Rupp: The Real State of Our State

I had a strange experience during the State of the State speech on this week. It seemed to me that Governor Nixon was taking credit for many of the Republican accomplishments made during prior sessions – accomplishments like tuition caps, education funding, and one of my priorities this session that stalled in the House of Representatives last year, autism reform. I am glad that the governor has joined the Republican pledge to not raise taxes, but I’m a bit confused about how he expects that to happen when he cannot reign in his spending.

The budget he submitted to the Legislature for fiscal year 2011 is not balanced, as state law requires, and this year’s budget isn’t balanced either. This year’s budget is about $200 million short, and frankly, there is a good portion of it based on an additional $300 million in stimulus dollars and millions more on legislation that hasn’t even passed yet. Not only is the governor spending money the state doesn’t have and depleting our reserves, he’s now trying to spend money that doesn’t even exist. How many of the 60,000 unemployed Missourians get to buy groceries on money that may or may not be in their bank accounts? Our state’s citizens can’t balance their checkbooks that way and neither should our state government.

Missouri Republicans in the Senate have a plan to keep the governor’s spending in check. We are focused on making sure our schools are fully funded without tax increases. While Gov. Nixon’s job creation bill did not deliver, we’re working on creating and maintaining jobs through less government intervention and smart tax dollar investment. While we’re at it, we’re going to make sure that our state stays out the federal health care mess, and that we provide our own solution to make health care costs accessible and affordable. As of this writing, our governor has not promised to reject federal health care, like the voters of Massachusetts and so many other state governors already have done.

If all of these Republican goals sound like a daunting task, they are. I am expecting vigorous debate about the validity and efficiency of every level of state government. Our state had some serious belt tightening last year, but we are not out of the woods, and that means we must work harder and scrutinize every single penny. You’re doing it at home, and we’ll do it for your home state. I’m in Jefferson City working for you.

COMMITTEES

This week I presented the Autism Insurance Coverage bill [SB618] to the MO Senate Insurance Committee that I chair. (Bill updates can be found on the website at www.moautismbill.com.) The bill would mandate insurance coverage for families with a child on the spectrum, including ABA therapy among other therapies. We had EXCELLENT testimony from myself, Lauri Unumb, Policy Director of Autism Speaks, Dr. John Montovani, John Huff (the Director of Insurance for Missouri) along with several parents who gave compelling and convincing testimony as to their daily struggles and the need for this legislation.

The insurance industry has changed their tune since last year when they testified against the bill. Don't get me wrong they all lined up to testify against the bill, however they were no longer making claims such as ABA is "experimental", or that it’s an "educational issue". They have all come to the realization that we (thousands across Missouri) are demanding this to happen and understand that it will. Their attempts in the Capitol have been to weaken the bill at every turn.

We have many allies in the Capitol including Sen. Eric Schmitt who is a co-sponsor on the bill. We need to make sure that we are reaching out to the supporters of the bill and saying thank you, while at the same time contacting those who are undecided, unknown or against and asking them to help the thousands of Missouri families that deserve this coverage.

It is my plan to bring this bill up for a vote next Tuesday in my committee. Last year a similar bill passed 7-0 and I hope to get the same result this year. The earliest we could debate this on the floor of the Senate is Feb. 1, so that will give us a full week to reach out to fellow senators.

In other committee action, on Wednesday the Senate Education Committee received an update on Missouri’s application for the federal government’s Race to the Top program during its weekly meeting in the Capitol.

Race to the Top is a newly established, highly competitive $4.3 billion grant program that is challenging states to develop ambitious school-improvement proposals addressing four central areas of education reform. These areas are: developing standards and assessments, supporting instruction through data systems, cultivating great teachers and leaders, and turning around struggling schools.

At the committee hearing, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education presented an update on the state’s application, which was officially submitted Tuesday, Jan. 19—the deadline for first-round consideration for federal funding under the program. First-round awards are scheduled to be announced April 2010.

The Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee heard testimony this week on SCR 35 (sponsored by Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Napton) and SCR 32 (sponsored by Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau), both of which I co-sponsored. The resolutions ask the Legislature to reject a tax increase on some Missouri landowners. On Dec. 15, 2009, the Missouri State Tax Commission voted to increase land valuations on some grades of farmland in Missouri. If a resolution is not passed by the General Assembly rejecting the changes recommended by the commission within 60 days, the land valuation increases will take effect Jan, 1, 2011. We are working to move the resolutions forward in order to stop this tax increase.

And finally, the Senate Judiciary Committee this week heard testimony on a pair of identical bills that would regulate sexually oriented businesses in Missouri. Senate Bill 586, sponsored by Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee’s Summit) and SB 617, sponsored by Sen. Jack Goodman (R-Mt. Vernon) would, among other things, prohibit anyone from establishing a sexually oriented business within 1,000 feet of a pre-existing school, house of worship, state-licensed day care, public library, residence, or other sexually oriented business.

Session of The Missouri Senate reconvenes at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25. The Second Regular the 95th Missouri General Assembly runs through Friday, May 14, 2010.

MoDOT UPDATE

Below is a letter I received from Pete Rahn, Director of MoDOT, regarding Highway 94, Highways D, DD, F and Z.

As the 2010 legislative session unfolds, I will continue to keep you, my constituents, apprised of all major developments, and I look forward to continuing to serve your needs and priorities in Jefferson City. As always, if you have any questions about this week’s column or any other matter involving state government, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can reach my office by phone at (866) 271-2844.