funding. MAC is working on new guidelines
on how this money will be distributed throughout
the state.
The 2010 fiscal year begins July 1, 2009.
HOUSE BILL 870 - FINE ARTS EDUCATION
House Bill 870 which would have required
the Division of School Improvement within
the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education to develop a program to have a
fine arts education consultant available
at each regional professional development
center did not pass. Language in the bill
would have defined that the duties of the
consultant include, but are not limited
to, working with school districts to develop
fine arts staff and curriculum, coordinating
services from other entities involved in
fine arts education and integration, and
contributing to in- service training.
MCA worked with members of the Missouri
Alliance for Arts Education to get language
drafted and introduced this session that
we can continue to work on during the Interim.
Given the current fiscal climate in the
state, it may be difficult to reach final
passage unless we find a creative funding
source. We will continue to increase our
list of legislative sponsors for the proposed
legislation.
ACADEMIES
The House and Senate Conference Committee
wacked the Missouri Scholars Academy and
the Missouri Fine Arts Academy for FY2010
- this is NOT this year's academies - it's
2010. They budgeted $259,000 for BOTH academies
- down from $720,000 last year. GAM leaders
are working with the Governor's office to
seek supplemental funds to make up for the
cuts prior to next year's academies. If
you live in Rep. Icet (Wildwood) or Sen.
Nodler's (Joplin) districts, they need to
receive a phone call stating frustration
with their belief that the academies are
"simply fun summer camps". This
is just NOT true. It is an extraordinary
learning experience for over 500 of Missouri's
best and brightest students.
BY THE NUMBERS
·Days in the legislative session:
74
·Number of bills and resolutions
introduced: 1,918
·Number of bills and resolutions
passed: 164
·Total state budget for next year:
$23,110,136,177
·Number of Democrats in the legislature:
85
·Number of Republicans in the legislature:
112
·Funding for elementary and secondary
education: $5,424,286,721 ·Funding
for higher education: $1,308,066,588
·Funding for social services: $9,579,578,055
Governor Jay Nixon (D) told reporters
that he was generally pleased with the session
and that "You bet we scored this session.
The extra point may have been blocked, but
we scored a touchdown". Nixon was referring
to the failure of the legislature to pass
his health care reform measure that would
have provided increased insurance coverage
to 35,000 low- income parents and children.
If you would like the full text of a bill
or a bill summary, they will be posted at
www.moga.mo.us
as they become available.
LEGISLATIVE
DIRECTORIES
MCA encourages you to continue to communicate
with your elected officials about public
funding for the arts.
To help make this easier for you, free Missouri
Legislative Directories are available by
requesting a copy from Cristina Garcia at
mo4arts@swbell.net
Please include your complete name and address
for delivery.
MISSOURI
LEGISLATORS CAN BE REACHED
IN JEFFERSON CITY BY CONTACTING THE
CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD AT 573-751-2000.