Rupp: Working Hard to Approve Beneficial Legislation, Redraw District Boundaries, and Budget Wisely

Only six weeks of the First Regular Session of the 96^th General Assembly remain, and lawmakers are working diligently at the Capitol to debate and pass legislation that will benefit our state. Many bills have been approved by Senate committees this week, including several of my own. Two more of my priorities are to focus on redistricting in Missouri and to discuss the budget for fiscal year 2012, which will begin July 1, 2011.

My Legislation

One of my bills, Senate Bill 9, which would modify the state do-not-call list and create “paid for by” requirements for political phone calls, received first round approval in the Senate this week. Also, several of my measures have been approved by a Senate committee and are awaiting debate. Some of those measures are:

• Senate Bill 10, which would deny unemployment benefits for those who defrauded the system and still owe penalties.
  
• Senate Bill 130, which would create the Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program for public high school students who are able to graduate from high school early.
  
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 8, which would urge Congress to support a plan for the Upper Mississippi River Basin that will provide flood-control without unfavorable impacts on existing levees and communities.
  

Redistricting

The Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, of which I am chair, recently released and approved its version of Missouri’s new congressional map. This map may change over time as the Legislature sees fit. The congressional map drafted by the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting is debated under Senate Bill 264. The redistricting process has been a challenge, but I appreciate all the input that I have received regarding the development of our new congressional districts. After the map is approved by the Legislature, the governor has his allotted time to make his decision. The new maps must be in place to ensure proper filing in February 2012 for congressional candidates.

Missouri Budget

Our state’s budget is also a very important matter. Last week, the House approved the 13 bills that make up the budget, sending them to the Senate. Although job growth is expected to improve, budgeting Missouri’s money is still going to be a challenge. I will do my part in making sure that essential programs retain their funding, as well as ensuring that quality education in our state remains a priority. The budget must be completed and given to the governor no later than Friday, May 6, by 6 p.m.

On the positive side, it’s estimated that FY 2012 will bring in $7.295 billion in net general revenue collections, which is an estimated 4 percent growth. In our current FY 2011, we are seeing improvement as well. It was recently announced that the 2011 fiscal year-to-date net general revenue collections increased 6.5 percent compared to 2010, from $4.68 billion last year to $4.98 billion this year.

As always, if you have any inquiries regarding this issue or any other matter within state government, please visit my website at www.senate.mo.gov/rupp. Here, you can also subscribe to my RSS feed on the main page of my website; it will keep you up to date on all my columns, press releases, and multimedia postings. Always feel free to e-mail me or call my office toll-free at (866) 271-2844.