Roorda: Autism Bill Advances, Tax Break for Manufacturers, Phone Access Fees

Like scientist in search of a new discovery, members of the Missouri House are in search of something large, yet elusive.  Something that seems complicated, but yet might be simple.  Baffling, but something that perhaps makes perfect sense.

Members of the appropriations committess, and the House budget committee, are rolling up their sleeves, burning the midnight oil, squinting as they search line-by-line through stacks of budget balance sheets for programs and services that can be done without, is under-utilized, or could be down-sized.  We need to find at least $300 million dollars, and probably more, to make the state's books balance.  And it certainly isn't easy.

When you have the people that I have had come into my office...folks in wheel chairs, people who have lost their sight, senior citizens, teachers and 4H...saying  "please don't cut us", you realize that these are our neighbors we are hurting when we make these cuts.  It is a painful process.  Nobody likes to do this, but the state budget begins in the House, and it's on our shoulders.

Of course the budget process in the House is just one step on the long road to balancing the budget, as the proposal must then go to the Senate and then to an inevitable conference committee before it is passed into law and sent to the governor.  But even in a tight budget year, rest assured that the long and deliberate process will yield a fiscally-responsible budget that will allocate the resources at our disposal to the areas of greatest need.

Sincerely,
Jeff Roorda
House Minority Whip
Missouri House of Representatives

Four Weeks and 10 Bills Later, House Debates Autism Measure

House Speaker Had Promised Autism Bill Would Be The First Debated in 2010

The Missouri House of Representatives today for the first time debated legislation that would require insurance companies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autistic children. House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, had promised the bill would be the first piece of legislation debated on the House floor during the 2010 legislative session; instead it was the 11^th.

"Although parents with autistic children no doubt wish Speaker Richard had kept his promise, House Democrats are pleased to finally be debating the autism insurance bill," said House Minority Leader Paul LeVota, D-Independence. "It's too bad we had to wait a month and spend hours debating nonbinding resolutions, but at least we are finally working on this issue."

During a Dec. 3 conference call with reporters, Richard promised the autism bill would be the first measure debated by the House this year, a pledged reported by numerous news organizations, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in a Dec. 4 story.

Instead of the autism bill, HB 1311, the first legislation the House debated this year was a nonbinding resolution to Missouri's congressional delegation on Jan. 19. That bill was taken up four weeks to the day prior to HB 1311.

House Endorses Tax Break For Manufacturers

The House of Representatives voted 134-17 on Feb. 18 in favor tax breaks for companies that upgrade existing manufacturing facilities in Missouri. The bill, HB 1675, would cost the state up to $35 million a year in lost revenue.

The bill's primary purpose is to head off the potential closure of the Ford Motor Co.'s assembly plant in Claycomo, which employs 3,700 people. But other Missouri manufacturing companies could also take advantage of the tax breaks.

To read more click here.

House Approves Reducing Phone Access Fees

The House of Representatives voted 111-40 on Feb. 18 in favor of a bill that would gradually reduce the fees local phone companies charge each other for connecting intrastate phone calls. Missouri's intrastate access fees, which typically are passed on to customers, currently are among the highest in the country. The bill, HB 1750, potentially could lower phone rates in some areas while increasing them in others.

To read AP story click here.

House Gives Final Approval to Special Elections Bill

Last Monday, the Missouri House of Representatives gave final approval to legislation that would require special elections to fill vacancies for the U.S. Senate and most statewide elected offices. The House approved HB 1497, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, by a vote of 900in

The bill would require special elections to fill vacancies in the offices of lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer and United States Senator. Under current law, the governor appoints a replacement if a statewide office becomes vacant. HB 1497 would allow the governor to appoint a temporary replacement for U.S. Senate, auditor or attorney general until a special election could be held. The bill would allow the governor to manage the offices of secretary of state or treasurer until a special election.

Speaking in opposition to the bill was Rep. Jeff Roorda, D-Barnhart, who questioned the motivation for the change. "All we've done this session is one grand distraction after another. This is so blatantly political, this bill... to change the way we appoint offices because there's a Democrat in the governor's mansion," said Roorda.

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

To read more about this legislation click here.

All Ability Expo

On Saturday, March 6th the Jefferson County Developmental Disabilities Resource Board will be hosting their 6th Annual All Ability Expo at the Fox C-6 Service Center.  The event will run from 10:00am -2:00pm. The expo is conducted to highlight the abilities of those with developmental disabilities.

The keynote speaker will be Tim "Ozzy" Osborne.  He was the gentleman with mental retardation who spent 12 years of his life living on the streets of St. Louis.  Tim was recently featured in the December issue of PEOPLE magazine.

Date: Saturday, March 6th 
Time: 10:00-2:00 
Where: Fox C-6 Service Center