Bill backing students' groups becomes law

By James R. Campbell

Nevada Daily Mail

The circuitous ways of the Missouri General Assembly can be alarming to watch, especially when important legislation lands in File 13. Nevertheless, they sometimes produce favorable results. That happened with the roundabout route of a plan to support high school students' career and technical organizations.

Governor Jay Nixon had vetoed Sen. David Pearce's Senate Bill 635 -- not because it supported the school groups but because another provision of it duplicated a bill Nixon did sign, House Bill 1308, which repeals the requirement of a letter of credit from a federal home bank for the highest credit rating.

But the governor then approved SB 599, sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, a member of the Senate Education Committee, requiring the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide staffing for the organizations' in-state camps and conventions.

They are the Distributive Education Clubs of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Future Farmers of America, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, Technical Student Associa-tion, Health Occupations Students of America and SkillsUSA, which promotes trade, technical, skilled and health services, according to its Web site.

SkillsUSA was formerly the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America.

"This will provide an important service to schools throughout the state," said Pearce, chairman of the Education Committee, adding that the groups are also valuable because they teach leadership.

Representing Vernon County through the end of this year, Pearce was forced by redistricting to run in the 21st District, where he is the Republican nominee in the Nov. 6 election.

Candidates to represent Vernon County in the realigned 31st District for the next four years are Republican Ed Emery of Lamar and Democrat Charlie Burton of Drexel.