“To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”—Thomas Jefferson
40 Days of Prayer and Fasting
In a combined effort, the Missouri House and Senate have called for citizens to pray as they seek to tackle the state budget and other issues facing the State of Missouri. Sponsored by Bott Radio Network, prayer services were held at the Capitol where key-note speaker, Dr. Tom Blackaby, started the 40+ days of prayer and fasting scheduled to end on the National Day of Prayer, May 5th, 2011. Thank you to all who have contributed in this effort.
At right: Speaking at the St. Louis RCGA Missouri Legislative Day.FLOOR ACTION: Monday, March 28th
The house was abuzz with activity as legislators rushed to complete their budget amendments on time for debate on the Floor of the House this day. Senior legislators and staff members alike have been impressed with the efficiency and smoothness of, not only this year’s budget process, but operation of the House of Representatives as a whole. We have the Missouri voters to thank for electing quality legislators to represent them here in the House.
FLOOR ACTION: Tuesday, March 29th
Debate on the budget was completed in time for noon recess and in the afternoon session we began debate on HB 434 and HCS HB 423.
HB 434, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nolte (R-33), provides employee protection from negligence liability lawsuits brought by an injured co-worker. Accidents occurring on the job should be covered pursuant to our worker’s compensation laws. Leaving this door open for suits against co-workers for negligence is an invitation for overzealous litigants to argue negligence through a variety of avenues, circumstances, and actors. As well as protecting employees in Missouri, this legislation helps to keep the Missouri business environment attractive to employers interested in operating in the State of Missouri.
HB 423, sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136), paves the way for the development of a Health Care Compact between states in order to return the regulation of health care back to the control of the state; where it belongs. This legislation is designed to protect the State of Missouri and Missourians from the overreach of the federal government into your health care. We cannot depend on the Federal Supreme Court to rule the unfunded mandate of Obamacare unconstitutional; nor can we afford it if it is upheld. Steps need to be taken to rectify this situation and HB 423 accomplishes this goal.
FLOOR ACTION: Wednesday, March 30th
Third reading and final passage of Appropriations Bills (Budget) occurred in the House today with nearly unanimous support. While the time spent on the Floor of the House working on the budget this week appeared very efficient and fast paced in comparison to other issues, it is the direct result of numerous hours spent in budget committee hearings, bipartisan effort, and your prayers.
As well as hammering out and finalizing the budget, the aforementioned HB 434 and HB 423 were ordered perfected and printed.
HCS HB 475, sponsored by Rep. Doug Funderburk (R-12), was also ordered perfected and printed. This legislation addresses the disclosure of healthcare data sets (i.e., quality and cost effectiveness) from the healthcare provider to the consumer. The secrecy behind the cost of treatment is not only unfair to the consumer, but is one of the major causes in the erosion of the Doctor/Patient relationship. How nice would it be to be able to go to the doctor knowing ahead of time how much they charge and, for that price, how good are they? This way you are not paying for a Cadillac and receiving a Yugo! Frugal shoppers may actually find Yugo pricing for Cadillac service. Affordability, accountability, and transparency are key issues necessary to facilitate real healthcare reform.
Third Read: Thursday, March 31th
Today the House gave final passage to the following bills described above: HBs 434, 423 & 475.
Special Local Information
The Landmarks Association of St. Louis was awarded a $3,500 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Missouri-Kansas Preservation Fund. The seed grant funds will launch the first phase of a multi-phased project to develop a master plan for the Historic Route 66 Bridge over the Meramec River. For more information about this project visit http://www.landmarks-stl.org/news/.
Attention Young Missourians aged 17-21, the State Parks Youth Corps will hold a job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 2 at the Route 66 State Park visitor center near Eureka. This is a great opportunity to learn new skills, earn money, and experience Missouri state parks and historic sites. The Route 66 State Park Visitor Center is located two miles east of Eureka off Interstate I-44 in St. Louis County. For information about the job fair, call Route 66 State Park at 636-938-7198. For information on state parks and historic sites, go to www.mostateparks.com.
Public Service Announcement!
The recent tragedy in Japan has sparked concern over nuclear plant safety. Recent studies report the risk at the Callaway plant is the lowest in the country. It was built with newer technology than the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and in the event of an emergency, current emergency response procedures will protect all residents living near the Callaway plant. Nuclear energy remains the most viable option for meeting the future energy needs of Missouri by continuing to produce cheap, clean, and safe energy.
Important Tax Information
The tax deadline is soon approaching; make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to file your taxes for free. Taxpayers making $58,000 or less can visit http://www.irs.gov/efile/ to prepare and E-File federal tax returns, for FREE, through a landmark partnership between the IRS and tax software providers.
Michelle Moore Needs Your Help!
Michelle Moore is a great friend and colleague back in the St. Louis region. This week we found out that she is projected to be on the kidney donor wait list for 3 years. Do you know someone who can help? Please visit http://www.atraditionallifelived.com and/or http://twitter.com/Michelle_Moore for more information. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING TESTED FOR DONATING YOUR KIDNEY TO MICHELLE, PLEASE CALL 314-362-5365 OR 800-633-9906 - OPTION 2 - BEFORE APRIL 25TH.
Visiting the Capitol
I always enjoy it when constituents visit the Capitol and want to thank all who make the journey. I want to personally thank the Freedom Scholars for coming to visit us at the Capitol and especially Kelci Weidenaar for the kind words she wrote. Kelci’s ability to articulate her experience at the Capitol is a testament to the quality of the education she has received through Home Schooling and is a must read for anyone who appreciates true literary talent. Her article can be located at http://www.freedomscholarsmoberly.com/?p=73. If you ever find yourself in or around Jefferson City at any time during the year, please feel free to visit us! Stop by the Majority Leader’s Office in Room 302 and we will be happy to meet and greet you!
Personal News & Notes
If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving the Capitol Report, they can click the “Capitol Report Signup” button on my member home page at www.house.mo.gov and enter the appropriate information to receive the Capitol Report. As the days grow longer under the Capitol Dome, we want to encourage you to keep up with the flurry of legislative activity. Now that another long Session Week has concluded (especially after being home for an entire week last week!), I am excited to be ready for the trip home this evening to spend time with Suzanne, Katie and Abby and to let my partners at Doster Ullom know I am hitting the legal files! Finally, if we can ever be of any assistance to you at your State Capitol, do not hesitate to contact us at: 573.751.0562 or you can reach my primary assistant, Jody, at: jody{dot}williams{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov.
Until our next update, I am, and remain, in your service,
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment