Davis: The Joys of Redistricting

At left: The Missouri Home Builders Association while in Jefferson City

"Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!" –Dr. Seuss

As a requirement of the Census process every ten years, the Missouri General Assembly must redraw the State’s Congressional district to reflect changes in population. This year, we lost a seat, decreasing the congressional seat from 9 to 8. For a look at our proposed map, you can visit:

http://monewshorizonblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Screen-shot-2011-03-31-at-7.10.58-AM.png

I was sent to Jefferson City by the voters of the 128^th District not simply to pass good laws, but also to block bad laws from being implemented. HB411 would have shut down our rehabilitation centers and left many people not able to get the care they need or deserve. There are always good points in a bill but I must weight what the negative effects could be and I believe the cons outweighed the pros in this bill.

We also passed another Pro-Life bill this week. This bill [HB28] would protect a pharmacy from being sued for having a moral conscience and wishing not to sell any “Morning After” pill which causes an abortion. Some pharmacies have been sued in other states and this bill would protect our pharmacies who wish NOT to sell these abortion drugs. It would also require any abortion pills be prescribed only by a physician.

HCS HB 641, sponsored by Rep. Ward Franz (R-151), was ordered perfected and printed. This bill would add any synthetic compound acting as cannabinoid receptors to the list of controlled substances. The most important weapon in the war on drugs is education and the battle will be won, or lost, in our homes and communities. I encourage parents to educate their children about the dangers of drug use and be active in your communities with interventional and educational efforts to stop this cycle of drug abuse and dependency. That will be the ultimate solution to this decades old problem.

HCS HJR 3, sponsored by Rep. Tom Loehner (R-112), was ordered perfected and printed. This resolution calls for amending the Missouri Constitution to solidify the right of Missouri farmers to raise their livestock without the state imposing any undue burdens or regulations. Agri-business actually remains the number one industry in the State of Missouri. As the member of a family with deep farming roots all over our State (and very proud of the fact that the “Jones Family Farm” remains in the family) I was very proud to support this bill on the House Floor. If you like to eat, then you are a supporter of HCS HJR 3!

HCR 30, sponsored by Rep. Keith Frederick (R-149), urges the Governor and Attorney General to contact the President of the United States expressing the urgency of resolving the constitutionality of the federal health care reform act. Continuing to allow this issue to hover in uncertainty creates a problem for leaders in the Health Care Industry and is an impediment to true health care reform measures. This very week, our US Congress, in an overwhelming, bipartisan vote, moved to strip out some of the more unduly burdensome sections of the ObamaCare law. The federal health care law has been proving itself to be an extremely costly, ill thought through measure filled with excessive taxation, excessive burdens on the States and reductions in service that many of us warned it would be. The Missouri General Assembly and the Missouri People (via Proposition C last November) have overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to the law while our Governor and Attorney General have remained silent. It is time for these two Executives of our State to act.

At right: Rep. Bill White and Rep. Charlie Davis checking out the status of certain bills.

There were also a number of other bills passed but I believe these to be the most notable ones. You can go to www.house.mo.gov to see all the bills worked on this week.

As spring is in the air, I wish everyone a beautiful and safe spring and want to remind everyone that there are now children playing everywhere and we need to slow down and watch out for kids playing in our neighborhoods.

May God Bless you all and I look forward to seeing you ALL at the capitol soon. My office is ALWAYS open.

Hoskins: Survey Results, A Fix to Propsition C

With the advent of April, March madness is now over. I love basketball but I was as caught off-guard by the teams progressing in the NCAA brackets as much as everybody else. Now I’m ready to move on to baseball season. Batter up! But first – on to business at the Capitol.

Congressional Redistricting

Every ten years, when the Census data comes in, the Missouri Legislature is tasked with redrawing the voting districts for our United States Representatives. Unfortunately, this year Missouri’s population did not grow as fast as the rest of the country, and we lost a congressional seat, taking us from 9 to 8.

With this reduction in seats, one member of our congressional delegation will literally lose their seat. With nine current members of Congress, and eight districts, a tough choice had to be made. As part of this process, the House Redistricting Committee has spent the past month holding hearings around the state. Citizens were invited to testify concerning how they wanted to be represented in the new districts, who should be included, and what the districts should look like on the map.

Taking this input into consideration, the committee drew a map that was both fair and representative. People have the right to vote for a representative of their choice. Part of this right is the guarantee that the district within which they live is drawn so that their vote counts. In addition, Missouri’s Constitution requires that districts be drawn so as to be “contiguous and compact.” This means they have to be mostly contained within the same spot on the map – no spider webs, snake shapes, or sporadic blobs on the map to be gerrymandering.

The end result [HB193] is what we think is a fair way to make the adjustments that are required because of our loss of that Congressional district. Every district's population increased significantly. The proposed map meets the requirements of the Missouri Constitution and splits only eight counties into different Congressional districts.

For a look at the map approved by the House, you can visit: http://monewshorizonblog.org/wp-content/
uploads/2011/03/Screen-shot-2011-03-31-at-7.10.58-AM.png. Although we have approved this plan in the House, now the Senate will address its proposal. Redistricting is an arduous process, and the map may look different than this when everything is said and done.

Legislative Action

This week continues to be busy for the House, as several bills we have been working on to create new jobs in Missouri were passed out of our chamber. One of the issues we addressed pertains to the franchise tax. [SB19]

The franchise tax is a tax that corporations pay in advance for doing business within the state. It is not a tax on franchisees. When corporations are looking at where to locate their businesses, a state’s franchise taxes are something they consider. Currently, Missouri businesses are taxed both on their income and the value of their assets and stock. This would be like getting taxed on your yearly income plus on all the income you’ve made your entire life. The bill we sent to the Governor would phase out this tax over a period of five years, making Missouri a very attractive state for businesses to locate.

Missouri only collects about 3% of its revenue from corporate taxes of any kind and the franchise tax is only part of this collection. I am confident this tax cut will help attract more businesses to open, expand, or relocate to Missouri. We can create more jobs by allowing businesses to flourish than we ever could by raising taxes.

In the next fiscal year the franchise tax cut is expected to save Missouri businesses $16,554,054 - that is a lot of jobs. The year after that, it would save Missouri businesses upwards of $35,000,000. By the time the franchise tax is completely phased-out in five years, Missouri businesses will be saving around $85,000,000 a year. To use simple numbers, that is 850 new $100,000 jobs that could be created, or 1700 new $50,000 jobs.

In the Special Committee on Renewable Energy, we approved HB 613 which will now head to the full House. When Proposition C (known as the Missouri Clean Energy Initiative) passed in 2008, it quickly became evident that there are issues with the language causing it to be unable to be administered. At the current time, the State of Missouri is in court due to vague language used in the initiative petition approved by the voters. The purpose of this bill is to make corrections so the renewable energy provisions of Proposition C can be instituted. I am pleased to have been named to this committee and think we have a workable solution still in keeping with the will of the people.

District Survey Results

At the end of February, I mailed a survey to each household in the 121^st District that voted in the last two statewide elections. For the first time, the technology was available for constituents to return their responses online in addition to traditional mail. Of the 11,722 surveys mailed, I received 588 back. I would like to have had a higher return rate, but perhaps that could be interpreted to mean that the voters are satisfied with the job I’m doing. When people are up in arms about something, then that’s when it seems we as elected officials get lots of feedback. Whether you are upset about an issue or not, I’m always open to hear from you.

Research shows that surveys are an effective method to help elected officials receive opinions from our constituents. I use my surveys as just one of the tools to keep informed. I am limited to only be able to ask a few questions per survey. Each time I send a survey, I try to ask about different topics from those I have addressed in a previous survey. Surveys combined with my town hall meetings and communicating with you either in the Capitol or in Johnson County all help me to know what is important to you.

So how do your opinions compare with the surveys I received?

Education Funding

1. Is Missouri’s education system being adequately funded?
Yes 59.2%
No 33.5%
No opinion 7.3%

2. Should Missouri permit children in failing school districts to enroll in a successful school district?
Yes 34%
Yes with private funding 37.1%
No 20.1%
No opinion 8.8%

Making Schools Accountable

3. Should Missouri require public school districts to pay for the remedial education a graduate must receive in college?
Yes 26.7%
No 63.4%
No opinion 9.9%

Finance and the Economy – Stimulating Job Growth

4. Do you support incentives for large businesses?
Yes 46.8%
No 42.2
No opinion 11%

5. Should Missouri lower the overall tax burden on all Missouri businesses instead of offering incentives to large corporations?
Yes 71.3%
No 19.9%
No opinion 8.8%

Tax Credits

6. Should state laws require lawmakers to regularly review tax credits?
Yes 93.4%
No 1.7%
No opinion 4.9%

Health Care Transparency

7. Should Missouri require medical facilities to incorporate more transparency?
Yes 74.8%
No 11.4%
No opinion 13.8%

Term Limits

8. Should Missouri eliminate term limits for legislators?
Yes 23%
No 70.7%
No opinion 6.3%

Limiting Government Growth

9. Do you support a constitutional amendment to limit government growth?
Yes 65.8%
No 24.2%
No opinion 10%

Working While Imprisoned

10. Should Missouri institute a statewide prisoner work system?
Yes 91.7%
No 3.2%
No opinion 5.1%

Environment – Alternate Energy Sources

11. Should Missouri make it easier for alternate energy sources, such as wind farms and hydroelectric plants, to be constructed?
Yes 79.9%
No 10.9%
No opinion 9.2%

If you returned your survey, many thanks! I especially appreciate all the added comments. About a third of the surveys included extensive hand-written comments. Some even included extra pages.

Visitors to the Capitol

This week the Capitol was filled with young people involved with Boys and Girls Clubs from around the state. Nicole Valenzuela was here to compete for state recognition for her involvement in her club at Whiteman. This summer, she will travel to Washington DC to represent her club in conjunction with the Air Force.

Other visitors this week that stopped by my office included Violet Corbett, Ben Cast, Tom and Grant Doherty, John Hardegen, Thomas Beyer, and Gene Reed. Whenever you’re in the Capitol, I hope you’ll stop by to say hello.

Ways to Keep in Contact

I consider communication with my constituents a high priority. My weekly Monday morning chat at 8:45 a.m. with Woody at KOKO Radio on AM 1450 is one of the best ways I’ve found for you to literally “hear” from me. Tune in every Monday morning at 8:45 to hear the latest concerning District 121.

Please share this report with anyone you feel would be interested in this information. As the Legislature will not be in session, it will be two weeks before my next Capitol Report. It is genuinely a privilege to serve as your state representative.

Denison: Eliminating Bath Salts, Franchise Taxes

“You’ve touched people and known it. You’ve touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in giving to one another that each of our lives becomes meaningful.” – Laura Schlessinger

Congressional Redistricting Map Approved (HB 193)

This week we tackled another of the big issues of the 2011 legislative session. As I’m sure you’ve seen in the news, Missouri is set to lose one of its nine congressional districts based on 2010 census data. While our population grew by 7 percent from 2000 to 2010, that growth lagged behind the national average. As a result we must reconfigure the congressional district boundaries in Missouri to accommodate eight districts. The current districts were drawn to include approximately 621,000 people each. Because of population growth and the loss of one district, the new congressional districts will have a population of approximately 748,000 people each.

The Special Committee on Redistricting met throughout the state to take input from the public on this important issue. Their goal was to use a fair and open process to produce a map that would ensure adequate representation for all Missourians. It was no easy task as making a map that will please everyone is nearly impossible. However, the committee worked together in a bipartisan manner to produce the fairest map possible. The result is one that makes some significant changes to the way our state is divided, but does so in the most reasonable and responsible way possible.

If you are interested in looking at the map proposed by the House, it is available online in Google map format at the following link: http://www.house.mo.gov/largemap.aspx?map=1

Eliminating the Franchise Tax (SB 19)

Also this week, we gave final approval to a piece of legislation that will reduce the tax burden for many of our businesses here in Missouri. I have mentioned this in a previous report as we passed a similar bill out of the House. The legislation we passed this week is a bill that has already been approved in the Senate, which means it is now on the way to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

The bill will gradually eliminate Missouri’s franchise tax on company assets such as buildings and inventory. The franchise tax has been in existence since 1917. While the legislature has reduced the tax over the years, leading business organizations have proposed doing away with the tax entirely as part of the “Fix the Six” legislative package. The bill we approved will reduce the tax each year until it is phased out entirely in 2016.

Missouri is one of only a few states that have both a corporate income tax and a corporate franchise tax. By eliminating what is, in effect, double taxation, we can put Missouri on a level playing field with other states that are competing to attract new businesses and jobs.

Right to Raise Livestock (HJR 3)

Another proposal that made it through the House this week would make raising livestock a right under the state constitution. We believe agriculture is a vital part of our state’s economy and we must do all we can to protect it from unnecessary regulations that may be overly burdensome. The measure would prevent rules that create an undue economic burden on Missourians who raise livestock. It also would require that any laws related to the welfare of livestock be based on generally accepted scientific principles. We believe by putting these protections in our constitution we can protect the industry of agriculture, which is not only a vital part of our state’s economy but also an integral part of the history of our great state. If passed out of both the House and Senate, the measure would go before voters for approval.

Protecting Young People from Dangerous Drugs (HB 641)

Another piece of legislation that moved through the House this week would put a ban on synthetic forms of marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs marketed as "bath salts." The Missouri General Assembly worked last year to ban the marijuana substitute known as K2. Before the law even went into effect, those who create the drug changed the chemical compounds used in making K2 so that it would not be covered by the law. Known by some as K3, it is now legally sold to young people around the state.

The bill we passed would expand the definition of marijuana to include not only the cannabis plant, but also manufactured forms of marijuana. Possession of up to 35 grams of those synthetic forms would be a misdemeanor and higher amounts would be a felony. We believe this will create an effective law that will outlaw all forms of these dangerous drugs once and for all.

The bill also criminalizes the “bath salts” that are being marketed to many young people. These hallucinogenic substances are currently being sold legally under names such as "Ivory Wave," "Cloud Nine" or "Bliss." While some young people think these substances are okay because they are currently legal, they are in fact extremely dangerous. Our state has seen a spike in poison control calls and emergency room visits from young people who have had a bad reaction to these dangerous drugs. The legislation we passed this week will outlaw these “bath salts” and protect our children from what clearly should be an illegal substance.

Protecting the Lives of the Unborn (HB 28)

Another priority issue moving through the House this week would allow pharmacists to refuse to sell the morning-after pill. Specifically, it would prevent a pharmacy from being sued, losing state aid or having its license revoked if it refuses to sell emergency contraception such as Plan B or abortion-inducing drugs such as RU-486.

The idea behind this legislation is a desire to prevent pharmacies from being forced by the government to stock certain drugs. We want to prevent any such laws or requirements from existing in the future. For those of us who are strongly pro-life, we believe it is important to protect our pharmacists from being forced to dispense abortion-inducing drugs. Human life, from conception to birth, should be respected and protected.

Visitors

The Home Builders Association Legislative Day was Wednesday, April 6th, and members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield were at the Capitol to visit legislators. I was privileged to have my picture taken with the Association members.


Pictured left to right:
Row 1: Vanessa Beaman, Tony Robbins, Sam Bradley, Rep. Shane Schoeller, Rep. Sandy Crawford, Jaredd King, Jennifer McClure, Matt Morrow
Row 2: Lee Beaman, Adrian Rhodes, Randy MacLachlan, Rep. Charlie Denison, Andy Flint, Jason Bekebrede, Rep. Don Ruzicka
Row 3: George Brooks, Travis Miller, Scott Kisling, Ed Alden, Jerry Morris, Kevin Clingan, Jared Carr
Row 4: Kevin Scheer, Matt Bailey, Brett Godfrey, Jeff Fahrlander, Shannon Lee, Mike Benna, Galin Campbell

I look forward to hearing from you, and if you will be in Jefferson City, please stop by my office. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Best wishes.

Korman: Lambert trade Hub Advances

There have been some glitches in our Capitol Report and we apologize for any inconvenience. Please let us know if you would prefer to receive only a text of the Capitol Report. If you are reading this in the newspaper you shouldn’t notice any changes.

Like many weeks, this week we concentrated on jobs and economic development. We advanced a proposal [HB840] to create a trade hub at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. Our proposal would provide tax incentives to freight haulers who used the airport in international trade. This proposal is essential to create an international marketplace in Missouri and a demand for our products internationally. The creation of this market will bring new jobs and new investment to our state.

We perfected another economic incentives bill to bring new high-tech companies to Missouri. HB 468 provisions to create the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, or MOSIRA, and attract data center businesses to our state.

Other time on the floor this week was devoted to the discussion of HCS for HB 193, relating to congressional districts. In this bill Montgomery and Warren counties would move to the newly developed Congressional District 3. Current 9^th Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer lives in the new 3^rd District. The Redistricting process has been an interesting process going from 9 Districts to 8 Districts.

Immaculate Conception Elementary third and fourth graders and parents along with their teacher Lisa Gruenefeld visited this week. I enjoyed having them visit and they got to see our State Capitol which I believe a great display of architecture and engineering.

We had other visitors this week; some to just say hello and others to bring issues to our attention. We strive to give each visit and call the deserved time so please feel free to stop by or contact your 99^th District office at:

Please feel free to stop by or contact your 99^th District office at:

201 W Capitol Ave., Office 114C
Jefferson City, MO 65101
573-751-2689
Bart{dot}Korman{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov

Berry: Redistricting

THIS WEEK….

Every ten years, when the Census data comes in, the Missouri Legislature is tasked with redrawing the voting districts for our United States Representatives. Unfortunately, this year Missouri’s population did not grow as fast as the rest of the country, and we lost a congressional seat, taking us from 9 to 8. With this reduction in seats, one member of our congressional delegation will literally lose their seat. With nine current members of Congress, and eight districts, a tough choice had to be made.

As part of this process, the House Redistricting Committee has spent the past month traveling around the state holding hearings. Citizens were invited to testify concerning how they wanted to be represented in the new districts, which should be included, and what the districts should look like on the map.

Taking this valuable input into consideration we then sat down to draw a map that was both fair and representative. People have the right to vote for a representative of their choice. Part of this right is the guarantee that the district within which they live is drawn so that their vote counts.

Additionally, Missouri’s Constitution requires that districts be drawn so as to be “contiguous and compact.” This means that have to be mostly contained within the same spot on the map – which they shouldn’t look like spider webs, snakes, or blobs on a map in what is referred to as gerrymandering. Our approach was first to look at the old districts and then try to keep the ones that had enough people in them to support their own congressman intact – trying to meet the needs of the citizens who came to testify at our hearings.

The end result is what we think is a fair way to make the adjustments that are required because of our loss of a Congressional district. Every district's population increased significantly. The proposed map meets the requirements of the Missouri Constitution and splits only eight counties into different Congressional districts. Redistricting is a long process, and the map may look different than this when everything is said and done.

For a look at our map, you can visit:
http://monewshorizonblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Screen-shot-2011-03-31-at-7.10.58-AM.png

As always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact my office at (573) 751–2238 or by email at TJ{dot}Berry{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov.

Bill Information

If you would like to track legislation you may log on to www.house.mo.gov and select “Bill Information” and then select “Bill Tracking”. You may search by topic or bill number. If you want to track the bills that I have either sponsored or co-sponsored, just enter my last name and you will be able to look at each of those also.

Co-sponsored Bills

HB73; HB146; HB199; HB200; HB209; HB247; HB280; HB284; HB340; HB352; HB364; HB423; HB437; HB467; HB468; HB470; HB511; HB528; HB580; HB629; HB639; HB648; HB658; HB736; HB748; HB749; HB755; HB760; HB772; HB774; HB778; HB786; HB789; HB795; HB799; HB874; HB875; HB888; HB901; HB924; HB940; HB957; HB980; HB1008; HCR9; HCR30; HCR33; HCR46; HCR47; HCR48; HCR52; HJR26; HJR27; HJR31; HJR33

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.

Visitors

The last week we had a visit from Greg and Daughter Sarah Sackett. If you ever find yourself in or around Jefferson City at any time during the year, please feel free to visit us!

Until our next update, I am, and remain, in your service

Kander: Keeping jobs in KC

Dear Friends,

Last week I alerted you of my opposition to a proposal to move 80 jobs from Kansas City to Jefferson City in an attempt to “reign in” the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC). I proposed an amendment that would retain other proposals to expand oversight of the MHDC without uprooting families or laying off workers in KC or St. Louis. As you may recall, the debate became very geographic rather than very partisan.

Recently, a bipartisan group of legislators from the Kansas City area formed the “Kansas City Caucus.” With my amendment, our little group had its first test. Every member of the caucus – regardless of party – supported my amendment. It passed in one of the closest votes in the House this session.

The amended bill expands oversight without moving the jobs. It passed overwhelmingly today.

I consider this a success for Kansas City and St. Louis and I wanted to share the news with you. Each legislator must work toward job creation, but an equally important task is job retention. Competing with other states for jobs is tough enough. We shouldn’t have to compete against cities within our state, as well.

Just thought you’d like to know how last week’s story ended. The bill now goes to the Senate for their consideration. In an effort to keep everyone up to date on a variety of issues, I’ll host a town hall in late April. Keep an eye out for a message with the date and time.

Thanks!

Jason

Stouffer: High-Speed or Better Roads?

It is personal — transportation is a part of our personal lives every day. It makes most of the goods and services we provide and receive on a daily basis possible. It is important to our jobs, our safety, our businesses and our quality of life. Transportation touches everyone.

This year, funding for transportation in Missouri has been cut in half. In a best case scenario, the folks at MoDOT are projecting the budget for building and taking care of state highways has dropped from $1.2 billion to $600 million. While this has been an opportunity for MoDOT to tighten its belt, it means less to put towards the quality and safety of our roads in the future.

The tight economy has meant a lack of focus on transportation issues in Missouri in recent years. Unfortunately, the latest move to upgrade infrastructure may not be as good of an idea as it sounds.

In late March, the governor announced he would pursue approximately $1 billion in federal money for high-speed rail that the state of Florida had previously rejected. This potential funding brings with it the promise of 1,300 short-term jobs and an indeterminable number of long-term jobs. High-speed rail is something the president has been pushing for and other countries have had for a number of years. However, taxpayers are realizing money from Washington, D.C. is not “free,” especially when we are out of it.

Folks can talk about “the future of transportation” all they want, but excluding highways is not a solution. Mass transit is not used outside of Missouri’s two major cities. High-speed rail between St. Louis and Kansas City or Chicago and St. Louis is fine for the few people who would use it, but what about the rest of the state?

There are concerns about the extra costs associated with the railroad tracks a high-speed system requires. No project is “free.” Improvements would have to be made throughout the entire rail system. Additional costs will be seen for years to come. No high-speed-rail system in the world has a decent return on operating costs and with Missouri’s terrain and competing interstate system, no economic study has found this idea to be feasible. These are the types of concerns that need to be taken into consideration before such a large-scale plan is proposed.

Ironically, MoDOT has been silent on the issue. No press releases from the department trumpeted the request; few folks in Jefferson City seem to believe we have a fighting chance for the funds. Still, it makes for good headlines for the governor around the state.

There is still a long way to go before any decisions would be made on the $1 billion. While high-speed rail may sound attractive, we have more pressing and more direct funding problems in transportation to deal with. Taxpayers are asking us to be responsible with their funds; this proposal may not be the road to prosperity that the governor had in mind.

Kraus: Tough Decisions

The Right Decision Is Not Always the Easy Decision

One of the most difficult responsibilities that I have as a legislator is to vote. Taking care of constituent concerns is rewarding. Meeting with business and social groups in the district is always a pleasure. Introducing legislation, while often hard work, pays off when good changes are made to state laws.

While not every vote is difficult, I try to look closely at each piece of legislation and ask several questions. How will the district I represent feel about the bill? How will the bill affect Missouri and Missourians in the short and long runs? Is the bill fiscally responsible? Does the bill pick winners and losers? Most often, not all of the answers are positive for any one bill, especially a bill that is controversial.

Often, my vote on a bill will be a matter of principle. I have tried to make those principles clear, both during my campaign and since taking office. Those principles are outlined in the 8^th District office Mission Statement that we released earlier this year and that is available on our website by clicking on the link for Mission Statement.

That brings me to my stand against extending unemployment benefits past 79 weeks. I voted against such a benefit extension as a Representative and will vote against an extension again this year. I believe that our federal fiscal situation demands that every new expenditure be questioned. Because of our public debt – over $14 trillion dollars – you and I are not the ones paying for these new benefits; our grandchildren are paying for them. At what point will we stop burdening our grandchildren, no matter how worthy the current cause?

No one I have spoken to is for unlimited benefits. The issue is only whether 79 or 99 weeks is appropriate. Each week, people drop off the 99 week list, with no one lobbying for even more benefits.

To be very clear, I have personally spoken on this issue for around an hour on the floor. Because I believe it is incumbent on us as a Senate to fully explore all issues, my goal was to talk on this issue for a couple of hours, then let the issue come to a vote. Other senators may have planned the same or longer discussions – that is their choice. As of this week, we had only talked on this issue for about six hours.

I understand that this is an emotional issue, and many of the emails I have received, mostly from out of my district, reflect that. A lot of e-mailers want me to “do the right thing.” I honestly question if spending money we don’t have and saddling our descendents with debt is the right thing to do, no matter what the immediate benefit or need.

Earlier this week, it looked like the Senate had found a compromise to allow a vote on the unemployment funds on the condition that the Governor would agree to reject a separate pot of federal stimulus funds in House Bill 18. Since then, the ball has been on the Governor’s desk. While he has publicly said unemployment funds were a priority for him, his actions have not reflected that because he has not responded to the request to compromise.

Since the Governor would not even meet with our group, the senators who have been against this increased spending reached out to Senate leadership. They have now agreed to help us withhold money from HB 18, the stimulus budget bill, and save as much as $250 million. Based on the compromise, we allowed the issue to move forward.

In closing, I ask only one thing: that my constituents know that I will carefully, honestly, and prudently look at each issue before me. I can’t agree with each of you on every issue – usually a large portion of my constituents disagree with each other on any given issue. But I will do my best to represent the principles that you sent me to Jefferson City to represent. I believe that is what you would want.

Welcome Visitors

Again this week, constituents from District 8 took the time to visit the Capitol, which I always appreciate. Some of the visitors were: Mary Ernstmann, Steven and Ellen Bishop, Connie Sperry, Jim Wilcox, Frank Harles, Mitch Schieberg, Keith Martin, Paul Crisafulli, Tom Angier, Victor Smedley, Michael Blau, Jay Greco, Tiffany Blevins, and Michael Monahan. A couple of individuals from outside the district also dropped by the office: Trudy Kraus and Chris Kaiser.

Dr. Jim Finley, Dr. Paul Kinder, and Scott Young from the Blue Springs School District were here to meet with me and their representatives in the House. I’m always happy to host this group and have the opportunity to discuss education issues.

Summit Christian Academy, Lee’s Summit, brought their fourth grade students to the Capitol to learn about state government. While the Senate was extremely busy during their visit, I was happy to still get a chance to talk a little with the students.

In addition, about 54 individuals came down for a second District Day held this week. As with last week, I was glad for the opportunity to talk with them on the Senate floor and discuss their concerns about state government. I hope they enjoyed their day in Jefferson City as much as I enjoyed having them as my guests.

On Friday, I plan to attend a Legislative Breakfast sponsored by the Blue Springs Chamber of Commerce. I look forward to that.

Nolte: Missouri Business Tax Relief Plan Receives Final Legislative Approval

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Legislation that would lower the tax burden for many Missouri businesses by eliminating the corporate franchise tax is now on its way to the governor’s desk. The Missouri House gave final approval to legislation (SB 19) handled by Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Gladstone, that would phase out the franchise tax over a period of five years until it is repealed entirely in 2016. The House approved SB 19 by a vote of 105-51. The legislation is similar to another bill sponsored by Nolte (HB 76) that was approved by the House earlier this year.

The late Senator Harry Wiggins (D-Kansas City), a strong advocate of eliminating the franchise tax, described it as “a tax businesses pay for the privilege of paying other taxes.” The franchise tax, which is a tax on a corporation’s assets such as inventory and buildings, is a “temporary tax” in existence since 1917. While the legislature has reduced the tax over the years, leading business organizations have proposed doing away with the tax entirely as part of the “Fix the Six” legislative package. Nolte’s bill will reduce the tax each year until it is phased out entirely in 2016.

“Lowering the tax burden will make our state a more attractive location for businesses that seek to relocate and it will make it easier for existing businesses to grow,” said Nolte. “We must remain competitive with states like Kansas, which recently repealed its franchise tax. By lowering our tax burden we will send a strong message that Missouri is open and ready for business.”

Nolte said Missouri is one of only a few states that have both a corporate income tax and a corporate franchise tax. He said eliminating what is, in effect, double taxation would put Missouri on a level playing field with other states that are competing to attract new businesses and jobs.

SB 19 now moves to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

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.

Engler: Redistricting to Change Representation in Jefferson County

Normally, in a legislative session, the only task we must complete is the budget. This year the Senate and House is also in charge of congressional redistricting. Early in the week, the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting approved legislation laying out a new congressional map. This map can now be discussed on the floor of the Senate, and I am sure there will be plenty of debate on many of the proposed changes to the state’s congressional districts.

Census results found that Missouri’s population has grown by 7 percent during the past 10 years, but this increase is not enough to prevent the state from losing a congressional district. The task of redrawing the state’s district lines to go from 9 districts to 8 is particularly tough—we haven’t had to significantly change the map since the last time Missouri lost a congressional seat 30 years ago.

The proposed map contains several major changes to the state’s congressional districts throughout the state. Most notably for us, the plan would split Jefferson County between three congressional districts with the southern part of the county becoming a part of the 8^th Congressional District, currently represented by Representative Jo Ann Emerson. To see the Senate’s proposed congressional map, please click here.

Redistricting for the state House and Senate districts is accomplished by Apportionment Commission appointed by the governor. These commissions began meeting this week and set the dates and locations for public hearings. The commissions have until August 18 to complete work on tentative plans to reapportion the House and Senate districts.

Another issue that was discussed on the floor this week was Missouri’s provider tax. This is a tax on hospitals and nursing homes that these groups actually requested the state impose because it allows these facilities to take in more federal Medicaid money. Senate Bill 322 removes the expiration date and extends these taxes. The bill is being delayed, however, putting these funds in jeopardy for the facilities that need them. The taxes are scheduled to expire on Sept. 30, 2011.

This week, I was pleased to work on legislation, Senate Bill 117, that addresses an issue in Iron County. Several years ago, the citizens in the area voted and approved the establishment of a county hospital. However, for about a year and a half, the hospital did not receive Medicaid reimbursements which added up to a substantial amount. While the county now has a much better return on the hospital, they are still in debt. The hospital board believes they need to bring this issue to the voters and ask that a sales tax be approved to pay down the debt. This is essential to the viability of the county and the hospital. I support letting this issue go to the people for a vote. The bill was approved by the Senate, sending it to the House for similar consideration.

Tim Jones: Healthcare Update, Kidney Donor Needed

Healthcare Update

As I am sure you are well aware, healthcare policy remains one of the most important issues facing this country. I want to assure you we are doing everything we can in the Missouri House to stop this economically crippling, job killing, and unfunded mandate forced upon us by an out of control federal government. Just last week we passed two pieces of legislation addressing these issues; HB 423 (the Health Care Compact), and HB 475 which creates greater transparency for health care cost and quality. Both of these pieces of legislation are a step in the right direction and a testament to our desire to put sanity back into dealing with the health care crisis. The bigger issue to grasp here is having an understanding of what values were used in the formation of ObamaCare; the reason it is not palatable. It was founded not on freedom, liberty, charity, or responsibility, but on the belief that those who do not have, have the right to take from those that do. This has nothing to do with freedom, liberty, charity, and responsibility. Developing solutions based on freedom, liberty, charity, and responsibility is the only way to effectively create true health care reform in America and insure everyone has access to quality, affordable care.

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. 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

At right: With the 7^th and 8^th Graders from St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Eureka.

I always enjoy it when constituents visit the Capitol and want to thank all who make the journey. I want to give a very special thanks to the 7th and 8th Grade students from St. Mark’s Lutheran School, and their teachers, Debbie Armbruster and Linda Dehn, for their visit to the Capitol. 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, 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 will be in the office tomorrow! 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.

Tim Jones: Wind Gusts Hearld Flurries Of Floor Activity

Powerfully strong gusting winds carried us back to mid-Missouri this week as Spring crept stealthily in from the South while the upper Midwest still froze in the grip of icy Winter. Under the Capitol Dome, the House Floor became a flurry of rushed activity with dozens of bills being brought forth for debate, discussion, amendment and final passage. Priority legislation that has survived the engorged legislative filter is slowly making its ways through both Chambers as we gave final General Assembly approval to two bills that are heading for the Governor’s desk for consideration…

“We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.”—Thomas Jefferson

FLOOR ACTION: Monday, April 4^th

Today the House focused on the perfection of HB 458, HCS HB 641, HCS HB 192, and HCS HJR 3.

HB 458, sponsored by Rep. Tom Loehner (R-112), was ordered perfected and printed. This bill establishes the Missouri Farmland Trust Act to receive donated land, preserve it as farmland, and allows the land to be farmed by leasing it to beginning farmers. Preserving farmland and providing an opportunity for future farmers to acquire the use of land at very low cost promotes Missouri’s agrarian economy and creates solid jobs for Missourians.

HCS HB 641, sponsored by Rep. Ward Franz (R-151), was ordered perfected and printed. This bill would add any synthetic compound acting as cannabinoid receptors to the list of controlled substances. The most important weapon in the war on drugs is education and the battle will be won, or lost, in our homes and communities. I encourage parents to educate their children about the dangers of drug use and be active in your communities with interventional and educational efforts to stop this cycle of drug abuse and dependency. That will be the ultimate solution to this decades old problem.

HCS HB 192, which I sponsored, was ordered perfected and printed. This bill allows for the transfer of tires (in state possession) to a private entity for the purpose of proper disposal or recycle, requires the board of trustees of the petroleum storage tank insurance fund to hold public hearings to determine whether or not to create and fund an underground storage tank operator training program, and eliminates the use of manufacturer’s expiration date on motor fuel pump nozzles, hoses, and hose breakaway equipment as the only factor in determining their repair or replacement. This bill reduces over-burdensome government regulation and intrusion and supports Missouri industry and small businesses.

HCS HJR 3, sponsored by Rep. Tom Loehner (R-112), was ordered perfected and printed. This resolution calls for amending the Missouri Constitution to solidify the right of Missouri farmers to raise their livestock without the state imposing any undue burdens or regulations. Agri-business actually remains the number one industry in the State of Missouri. As the member of a family with deep farming roots all over our State (and very proud of the fact that the “Jones Family Farm” remains in the family) I was very proud to support this bill on the House Floor. If you like to eat, then you are a supporter of HCS HJR 3!

FLOOR ACTION: Tuesday, April 5^th

Today the House continued on the perfection calendar with HCS HB 470 & 429, HCS HB 336, HCS HB 28, HCS HB 546, and HCS HB 411 & 421.

HCS HB 470 & 429, sponsored by Rep. Doug Funderburk (R-12), was ordered perfected and printed. This bill improves the laws governing nonresident entertainer and professional athletic team income taxes.

HCS HB 336, sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136), was ordered perfected and printed. I was the chief sponsor of this bill last year. The bill authorizes an income tax credit for the eligible costs of bringing certain sporting events to Missouri. By incentivizing such endeavors, the result is increased activity for Missouri businesses and increased revenue to the state.

HCS HB 28, sponsored by Rep. David Sater (R-68), was ordered perfected and printed. This bill would prohibit a non-physician from prescribing an abortion-inducing drug and gives pharmacists the right not to carry these drugs. We should not be forcing pharmacies and small business owners to carry any drugs or product they do not wish to stock. Government should not be in the business of making choices for individuals or businesses, choices such as these should be left to the small business owner.

HCS HB 546, sponsored by Rep. John Diehl (R-87), was ordered perfected and printed. This bill would require the Missouri Housing Development Commission executive director or chief executive officer to live within a 40 mile radius of Jefferson City and will provide greater accountability over the MHDC.

HCS HB 411 and 421, sponsored by Rep. Zach Wyatt (R-2), was ordered perfected and printed. This legislation addresses the need for proper transitioning processes to occur for residents exiting state developmental disability facilities.

In the evening session, the House picked up third reading of consent bills. As mentioned in a previous issue, consent bills are non-controversial, have no opposition and have no fiscal impact. However, they do deal with making important revisions or tweaks to already existing statutory language.

FLOOR ACTION: Wednesday, April 6th

Three House Concurrent Resolutions were adopted by the House today; HCR 30, 31, and 39.

HCR 30, sponsored by Rep. Keith Frederick (R-149), urges the Governor and Attorney General to contact the President of the United States expressing the urgency of resolving the constitutionality of the federal health care reform act. Continuing to allow this issue to hover in uncertainty creates a problem for leaders in the Health Care Industry and is an impediment to true health care reform measures. This very week, our US Congress, in an overwhelming, bipartisan vote, moved to strip out some of the more unduly burdensome sections of the ObamaCare law. The federal health care law has been proving itself to be an extremely costly, ill thought through measure filled with excessive taxation, excessive burdens on the States and reductions in service that many of us warned it would be. The Missouri General Assembly and the Missouri People (via Proposition C last November) have overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to the law while our Governor and Attorney General have remained silent. It is time for these two Executives of our State to act.

HCR 31, sponsored by Rep. Steve Cookson (R-153), calls on the United States Congress to allocate at least 40% of the Land and Water Conservation Fund moneys to the State Assistance program for state and local capital parks projects.

HCR 39, sponsored by Rep. Mike Leara (R-95), urges the Secretary of the Interior to add Grant's Farm in St. Louis County as a unit of the National Park Service by joining with the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.

Resuming the perfection calendar, the House perfected HB 291, HCS HB 193, HCS HB 840, HB 677, and HB 737.

HB 291, sponsored by Rep. Charlie Denison (R-135), requires window stickers to show current motor vehicle registration instead of license plate tabs. Basically, the current system of placing stickers on your license plates would be fazed out and replaced with a window sticker system. Because the stickers are placed in the interior, the state will save time and money by not having to replace stolen plate stickers.

HCS HB 193, sponsored by Rep. John Diehl (R-87), changes the composition of Congressional districts based on the 2010 census. This redistricting map compensates for Missouri’s loss of a Congressional district while providing continuity and minimizing the number of counties being split to only eight. This is one of the more difficult and important issues we will confront this year. I am proud that the Missouri House has taken the lead on this matter.

HCS HB 840, sponsored by Rep. Caleb Jones (R-117), establishes the Aerotropolis Trade Incentive and Tax Credit Act to encourage foreign trade by authorizing the St. Louis City Mayor or the executive officer of certain counties to designate a gateway zone. This bill will help increase international business trade by helping establish a hub for international trade routes at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. This can only positively impact the economy and create needed jobs for Missourians.

HB 677, sponsored by Rep. Don Wells (R-147), removes the June 30, 2012 expiration date of the provisions requiring every child enrolling in kindergarten or first grade in a public school to receive one comprehensive vision examination. This provision has produced greater results in diagnosing early vision problems and needs to remain in place.

HB 737, sponsored by Rep. Craig Redmon (R-1), classifies certain hydroelectric power generating equipment as tangible personal property and requires that it be assessed at 1% of its true value in money. Reducing the tax rate provides incentive for large hydroelectric power plant projects to consider locating in Missouri. Allowing the rate to continue at 33 1/3% makes the Missouri environment inhospitable resulting in loss of opportunity for economic growth and a loss of potential jobs for Missourians.

The House also third read and gave final passage to SCS SB 108, SCS SB 19, and the aforementioned HCS HB 193.

SCS SB 108, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-15), removes the expiration date for provisions of law concerning the installation of fire sprinklers in certain dwellings.

SCS SB 19, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-15), phases-out the corporate franchise tax over a five year period so that on January 1, 2016, no corporate franchise tax will exist.

Third Read Thursday, April 7th

Today, the House gave final passage to the following bills described above: HBs 458, 641, 192, 470 & 429, 336, 28, 546, 468, 677 and 737. Every single piece of legislation can be viewed online at: www.house.mo.gov.

Budget Update

A budget of $23.2 Billion for FY 2012 was passed last week while holding back $49 Million in savings on the balance sheet. Aside from the impressive bipartisan effort to pass this budget, the quality of the budget can be seen in the details. From maintaining funding for K-12 Education, to continued funding for the production of alternative fuels, to taking the lead and cutting our own budget here in the House of Representatives by $365,000.00, this budget begins the march on the road to economic recovery for the State of Missouri. If only our federal government would use this same philosophy and take the necessary steps to put our country’s economy back on solid ground.

Burlison: HealthCare Compact Passes House

I'd like to give you an updated on the progress of some of my bills from this week:

HB 270 has passed completely through the House & is now in the Senate. This bill require insurance plans for state employees to provide coverage that is substantially similar to Medicare for Medicare-eligible employees. This would save Missouri millions of dollars over the next couple of years.

HB 336 has also passed through the House & is now in the Senate. This bill would help attract amateur sporting events & tournaments to Missouri, boosting our local & state economy.

HB 388 also passed the House & is in the Senate. This bill requires the attending physician, rather than DHSS, to provide a breast implantation patient with information on advantages, disadvantages, & risks.

Finally, I'm excited to say that last week HB 423, the Interstate HealthCare Compact bill I am sponsoring, passed through the House by a vote of 105-52 & will now move to the Senate.

We've heard a lot of discussion about health care in the United States over the past few years. Many Missourians are upset with Washington's attempts to reform the system & believe that Obamacare makes the problem worse rather than better. I think we need to stop looking to Washington for solutions; there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health care reform that will work all across the country.

Answers for Missouri need to come from a government that listens to Missourians. That's why I sponsored the healthcare compact, HB 423. If passed by more than one state & consented to by Congress, this bill would give member states primary responsibility for health care policy decisions in their respective states.

"All Member States pledge themselves to take joint and separate action to secure the consent of Congress to this Compact in order to return the authority to regulate Health Care to the Member States"

While this bill pertains to the field of health cares specifically, it is not so much health care reform as it is governance reform, returning decision-making authority to the states in a constitutionally-proven way.

Six other states have filed a similar healthcare compact & the same bill has already passed both the House & Senate in Georgia.

You can see more on the HealthCare Compact by watching this video I put out earlier this year:

My colleagues & I voted to bring health care policy decisions closer to home with the Interstate HealthCare Compact & I look forward to passage of HB 423 in the MO Senate.

If you ever have any questions or issues you believe need addressed or want to comment on a bill we're working on, please contact my office by email at eric{dot}burlison{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov or at 573-751-0136. You may also call 417-597-3635 that forwards to my Jeff City office to avoid long distance charges. I look forward to hearing your input on our work here in the MO House.

Tilley: New Jobs in Missouri By Eliminating Franchise Tax,

This week was very busy for the House, as several bills we have been working on to create new Jobs in Missouri were passed out of our chamber. We advanced legislation to eliminate burdensome taxes, create opportunities for international trade, and provide incentives for new technology businesses to locate here.

While Washington D.C. struggles and literally faces a potential shut down – the Missouri House continues to work to improve our state’s job climate.

One of the issues we addressed pertains to the franchise tax. The franchise tax is a tax that corporations pay in advance for doing business within the state. It is not a tax on franchisees. When corporations are looking at where to locate their businesses, State’s franchise taxes are something they consider.

Currently, Missouri businesses are taxed both on their income and the value of their assets and stock. This would be like getting taxed on your yearly income, and additionally on all the income you’ve made your entire life.

The bill [SB19] we sent to the Governor would phase out this tax over a period of five years, making Missouri a very attractive state for businesses to locate.

Missouri only collects about 3% of its revenue from corporate taxes of any kind [Source: http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=21375] and the franchise tax is only part of this collection. This tax cut will help attract more businesses to open, expand, or relocate to Missouri. We can create more jobs by allowing businesses to flourish than we ever could by raising taxes.

In the next fiscal year the franchise tax cut is expected to save Missouri businesses $16,554,054 [Source: http://www.moga.mo.gov/Oversight/OVER11/fishtm/0336-02P.ORG.htm - that is a lot of jobs. The year after that, it would save Missouri businesses upwards of $35,000,000. By the time the franchise tax is completely phased-out in five years, Missouri businesses will be saving around $85,000,000 a year. That is 850 new $100,000 jobs that could be created, or 1,700 new $50,000 jobs.

Next, we advanced a proposal [HB840] to create a trade hub at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. Our proposal would provide tax incentives to freight haulers who used the airport in international trade.

This proposal is essential to create an international marketplace in Missouri and a demand for our products internationally. The creation of this market will bring new jobs and new investment to our state.

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is not being fully utilized and is capable of becoming a hub for international trade routes. The amount of economic activity generated by these trade routes will be immense.

Finally we perfected another economic incentives bill to bring new high-tech companies to Missouri. HB 468 provisions to create the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, or MOSIRA, and attract data center businesses to our state.

By offering incentives for science and technology corporations to locate in Missouri many new jobs will be created around the state, not just in these fields, but in other industries with goods or services that support the science and technology corporations.

The field of science and innovation technology is growing rapidly and competition among states to attract this corporation is intense. Missouri needs these programs and incentives to move ahead.

This session continues to be centered on job creation. It is our goal to turn around the economic climate of this state, people who want to work should have the opportunity to get good jobs – the best way we can do this is to bring more good jobs to this state.

We can turn this economy around, together.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve here in the House of Representatives. As always, I welcome your comments. You may reach me at 573-751-1488, send your e-mails to steven{dot}tilley{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov or write to me at the Missouri House of Representatives, State Capitol, Room 308, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Lichtenegger: Heroes Way Interchange Program Expanded, Land Reclamation Act Update

As you read this Capitol Report the blue-colored text is a hyper-link to additional information. For example a House bill number below will lead the reader to the full bill text. All the blue titles in the above header are also hyper-links to websites for those entities.

This week’s survey question: Do you agree with the Right to Work initiative? Definition: A Right to Work law secures the right of employees to choose whether or not to join or financially support a union. Call 1-573-751-6662 or email your response to my assistant who will track and file all responses: Survey Response

The following list represents a few of the most recent House legislative activities

• HB 411, was defeated in the House today. It required the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to develop a transition plan to de-institutionalize persons with developmental disabilities. The plan also included a proposed schedule for implementation with a goal of shifting the provision of services for every resident by January 1, 2018.
  
• HB 141 renames the Heroes Way Interstate Interchange Designation Program to the Heroes Way Interchange Designation Program and expands the program to include state-numbered highway interchanges. This bill passed the House and has been reported to the Senate.
  
• HB 28 establishes the Abortion-inducing Drugs Safety Act which places restrictions on abortion-inducing drugs. Any person who is not a physician is prohibited from knowingly prescribing or administering RU-486 or any other abortion-inducing drug. RU-486 or any other abortion-inducing drug can only be administered in a hospital or abortion facility. The abortion facility must also be licensed as an ambulatory surgical center. The drug can only be administered by the prescribing physician or another physician acting under the prescribing physician's authority and who is in the physical presence of the patient or by the patient herself at the direction of and while in the physical presence of the physician. A physician is prohibited from prescribing or administering RU-486 or any other abortion-inducing drug unless he or she has clinical privileges which allow the physician to perform surgeries at a hospital or at the abortion facility where the drug was administered offering obstetrical or gynecological care that is within 30 miles of the location where the abortion is being induced. This bill passed the House today and was reported to the Senate.
  

Constituent Corner

A big Thank You to those who testified Tuesday at the public hearing for The Land Reclamation Act. I will speak with each committee member to promote understanding and passage of the bill [HB299].


Representative Shelley Keeney and I recently met with FFA/4-H from Bollinger & Cape Girardeau Counties.


Speaker of the House Steven Tilley and I enjoyed the company of Missouri Farm Bureau (MFB) Youth Leadership Day led by MFB’s Brian Koenig (far left). These students showed genuine enthusiasm for learning and leading.

Torpey: William Southern Elementary Visit, Committees Advance Several Measures

A Special Note

We had some very special visitors to the Capitol last week! On Thursday, 4th graders from William Southern Elementary came down to Jefferson City to watch the House in action, tour the Capitol building, and visit the Governor's Mansion.

I truly enjoyed having these students here with us in the Capitol. They very much impressed me with their knowledge of our state government and the way in which we function; they also had some great questions for me to answer as we spent the afternoon on the House floor. We would like to send a huge thanks to the teachers and parents who visited with the students, especially Mrs. Bailey Higgins!!

2011 Legislative Session continues

This big topic on everyone's minds this week is redistricting. With overwhelming bipartisan support, the House approved the new Congressional Districts maps [HB193]. This legislation is now headed to the Senate for approval.

For more information on current legislation in the Missouri House of Representatives, please contact our office or visit the House website.

Committees

Small Business met Wednesday to hold a public hearing on HB 741, sponsored by Rep. Bernskoetter, will add an eligible energy-saving enterprise to the list of entities that are eligible to receive a linked deposit loan.

• HB 322, sponsored by Rep. Walton-Gray, will allow certain organizations who sell intoxicating liquor by the drink on the premises to obtain a special permit to remain open until 3:00 a.m. each day and to open on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. This bill passed out of committee with a vote of 19-1, myself voting in favor.
• HB 403, sponsored by Rep. Brandom, will allow a landlord to file a claim in a small claims court for the ejectment of a tenant in order to obtain possession of premises. This bill passed committee with a vote of 14-6, myself voting in favor.

Fiscal Review met Wednesday to discuss quite a few bills that were assigned to our committee.

• SCS SB 19, sponsored by Senator Schmitt, will phase-out the corporate franchise tax over a five year period. This bill passed out of committee with a vote of 6-4, myself voting in favor.
• HCS HB 192, sponsored by Rep. Tim Jones, will change the laws regarding environmental protection programs. This bill passed with a vote of 10-0.
• HCS HJR 3, sponsored by Rep. Loehner, proposes a constitutional amendment affirming the right of persons to raise livestock in a humane manner without the state imposing an undue economic burden on their owners. This bill passed with a vote of 10-0.
• HCS HB 28, sponsored by Rep. Sater, establishes the Abortion-inducing Drugs Safety Act which prohibits a non-physician from prescribing an abortion-inducing drug and specifies that a pharmacy cannot be required to be connected with the drug. This bill passed 7-3, myself voting in favor.
• HCS HB 411/421, sponsored by Rep. Wyatt, will require the Department of Mental Health to develop a transition plan for services of a resident of a state developmental disabilities facility to the most appropriate living setting. This bill passed with a vote of 10-0.

Downsizing State Government met today to vote on four bills that had been previously heard in the committee.

• HJR 11, sponsored by Rep. Burlison, which would propose a constitutional amendment prohibiting appropriations in any fiscal year from exceeding certain limits. This bill was defeated by a 5-6 vote, with myself voting in favor.
• HJR 12, also sponsored by Rep. Burlison, which would propose a constitutional amendment reducing the number of members of the House of Representatives from 163 to 103 beginning with the 98th General Assembly. This bill was defeated by a 7-9 vote, with myself voting in favor.
• HB 437, sponsored by Rep. McNary, which would allow each representative and senator to employ one legislator assistant, instead of one stenographer or secretary, during any session of a general assembly. This bill passed with a 16-0 vote.
• Finally, HB 493, sponsored by Rep. Wieland, which would require the Commissioner of the Office of Administration to develop a statewide system or to contract with a third party to allow all state agencies and departments to accept electronic payments. This bill also passed committee with a 16-0 vote.

General Laws, chaired by Rep. Ward Franz, heard my bill (HB 932) on Tuesday of this week. I was very happy to have Josh Rice, the Deputy Captain of Cooper County, in town to testify on behalf of this bill. Hopefully, the passage of this bill will encourage out of state drivers to travel to and through our state.

Crime Prevention and Public Safety, chaired by Rep. Rodney Schad, heard my bill (HB 781) on Wednesday of this week. I truly hope this bill passes and becomes law in order to strengthen the punishment on child molesters, especially those with repeat offenses. In order to keep our children safe, we truly must get these offenders off of our community streets. My filing of this bill was inspired by a young girl in Independence who was raped and sodomized by a repeat offender who was sentenced to 8 years, but spent a mere 120 days in jail. This is absolutely unacceptable! You can read this article on the Examiner website, or by clicking here.

For more information on these bills, or any that have been filed in the Missouri House of Representatives, please visit the House Bill information page by clicking here.

Word of the Week

While in committee meetings, we either hold hearings on bills or go into executive session in order to move a bill out of the committee (or kill the bill). This week I had two committee hearings, in General Laws and in Crime Prevention and Public Safety, in order to provide testimony and facts before the committee members so they can later decide if my bills will pass out of the committee or not. Therefore, this week's word is: committee hearings.

Committee Hearings: Committee sessions for taking testimony from witnesses to gain knowledge on a specific piece of legislation or who the legislation will affect if passed into law. At hearings on legislation, witnesses usually include specialists, government officials and spokesmen for persons or entities affected by the bill or bills under study. Witnesses either speak in favor of the bill, against the bill, or for informational purposes (a neutral standpoint). The public and press may attend open hearings.

In Other News

Our first annual 52nd District Day is fast approaching, on April 19th. We are gearing up to host 70+ constituents here in the Missouri House of Representatives! Please email or call our office if you are attending and wish to see a tentative schedule.

Nance: Excelsior Springs, Ray County Grouped With Western Jackson County

Redistricting

HB 193 was passed on the House floor on Wednesday. Representative Aull offered the amendment to put Excelsior Springs-Ray County-Lafayette-Saline County in another Congressional District. We did point out that “Rural issues and values deserve fair representation, just as urban issues and values deserve fair representation. The mentioned counties have over 600,000 acres in crops compared to 79,000 in Jackson County.

The amendment failed and our only hope is for the Senate to make changes. With these boundaries possibly lasting the next thirty years, it is imperative that the process is deliberated well.

HB 503, which would repeal a provision requiring a presidential primary to be held in February in any year a presidential election is held and sets the primary to be held in March of each presidential election year.

HB 578, which would allow the state or any political subdivision or agency of the state to transfer ownership of used tires, scrap tires, or tire shred to a private entity for disposal or recycling under certain conditions.

HB 38, which would require certain administrative officials of jails or detention facilities to notify the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System within five hours of the escape of certain specified dangerous felons.

HB 68, which would prohibit a political subdivision from imposing a fine or penalty on the owner of a pay telephone on the owner’s property for calls to an emergency telephone service from the pay telephone.

HB 98, which would extend from June 30, 2011, to December 31, 2015, the 50-cent fee that is collected on the retail sale of a lead-acid battery as well as the fees for any hazardous waste generated.

HB 468 changes the laws regarding economic incentives for job development, retention, and training and establishes the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act.

HB 103

I had the opportunity to present the Forest Management bill (HB 103) to the Tourism and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday. Charlie and Ellen Leabold and John Weir were the originators of the bill as they made suggestions from their experiences. The bill allows the Department of Conservation, in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources, to establish a program for good forestry management with any funds received going to the Park System.

Visitors

Orrick Superintendent, Marcus Stucker and Marvin Griffin visited the Capitol about school issues on the House calendar this week. Rita May and Lorinda Gravel were at the Capitol on Wednesday for the “Autism Awareness Rally”.

Pictured above are Ray County Home Schoolers.

Nolte Leads Effort to Secure “National World War I Memorial” Designation for Liberty Memorial

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri House has approved a resolution sponsored by state Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Gladstone, to urge Congress to designate Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial as the National World War I Memorial.

While the Liberty Memorial was designated by the 106^th Congress as a national symbol of World War I, Nolte said it’s important to secure the memorial’s status as the official memorial for brave Americans who served in the Great War. “The Liberty Memorial was made possible by the overwhelming support provided by Kansas City residents in 1919,” said Nolte. “They accomplished something no other city could and helped build a memorial that has stood for the last 90 years as the nation’s tribute to the heroic sacrifices of the great Americans who served during our First World War.”

Nolte added, “Despite this nation’s undying admiration for those who served, our country has no nationally recognized memorial honoring the millions of Americans who risked their lives in defense of this nation. From the day it was first dedicated in the presence of more than 100,000 Americans and General John J. Pershing, the Liberty Memorial has been this nation’s most important symbol for preserving the memory of our World War I veterans. It’s time we make that designation official.”

Nolte pointed out that the 108^th Congress designated the museum at the base of the Liberty Memorial as “America’s National World War I Museum.” He said Congress is currently considering legislation to grant the “National World War I Memorial” designation to Liberty Memorial.

Kelley: DWI Offenders' Community Service Hours Defined

This week two of my bills were given final approval in the House and sent to the Senate. They will go through the same process there of a committee hearing, vote, floor debate, more votes and a conference committee if necessary. If they clear each step, the governor would then either sign them into law or use his veto authority.

HB199 passed the House 145-0. This bill was brought to my attention by Barton County Prosecutor Steven Kaderly. Under current law, as an alternative to being locked up, a prior DWI offender can perform 30 days of community service as a condition of being placed on probation. A persistent offender has to perform 60 days.

The quirk in the law was a day was not defined in terms of length. An offender could show up for an hour one day, another hour the next day, and be given credit for two days. HB199 specifies a 30 day sentence will consist of 240 hours and a 60 day sentence will consist of 480 hours.

HB795 passed the House with a vote of 148-0. If this bill becomes law, the second Friday in March will be designated as Missouri School Read-In Day. I introduced this bill as an attempt to draw attention to the importance of developing good reading skills among children. In today’s world of high technology and texting as the main form of communication, proper reading and writing can easily take a back seat. Good jobs depend on good communication skills which in turn are developed by good reading habits.

The House passed its version [HB193] of new congressional districts this week. Every ten years new lines must be drawn to reflect population changes within our state. This year the task took on a higher degree of difficulty when we lost one of our nine congressional seats. The remaining eight districts must absorb additional people to reach the optimal number. Two incumbents would also be combined into one district.

With the House map, not much would change in our area. Barton and Dade Counties would remain in the 4^th District, Jasper County would stay in the 7^th District, and Polk County would continue to be divided between the 4^th and 7^th Districts. In the St. Louis area, incumbents Russ Carnahan and Lacy Clay would be drawn into the same district, possibly setting up a primary showdown. A new map must be agreed upon this session or the lines will be drawn by a panel of judges.

Holsman: Renewable Energy Committee Votes Unanimously on Prop C Fix

Renewable energy committee votes 11-0 in favor of Holsman bill

Proposal follows up on voter-approved renewable energy law

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The House Special Committee on Renewable Energy on Wednesday unanimously approved legislation to fix flaws in a voter-approved law to expand and promote renewable energy in Missouri that have prevented the proposal from being fully implemented more than two years after it was enacted.

House Bill 613 sponsored by state Rep. Jason Holsman, R-Kansas City, would require the state's investor-owned power utilities to construct or purchase 750 megawatts of power generated by renewable sources such as solar, wind, and biomass by 2020. The bill would also require companies to provide $108 million in incentives for consumers who install small-scale solar power systems.

"This revision protects ratepayers from exorbitant rate increases and takes a balanced approach to shift from carbon producing fossil fuels to clean renewable energy like wind and solar," said Holsman, the chairman of the renewable energy committee.

HB 613 modifies provisions of Proposition C, which 66 percent of Missouri voters approved in November 2008 to promote the use of renewable energy. Differences over how certain provisions of Proposition C should be interpreted, however, have kept it from being implemented.

Holsman helped form a coalition of utility companies, industrial power consumers and renewable energy advocates to develop the follow-up legislation necessary to enable the intent of Proposition C to finally be realized. HB 613 now must be approved by the full House of Representatives.

Sater: Budget Recap, Bills Advancing To Senate

Greetings from the Missouri House of Representatives.  We are here to represent the interest of the majority of our constituents.  Trying to find out what the majority wants is not always easy.  I was telling a constituent this past week that generally the people of the 68^th district want the same things that I do.  However, there are times when we don't agree, but usually we are on the "same page."

Early this week the House voted to approve all 17 Appropriation Bills that comprise the state's fiscal year operating budget.  The money appropriated by the House for 2012 equals just over 23 billion dollars.

We preserved basic aid for public schools at current funding levels of more than 3 billion dollars for the school foundation formula. This 3 billion is based on extra federal monies totaling $181 million.  Right now four senators are filibustering this money.  They think we should send the federal money back to Washington.  If this happens we would have to cut this money from other funds to support public education.

There was also a recommended cut of 7% to higher education (colleges & universities) by Governor Nixon.  Additionally, the budget contains cuts of 5% to statewide elected officials, which includes me.  We also cut the Governor's travel budget by $500,000.

I was able to make a few adjustments to the House budget.  One was $2 million to the UMKC-Missouri State Pharmacy Program located at Missouri State in Springfield.  I also obtained an extra $500,000 for the Dept. of Tourism's advertising budget.  This budget has been cut in half in the last several years, and this funding is needed to help entice out-of-state folks to Missouri to spend their money.  I also eliminated a couple of small programs that were not statewide programs, but focused on St. Louis.

Three of my bills are either on the Senate side or on the way over there.  One is a pro-life bill [HB28] concerning the rights of pharmacies to not stock certain drugs in their inventory such as abortion drugs.  Another [HB29] is a liability protection for medical personnel who volunteer their services for not-for-profit organizations like Camp Barnabas. The third bill [HB32] gives the Dept. of Health the right to offer, upon request, an ornamental birth certificate suitable for framing or display. This is actually a revenue generating bill and would make the state some money.

This week we also debated the congressional redistricting map.  We are losing one seat and Missouri will decrease from 9 to 8 seats.  The proposal would increase our 7^th Congressional District by adding all of Douglas and Ozark Counties.  We needed to pick up just over 40,000 people.

Thanks again for allowing me to represent you, and feel free to contact me anytime with thoughts or concerns.