By Marshall Griffin, KWMU/Associated Press
Jefferson City, MO – A proposed pay raise for public school teachers in Missouri appears to be dead.
House Majority Floor Leader Steven Tilley (R, Perryville) says he won't allow it to come up for a vote, because House members removed a provision that would have provided scholarships for special needs students to transfer to better-performing public or private schools.
The teacher pay raise bill is sponsored by House Speaker Rod Jetton (R, Marble Hill).
"I think we just need to get home and let everybody calm down and hopefully next week we can piece back (together) a plan, but right now, (Tilley's) not too keen on going to my bill," Jetton said.
The issue also sparked two near physical confrontations today on the House floor.
State Representative Trent Skaggs (D, Kansas City) accused some lawmakers of accepting contributions for their support of the special needs scholarship/voucher provision.
"I just think that this whole process, on this one issue...it smell of corruption, to me," Skaggs said.
Skaggs' comments triggered an argument with Tilley, and the two had to be separated by staff and other lawmakers.
Then another argument broke out between Skaggs and House Majority Whip Brian Nieves (R, Washington), and they had to be physically restrained as well.
Skaggs says he's apologized to Tilley but not to Nieves, who he called, quote, "A hot-head."
Nieves says Skaggs accused him, without naming him, of accepting illegal campaign contributions for his support of the voucher proposal.
"Unfortunately, there was a reaching forward on his part...I don't know what his intentions were, but he reached out and touched my face a couple of times, and of course that wasn't really welcomed on my part," Nieves said.
When asked, Skaggs did not deny physically touching Nieves' cheek during their argument, but he did not elaborate, either.
Skaggs did accuse Nieves of calling him names and behaving like a bully.
Nieves says he and Skaggs made "a gentleman's decision" to stay away from each other and settle down.