Committee clears two resolutions allowing schools to use House chamber for Glory of Missouri awards

The Committee on Consent and House Procedure voted unanimously to recommend that the House grant use of the chamber for two school award ceremonies.

Representative Bridal Bannerman, sponsor of House Resolution 11 66, asked the committee for permission for middle schools in his district to use the chamber for the Glory awards, saying, “I'd like to thank the consent committee for hearing my house resolution.” Bannerman told the committee the event would be on a Monday in April and that participants would be in the chamber “from 10 till about noon.” He said last year’s event drew “over a hundred” students, parents and staff and that he had added one school outside his district — Loandale — because his wife is the principal there.

Representative Kim Smith, sponsor of House Resolution 12 89, requested chamber use on May 5 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for schools in House District 68. Smith, who identified herself as a former Ferguson-Florissant School District teacher, described the district’s programs and said the awards align with the district’s strategic goals. She told the committee the initial attendance estimate for her event was 22 people.

Why it matters: both measures are housekeeping requests that allow schools to bring students and families into the legislative chamber to recognize student achievement. Committee members confirmed basic decorum and logistical rules for visitors in the chamber and sought clarity about dates and hosting arrangements.

Discussion and clarifications - Chamber rules and decorum: Chair Poucher reminded sponsors that visitors must stay out of the clerk’s area at the front of the dais, not touch laptops or representatives’ personal effects, and avoid food and drink. The chair asked sponsors to ensure an escort from their staff would be present during the visit. - Cross-district participation: Representative Cabralo asked Bannerman whether adopting a school outside his district could be problematic; Bannerman said the school is about 4 miles from his district boundary and that the representative for that school’s district “chooses not to participate.” - Scheduling concerns: Vice Chair Hovis asked whether session scheduling or building work would interfere with proposed dates; staff said planned restroom construction after session should not affect the requested dates. - Attendance estimates: Bannerman said last year’s event exceeded 100 attendees; Smith said she expected about 22 attendees for her first time hosting.

Votes at a glance - House Resolution 11 66 — Motion: "I move that House Resolution 11 66 be voted due pass." Mover: Chair Poucher. Outcome: Recommended due pass by roll call vote, 10–0 (see vote record). The resolution requests use of the chamber for middle schools in Representative Bannerman’s district, with one adopted school outside the district (Loandale). Time requested: a Monday in April, approximately 10 a.m. to noon. Attendance estimate: "over a hundred" (sponsor estimate).

- House Resolution 12 89 — Motion: "I now move we hear House Resolution 12 89" and later "I move that House Resolution 12 89 be voted due pass." Mover: Chair Poucher. Outcome: Recommended due pass by roll call vote, 10–0 (see vote record). The resolution requests use of the chamber on May 5 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for schools in House District 68. Attendance estimate: 22 (sponsor estimate).

Vote records (roll call as read into the record) - House Resolution 11 66 vote (due pass): Chair Poucher — yes; Vice Chair Hovis — yes; Representative Applebaum — yes; Representative Byrnes — yes; Representative Burns — yes; Representative Faulkner — yes; Representative Cabralo — yes; Representative Matheson — yes; Representative Moseley — yes; Representative Sharp — yes; Representative Thompson — counted in the final tally; final recorded tally: 10–0, due pass.

- House Resolution 12 89 vote (due pass): Chair Poucher — yes; Vice Chair Hovis — yes; Representative Applebaum — yes; Representative Byrnes — yes; Representative Burns — yes; Representative Faulkner — yes; Representative Cabralo — yes; Representative Matheson — yes; Representative Moseley — yes; Representative Sharp — yes; final recorded tally: 10–0, due pass.

What the committee did not decide - Neither resolution requested or required funding, policy changes, or additional staff resources; both were requests for one-time use of the chamber. The committee did not take any further administrative actions beyond recommending the resolutions be reported due pass.

Next steps - With the committee recommendation recorded, each resolution will proceed according to the House’s rules for chamber-use requests and any scheduling coordination required by the clerk’s office. Sponsors and their staff were instructed to coordinate logistics with the clerk’s office and provide appropriate on-site supervision during the visits.