HCS HBs 502 & 887 Haley, Willard Committee
HCS HBs 502 & 887 -- "STEM" CAREER PROMOTION
SPONSOR: Haley
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass with HCS" by the Standing Committee on Higher Education by a vote of 9 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Regulatory Oversight by a vote of 10 to 0.
The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HB 502.
This bill will change the current designation for the 1st week of March from "Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (METS) Week" to a more commonly recognized acronym "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)Week". The week's purpose will to be to promote STEM careers.
The bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to establish the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Program" for grades 9-12. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year DESE may solicit proposals to provide the Program and by March 1, 2024 shall select a provider.
The bill outlines requirements for providers which must present data demonstrating effectiveness in the following areas: teacher instruction on STEM-related subjects, increased student enrollment in four year STEM related fields, or increased participation in STEM related workforce upon graduation.
The bill outlines criteria for program providers, authorizes DESE to choose a 3rd party nonprofit entity to implement the Program, solicit proposals, and select a provider, and creates the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund".
The following is a summary of the public testimony from the committee hearing. The testimony was based on the introduced version of the bill.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this is a nice way to keep terminology related to STEM cohesive and will help generate awareness easier. The reason that the language was METS is because at the time it was adopted there were concerns about "stem-cell research" and using the acronym STEM led to certain groups opposing the designation.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Haley; Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Council on Public Higher Education; Next Missouri, and BIO St. Louis.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.