Stouffer: "Fix The Six"

The agenda for Missouri lawmakers in 2011 will be jobs. Our main focus will be getting folks back to work. And, we have a blueprint, courtesy of several groups of folks that provide jobs throughout the state.

Before the 2011 legislative session began, several employer groups held a press conference to outline their desires from the Missouri General Assembly. The result is “Fix the Six,” which consists of the half-dozen items they would like to see the Legislature handle.

1. Employment law reform: Missouri is seeing legal decisions pushed by trial lawyers that are eating at the state’s employment laws. This makes Missouri seem anti-business; it is also a burden on employers to recruit and maintain quality employees. The Missouri Human Rights Act needs to be brought in line with federal laws. Changes would also include capping jury trial awards and lowering punitive damage limits.
2. Workers’ compensation reform: Judges are also making decisions that are taking Missouri in the wrong direction, after having passed new workers’ comp laws in 2005. It is time to ensure the letter of the 2005 law is followed and not abused by activist judges.
3. Franchise tax cap: Anytime we can lower or eliminate useless taxes, I am for it. The franchise tax in Missouri was created in 1914, and was meant to only be temporary. This is double taxation. Missouri’s job providers want to see the Legislature cap the tax at 2010 levels and then phase it out over time.
4. Eliminate the minimum wage escalator: Missouri’s minimum wage law allows for an automatic adjustment for inflation, based on the cost of living. This could mean the state’s minimum wage would be more than the federal wage, which only costs Missouri jobs.
5. Tort reform: There is one area in the state’s legal law that puts us at a disadvantage. Current law for assessing fault and business liability says that a business can be held liable for the entire cost of litigation if it is at least 51 percent at fault. In fact, a business can be held responsible if there is a third party involved. This loophole needs to go immediately.
6. Unemployment insurance reform: Missouri’s unemployment insurance trust fund is bankrupt. The state has borrowed more than $700 million from the federal government in order to pay unemployment claims. If Missouri does not start paying back this money, we will start to lose other federal aid. Our goal is to fix this, pay back the money, and get people back to work. The more people working, the fewer dollars that have to go to unemployment.

These are all good ideas. Legislation has been drafted that would address most of these, with more on the way. Everybody in the General Assembly needs to work together in order to get the job done. I am looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping to do the work of the people, as we continue into the 2011 legislative session.