Shake-up in special education funding proposal
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Shake-up in special education funding proposal

Date: May 7, 2013
By: Andrew Weil
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 458

Intro: 
A St. Louis County representative is revamping his annual fight for money for special needs children.
RunTime:  0:46
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Republican St. Louis County Representative Dwight Scharnhorst sponsors Bryce's law which would create scholarships to help pay for education for special needs children.

On Tuesday, the Missouri House overwhelmingly gave first round approval to the plan.

The program would now be funded by grants...that tosses out Scharnhorst's original plan to make it a tax credit. 

Scharnhorst says if the plan is approved he'll stay on it for the rest of his life to work to find grants to fund the program.

Actuality:  SCHARN7.WAV
Run Time:  00:05
Description: "I am willing to go outside this building hat in hand and beg to educate these children."

But time is ticking against the plan because there's less than 2 weeks left in the legislative session and it still needs 1 more vote in the House before going to the Senate.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Andrew Weil.

 

Intro: 
A St. Louis County Representative's seven year fight for funding for special needs children is making headways as the legislative session dwindles down.
RunTime:  0:48
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: On Tuesday the house overwhelmingly gave first-round approval to Bryce's law which would create scholarships to help parents pay for education for special needs children, like those with autism.

This only came after the bill's sponsor, Republican St. louis County Representative Dwight Scharnhorst announced the program would be funded by grants instead of a tax-credit.

Bryce's Law is named after Scharnhorst's late grandson, who had autism.

Scharnhorst says he believes these new changes could help it pass both chambers.

Actuality:  SCHARNH9.WAV
Run Time:  00:07
Description: "DESI will be searching for grants from federal, state and private areas. I will be searching, I will stay on this the rest of my life."

But there's less than 2 weeks left in the legislative session and it still needs 1 more vote in the House before going to the Senate.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Andrew Weil.