Newman: End Of Session Review

The 2011 legislative session came to a close as required by state constitution on 6pm Friday, May 13.

You may have seen media photos of legislators flinging bills into the air with glee when the gavel signaled final adjournment on the dot at 6:00:00pm.

But something was missing from those photos. The Democrats. Yes, the left side of the aisle was eerily silent, with legislators standing silently by their clean desks - having placed all our leftover paper in the recycling bins outside the chamber. Collectively, we did not feel we had much to celebrate or felt the need to litter the House floor.

Instead of a job creation agenda - WHICH WE HAD BEEN PROMISED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, the session focused on an anti-worker agenda. The GOP majority passed bills cutting unemployment benefits, making it easier for employers to illegally discriminate and making it tougher for women in horrific pregnancy situations to obtain legal medical care.

The House failed to bring comprehensive economic development and jobs legislation to a vote until just 45 minutes before the end of Session. As a result, a bill containing incentives for the U. S. - China air cargo hub, life sciences, data centers and job retention died in the Senate.

Many of you ask how I can do this, week after week in Jefferson City away from my family. I do it for all of us. I do it - for you.

Stacey

P.S. It's difficult not to think of everyone in Joplin MO who are suffering via the massive tornado that hit Sunday evening.

If you are a medically trained professional and want to volunteer, please contact the MO Dept of Health & Senior Services via the Show-Me Emergency Response site - https://showmeresponse.org/. Your services are badly needed.

All others who want to volunteer their services who are not medical professionals:
They can do so by calling United Way 211. To call, just dial “211” from inside Missouri or (800) 427-4626. United Way can also be contacted by going to their website to register at http://www.211missouri.org/. UW 211 works with other voluntary organizations active in disasters (VOADs) and will assist with coordinating volunteer deployments by matching up skills with needs. They are getting a high volume of calls, so please be patient.

For persons wanting to check on loved ones who they cannot contact or for those who have survived:
Visit Red Cross' Safe and Well site to register if you are safe and for family to check often for their loved ones who are missing - http://redcross.org/safeandwell.

$10.00 donations for American Red Cross can be given by texting “REDCROSS” to 90999 or visit www.Redcross.org

BILLS THAT PASSED

First, the GOOD NEWS:

MISSOURI Rx PLAN EXTENSION: Extends the prescription drug benefit for low-income senior citizens and the disabled until 2014. Had the program not been renewed, it would have expired on Aug. 28, eliminating the benefit for about 226,000 Missourians. [HB412]

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Overhauls state domestic violence laws with the aim of better protecting victims and punishing perpetrators. THIS WAS RECOMMENDED LEGISLATION FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE - I WORKED TO HELP PASS IT OVERWHELMINGLY. [SB320]

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: Increases the maximum penalties for crimes related to human trafficking. [HB214]

MEDICAID FEE: Reinstates the fees charged to hospitals that generate $3 billion annually for the state’s Medicaid program. [SB70]

Now the BAD NEWS:

PHOTO ID: In 2006 the MO Supreme Court struck down the law on constitutional grounds citing that voting needs to remain "free and fair". This new law [SB3] AND accompanying ballot referendum [SJR2] will disenfranchise over 240,000 current voters - senior citizens, the disabled, those in poverty and out of state college students. I AM TAKING THE LEAD IN FIGHTING THIS NATIONWIDE EFFORT AT VOTER SUPPRESSION. The House Democrats voted unanimously against these bills and are asking for a Governor veto.

CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING: Sets new congressional districts for the next 10 years starting with the 2012 elections. Based on the 2010 U.S. Census, Missouri will lose a congressional seat, dropping from nine to eight. The new congressional plan gerrymanders six safe Republican districts and does not protect the interests of all Missourians. Gov. Jay Nixon’s vetoed, but the General Assembly overrode. [HB193]

EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION: Weakens the Missouri Human Rights Act by making it harder for victims of employment discrimination to prove unlawful discrimination and wins damages. Gov. Jay Nixon has already vetoed this bill. [SB188]

CORPORATE TAX CUT: Eliminates the corporate franchise tax, which is only paid by large corporations. This will eliminate at least $80 million a year in state revenue, thus eroding the state’s tax base and requiring additional cuts in state services. Gov. Jay Nixon has already signed it into law. [SB19]

ABORTION RESTRICTIONS: Removes the exemption in the existing law banning late-term abortions that allows such abortions if necessary to protect the health of the mother. Less than 40 late term abortions were performed in MO last year - ONCE AGAIN MO lawmakers interject themselves in personal painful medical decisions that belong with a woman's family, faith and personal physicians - NOT THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

DOG BREEDING: Repeals most the significant provisions of Proposition B, which Missouri voters approved in November to place new regulations on the commercial dog breeding industry in Missouri. Gov. Jay Nixon has already signed it into law. [SB161]

HOG FARMS: Places restrictions on lawsuits against large industrial hog farms for the damages foul odors and animal waste produced by such facilities cause neighbors’ property. Gov. Jay Nixon has already signed it into law. [SB187]

CONCEAL-CARRY: Lowers the minimum age for obtaining a permit to carry a concealed weapon from 23 to 21. I ARGUED ON THE FLOOR THAT ST. LOUIS WAS JUST NAMED THE #2 CITY IN THE U.S. WITH CHILD GUN VIOLENCE DEATHS - THIS IS ONLY DESIGNED TO SELL MORE GUNS, NOT PROTECT CHILDREN. [HB294]

DRUG TESTING FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS: Allows recipients and applicants of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program to be tested for illegal drug use. WE TRIED TO INCLUDE LEGISLATORS IN THE DRUG TESTING REQUIREMENTS. [HB73]

GOOD BILLS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PASSED

TURNER FIX: Would have allowed school districts to refuse to accept students from unaccredited nearby school districts. Under an existing state law, districts are required to accept such students, but most districts claimed the discretion to refuse until last year when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled in Turner v. Clayton School District that they do not. [HB514]

ST. LOUIS POLICE LOCAL CONTROL: Would have ended state control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, which was first imposed by Missouri’s pro-Confederacy General Assembly in 1861 to prevent the department from being used against secessionist sympathizers. The bill [HB71] would have granted control of the department to St. Louis city government, which currently funds the department but has no say over its operations.

PAYDAY LOANS: Would have cracked down on the predatory lending practices of the payday loan industry. [HB656]

SECOND INJURY FUND: Would have prevented the state’s second injury fund from going broke. [HB702]

TAX AMNESTY: Would have waived penalties and interest on delinquent state taxes in an effort to bolster state revenue by encouraging taxpayers who are in arrears to pay up. [HB116]