Schupp: Autism Debate Expected TODAY!

This week in the Capitol was one of the busiest in terms of my committee meetings scheduled that I can remember.  Since several meetings overlapped, Legislative Assistant Casey and Intern Julie ran back and forth attending whatever meeting I was missing to keep me apprised of testimony and discussion and pull me in for votes.

Of particular importance was the Appropriations meeting for Public Safety and Corrections, since it involved the marking up of the committee budget bills, voting and passage back to the Budget Committee.  Read below to hear about this week's committee experiences in more detail.

Again, thank you for providing me the opportunity to serve you, our community and our state.

Truly,

Jill

Committee News

Appropriations:  Public Safety and Corrections

The critical budget process is one that, regardless of the level of importance it carries, moves very quickly through the initial committee process.  We spent 5 hours sprinting through the hundreds of pages of budget line items comparing the Governor's proposal for FY 11 against the budgeted and actual expenditures and withholds for the current fiscal year. 

While I spent quite a bit of time meeting with the non-partisan legislative liaison for the departments to deepen my understanding of the budget, it is clear there is much to learn and understand about how the funding sources and the categories of expenditures relate to each other and manifest themselves in programs, personnel, and infrastructure.

The majority party came into this week's actual "budget mark up" meeting and introduced cuts that would support the budget chair's charge of decreasing the budget an additional 5% across the board in every department from the budget proposed through the Governor's recommendations.

When I asked why this was the charge from the budget chair, I didn't feel that I was getting a response that warranted undermining the proposed budget.  I also disagreed with the premise that we would just continue to pile the cuts on in the areas in which the Governor had made withholds in the current budget year.  This would create a two year gap in the programs that had received some difficult cut backs already.  How would this end up affecting our ability to maintain a level of safety and run our corrections operations? 

In the end, with testimony from Corrections Director George Lombardi, we were able to get the majority side to agree with the rejection of the ill-conceived cuts in order for this budget to be reviewed in the Budget committee as a part of a whole.  In other words, the Corrections and Public Safety budgets will now be scrutinized alongside all other areas of the state's budget in order to make contextual decisions.

Higher Education

The current issues likely to face serious consideration in Higher Ed include the grade point average standards required to be maintained for recipients of need-based Missouri Access scholarships, and whether the higher scholarship amounts received by students attending Missouri's private universities versus public universities should remain intact.
 

Tax Reform

The Tax Reform Committee continues to hear proposals to reduce property taxes for seniors.  Though not heard yet this year, the proposal offered by Rep. Jake Zimmerman that allows seniors on fixed incomes to defer their tax increases until they sell their homes or pass on their estates supports the goal of helping seniors stay in their own homes while maintaining revenue-neutral status.     

Children and Families

Within the Children and Families Committee we are back to hearing abortion coercion legislation which continues to drive a wedge between pro choice and pro life camps.  The legislation is unquestionably designed to further intimidate and shame the woman who is making a decision to terminate her pregnancy.

Administration and Accounts

In Administration and Accounts, we have agreed to maintaining legislators' daily expense allowance at the current level, rather than accepting a raise, for two years.  This legislation will be moved forward in the process.

News Alert: Cutting the Budget

House appropriations committees have started (and by now, ended) the process of "marking up" the budget bills proposed  by the Governor's office in consultation with each department.  Governor Nixon's proposed $23.86 billion state operating budget has been reviewed and in some cases amended in appropriations committees. 

Budget Chair Allen Icet had instructed each committee chair to cut 5% out of their budgets, regardless of what services those budgets support.  It has been rumored that the cuts he proposed of at least an additional $300 million were based on the idea that the state will not receive promised federal dollars.  When I asked for the rationale in committee, as you read above, I was provided no reasonable explanation, and specifically not this explanation.

The departments of health, mental health and social services were particularly hard hit in committee, with majority members approving about $60 million in cuts to those agencies. Items that the cut may influence included funding for health clinics that serve the poor, domestic violence shelters and the state's Alternatives to Abortion program.

With the appropriations committees finishing their work, the bills will move to the House Budget Committee before the appropriations bills are debated by the full House.

NEWS ALERT: House Debates Autism Measure

On Tuesday, the House debated legislation that would require insurance companies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism.

The legislation approved by the House provides for payments of up to $36,000 per year for treatment up to age 18.
 
HB 1311 passed final approval, 135 to18 votes, on Thursday Feb. 18 and will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Rumor has it that the Senate will raise the capped amount for annual treatment.

Freshmen Dems' Caucus Sessions

The Freshmen Democratic Caucus welcomed three speakers this week who discussed science and biotechnology. Jason Hall with Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC) led the discussion, accompanied by Dr. Anthony Harris of the University of Missouri, Columbia and Cynthia Kramer of S.C.O.P.E. (Science and Citizens Organized for Purpose and Exploration.) We discussed some of the important biotechnology and life sciences legislation that will be debated this session including the MOSIRA bill [HB1511] that Rep. Schupp is co-sponsoring.

Next week, the caucus will host a presentation on nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the public and private sector.  Speakers will include Director Margaret Donnelly, Department of Health and Senior Services;  Barbara Madison, Right at Home;  and Fmr. Sen. Chuck Graham, representing AFSCME.

We have rescheduled our session on state healthcare options and will have Ruth Ehresman of the Missouri Budget Project immediately following the nursing home and long term care discussion.

Reminder: Filing Deadline

Candidates interested in filing to be on the state ballot for office should know that filing for office opens on Feb. 23 and runs through March 30.

Rep. Schupp will file for re-election.

Green Tip of the Week

Lighting the Way

AmerenUE is making it easier for customers to safely recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs.  Ameren has announced a free program for the disposing of used CFL bulbs.  Bring your used, including broken light bulbs, in a bag, to any of 50 different designated locations.  These locations include Ace Hardware stores and the City of St. Peters.

The Environmental Protection Agency says that CFL bulbs use less energy and last far longer than incandescent bulbs. The only problem is that they contain mercury, which makes disposing of them complicated.  By recycling at one of these locations you will help cut down the amount of mercury in our waste.

Thank you to Creve Coeur's Climate Action Task Force Chair John May for letting us know about this program.

Events at Tappmeyer

Miniature Show
Sat, April 10th
Sun. April 11th

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
$2 per person
 
Tappmeyer House is located in Millenium Park behind Barnes West in Creve Coeur.