Year after year, improving Missouri’s support system for active-duty, reserve and veteran members of our armed forces is one of the General Assembly’s primary goals. We must ensure our bravest citizens and their families are taken care of by making our state as military-friendly as possible. We should also encourage more military members to call Missouri their home. Doing so is a win for all residents, industries and communities.
With the presence of the 5,556-acre Whiteman Air Force Base, located just south of Knob Noster in Johnson County, broad military support is especially critical to the 21st Senatorial District. Approximately 5,700 troops comprise Whiteman’s active-duty and reserve personnel, with nearly as many dependents and family members living and working within the community. These individuals not only work to defend American liberties, but also contribute to Missouri’s economy and social fabric.
The availability of a variety of excellent post-secondary education options is just one benefit those stationed at Whiteman enjoy. In Fiscal Year 2015, the base enrolled over 3,000 students in off-duty education and contributed roughly $300,000 in loans, grants and financial aid for service members and their families.
During the 2016 session, state lawmakers were able to pass legislation that will create an even better quality of life for our military community. One measure in particular, Senate Bill 814, will greatly improve the Show-Me State’s attractiveness for any active-duty members looking to move here. Under this act, after Jan. 1, 2016, any income earned by an active-duty military member through their service can be deducted from their total state taxable income. The bill also applies to active duty incomes that are filed as a combined return with a spouse.
Another great piece of legislation that supports our troops can be found in one of my higher education bills, Senate Bill 997, which reauthorizes the Wartime Veteran’s Survivor Grant Program until 2020, with the opportunity to be reauthorized at that time. The program provides financial aid to the spouses and children of wartime veterans who were killed or injured in the line of duty. Whenever one of our service men or women is killed or injured in battle, their families also bear the load of that pain. Senate Bill 997 will hopefully allow our military families to have a brighter future by enabling them to achieve their personal and academic goals.
Also working for the advancement of Missouri’s military is Senate Bill 968, containing several provisions relating to higher education and our troops. The measure, which was signed into law by the governor, will allow current members of the Missouri National Guard, as well as members of the Armed Forces reserve, to receive in-state tuition at any public four-year higher education institution and in-district residency for two-year schools. It also modifies the Missouri Returning Heroes’ Education Act — a measure requiring public post-secondary institutions to limit combat veterans’ tuition to $50 per credit hour — by applying the tuition limitation before other state and federal aid for which the veteran has applied. This will ensure our combat veterans receive the most affordable education possible.
These measures reflect the Legislature’s steadfast commitment to improving the lives of our military personnel living and working in every corner of the state. Although there are still many avenues we can pursue to make Missouri ever more military-friendly, I am proud of the work my fellow senators and I have been able to achieve thus far.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or (573) 751-2272, or by fax at (573) 526-7381.
Senator David Pearce serves Caldwell, Carroll, Howard, Johnson, Lafayette, Livingston, Ray and Saline counties in the 21st State Senatorial District.