Missives From Missouri

Newman: Voter Supression Efforts Continue

2012-01-28T15:41:00.000-06:00

And what a week…as the session gears up to full speed, bills seem to be moving faster than ever. We are recycling many of the issues we saw in 2011 and will soon debate them on the floor: Voter photo ID, English Only Drivers Licenses, Workplace Discrimination Rollbacks, etc. Stay tuned.

VOTER SUPPRESSION EFFORTS CONTINUE

Tuesday at 7:30 am bright and early my House Elections committee heard HB1104, the recycled photo ID bill that has been filed every year since 2006. The sponsor, Rep. Schoeller (R-Springfield), admitted that Missouri “most folks” have a drivers license – which would be required for all voters to provide if this bill becomes law.

I pointed out in questioning him for almost an hour that the Missouri State Constitution applies to ALL folks in our state, not just “most”. The MO Supreme Court ruled in 2006 that voter ID requirements were “unconstitutional”.

Many of the voters, elderly, disabled, working poor and more, who would be disenfranchised under HB1104 have been long time active voters. The 2012 fiscal note of HB1104 estimates over 300,000 current voters could be affected.

Rep. Schoeller also said anyone born prior to 1941 or having a religious objection would be allowed to cast a provisional ballot. I pointed out that via statute, provisional ballots are only available in elections with federal and statewide candidates, eliminating all local, municipal and special elections.

And---most provisional ballots are not counted. In the 2008 general election, nearly 7,000 provisional ballots were cast in Missouri but only 1700 were counted.

I asked Rep. Schoeller when the last time any voter impersonation fraud was documented and prosecuted in Missouri. The answer? 1936.

Yes you read that correctly – 76 years ago during the Pendergast era when gangsters controlled public offices in Kansas City and Jefferson City through voter intimidation and corruption of the ballot box.

Is suspecting hypothetical voter fraud in MO justified in disenfranchising 10,000 Missourians? 100,000 Missourians? Is hypothetical voter fraud justified in telling Joy Lieberman, an 80 year old grandmother, University City school board member for 26 years and a voter since 1952 that she can no longer vote under voter ID proposals? I say most emphatically, no.

HB1104 passed out of committee Tuesday by a partisan vote of 7-3 and goes to the House Rules Committee for approval prior to being placed on the House floor calendar. The Rules Committee is chaired by Rep. John Diehl, the previous voter ID bill sponsor.

I thank those who passionately testified against HB1104 including Ron Berry, MO Secretary of State’s office; Denise Lieberman, senior attorney with the national Advancement Project; Jeremy LaFaver, ACLU of Eastern Missouri; Farilyn Hale of the STL chapter of National Council of Jewish Women and Norma Collins of Missouri AARP. No one testified in favor of voter ID.

Video of the House hearing here:

Media

Voter ID Bill Clears House Committee - KC Star

Why New Photo ID Laws Mean Some Won't Vote - NPR

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS RESOLUTION ----PART OF COLLECTIVE ACTION IN 15 STATES

As chair of the Progressive Caucus, this week I filed House Concurrent Resolution #24 to designate the week of January 22-29, 2012 as “Reproductive Rights Awareness Week.” The announcement coincides with the 39th anniversary of the U. S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. HCR24 includes 29 co-sponsors.

From my press release: "The consistent legislative effort to restrict access to legal medical reproductive choices, including birth control, is negatively impacting the health and welfare of women throughout the country,” stated Rep. Newman, chair of the House Progressive Caucus. “This resolution was developed by women to bring education, awareness and action to protect women's health and safety and to ensure reproductive rights under federal law.”

Along with Missouri, the Reproductive Rights Resolution is being introduced in 14 other states including Wisconsin, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Arizona, Hawaii, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Michigan, Washington, Utah, New York and Ohio.

State Representative Newman is one of 18 legislators from throughout the U.S. who participated in the July 15-17 2011 Strategic Action Convening on Reproductive Rights and Justice sponsored by the Center for Women's Studies. The group of female lawmakers pledged to introduce a resolution in their 15 states designating a week in January for awareness of reproductive rights. They hope the resolutions will provide a rallying cry to pro-choice advocates nationwide.

MY BILLS SUPPORTED BY MISSOURI COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC & SEXUAL VIOLENCE

(all filed last week and not yet assigned a committee)

Domestic Violence Weapons Prohibitions House Bill 1437 - to allow law enforcement officers to confiscate weapons at the scene of a domestic violence call and to enact in Missouri law the provisions of federal law that prohibit convicted domestic violence offenders and respondents to full Orders of Protection from possessing firearms and ammunition. I have worked since 2003 to advance this in the MO legislature.

Compassionate Care for Rape Victims House Bill 1439 - would establish new requirements for health care responses to rape victims and access to contraception, would change the laws regarding sex education in schools and require a state women's health care program. Similar legislation has been supported by MCADSV in past sessions but none of the bills ever proceeded beyond the committee level.

Pharmacies required to fill valid prescription for emergency contraception House Bill 1440 - to require pharmacies to fill a valid and lawful prescription for any federal Food and Drug Administration-approved drug or device to prevent pregnancy, including emergency contraceptives, without delay.

WITH ELLIE GLENN, LIASON TO DEPT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES

Not a usual occurrence, we discovered in one of our frequent meetings in my office, that we had dressed exactly alike Tuesday. That alone warranted a photo op!

GUN CROSSHAIR STICKERS TARGET SIX STATE LAWMAKERS

The Missouri Capitol Police and State Highway Patrol are investigating a potential threat against six state lawmakers after stickers resembling gun crosshairs were placed on the nameplates outside of the lawmakers’ offices on Jan. 24. After two of the lawmakers removed the stickers, they were later replaced with larger gun sight stickers.

The targeted lawmakers included all four Democratic women in the Senate – Jolie Justus and Kiki Curls of Kansas City, Robin Wright-Jones of St. Louis and Maria Chappelle-Nadal of University City. The others with gun stickers found on their nameplates were House Minority Leader Victor Callahan, D-Kansas City, and state Rep. Scott Dieckhaus, R-Washington. Although the stickers may have been intended as a prank, House and Senate administrators are treating the incident seriously.

LAWSUIT CHALLENGES NEW HOUSE REDISTRICTING PLAN

A bipartisan group of plaintiffs are asking the courts to declare unconstitutional a new plan redrawing the boundaries of the state’s 163 districts in the House of the Representatives. The plaintiffs contend the redistricting plan violates the Missouri Constitution’s requirement that districts be contiguous since six of the new districts cross major rivers yet have no bridge crossings, making it impossible to get directly from one part of the district to the other, except by boat. They also argue the redistricting plan fails to meet constitutional standards that districts be as compact “as may be” and as equal in population “as possible.”

The case was filed as an original action with the Supreme Court on Jan. 23, but the court on Jan. 26 redirected the case to a lower court for a determination of factual issues. The Supreme Court on different grounds recently invalidated the new redistricting plan for the state’s 34 Senate districts. Both the House and Senate redistricting plans were drafted by a panel of six judges of the Missouri Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court also has given a lower court until Feb. 3 to reconsider the validity of Missouri’s eight new congressional districts, which the Republican controlled General Assembly enacted last spring over of gubernatorial veto.

All three new redistricting plans were scheduled to be used for the 2012 election cycle. Time is of the essence in resolving the various redistricting challenges since candidate filing for the Aug. 7 party primaries is set to begin on Feb. 28. It remains uncertain as to what will happen if valid districts for the affected offices aren’t in place by that time.

Hoskins: Two Bills Clear House, Third Would Encourage Business

2012-01-27T16:24:00.008-06:00

As the Second Regular Session of the 96^th General Assembly starts to warm up, blistering cold weather is not enough to put the fire out in the House of Representatives. As important issues begin to take shape, I am very excited to start making our government more efficient and effective, because the citizens of Johnson County deserve nothing less than a State government truly working for them. As always, I am deeply honored to be serving you here at the Capitol.

When you look to our neighboring states, see increases in tax rates further burdening their citizens, and watch as their lending rates increase due to their credit rating downgrades, I want you to know your leadership here in Missouri has a different plan. Our plan includes holding the line on spending, balancing our budget, no tax increases, working together in a bipartisan fashion to pass legislation making the business climate in Missouri friendly to job creation and growth, and living within our means. In last week’s Capitol Report I had mentioned these priorities; referred to as the “Blueprint for Missouri.” I am happy to report; the General Assembly has taken steps this week to help insure the fulfillment of these goals through the passage of HB 1135 & HB 1140.

January 25, 2012 – Wednesday

HB 1135, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), was Third Read and Passed by a vote of 102 to 57. This bill received no opposition in committee and proponents say the bill gives the Secretary of State the authority to make technical changes to rules. HB 1135 will identify those rules which have become obsolete or overly burdensome and remove them, update them, or take other action that is necessary. I fully support this measure because it forces government transparency and accountability to you; the tax-payer. Currently, state agency/departmental rules stay on the books indefinitely; even though they may be outdated and obsolete. HB 1135 creates sunsets after 10 years which forces the rules through a public comment process. This creates the transparency and accountability necessary for you, as an active citizenry, to monitor the actions, improve the efficiency, and improve the efficacy, of your state government. Improving the efficiency of state government is the right direction, raising your taxes to continue feeding an inefficient and bloated state government, as our neighboring states have done, is the wrong direction.

HB 1135 is currently waiting to be First Read in the Missouri Senate.

HB 1140, also sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), was Third Read and Passed by a vote of 113 to 42. This bill also received no opposition in committee and proponents say the bill expands the Missouri Accountability Portal to include school district and county government information; which increases transparency in government. HB 1140 holds local governments accountable by making local information accessible to every taxpayer. I also fully support this measure because an informed citizenry is the best way to monitor government growth and prevent it from becoming too large and unmanageable. By requiring counties and schools to submit their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration for posting on the Missouri Accountability Portal, it will be easy for taxpayers to track how their state and local tax dollars are being spent.

HB 1140 is currently waiting to be First Read in the Missouri Senate.

Other Key Legislation

The House Committee on Workforce Development and Workforce Safety reviewed information from its public hearing on HB 1219, which occurred on January 17^th, 2012. HB 1219 would change the laws regarding unlawful employment practices as they relate to the Missouri Human Rights Act and establish the Whistleblower Protection Act. This proposed legislation would change the state law which indicates discrimination must be a “motivating factor” rather than a “contributing factor” in wrongful termination suits. The purpose of the legislation is to make Missouri’s business climate friendlier and encourage businesses to relocate in Missouri; providing more jobs for Missourians.

Supporters of the bill say it protects employers by making Missouri law mirror the federal Civil Rights Law. Employers would no longer be liable for the actions of an employee and a graduated scale of damages, based upon the number of employees, would be established; providing uniformity in awarding damages. Also, by reinstating the Summary Judgment Standards, this bill would assist the courts in handling their cases more quickly and efficiently.

This legislation is receiving support from a wide variety of organizations; from hospitals, grocery stores, and restaurants, to school administrators, community colleges, and building contractors.

Feel free to contact my office in support of, or opposition to, any legislation being heard by your Missouri House of Representatives. I am here representing you and place great value in your opinion. You are also always welcome to stop by my office here in your State Capitol. Let your voice be heard.

Free Federal Tax Opportunity

If you make $57,000 or less you can go to http://www.irs.gov/efile/ and have your Federal returns done free through a partnership of various tax software producers and the Internal Revenue Service.

Ways to Keep in Contact

Visiting the Capitol

Anytime you find yourself near our Missouri State Capitol (201 West Capitol Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65101) please feel free to pay a visit. Our state boasts one of the most beautiful Capitol buildings in the nation and you are always welcome.

This week I was very pleased to play host to the Missouri Society of CPA’s who came to visit me here at Missouri’s Capitol. I really enjoyed meeting with them and hope they had a pleasant visit.

Picture of me and the Missouri Society of CPA’s between the side gallery columns on the floor of the Missouri House of Representatives.

I also welcomed the Sedalia Mayor - Elaine Horn, City Administrator - Gary Edwards, and Public Works Director - Bill Beck, to the Capitol for a visit concerning issues related to a bridge in Pettis County. It was a pleasure visiting with them and I look forward to working with them in the future.

Please share this report with anyone you feel would be interested in this information. It is genuinely a privilege to serve as your state representative.

Engler: Expanding Missouri's Automotive Supply Industry and Protecting the Elderly

2012-01-27T15:08:00.000-06:00

This week we debated two high-profile bills on the Senate floor, Senate Bill 464, which prohibits the state from establishing health insurance exchanges unless specific requirements are met, and Senate Bill 592, which revises the law relating to the Missouri Human Rights Act and employment discrimination. Both of these are very controversial bills; we had our first filibuster while debating SB 592.

Typically, contentious legislation is considered later on in the session, but apparently not this year. It’s too early in the legislative session to move the previous question, a rarely used procedure to end a filibuster by bringing a measure to a vote, so I predict it’ll be difficult getting both of these bills through the chambers without major compromise. Needless to say, much work is left to be done.

I introduced Senate Bill 691 this week, which would provide economic incentives to help automotive suppliers expand and bring new companies to Missouri. The American automotive industry has made a huge comeback in recent years, including automotive suppliers. These businesses are a driving force behind our state’s economy. Auto supply companies like TG Missouri Corporation and Siegel-Robert, Inc. employ hundreds of people. We have an incredible opportunity to help them expand and bring more suppliers to our state, creating new, quality jobs for Missourians.

The bill has drawn bipartisan support and is co-sponsored by Senate Minority Floor Leader Victor Callahan. I’ll be working hard with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to see this bill to the finish line.

I also introduced Senate Bill 689, which would modify provisions relating to crimes against the elderly and disabled. We have a duty as a society to protect our most vulnerable members, not only from physical and mental abuse, but also from financial exploitation. Senate Bill 689 would add undue influence—using authority over an elderly or disabled person to take unfair advantage of that person—to the types of acts that constitute the crime of financial exploitation. This is an important bill that will increase protections for elderly and disabled people across the state.

There was an ugly incident in the Capitol this week involving an unknown person putting stickers of gun sights on the name plates of some Democratic senators and one Republican House member. My Senate colleagues and I immediately condemned this disgusting act. No one should be subject to vague threats. The Capitol is a place of civilized debate, not scare tactics, and incidents like this are unacceptable. The Capitol Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are working to find the perpetrator. I hope the individual responsible for this horrible act is punished appropriately.

I was proud to sponsor Charles R. Giessing of Farmington during his gubernatorial appointment to the Board of Private Investigator and Private Fire Investigator Examiners. This board handles the licensing of prospective and current private investigators, among other duties. The Senate gave its confirmation to Charlie on Jan. 25, and I’m confident he’ll do a fantastic job representing southeast Missouri on the board.

If you know anyone who would like to receive these updates electronically, please send me an e-mail.

Korman: Technical Session Thursday Allows More Time To Visit Constituents

2012-01-27T14:38:00.000-06:00

The Missouri House of Representatives chose not to hold a session on Thursday because very few bills have made it through the committee process and, therefore, are not ready for debate by the full House. This action saved taxpayer dollars and gave me the opportunity to make some visits in the District.

I enjoyed visiting with staff of a local nursing home, a couple of small businesses and with the staff and employees of the Sheltered Workshop of Warrenton. The Workshop is committed to quality work that includes assembling, packaging, and shrink wrapping to list a few of their jobs. They are a not-for-profit organization employing adults with disabilities. There motto is “Providing Distinguished Employment For Persons With Disabilities”. To see more about the service they provide go to their website at: http://warrencountyshelteredworkshop.org/.

Also, this week on Thursday I asked Representative Rick Stream, Vice Chairman of the Budget Committee to explain the budget to the Warren County Rotary Club. His presentation was well received.

I believe the taxpayers of Missouri work hard for their money, and the last thing they want their government to do during these tough economic times is waste their hard-earned tax dollars. For this reason, we have made protecting taxpayers one of the four pillars of our Blueprint for Missouri.

The Missouri House moved forward two bills, House Bill (HB) 1140 and House Bill (HB) 1135, which protect taxpayers. HB 1140 requires the Office of Administration to maintain public school and municipal and county government accountability information on the Missouri Accountability Portal - http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills121/billpdf/perf/HB1140P.PDF.

HB 1135 requires the termination of all administrative rules based on the time of promulgation and allows an agency to re-promulgate a rule that is set to terminate-http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills121/billpdf/perf/HB1135P.PDF.

An ongoing issue is I-70 being converted into a toll road. My office is receiving calls and emails on this issue. This is most welcomed as it allows me to know the thoughts of my constituents. I would also encourage you to contact the Missouri Department of Transportation and your State Senator on this issue.

I am happy to be here serving the constituents of Montgomery and Warren counties. Please feel free to stop by or contact your 99^th District office at:

201 West Capitol Avenue
Room 114C
Jefferson City, MO 65101
573-751-2689
Bart{dot}Korman{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov

Mayer: Video on Creating Economic Development, Balancing The Budget

2012-01-27T13:05:00.000-06:00

Jefferson City — Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, recently added a new video link to his multimedia page, which is located on his Missouri Senate website. This page features audio and video links (both streaming and broadcast quality — when available) for visitors to listen to and watch Sen. Mayer address issues that are important to him and the citizens of the 25^th Senatorial District.

The new link include a video news release of Sen. Mayer discussing three pieces of legislation designed to help create economic development in the state and the Senate’s plan to balance the state budget.

Senator Mayer will continue to add audio and video clips throughout the year. You can download the video and watch by going to Sen. Mayer’s multimedia page: http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/mayer/Multimedia.html.

Dugger: Voter ID Bill Protects People From External, Internal Threats

2012-01-27T12:11:00.000-06:00

“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity.” —Thomas Jefferson

Our founding fathers envisioned a government which worked for the people, not against them. Needless to say, they would probably not be too satisfied with the mess that is Washington, D.C. As the Washington insiders and career politicians continue to lose touch with what the people really want; I like to think that here in Jefferson City, we are keeping the founding fathers’ vision alive. Just this week, the Missouri House passed several measures that ensure that our state government is a service to the people not a restraint on their individual liberties.

Without an informed citizenry it is hard to keep government in check. On Wednesday, the House passed House Bill 1140 which would require counties and schools to submit their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration for posting on the Missouri Accountability Portal. Currently, information about state spending is available online. Extending the requirement gives the Missouri taxpayer the ability to track how both their state and local tax dollars are being spent and thus make sure that their state and local governments are functioning efficiently.

Not only should government be accountable to the people it works for, but it is also there to protect the people from external and internal threats. To this end, the House Committee on Elections passed House Bill 1104 out of committee. HB 1104 requires a voter to provide photo identification at the polls on election day. The goal of the bill is to protect the integrity of the election process, not to restrict people from voting. In fact, there are provisions in the bill that would help those segments of the populace who might not have or be able to afford an ID to obtain a proper form of ID or provisional ballot. Thus, allowing everyone to partake in the democratic process while safeguarding against voter fraud.

As we work to protect the people of Missouri, it is important that our state government not impede on the ability of its citizenry to live free and prosper. Next week, the House Committee on Agriculture Policy will hear testimony on House Bill 1324, which affirms the right of Missouri citizens to raise livestock in a humane manner without the state imposing an undue burden on their owners. With these precautions we can provide a state government that is answerable to the people it represents rather than being a chaotic mess.

For more information about the pieces of legislation mentioned above or about any others that have been introduced, please visit the House of Representatives website, www.house.mo.gov. As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Lichtenegger: Frugality Increases In House

2012-01-27T09:56:00.000-06:00

The leaders of the House of Representative continue to look for ways to address the state’s budget short fall and save Missourians money. This week they announced Thursday to be a technical House session only. This will save the state thousands of dollars this week because House members’ per-diem will be reduced by one day. This technical session should not significantly affect the legislative process this early in session because most bills currently are in the committee / public hearing phase. As the 2012 session progresses and the House Calendar fills with debatable bills the Monday through Thursday schedule will most likely be kept. We continue to believe that if we as legislators are asking our fellow citizens to tighten their belts, we should do no less.

I and my office continue to exercise frugality in all our resources. Thus far this fiscal year I have spent less than one-fourth of my allowable expense account. At the end of the state’s fiscal year, I expect to return to the House-Member-account-funds a significant amount of money. But I’m only one person; we all should look for ways in which we can do-without -at least during these economic tough times.

Wednesday HB 1135 passed the House and was reported to the Senate. This bill is expected to improve transparency by mandating reviews of administrative rules. Government on any level will over time have rules that become outdated or obsolete. Periodic reviews will ensure that all agency rules are efficient and effective.

Currently state agency rules can remain in force indefinitely. House Bill 1135 also requires all administrative rules to sunset after 10 years. The sunset provision will force all rules to submit to a public comment process, giving citizens a voice in how our state departments function. Most taxpayers feel that now, more than ever, all governments – from local municipalities to the federal level- should not only be as lean and efficient, but also transparent and accountable.

Please be informed regarding a correction to last week’s Capitol Report about HB 1140. Last week it passed out of House Rules. This week on Wednesday, January 25, it passed out of the House and was reported to the Senate. My apologies for the error.

Constituent Corner

I want you to be aware of an opportunity for small business owners in Southeast Missouri to participate in a program called Fast Trac® Growth Venture. It is a free, comprehensive 10–session program beginning Wednesday, February 8 at the University of Missouri Cape Girardeau County extension office. For more information call 243-3581, by February 6. Call now; seats are limited. Participants will also receive a free fiscal business analysis of their company. This program has been made possible by a grant from the Delta Regional Authority.

Lampe: Springfield-Branson Area Leaders Make Jeff City Feel Like Home

2012-01-27T09:39:00.000-06:00

I never feel more at home in the Capitol than when I am surrounded by the fine community leaders, business owners, and people of Southwest Missouri. Wednesday was the annual Springfield-Branson Salute and trip to Jefferson City. The people of Southwest Missouri breathed life into the building, and it was exciting to see so many friendly faces in the halls and chamber.

The Springfield-Branson Salute also gave us the chance to showcase how wonderful our area is. Springfield is home to the largest accredited school district in the entire state. In a time when economic development and growth is slow, Springfield boasts the fastest-growing metropolitan area. The beauty and culture of Southwest Missouri makes it one of the most appealing tourism areas in the state, and one of the most attractive places to raise a family. It is no wonder that I am proud to be from Springfield. I applaud all of my neighbors and friends for ensuring that our community is a strong and thriving beacon of opportunity.

Elementary and Secondary Education Committee

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee met on January 25 to hear HB 1228. The bill expands the authority for charter schools to cover the entire state, expand the list of entities allowed to sponsor charter schools, create a statewide chartering commission and make several changes designed to improve the accountability and transparency of charter sponsors and charter schools. I want to encourage you to read this bill and give me your feedback.

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee also heard HB 1174. The bill revises the law regarding the timelines and options for State Board intervention when it classifies a district as unaccredited. The bill would allow the State Board to conduct a hearing regarding the status of the district at any time after the district is classified as unaccredited. Current law requires the State Board to intervene when a district has been classified as unaccredited for two full years, and for districts other than St. Louis Public Schools, requires the State Board to lapse the district. Springfield Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Norm Ridder, testified before the committee on this legislation. He did a wonderful job of providing useful information for the committee.

On the Floor this Week

Two bills were passed on the House Floor. These bills were HB1135, the state administrative rules review, and HB 1140, the Missouri Accountability Portal.

HB 1135: This bill authorizes the Secretary of State to make non-substantive changes to the Code of State Regulations to update the agency's name, address, phone, or website information which are needed because of statutory changes or executive orders. Within 60 days after receipt by an agency of a written petition filed by an individual requesting it to adopt, amend, or repeal a rule, the bill requires the agency to submit a written response to the petitioner and a copy of the response to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and the Commissioner of Administration containing its determination, along with a concise summary of the basis for its determination. This bill also outlines when rules should be terminated.

HB 1140: This bill requires the Office of Administration to maintain public school and municipal and county government accountability information on the Missouri Accountability Portal. School districts and public charter schools must annually collect and submit detailed employee compensation data and the district's annual operating budget and bonded indebtedness to the Office of Administration for inclusion.

Tishaura Jones: Voter ID Bill Passes Committee, Crosshair Stickers On Senators' Doors, Casinos Oppose Fee For Vets' Homes

2012-01-26T16:35:00.000-06:00

I hope you enjoy this week's update! We really hit the ground running this year. Bills have been filed, hearings have begun, and debates have continued. I have two new interns and one returning intern this year. They are all bright, full of energy and eager to learn.

If you have any questions, feel free to call my office at (573) 751-6800.

Tishaura

HOUSE COMMITTEE ADVANCES PHOTO VOTER ID BILL

The House Elections Committee on Jan. 24 voted 7-3 in favor of legislation that seeks to require voters to show government-issued photo identification at their polling place in order to cast a ballot. At present, however, the General Assembly lacks the constitutional authority to impose such a requirement. Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, vetoed similar legislation last year and is expected to do so again should the latest version, HB 1104, be sent to his desk.

The Republican-controlled legislature enacted a photo voter ID law in 2006, but the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that lawmakers cannot impose restrictions on voting rights other than those specifically listed in the state constitution. The General Assembly in 2011 approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would authorize the imposition of a photo voter ID requirement, but it doesn’t go on the statewide ballot until November.

Supporters say the photo voter ID requirement would prevent voter fraud, but Missouri has never had a documented case of voter impersonation at the polls – the only type of fraud such a requirement could prevent. Opponents assert that photo voter ID is just a thinly disguised effort to disenfranchise poor, disabled and elderly voters, since they are the least likely to have a photo ID and tend to vote for Democrats. The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office estimates that about 250,000 registered Missouri voters don’t have a government-issued photo ID.

GUN CROSSHAIR STICKERS TARGET SIX STATE LAWMAKERS

The Missouri Capitol Police and State Highway Patrol are investigating a potential threat against six state lawmakers after stickers resembling gun crosshairs were placed on the nameplates outside of the lawmakers’ offices on Jan. 24. After two of the lawmakers removed the stickers, they were later replaced with larger gun sight stickers.

The targeted lawmakers included all four Democratic women in the Senate – Jolie Justus and Kiki Curls of Kansas City, Robin Wright-Jones of St. Louis and Maria Chappelle-Nadal of University City. The others with gun stickers found on their nameplates were House Minority Leader Victor Callahan, D-Kansas City, and state Rep. Scott Dieckhaus, R-Washington.

Senators of both parties denounced the potential threats during open session the afternoon of the incident and vowed punishment for those responsible. Although the stickers may have been intended as a prank, House and Senate administrators are treating the incident seriously.

LAWSUIT CHALLENGES NEW HOUSE REDISTRICTING PLAN

GAMBLING INDUSTRY OPPOSES FEE HIKE FOR VETERANS

A lobbyist for Missouri’s casinos told the House Veterans Committee on Jan. 24 that the industry will oppose bipartisan legislation to increase casino entrance fees by a $1 per person and earmark the estimated $50 million a year in new revenue for the state’s veterans homes. Gov. Jay Nixon recently proposed the fee hike to shore up the Veterans Trust Fund, which is on the verge of being used up by mid 2013.

The current casino entrance fee, which is paid by casino operators, is $2, with half going to the state and half going to the local community in which the casino is located. All of the state’s share used to be earmarked for veterans programs until the late 1990s, when most of it was redirected toward early childhood education programs. Over time, the $6.5 million a year from the existing fee that still goes into the Veterans Trust Fund has proven insufficient to keep up with the costs of veterans services.

Neth: Normal Week Filled With Committee Meetings

2012-01-26T16:30:00.000-06:00

Op. note: House Bill 1036 is incorrectly identified in this missive as House Bill 1035. HB1035 would create a one-time tax credit for the purchase of an American-made storm shelter.

This week had many committee meetings and bills discussed and passed out of committees. On the floor we passed out two bills, one on government accountability and one regarding sunsets on bureaucratic rules. See a more detailed look at committee and floor action below.

The week was pretty mundane, relatively, in that it was pretty normal. That is, nothing too newsworthy or out of the ordinary.

A reminder that we love having visitors at the Capitol and we had quite a few this week. Let us know ahead of time when you might be in Jefferson City and we will work to ensure you have a great visit. There are special things that we can arrange if we have advance notice.

Have a great weekend!
Myron

House Floor Action

(HCS) HB 1140: Requires the Office of Administration to maintain public school and municipal and county government accountability information on the Missouri Accountability Portal. This is with the intention of providing more transparency for all taxpayer dollars in the state. Currently all state expenditures can be found online at the Missouri Accountability Portal. This would require most all public entities in the state to do the same.

HB 1135: Would require all administrative rules to sunset 10 years from being implemented. This would ensure the rules that the bureaucracy enacts are relevant in the future and not just meaningless rules that stay on the books indefinitely.

Committee Action

Elections

HB 1035: Removes the statute requiring a party emblem to be printed on a ballot above party caption.

HB 1059: Redefines when and how votes may qualify to be recounted in close election races.

HB 1104: Creates new safeguards against fraudulent voting on ballots by requiring a form of photo ID to be shown prior to voting, also creating measures for persons w/o voter ID to still vote and have that vote protected.

Elementary and Secondary Education

HB 1174: Redefines laws in relation to school accreditation and allows the State Board of Education to establish an alternative structure for government if needed in a failing school district.

HB 1228: Changes laws in regards to charter schools and their access to the general population.

Emerging Issues in Animal Agriculture

HJR 61: Reaffirms the right for a person to raise livestock in a humane manner without an undue state economic burden.

On TV

Check out my recent appearance on Kansas City Week in Review with Nick Haines on KCPT.

KCPT - Kansas City Week in Review: January 20, 2012

Guests in the Capitol

Reinhard Mabry and Clay Berry (a Liberty resident) from Alphapointe, Association for the Blind.

Randy Hylton, Director of VSI Services in Liberty.

Mike Brewer, Superintendent of Liberty Public Schools and Kyle Palmer, Principal of Lewis and Clark Elementary. They stopped in while in Jefferson City for other state education meetings.

Emily Duncan and her mother, Amy were in the Capitol for Emily to showcase her history projects in relation to National History Day. She was a National winner for some of her research and presentations. They got the opportunity to tour the Capitol and also were able to visit Supreme Court Judge Zel Fischer and get a little tour of the Supreme Court.

Rupp: Ending Discrimination Against Religious Organizations

2012-01-26T16:22:00.000-06:00

One of our many valued liberties that we enjoy as American citizens is the right to worship as we please and support the causes of our choice. Religious organizations play a huge role in many Missourians’ lives, and these institutions deserve as much respect as other associations throughout our state. With a goal to eliminate discrimination toward religious groups, such as churches and various charities, and the countless Missourians who participate in and support these services, I’m sponsoring Senate Joint Resolution 47. This joint resolution would allow Missouri voters to decide whether or not to remove a portion of the Missouri Constitution that prohibits the distribution of public funds to religious organizations.

The portion of our constitution in which I am referring, known as the “Blaine Amendment,” states that the General Assembly, various townships, and municipal corporations cannot make an appropriation or pay from any public fund to aid an organization controlled by a religious creed, including learning institutions. My joint resolution would, if approved by the voters, amend the Missouri Constitution to state that the General Assembly and any Missouri township cannot deny religious organizations general state benefits for any education program, funding, or other support, as long as the benefits comply with the requirements of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

I no longer want to see discrimination against religious organizations and those who support their mission. In our great country, we have the right and freedom to support the associations of our choice, and those organizations should receive the same constitutional benefits that any other organization would receive. Missouri is one of the most restricted states in the country regarding this matter — other states are allowed to distribute funds to a variety of organizations in a constitutional manner. The joint resolution doesn’t step upon the separation of church and state — it would simply guarantee the same constitutional rights of all eligible associations.

The initiative, if approved by the General Assembly, will appear on the ballot this November for the voters’ approval. If you have any questions regarding this initiative, please don’t hesitate to contact me. It is always my pleasure to speak with you.

Denison: House Shortens Week, Passes Bill Requiring Review Of Government Regulations

2012-01-26T15:08:00.000-06:00

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - Leo Tolstoy

House Holds Short Week to Save Taxpayer Dollars

The House shortened its work on the floor this week in an effort to save taxpayer dollars. Normally, we hold legislative sessions Monday through Thursday. However, with most of our work currently being done in committee, we made the decisions to not hold a full session of the House on Thursday. That decision means the state will not have to pay the 163 members of the House their daily expense allotments. The action resulted in thousands of dollars in savings and is one I think is a smart decision during these tough budget times. Despite Thursday’s lack of floor action, my colleagues and I continued to work in committee and to attend to our duties as state legislators. We will be back on the floor in the coming weeks as more bills make their way to the House Chamber.

Missouri House Approves Bill to Institute Periodic Review of Government Rules and Regulations (HB 1135)

The approximately 6,300 rules of Missouri’s state agencies would be reviewed on a regular basis under a bill we passed this week. The goal of the legislation is to make certain the regulations followed by agencies from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Social Services make sense and aren’t overly burdensome for Missourians. The bill would require agencies to take a closer look at their rules on a regular basis and cause existing rules to expire unless the agency acts to renew them. Rules that are too restrictive, overly burdensome or simply obsolete will be eliminated or revised. With this we believe we can clear up some of the red tape that is too often found in government agencies and make the experience of dealing with our various state departments much easier for all Missourians.

County Debt Disclosure Bill Receives House Approval (HB 1140)

Also this week, the House approved a bill that would require municipal and county governments and public schools to provide details of their financial obligations on the Missouri Accountability Portal website. These entities would provide everything from budget information to employee compensation data to details on bonded indebtedness. With this we believe taxpayers will have a much clearer picture of how their local governments and schools are handling their money. It’s something we have done for years now on the state level with great success. It’s a matter of transparency and accountability and something I feel is a good idea for all levels of government. Feel free to take a look at the current accountability portal at www.mapyourtaxes.mo.gov.

Voter Identification Bill Receives Committee Approval (HB 1104)

The House Elections Committee approved a bill that would require Missourians to show a photo ID when they vote. The bill is similar to one passed last year by the General Assembly that was ultimately vetoed by the governor. We will try again this year to pass a bill I believe is necessary to protect the elections process from potential fraud. It’s a simple concept but one that my colleagues and I believe would be extremely effective to ensure all voters are who they say they are. Critics have said a photo ID requirement would disenfranchise some voters who don’t have identification. One of the provisions of the bill addresses this concern by requiring the state to provide photo identification to those who don’t have it. The bill also exempts older Missourians who were born before Jan. 1, 1941 from the requirement. With these provisions I believe we have a bill that protects the voting process while also ensuring each and every Missourian of voting age will be able to cast their votes at the polling place.

Visitors

On Wednesday, January 25^th, the Springfield House delegation was visited by community leaders from the Springfield area. I was so pleased to visit with the leaders from the Springfield area, and to discuss legislative priorities for our area. Those at the Capitol were: Jim Anderson, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Greg Burris, City Manager, City of Springfield; Bob Stephens, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Springfield; Jim Viebrock, Presiding Commissioner, Greene County; Clif Smart, Interim President, Missouri State University; Scott Miller, General Manager, City Utilities of Springfield; Dr. Hal Higdon, President, Ozarks Technical Community College; Dr. Norm Ridder, Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools; John Wilson, 2012 Chairman, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Jerry Harrison, Immediate Past President, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Partner, Harmison and Pearman Law Firm; and other staff, Sandy Howard, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Scott Marrs, Governmental Services Group.

Meeting in Speaker Pro Tem Shane Schoeller’s Office

Community Leaders from Springfield and Springfield House Delegation

Lt. Governor’s Senior Service Award

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder is accepting nominations for this year’s Lt. Governor Senior Service Award. This is an opportunity to nominate a senior whose service and dedication to the Springfield community has made a positive difference. If you know a deserving individual at least 60 years of age and who volunteers a minimum of 25 hours per year, please contact my office.

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.

Kelley: Taxpayers Shafted By Culture Of Entitlements

2012-01-26T12:33:00.000-06:00

Earlier this month Governor Nixon released his budget for the coming fiscal year. As expected, because of the struggling economy, there were areas where spending will be reduced from last year. Even so, it is likely that the state budget will again exceed $20 million. Despite this large amount of taxpayer dollars, the hand wringing has already begun. Recipients of taxpayer dollars are already crying foul and making dire predictions of the sky falling.

An editorial in one of the state’s largest newspapers was a perfect example of how the culture of entitlements has imbedded itself into our society. The editorial opined the state budget this year was a matter of who would get shafted and by how much. The taxpayers of this state should be outraged. If anyone has the right to say they have been shafted, it is them.

By its very name, taxpayer monies are distributed through the appropriations process. Make no mistake about it, every single dollar appropriated to a recipient came from a taxpayer. Whether the money comes from Missouri’s General Revenue fund or the Federal Government, it came from the pocket of a taxpayer. Now, instead of recognizing this and appreciating the fact someone worked hard for that money, recipients of the money complain if they don’t get as much as they think they should have.

Also dominating the news early this session was the redistricting process which has been thrown into chaos. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled the Senate map was unconstitutional and threw it out completely. In addition, they sent the Congressional map back to a lower court with instructions it be further reviewed. Finally, a lawsuit was filed challenging the House map.

There is a chance the House map will stand as is, but the Senate map must be redrawn. A commission made up of citizens nominated by the political parties and appointed by the governor is charged with drawing these maps. The Congressional map is drawn by the State Legislature. While Senators are not involved in drawing the Senate maps it does create a large amount of uncertainty for those facing elections. With candidate filing set to open February 28, nobody knows in which district they will be running. This scenario is actually more difficult for challengers as they are not as well known and tend to be at a disadvantage when it comes to fundraising. Most everyone agrees this is new and uncharted territory for the legislature. This issue is sure to dominate discussions as the February 28 date looms closer with each day.

Please contact me with any suggestions that you may have for Missouri legislation. Also, if you should experience problems in contacting or resolving an issue with a Missouri state agency, please feel free to call my Capitol office at (573) 751-2165 or email at mike{dot}kelley{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov. Thank you for the honor to serve as your Representative in the Missouri House of Representatives. Until my next update, I am, and remain, in your service.

Tim Jones: Birthday Wishes, State Of The Judiciary, Local Events

2012-01-26T11:48:00.000-06:00

At right: Greeting Chief Justice Richard Teitelman on the House Floor following the Justice’s delivery of the State of the Judiciary Address.

As the third week of Session under the Capitol Dome comes to a close, we are reminded that winter is still upon us when a cold burst of wintry mix threatened the area.

“A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.” -Albert Einstein

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

…to my younger sister, Amy Baca. You’ll always be my little sister, and I’ll always be your big brother. Love always.

Legislative Update

Two important bills were debated, third read and passed on the House Floor this week:

HB 1135, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), grants the Secretary of State the authority to make technical changes to administrative rules and will improve transparency in Missouri government by requiring the review of administrative rules. Over time, department rules become outdated or obsolete. By requiring these rules to be reviewed periodically, we can ensure that all agency rules are efficient and effective. This proposal also allows ordinary people the right to request an administrative rule change. The agency must respond to any such request and inform a committee of the General Assembly about the request and their response. Under current law, these administrative rules can stay on the books of a state agency indefinitely. HB 1135 also requires all administrative rules to sunset after 10 (ten) years. By including the sunset provision, all rules will have to pass through the public comment process periodically, providing citizens a say in how our executive departments operate. This is significant regulatory reform passed this week by your Missouri House.

HCS HB 1140 is also sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150). Currently, information about state spending is available on line at the Missouri Accountability Portal. HB 1140 requires counties and schools to submit their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration for posting on the portal. This gives taxpayers a one stop shop for tracking how their state and local tax dollars are being spent, expanding the information available to them. Under this proposed legislation, school districts and public charter schools must annually collect and submit detailed employee compensation data and the district’s annual operating budget and bonded indebtedness to the Office of Administration for inclusion. HB 1140 also requires each county to collect and annually transmit to the Office of Administration for inclusion on the portal detailed compensation information for all elected county officials, a copy of the detailed financial statement that counties are currently required to publish, and any cash reserves.

The Weeks Ahead

As Session weeks lengthen and are coupled with increasingly deliberative committee hearings and floor debates, two singular tracks have become self-evident as to the central themes of this Legislative Session: creating a stable and productive environment for Missouri’s employers and hard-working small business owners and finally doing something to dramatically reform Missouri’s failing public education systems.

Missouri’s employers have been subjected to several recent attacks that have undermined a stable business climate in our State. There are two significant issues in Missouri’s workers compensation system in desperate need of reform: co-employee liability cases and occupational disease cases. The Missouri House is dedicated to making sure that employees receive the fair and just compensation that they have always been entitled to under our workers compensation system but we are chiefly concerned about the excessive litigation that is currently being leveled against our employers in this context and the dramatic instability that this is causing in our general business climate. It is our duty, as representatives of the People who have the best interests of our State at heart, to ensure that our State has the climate necessary to attract and retain our employers who are the ones who truly create jobs for all Missourians and make our State stronger.

We have some of the best public schools in the Nation. At the same time, we have some of the worst. It is patently unfair, and a downright injustice, for children to be enslaved in a failing public school simply because they were unfortunate enough to reside in the “wrong” zip code. Either we have a free, public education system for all or we have a system that only benefits some and not all. Our goal in the Missouri House this year is to bring accountability back to all of our public schools and to make sure that parents truly feel empowered to make the proper education choices for their children. Over the past several decades, we have poured BILLIONS of new dollars into education, however, test scores have barely moved. Intellectual honesty shows that money will not solve our education problems. Bold reforms and innovative new measures will. We are dedicated in the Missouri House to making sure that children all across our State have the educational freedom that they deserve.

Local News and Events

Age Smart, Age Well

St. Louis residents, ages 50 or older, have an opportunity to learn computer skills and strategies through the “Age Smart, Age Well” Program sponsored by the St. Louis County Department of Human Services. For additional information, you may contact Karen Bono at 314-938-6689.

American Legion Flag Collection

The Eureka American Legion is collecting worn, torn and tattered flags to be put to rest at their Flag Day Ceremony. If you have any flags you wish to discard, you may contact Wes Becker at 636-938-6689.

Employment Opportunity

The city of Eureka is accepting applications for the full-time positions of Building Commissioner and Finance Director. Job descriptions and employment applications are available on the City’s website at www.eureka.mo.us. It will be located under the Government category in the Employment Opportunities tab.

Family Enrichment Resource Program

The Family Enrichment Resource Program is having their Second Annual Children’s Art Auction on Saturday, February 11th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Fox Run Carriage House in Eureka. All proceeds raised support families in Eureka. For more information please visit http://www.familyresourceprogram.com or call 314-603-5767.

Up-Coming Workshops

The St. Louis Arc Family Workshops are designed to provide in-depth information on topics related to supporting family members with developmental disabilities. The workshops are free and take place at the St. Louis Arc Family Center at 1177 N. Warson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123. For more information please visit www.slarc.org or contact Ann Mangelsdorf at amangelsdorf{at}slarc{dot}org or by telephone at 314-817-2275. You must be registered to attend. For a complete list of the workshops and support groups available through the St. Louis Arc, visit www.slarc.org.

Fun Fact of the Week

John Skelton, the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, is an alum of Fordham University, yes, the alma mater of yours truly! Although Fordham was a former football powerhouse many, many decades ago (remember Vince Lombardi and the Seven Blocks of Granite? Yes, that was Fordham!) they have not been in the national spotlight for their gridiron prowess in recent years. Perhaps the glory days have returned!

Fine Arts Grant Available

The Missouri Arts Council Annual Grant Applications can now be accessed online at http://www.missouriartscouncil.org/ under the “Get Funding” tab. This is a one-year grant for dance, established institutions, fold arts, mid-sized arts organizations, minority arts, visual arts and theater. There are separate applications available for art education as well as community arts.

Visiting the Capitol

I always enjoy it when constituents visit the Capitol, and I especially want to thank Dale Lindhorst and Bob Baker, both from Wildwood, for visiting the Capitol this week. 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 this 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.

Kraus: Toll Roads

2012-01-25T14:10:00.000-06:00

There are lots of discussions in Jefferson City about turning parts of I-70 into a toll road. While I am open to the concept of toll roads in Missouri, and while I acknowledge the need for I-70 to be completely redone, I am very wary of the current plans being presented.

The Missouri Constitution does not allow for toll roads. It has long been believed that it would take a vote of the people to allow for them in any fashion. Now, the Missouri Department of Transportation is suggesting that it can enter a public/private partnership and that the private entity, not bound by the constitution, could build and operate a toll road. I am completely against this constitutional run around and will not vote to authorize such a scheme.

I do understand that we need to raise funds to fix I-70 somehow. We can’t ignore the problem and it won’t just go away. Some have suggested raising gas taxes to come up with the needed funds, but with more efficient vehicles and with new vehicles that use little or no gas, we would be tying state revenues to a product whose sales will only decrease. That is not a wise long-term strategy, as those decreasing revenues will need to be replaced somehow.

I will admit that tolls do offer some positive benefits. They include fees on out-of-state users who travel on Missouri roads. They allow up-front financing of the entire project with bonding by providing a steady revenue stream. Many states have used toll roads successfully without a major impact to residents. If voters of Missouri choose tolls as an option at the ballot box, I would be open to looking at options that did not negatively affect my district.

It is unlikely that this is an issue that will come to a vote this year. I applaud the discussion, but we have a long way to go before any final solution is voted on, much less passed.

Grain Valley Town Hall

Toll roads were a big topic of conversation at the town hall I co-hosted with Grain Valley Mayor Mike Todd Thursday evening, Jan. 19. More than 30 residents came to discuss issues that were important to them. The town hall was originally scheduled for an hour; the first 30 minutes were completely taken up by the discussion of toll roads. I love the good and passionate discussions at open town halls, and this was no exception. It gives me a chance to understand where my constituents stand on issues, and it gives them a chance to hear my position.

We also discussed “Right-to-Work”, prevailing wage, and a few other union issues. Both will likely be topics of debate in the Senate this year. We discussed employment issues, the National Defense Authorization Act and how Missouri can create jobs.

At the end of the town hall, I asked for a show of hands to see who supported the concept of toll roads. Only one hand went up. Clearly, MoDOT has a tough sell on their hands.

District Days

I would like you to be my guest for District 8 Day at the Capitol on either March 21 or March 27, 2012. Each day will begin at 10:15 a.m. and end around 3:15 p.m. During the course of the day, you will be able to tour the Governor’s Mansion, the Capitol Building, and the Supreme Court. You will also have the chance to visit the floor of the Missouri Senate, and I will be available at that time for a question-and-answer session.

Spots are limited, so please R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, March 5, 2012. You can simply reply to this e-mail with your name, physical address, and number attending, and we will send out more information as the day draws closer. You will be responsible for your own transportation to Jefferson City. You can bring your own lunch, eat in the Capitol cafeteria, or, for a small fee, share in pizza that we will serve here. Please consider coming – it is a great opportunity to learn more about your Missouri state government, and it is a special day for me to meet with District 8 constituents.

Allen: "Taxpayer Protection Act" Passes With Exception For Schools, "Warm-Hearted Neighbors"

2012-01-24T16:57:00.000-06:00

Governor Nixon’s State of the State Address

On Tuesday evening, January 17^th, Governor Nixon, the Missouri State Supreme Court Judges, statewide elected officials, the Missouri Senate and Missouri House welcomed the Governor for his annual State of the State Address. The theme of the address was “Missouri Moving Forward.” Governor Nixon addressed the promise of not increasing taxes, more cuts to government spending by reducing the payroll, and adding jobs to Missouri. However, his plans will still lead to shortfalls. The Governor targeted higher education, proposing cuts in their budget of nearly 13%. There is major concern that these cuts to higher education could lead to universities raising their tuitions significantly.

Other aspects of the Governor’s speech echoed the sentiment expressed in the House’s “Blueprint for Missouri” plan issued at the start of session. The aspects include making government more efficient and holding the line on taxes to aid in the economic recovery. However, these words are not new. I hope that the words of the Governor materialize into real outcomes for Missourians.

Taxpayer Protection Act

This week the Missouri House passed HJR 43, the Taxpayer Protection Act. While we work on balancing the budget this session, we must also plan for the future by taking steps to make budget shortfalls less likely in the coming years. The Taxpayer Protection Act is a step toward accomplishing this goal.
When times are good and the budget is flush with money, past legislatures have used the revenue windfall to increase the size and scope of government. The Taxpayer Protection Act limits growth by tying any increase in the budget to population growth plus the rate of inflation. Any money left over after the adjustment is saved for times when the budget is short. However, there is one exception—elementary and secondary education.

HJR 43 allows extra funding to be included in future budgets if that money goes toward fully funding the school foundation formula. This allows us to keep our promise to Missouri children while keeping your state government as lean as possible.

Opponents of this resolution say it takes away the flexibility of legislators to provide funding for future new programs. I would say to those opponents that future legislatures will have somewhere around $25 billion to spend annually – find the money for new programs in there.

HJR 43 now moves on to the Senate for consideration.

The Judiciary Address

Chief Justice Richard Teitelman was welcomed into the Chamber for the 39th State of the Judiciary Address on Wednesday, January 18^th. He urged lawmakers to pass measures to reduce the number of non-violent people in prison for parole and probation violations. These changes could save the state $16.6 million over five years and reduce the state prison population by two percent. The legislature has been studiously reviewing such proposals relating to non-violent offenders since late last year.

Appropriations Committee Hearing

The Appropriations Committee for Health, Mental Health, and Social Services had its first meeting last Thursday. The Committee heard public testimony mostly from various non-profits and other relevant interests that would be directly affected by these appropriations. However, the first testimony we heard was from a constituent
of the 92^nd – Dan Amsden.

Mr. Amsden is a private sector businessman who has offered to assist the legislature in any way that he can. To use his words, he is “fed up” with the way our government is run on both the state and national levels. He has worked closely with Rep. Tom Flanigan - chair of the Appropriations Committee on Health, Mental Health, and Social Services - and me to help our committee. Mr. Amsden read through the budget proposal of the Department of Social Services and gave the committee a few recommendations. His recommendations were largely procedural. In his opinion the budget books provided by the department give zero justification for any expenditure. There are no performance related data to suggest why certain amounts of money are needed to achieve certain outcomes. According to Mr. Amsden, these practices are very out-of-touch with efficient private sector norms and practices.

Mr. Amsden’s testimony echoed in great detail a problem that I have seen with the state budget for far too long. There is very little accountability or merit in awarding funds. The Appropriations Committee on Health, Mental Health, and Social Services has already taken steps to bring more accountability to the process. We have graphed the trend of each line-item expenditure over the past 5 years. We are going to ask questions about those trends and look for outcome related data to justify why trends, up or down, should or should not continue. This is something other appropriations committees will hopefully adopt in the future.

I thank Dan Amsden for offering his help and coming down to Jefferson City to testify with this important message. I encourage other citizens to get involved in the community and partake in the government that serves you.

Fine Arts Grant Available

The Missouri Arts Council Annual Grant Applications can now be accessed online at: http://www.missouriartscouncil.org/ under the “Get Funding” tab. This is a one-year grant for dance, established institutions, fold arts, mid-sized arts organizations, minority arts, visual arts and theater. There are separate applications available for art education as well as community arts.

Constituent Comments

I am including this section on constituent comments and concerns as a part of my Capitol Report since I whole heartedly value and encourage citizen participation in our state government. As many of you may or may not know, during the 90s until my first election in 2008, I frequently visited the Capitol to lobby as a citizen for issues relating to children and health care. I believe we as citizens should participate as much as possible in impacting our state.

This week, constituent and friend, Lee Presser, sent me an article he wrote and I would like to share that with you.

Warm Hearted Neighbors

By Lee Presser
During my lifetime, an idea has crept across America that the state has an obligation to maintain the individual when the individual cannot maintain himself. This new philosophy is at odds with our founding traditions. Yes, there is a philosophical argument that we sustain one another. BUT, the claim is one between individuals. We help our neighbor because it is the right thing to do. We know worthy people sometimes need outside assistance from their neighbors. They make a moral claim on our resources, asking us to sustain them until they can again sustain themselves. The choice to act is ours.

Starting a score of years before my birth, the state has rapidly been substituted for neighborly charity. With that substitution of the state for the neighbor, came costly waste and inefficiency. That number now approaches $16 Trillion. The cold touch of the state will never be a substitute for a warm-hearted neighbor.

This Week In Pictures

I met with constituent Barb Keathley (right) and other members of the MO Realtors Association last week to discuss their association’s priorities for the legislative year.

I met with a constituent and neighbor from Cedar Springs who was visiting the Capitol as a citizen lobbyist.

Congratulations!

I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to William Post for his elevation to Eagle Scout! William has done many great services for our community to get this honor. His Eagle Scout Project involved creating a storage system for Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry in St. Louis. It was a privilege to present him with
a House Resolution commemorating his achievement at the last Manchester Aldermanic meeting.

Rep. Sue Allen Appointed to Committee Charged with
Conducting Comprehensive Review of Missouri Judiciary

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town & Country, has recently been appointed to the House Special Standing Committee on Judicial Reform. The committee was formed by Speaker Tilly, R-Perryville, to ensure accountability and transparency within the judicial system. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem, has been appointed to chair this committee. Tilley said he has asked the members of the committee to take a comprehensive approach to examining the state’s judicial system to determine if any changes should be made by the Missouri General Assembly. Rep Allen is a member of the House Budget Committee and brings budgetary knowledge that will be an asset to this special committee as it looks to reform various aspects of the judicial branch.

“This is an opportunity to do a comprehensive review of the judicial system and ensure that appropriate levels of efficiency, transparency, and accountability are in place,” said Allen. “Over the next few months the committee will work to find any improvements and changes that can be made to ensure that our judicial system is more responsive and accountable to the people of Missouri.”

One issue the committee may address deals with the current boundaries of Missouri’s 45 circuit courts. The boundaries have not been reorganized in more than 40 years while the state’s population has changed and shifted dramatically. The committee may look at ways to make the circuits more compact so that caseloads are more evenly distributed.

Stouffer: Our District Is Changing, Again

2012-01-24T14:16:00.000-06:00

With only a few weeks before folks can start filing to run for office this year, the Missouri Supreme Court has made a decision on two of the redistricting plans, which we thought had already been set.

There were three different maps drawn last year: one for the Missouri Senate, one for the Missouri House and one for Missouri’s congressional districts. The judges say the Missouri House redistricting plan is fine. (Read my previous column describing new state house districts in our area here.) What the judges did not like were the plans for the Missouri Senate and the congressional districts.

Congressional Districts

The high court said a trial judge has to hold a hearing and then make a decision on the congressional map by Feb. 3, 2012. If the judge approves the current map, we will move forward as planned. The alternative is a new map drawn by the Legislature that could look significantly different. Those living in Clay, Lafayette, Ray and Saline counties may remember I was not supportive of the Legislature’s efforts to combine our part of the state with downtown Kansas City.

State Senate Districts

The court liked the new Senate maps much less, ruling against the splitting of Jackson and Greene counties. They also contended the panel did not have the authority to provide a “do-over” from the original map released in November, which was also poorly drawn.

As soon and the judges’ decision was made public, the governor started to put together a new citizens’ commission to draw new boundaries. If this commission cannot come to an agreement, then a group of judges would have to make the new Missouri Senate district map.

How does this affect our area?

At the same time, the clock is ticking toward the opening of candidate filing, which is Feb. 28, 2012. There is a chance the Missouri General Assembly could move the dates for filing. It depends on how quickly new maps can be drawn, and if there would be another lawsuit. If not, there is a good chance that we could continue this redistricting rundown for a much longer timeframe than was originally expected.

I am disappointed the judicial panel drawing the Senate maps failed to abide by the constitution in design and delivery.

I would also like to point out that I am in my final year as a Missouri senator. My hope is that a solution can be reached in time and folks will know what lawmaker represents them so government can continue to fulfill its function without interruption. Quick decisions will have to be made. I pray they will also be the choices to move this state forward.

Tim Jones: Majority Minute: Transparency Measures Await Floor Debate

2012-01-23T16:43:00.000-06:00

Sun drenched skies blossomed and shone through the retreating weekend tumultuous storm front as it rumbled southward as we begin the third full week of session in the House. HCS HJR 43 was overwhelmingly passed from the House last week and has marched to the Senate to await action. This good government/taxpayer friendly constitutional amendment represents the first successful piece of legislation passed pursuant to the Speaker’s Blueprint for Missouri.

A Glimpse at the Week Ahead

Two important bills on the House Calendar for Perfection will receive action this week:

HB 1135, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), will grant the Secretary of State the authority to make technical changes to administrative rules and will improve transparency in Missouri government by requiring the review of administrative rules. Over time, department rules become outdated or obsolete. By requiring these rules to be reviewed periodically, we can ensure that all agency rules are efficient and effective. This proposal also allows ordinary people the right to request an administrative rule change. The agency must respond to any such request and inform a committee of the General Assembly about the request and their response. Under current law, these administrative rules can stay on the books of a state agency indefinitely. HB 1135 also requires all administrative rules to sunset after 10 (ten) years. By including the sunset provision, all rules will have to pass through the public comment process periodically, providing citizens a say in how our executive departments operate.

HCS HB 1140 is also sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150). Currently, information about state spending is available on line at the Missouri Accountability Portal. HB 1140 requires counties and schools to submit their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration for posting on the portal. This gives taxpayers a one stop shop for tracking how their state and local tax dollars are being spent, expanding the information available to them. Under this proposed legislation, school districts and public charter schools must annually collect and submit detailed employee compensation data and the district’s annual operating budget and bonded indebtedness to the Office of Administration for inclusion. HB 1140 also requires each county to collect and annually transmit to the Office of Administration for inclusion on the portal detailed compensation information for all elected county officials, a copy of the detailed financial statement that counties are currently required to publish, and any cash reserves.

Lant: Sponsored Legislation Due In Committees Soon

2012-01-23T08:39:00.000-06:00

Our work week began on Tuesday with committee hearings, session and the Governor's State of the State Speech. His speech was entitled "Missouri Moving Forward" and promised no tax increases, reducing State payrolls, and adding jobs to Missouri. No one could find fault here could they? The hard part is keeping those promises. His budget proposal, among other things, cuts higher education an additional 13% which translates to over 3 million for Missouri Southern and nearly 3/4 million at Crowder. His advice to the Universities was to cut overhead and administration and raise their tuitions. In addition, he proposed budget cuts in many areas of education, agriculture, and social services. Although I applaud the Governor for agreeing with us that we will not raise taxes, I am glad that the House and Senate will get to set and approve the actual budget.

We also heard from the Chief Justice with his State of the Judiciary Speech. Much like Judge Price last year, Chief Justice Teitelman urged lawmakers to pass measures to reduce the number of people in prison for parole and probation violations and reduce the prison population by 2%. This would result in savings of over 16.6 million over a 5 year period. We intend to seriously review such proposals for non-violent offenders and I will relay the ideas to you for your input.

The first bill to be passed out of the House this year was HJR 43. If approved by the Senate, this issue will be on the ballot in November for voter approval. Its purpose is to put limits on state appropriations. The increases in expenditures are tied to the rate of inflation and percentage changes in Missouri's population. It limits growth of government spending, provides long-term fiscal planning and rainy day funds, helps balance economic highs and lows, protects programs and funding, reduces income tax rates, and creates a stronger business environment. This bill passed with an overwhelming bi-partisan majority.

I was privileged to meet with several educators last week who shared concerns with me about children who are being neglected or abused. It seems like there are loopholes in our current system of reporting that need to be addressed. I am trying to research our current practices and have enlisted the help and advice of law enforcement, educators, and Social Services. There are several legislators who are helping me to design a fix to the current procedures.

I should be presenting several bills in committees in the next few weeks including my Funeral Protest Bill. It passed out of the House nearly unanimously last year but got hung up in the Senate. I'm hoping to avoid that problem this year. I also have a storm shelter bill that should be heard soon and a couple of bills dealing with prevailing wage. Both the House and Senate seem anxious to get started early this session and I sure hope that is a good sign.

All of the Appropriations Committees begin to meet this week. I for one can't wait to ask the directors what they spent their money on last year and more importantly, why they didn't spend it on the things they said they needed it for. You see, we are supposed to be responsible for oversight after we appropriate funds and if we don't ask the right questions, then we surely won't get any explanations. I'm not saying that they are less than honest with their answers, but there are a lot of ways to say something and I don't appreciate "spin". One of the things that concern me are departments that tell the public that we have cut their budgets when all that has happened was we refused to give them additional funds in a time of economic turmoil. In some circles of government, not increasing spending is labeled "cutting the budget". There have also been abuses where a director asks for additional funds for one purpose then spends them for another knowing that we would not have appropriated funds for that expenditure. Kind of reminds me of the stories my boys used to try to get me to believe. Remember how they always waited until you were real busy before they asked for something? That seems to me to be another good reason to have a few "Gray Haired Legislators". We're harder to fool!

We should be starting work on a few jobs bills this week. There will be some great floor debates in the House and Senate and I sure hope we can get bi-partisan support for some much needed reforms. I'll give you a full report next week. Until then, I am, and remain, in your service.

Schaefer: Addressing Governor's Drastic Cuts to Higher Education

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, this past Tuesday evening (1/17), Gov. Jay Nixon delivered his State of the State address which outlined the state budget for this upcoming fiscal year. Under the governor’s proposal, Missourians, especially our college and university students, will face drastic funding cuts. With the help of my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee, I hope to reallocate funds to strengthen education and respect Missouri’s priorities.

The governor's request to cut 12.5 percent to higher education is the largest single cut to this area of our state's funding in Missouri’s history – surpassing Gov. Holden’s 10.06 percent cut in 2003. Adding to the governor’s 12.5 percent cut, his 8 percent cut this year and 5.4 percent cut the year before, higher education has been reduced by more than 25 percent. To put this in perspective, higher education funding has not been this low since 1997, roughly the same time many in the current record-setting freshman class of MU were new to the world.

Immediately after the State of the State address, I, along with Senate leadership, met with the media to discuss the details of the governor's address. Only by working across the aisle can we solve Missouri’s budget crisis.

On Wednesday morning (1/18), the Senate Appropriations Committee continued to hear public testimony from a number of state departments.

The Department of Elementary & Secondary Education; Department of Higher Education; Office of Administration; Department of Agriculture; Department of Natural Resources; Department of Conservation; Department of Economic Development; Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration; Department of Labor & Industrial Relations; Department of Public Safety; and the Department of Corrections all provided appeals for increased funding.

We greatly value the time and dedication of these individuals. I thank them for their continued interest in the contributions of these departments towards the best interests of the state of Missouri.

Wednesday was also the first day of the gubernatorial appointment hearings. I was pleased to sponsor Shirley Patterson as a member of the Coordinating Board for Early Childhood; Le Greta Hudson as a member of the State Committee of Dietitians; and Kelly Schultz to the Office of Child Advocate of Children’s Protection and Services.

I am confident these individuals will be valuable members of their respective panels.

Above: Shirley Patterson. (left), LaGreta Hudson, (center), and Kelly Schultz, (right), with Sen. Schaefer at their respective gubernatorial hearings.

Also on Wednesday, Chief Justice Richard B. Teitelman gave the State of the Judiciary address during a joint session of the House and Senate. He reminded us of the importance of working together in order to better serve the people’s welfare.

To learn more about Chief Justice Teitelman, please visit his webpage here.

On Thursday (9/19), several Rock Bridge sports teams paid a visit to the Capitol. I had the pleasure of introducing these talented athletes on the Senate floor. These individuals know the importance of teamwork and represented Boone County exceptionally.

In addition, I had the honor of presenting local winners of the Missouri Small Business & Technology Award with personal Senate resolutions on Thursday. I would like to acknowledge the following small businesses in Boone and Randolph counties for their success:

Accurate Rx
Elemental Enzymes
Finspeed
Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro

Finally, on Thursday, the Missouri Board of Realtors visited my office for their legislative day at the Capitol. I was able to meet with them and hear some of their concerns and answer a few questions about the legislative process.

The board members and I then entered the Senate chamber for a group photograph (left).

Thank you for your continued interest in the issues that affect the citizens of Boone and Randolph counties. If you have any questions or concerns throughout this session, please contact my office.

Schupp: "Taxpayer Protection Act" Perpetuates Insuffucuent Funding, Lacks Vision

2012-01-22T22:47:00.000-06:00

The legislature reconvened Tuesday, the day after we celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greatest civil rights leaders of our time.

On the heels of this celebration, many of us hope to discuss issues of job creation and fair treatment of workers, of education and opportunities for all. Governor Nixon's State of the State address, and Chief Justice Teitelman's State of the Judiciary brought the House and Senate together in two of those rare occasions when the same messages are delivered to both chambers.

After we heard of these leaders' hopes and visions for our state, the House reconvened to begin the session with a bill that divided us almost without exception along partisan lines.

I am hopeful we can do better going forward. There are opportunities to positively improve this state through the implementation of good public policy. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of Missouri's future.

Truly,
Jill

Governor's State of the State...My View

The State of Missouri continues to have to cut programs in order to balance our budget. In an environment where we are considering every option and looking in every direction for job creation opportunities, it is hard to hear that the Governor's proposal includes an approximately 12% cut to higher education. After all, we know that companies move to states that have a well educated workforce.

With today's businesses starting and growing in the areas of science and technology, these cuts to our post secondary educational system seem counter-intuitive. And yet, we have few other places we can cut. Due to being unable to fully fund the K-12 education foundation formula, the legislature will be looking to revamp the formula so that it meets the state budget rather than the budget being based on what we believe the needs to be.

The Governor is taking full advantage of the Ford and GM plants that continue to grow jobs here after incentives he championed proved successful. We will be putting people back to work by encouraging the ancillary businesses that produce items used in the building of automobiles by providing tax incentives for them to locate and hire people here in Missouri.

The Governor knows full well that Missourians are in no mood for any tax increase even though funding for programs and services are being cut. (When are people in the mood for tax increases??) It would be my hope that he and the legislature will support the "Mainstream Fairness Act," which allows the State to collect internet sales taxes which are often already being paid. This influx of uncollected taxes would help fund education or any other programs the legislature deems worthy. Let's see if the legislature has the will to make this happen for our communities and state!

To listen to or read Governor Nixon’s 2012 State of the State address, please visit http://www.mo.gov/sots2012/.

The Resolution that Divided the House

HJR 43 moved to the floor quickly this legislative session. It goes to show you that work can get done early when those in charge deem it so. This resolution, if passed through the Senate and the Governor's desk, will be a constitutional change sent to be voted on by the people to limit the increased amount of money the state can spend to the CPI plus 1.5% each year, regardless of revenue and the needs of Missourians. As you know, the Hancock amendment in Missouri already imposes limits on increased revenue, with additional expenditures subject to a vote of the people.

If you believe all of our programs were appropriately funded in 2008 (the base year) and that we will never need to consider new opportunities or deal with new problems, you might support this legislation. Most of us on the minority side of the aisle believe that Missouri's current situation does not represent the best we can be...and this legislation without vision goes too far in limiting our ability to become better than we are. I included a link to this legislation last week, and here again. Here is a link to the Columbia Tribune article, fairly representative of the articles around the state.

About Nora Geary

Nora Geary is currently pursuing dual masters degrees in Public Health and Social Work at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. While interning at the Capitol, Nora will focus on health related policies that ensure quality care of older adults as well as policies that will facilitate the health and well-being of all Missourians.

I am grateful to Washington University and Professor Tim McBride for allowing Nora to work with me as we craft and advance good health policy legislation.

About Drew Stiehl

Drew Stiehl is a senior Sociology and Psychology major at The University of Missouri. Originally from Wildwood, MO, Drew has a passion for environmental issues and workers' rights. He has already demonstrated great skill and sense in office management while working on substantive issues. This experience will support his efforts to gain additional leadership and public speaking skills.

About Nicholas Arroyo

Nicholas Arroyo will complete a finance degree this semester at the University of Missouri and will be participating in a variety of capacities working with the Missouri Veterans History Project, founded through my office. In addition to his enthusiasm for working with Veterans, Nicholas has developed a passion for supply chain/logistics in the past year working for a trucking company, and will enter an Operations Management Trainee program upon graduation with PepsiCo in Saint Louis. He hopes to gain insight into the legislative process while also reaching out to our Missouri Veterans by coordinating interviews to capture their stories of service.

Dension: Governor Delivers State Of The State, Joint Committee On Transportation Oversight Meets

2012-01-20T16:37:00.000-06:00

“Life is like a library owned by the author. In it are a few books which he wrote himself, but most of them were written for him”. – Harry Emerson Fosdick

Governor Delivers Annual State of the State Address

Members of the House and Senate gathered in the House Chamber Tuesday night to listen to Governor Jay Nixon give his annual State of the State Address. Much like the president’s State of the Union Address, the governor’s speech is used to outline his policy agenda for the upcoming session. Tuesday’s speech was highlighted by the governor reaffirming our commitment to balancing the budget without increasing the tax burden on Missouri families. It’s something we all can agree on regardless of party affiliation and despite the fact it represents an incredible challenge to balance the budget in a year where we face a funding shortfall of more than $500 million.

The governor did call for increased funding for K-12 education and described his funding proposal as a record level of funding for our public schools. While that sounds good in a speech, the reality is his proposed budget would provide an increase of only $5 million to the approximately $3 billion in basic aid for public K-12 schools. That amounts to just $5.88 in additional state aid per pupil and still falls short of what is recommended by the funding formula by approximately $472 million. The governor also called for a 12.5 percent cut to higher education. The cut would leave funding for our public colleges and universities at its lowest level in years. These are issues that obviously cause concern as we look at crafting a budget this year. One of the pillars of our Blueprint of Missouri is based on improving our system of education to give our young people the best possible opportunity for future success. Bridging our funding gap on the back of our education system is not something that will gain much support in the legislature. I will keep you updated on this issue as the session progresses and we look for ways to balance our budget without forcing our schools to pay the price.

House Approves Spending Limit Proposal

I mentioned in my previous report a spending limit proposal that would control the growth of government spending in the future. The proposed constitutional amendment [HJR43] came to the floor this week where the House gave it overwhelming approval. The proposal would use the 2008 fiscal year, which saw $8 billion in general revenue spent, as a baseline. From year to year increases in the size in the budget would then be limited to 1.5 percent of the previous year’s revenues plus an amount based on the rate of inflation plus the growth in population. With this, we allow the budget to grow at a healthy yet predictable and stable level each year.

Another concern members had with putting a spending limit in place focused on the impact such a limit might have on education funding. With our K-12 education system currently underfunded, we want to make certain future legislatures can adequately increase funding for our public schools. An amendment added on the House floor would allow funds dedicated to the school foundation formula to exceed the appropriations limit. With this, we would allow one of our most vital funding areas to catch up to the funding it deserves without fear of conflicting with the spending cap.

If approved by both chambers, the proposal would go before a vote of the people.

New District Maps Called into Question

Also this week, the Missouri Supreme Court threw out the maps that define the new boundaries for Missouri’s 34 Senate districts. The court also ordered further review of the new congressional district boundaries that were created by the Missouri General Assembly. This news comes at a time when we are just weeks away from candidates filing for office. With the maps now in question, it creates a great deal of uncertainty for anyone seeking any of these positions. The court has ordered a trial judge to make a ruling on the congressional districts by Feb. 3. For the senate districts, the process will start over with a new 10-member bipartisan citizens’ commission. When the process began the first time, the commission failed to agree on a map, which led to a panel of appellate judges being tasked with creating the map. The judges found it just as difficult to provide a map that follows the guidelines of the Missouri Constitution with the first map they created being called into question and the second map now being ruled unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court. It goes to show how difficult it is to create these maps when the judiciary itself cannot abide by our Constitution. We’ll see what the new citizen commission can come up with and how the trial judge will rule on the congressional districts in the coming weeks. It’s my hope the trial judge will find the new congressional map we created to be constitutional.

Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight Meets

The Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight met twice this week to discuss options for I-70. The intention of the meeting was to hear discussion on rebuilding I-70. The director of the Missouri Department of Transportation, Kevin Keith, reminded the committee that I-70 is nearly 60 years old and was designed to last twenty to twenty-five years. The committee heard from twenty-two individuals that testified, and the information and ideas brought to the committee will be helpful for the Department of Transportation and for legislators as a decision is made on how to move forward.

Visitors

On Wednesday January 18, 2012, Don Akers and Swaine Marsh stopped by my office to discuss legislative matters for the 2012 session. Mr. Akers and Ms. Swaine were at the Capitol with the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors.

Also on Wednesday, January 18th, I met with Jodie Adams and Linda Dollar, representatives of the Community Olympic Development Program, Springfield, Missouri. The Greater Springfield COPD is operated under the City of Springfield and Greene County through the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. Jodie Adams, Linda Dollar, Joseph Cox, the Legislative Coordinator with the Missouri Department of Revenue, and I met concerning a legislation proposal for a U.S. Olympic special license plate.

Pictured left to right in the House Chamber: Jodie Adams, Rep. Denison, Linda Dollar, Joseph Cox

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.

Newman: State of the State/Judiciary and First Floor Action

2012-01-20T16:08:00.017-06:00

This week we had both the annual State of the State and State of the Judiciary addresses in joint sessions of the House and Senate. The budget process officially began with the presentation of the governor’s budget recommendations – highlights were mentioned in Governor Nixon’s address (see below).

My appropriations committee – General Administration – begins meeting Monday, Jan 23rd to start hearing testimony from Statewide Elected Officials, the Office of Administration, the General Assembly, the Department of Revenue, the Judiciary and the Public Defender. This process will involve daily hearings (sometimes two a day) when we’re not in session. I will keep you up to date as we work to forward our budget recommendations onto to the House Budget committee - the process evolves...

PHOTO ID SENATE BILL HEARING - FIRST OF THE SESSION

Here we go again.

Monday the Senate Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections committee, chaired by Sen. Kevin Engler, heard SB442 sponsored by Sen. Bill Stouffer. I did not testify but took dubious notes on this season’s first voter ID hearing.

There was no public support at the hearing of SB442 but many testified against it : Missouri Secretary of State’s office; Denise Lieberman, senior attorney with the national Advancement Project and representing a diverse statewide coalition; Jeremy Lafaver with the MO ACLU of the Eastern District and representatives from Paraquad, Missouri NEA and Missouri SEIU.

Sen. Engler remarked during the hearing, ”If you’re not smart enough or wise enough to get a MO drivers license, then you shouldn’t be voting.”

This was after testimony that voter ID efforts will greatly impact those with disabilities and the elderly. Sen. Engler repeated his comments several times after the Paraquad legislative liason testified from his wheelchair. I was appalled.

I continue my opposition against all efforts of voter suppression. I hope you join with me to keep Missouri elections “free and fair” for all as stated in our Missouri state constitution.

Read my latest commentary on voter ID bills in this week’s St. Louis Jewish Light - http://www.stljewishlight.com/opinion/commentaries/article_3493b866-41fe-11e1-acea-0019bb2963

MY HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMMITTEE IS SCHEDULED TO HEAR THE HOUSE VOTER ID BILL - HB1104 - SPONSORED BY REP. SHANE SCHOELLER TUESDAY AT 7:30 AM IN HEARING ROOM 3. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY OR TESTIFY IN PERSON, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

NIXON PROPOSES HALF-BILLION IN STATE BUDGET CUTS

In delivering his fourth State of the State address, Gov. Jay Nixon on Jan. 17 proposed $500 million in spending cuts in order to balance a $22.98 billion state operating budget for the 2013 fiscal year without a tax increase. Nixon, a Democrat, also outlined his policy priorities for the 2012 legislative session, which include protecting worker rights, reforming charter schools, reinstating campaign contribution limits and a job creation package that emphasizes revitalizing the automotive industry in Missouri.

Although the governor’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 would increase basic state funding for local public schools by $5 million to more than $3 billion, it also calls for cutting higher education spending by $105.9 million. It would be third consecutive year that state funding of public colleges and universities would be reduced. Nixon’s budget balancing plan also calls for saving $191.7 million through efficiencies in the state’s Medicaid program, with no changes in eligibility or covered services.

In addition, the governor called for eliminating another 800 state jobs, bringing the total number of positions cut from the state workforce since he took office in 2009 to more than 4,100 and resulting in the smallest number of total state employees in 15 years. To provide additional state revenue collections in the future, Nixon also asked lawmakers to eliminate some the tax credits programs that are siphoning about $700 million a year from the budget. Although the Senate last year made tax credit reform a priority, Republican leaders in the House of Representatives refused to go along. As a result, it is unlikely lawmakers will actively pursue reform efforts this year.

HOUSE PASSES AMENDMENT TO FURTHER LIMIT SPENDING – 1st Floor Action of the Session

The House of Representatives voted 105-54 in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would place new restrictions on the General Assembly’s ability to increase state spending. HJR 43, the first legislation the House has debated this year, advanced to the Senate on a near-party-line vote, with majority Republicans in favor and minority Democrats opposed.

The measure is a top priority of House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, who said it would end the “boom and bust” cycles in the state budget. House Democrats agreed but said it would leave Missouri in a perpetual state of “bust.” After a decade of deep state budget cuts, opponents said the measure would prevent the state being able to reverse those cuts in the future.

HJR 43 would cap annual spending at the rate of inflation plus population growth and 1.5 percent and require any excess revenue collections in a given year to be held in reserve. If also approved by the Senate, the measure would go on the November ballot for voter ratification. I joined with 54 members of the Minority Caucus in voting NO.

WELCOME MY NEW LEGISLATIVE INTERN – ERIN LUTH:

“I am a Junior Political Science and English major at the University of Missouri- Columbia from St. Louis. I am a member of Phi Mu sorority on campus, where I serve as Ritual Chairman. I greatly enjoy this position in which I work to keep tradition a part of our chapter meetings and initiation among other responsibilities. I have also participated in Phi Alpha Delta pre-law fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and S.T.R.I.P.E.S. “safe ride home” program at MU. My freshman year I studied pre-law at Drake University where I was a NCAA athlete on Drake’s rowing team. I am extremely excited to be working with Representative Newman and everyone at the Capitol this session.”

Hoskins: Remember Dr. King, State Of The State Highlights

2012-01-20T15:21:00.000-06:00

The Second Regular Session of the 96^th General Assembly is starting to pick up steam and I could not be more enthusiastic. As bills start to be constructed, I can assure you, I and my colleagues in the Missouri House of Representatives are completely focused on the task at hand; improving the economy of Missouri and creating quality jobs. I am again, honored, to be here at your State Capitol working hard to represent the 121st District.

Monday, January 16, 2012 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who sowed the seeds of hope and healing in America. We commemorate the timeless values he taught us through his example. Values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility, and service, radiantly defined Dr. King’s character, empowered his leadership, and will forever stand as a shining example of what it means to be a great American. On this holiday, we commemorate the universal, unconditional love, forgiveness, and nonviolence that empowered his spirit.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 - State of the State Address

A Joint Session in the Missouri House of Representatives Chamber hosted Governor Jay Nixon for his annual State of the State Address. During his speech, Governor Nixon highlighted the ability and success of Missouri State Republicans and Democrats to put partisan politics aside and concentrate on what is best for Missouri.

While, philosophically, there will always be areas of disagreement between Gov. Nixon and I, he demonstrated the ability to recognize some key values of governance which have led to the continued AAA credit rating for the State of Missouri; even though several surrounding states credit ratings have been downgraded. These key values of governance I agree with include:

Strict Fiscal Discipline
1. Balancing our budget
2. No tax increases
3. Living within our means
Bipartisan Cooperation
1. Quote from Gov. Nixon in his State of the State address, “Unlike Washington, we’ve worked together like adults.”
Creating Jobs

Quote from Gov. Nixon, “Unlike Washington, we’ve kept a laser-like focus on job creation.”

Through bipartisan cooperation among your elected officials here in the State of Missouri, we have made the tough decisions required to provide a clear and bright path for future growth in Missouri’s economy, future job creation, and a continued AAA credit rating for the State of Missouri. I look forward to continuing to provide this same type of disciplined, bipartisan, and responsible leadership in the Missouri House of Representatives.

While we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, there is more work to be done. During last year’s State of the State address, Gov. Nixon promised the creation of 20,000 new jobs, yet he fell short by 15,000 jobs. Governor Nixon also recently made his third different appointment in three years to the Missouri State Director of Economic Development position. His new appointee, Jason Hall, succeeds Director Kerr who succeeded Director Martinez. We need stability in the leadership position of Missouri’s Department of Economic Development any we need Governor Nixon to follow through on his promises of job creation.

I was also disappointed in the Governor’s recommendation to cut 12.5% of Higher Education funding from the budget. Rest assured, I realize how valuable the University of Central Missouri and surrounding community colleges are to the area and will work with my fellow members in the House Budget Committee to provide increased funding for Higher Education above the Governor’s recommended cut.

At a time when the economy is stagnant and the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high, Missourians deserve strong, disciplined, responsible leadership. The leadership in the Missouri House remains committed to creating a stable business climate which allows employers to grow, expand, and create good-paying jobs. We plan to continue working alongside our Governor to restore prosperity to the State of Missouri.

Future Reporting

Next week’s capitol report will highlight legislation I am filing and legislation presented, thus far, for debate on the floor of the Missouri House.

Visiting the Capitol

Thank you to all the Realtors whom took the time out from their busy schedules to visit me here at the Capitol. I hope you enjoyed your visit and look forward to meeting with you again. Anytime you find yourself near our Missouri State Capitol (201 West Capitol Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65101) please feel free to pay a visit. Our state boasts one of the most beautiful Capitol buildings in the nation and you are always welcome.

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. During session or interim, 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. It is genuinely a privilege to serve as your state representative.

Dempsey: Promoting a Balanced Budget and Job Growth in the 2012 Legislative Session

2012-01-20T14:05:00.000-06:00

The Missouri General Assembly has convened in Jefferson City for the 2012 legislative session. We begin with two main goals – passing a balanced budget Missouri taxpayers can sustain without a tax increase and putting people back to work.

As we weather the biggest economic recession since the Great Depression, Missouri is one of the few states that is still in good overall financial condition. In fact, we are one of only seven states with a Triple A Bond rating. That’s because, unlike politicians in Washington, D.C., over the past three years, we in Missouri have been prudent and have made tough decisions, including cutting more than half a billion dollars. However, this year brings new challenges as we look for ways to make up a shortfall estimated to be around $400 million.

This week, the governor gave his state of the state address to the Legislature. I was disappointed to see that his plan for balancing the budget relies in part on speculation and the passage of special legislation. Once again, it will be up to lawmakers to correct his oversight.

Another of our main goals for this year’s session is spurring job creation. Times are tough but it is important that we create an environment where existing businesses can expand and where new companies are encouraged to relocate to Missouri. The Senate has indentified ways to improve our business climate for “mom and pop” small businesses and large corporations alike.

In order to create jobs to help Missouri families thrive, our state’s employers need to be able to keep and create better-paying jobs with benefits. Our plan in the Senate starts by curbing excessive bureaucratic regulations, restoring balance to the Missouri Human Rights Act in order to reduce frivolous lawsuits and keeping the Workers’ Compensation System as the exclusive remedy for workplace accidents. This last reform in particular will help protect co-workers and employers from having to defend themselves in court for honest mistakes.

I will talk more about our goals for the 2012 legislative session in my next column. In the meantime, I always appreciate hearing from you. If you have any questions about the topic discussed above, or any other issues, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Dugger: Protecting Missouri's Taxpayers, Ballot Boxes

2012-01-20T13:42:00.000-06:00

Once we roared like lions for liberty; now we bleat like sheep for security. The solution for America's problem is not in terms of big government, but it is in big men over whom nobody stands in control but God.—Norman Vincent Peale

Times of economic hardship highlight the importance of living within one’s means as well as the need to plan for the future. There is no denying the fact that Missouri faces and will continue to face numerous budget challenges. However, it is integral that as we weather the current economic woes, we not do it on the backs of Missouri’s hardworking taxpayers. That is why this week, the Missouri House moved forward with one of the key pillars of the Blueprint for Missouri, Missouri taxpayers, by passing House Joint Resolution (HJR) 43, also known as the Taxpayer Protection Act.

HJR 43 will put in place the same commonsense principles that families and businesses use when making budgetary and savings decisions. When times are good, it is important to tuck money away for those inevitable “rainy days,” rather than going on a spending binge. That way when times get rough, there is a cushion of savings to fall back on.

The Taxpayer Protection Act will limit the growth of the state budget, and thus the size and scope of government, by connecting it to the sum of population growth and the rate of inflation. Any excess money, above the allowable increase in spending, will be pooled for times when state revenue is lacking. In essence, HJR 43 will help ease the economic highs and lows while providing for long-term fiscal planning.

It is vital, even in these troublesome times, that Missouri remain economically wise. This means balancing the budget and doing so in a manner that does not place an added burden on you, the Missouri taxpayer. HJR 43, which now moves to the Senate for consideration, will provide peace of mind that not only will the rate at which the state government grows be sustainable, but that your hard earned tax dollars will be spent and saved in a responsible manner as well.

Next week, we will continue on with the Blueprint for Missouri. This time working to ensure that Missouri values are upheld. Several key pieces of legislation will be heard in various committees and face debate on the House floor. One such bill is House Bill (HB) 1104, introduced by Representative Shane Schoeller. Shoeller’s HB 1104, which will be heard in the House Committee on Elections, would require every voter to provide a form of state photo identification in order to vote. A similar bill passed both the House and the Senate last session, but ultimately was vetoed by the Governor.

For more information about the pieces of legislation mentioned above or about any others that have been introduced, please visit the House of Representatives website, www.house.mo.gov. As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Berry: State Of State Reaction, Protecting Missouri's Taxpayers

2012-01-20T12:13:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday evening, January 17, Governor Jay Nixon presented his 2013 budget to a joint session of Missouri's General Assembly in his annual State of the State address. In last year's State of the State address, Governor Nixon stressed the importance of making state government smarter and more efficient. One year later, we are still faced with budget shortfalls. Despite some improvement in economic conditions, Missouri's budget still remains in a deep hole, and analysts are predicting shortfalls of $500 to $600 million for 2013. Even with the state's modest 3.9% increase in general revenue over the past year, most of these gains will be consumed by increases in Medicaid costs. Though Missouri has a federal Medicaid match, it is expected to drop by $90 million this year. This decrease in federal funds will have to be made up from state's general revenue fund.

As most of you know, the first and foremost responsibility of Missouri's General Assembly is to pass a balanced budget. This year's budgetary process will present many difficult challenges, because Missouri doesn't have adequate revenues available to fund all the state's existing programs and services.

Today's economic times are difficult for families, as well as businesses. If a family experiences a decrease in income, their wisest option is to reduce spending in order to make ends meet. This commonsense approach must also be followed in state government. We must tighten our belt to balance the budget and not raise job-killing taxes on Missourians. The real answer to the budget problem is to make better decisions with the revenue we have.

While we are working to bakance the current budget, it will be important to take measures to help present future budgetary shortfalls. The Taxpayer Protection Act [HJR43] will limit growth in the budget by using a formula that allows the budget to increase only in proportion to the state's population growth and rate of inflation. When times were good and there was plenty of available revenue for the budget, past legislatures increased the size and scope of government. When times turned lean and revenues went down, some programs and services could not be maintained. The Taxpayer Protection Act makes adjustments for savings in prosperous economic times in order to help the state through the tough economic times, thus helping the ease the strain of boom and bust cycles on future budgets. This is similar to the retained earnings concept in a corporation.

The budget is one issue that is looming over the state and our legislative session. We will have to work together to make the right sacrifices across the state, but our goal is to do so at the least expense to our citizens. As your State Representative, I am committeed to doing what I can to protect my constituents through legislation as well as work on the budge.

Bill Information

If you would like to track legislation you may log onto 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 able to look at each of those also.

Capitol Reports

If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving this 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 always if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-2238 or by e-mail at TJ{dot}Berry{at}house.mo.gov.

Korman: Committee Meets On I-70 Tolls, Taxpayer Protection Act

2012-01-20T11:48:00.000-06:00

The MO General Assembly has completed the third week of session.

In this Capitol Report I will highlight the hearing on I-70, the Governor’s State of the State, the State of the Judiciary Address and the passage of HJR 43, the Taxpayer Protection Act, in the House of Representatives.

The Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight held a forum to discuss I-70. Director Kevin Keith of the Missouri Department of Transportation explained that I-70 is sixty years old and traffic has increased more than was anticipated as well as truck weights are higher than in the early years. I-70 will need some major structural improvements in the next 10 to 15 years and there is much concern on how it will be funded. There was excellent testimony presented by individuals and organizations. I testified on behalf of the people of Warren and Montgomery counties, explaining to the committee the importance of I-70. The clear message is that we are a long way from finding a solution and the discussion must continue.

Tuesday evening, Governor Nixon presented his “State of the State” address to the Missouri legislators. In his address, he included his budget proposal, his plan for economic growth and a hold on taxes. I was glad to hear that the Governor, like Republicans in the House, is committed to balancing the budget while holding the line on taxes. Raising your taxes in an already weak economy would further hamper economic growth and lead to more job losses, and I believe this is the last thing we need.

One point of the Governor’s strategy for economic growth is built on making government “smaller, smarter and more efficient.” This was our approach last year, and we plan to continue shrinking and limiting the size and scope of government this session.

We have led on this issue by passing the Taxpayer Protection Act [HJR43] out of the House this week. This legislation limits growth in the state budget by tying any budgetary increase to the rate of inflation plus population growth. This will ease any pressure the budget encounters during down times by saving money when economic times are good. I feel the current bill is reasonable, not too restrictive for the State to function yet not allowing bureaucracy to run wild.

On Wednesday, Chief Justice Richard B. (Rick) Teitelman delivered the 39^th State of the Judiciary address. In his address he welcomed the newest member, Judge George Draper III, and then introduced the other members of the court. He recognized former clerk, Tom Simon, who retired after four decades with the Supreme Court of Missouri.

A bipartisan effort to improve criminal justice in Missouri has been underway and legislation will soon be introduced. Chief Justice Teitelman supports efforts to help make sentencing practices more cost-effective, helping Missouri to become both tough and smart on crime.

I am happy to be here serving the constituents of Montgomery and Warren counties. Please feel free to stop by or contact your 99th District office at:

201 West Capitol Avenue
Room 114C
Jefferson City, MO 65101
573-751-2689
Bart{dot}Korman{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov

Ridgeway: The 2012 Session Begins

2012-01-20T11:25:00.001-06:00

The 2012 legislative session in the Missouri Legislature has begun. Legislators who, for the past few months, have been working in their districts as well as working on Interim Committees and in special session will now be traveling to Jefferson City each week for regular session. From now until mid-May all Missouri House and Senate members will drive to the capitol each Monday. Legislative session and committee hearings are held Monday through Thursday. Additionally, meetings with various citizens will occur as people travel to the capitol to express their views on legislative proposals. Most legislators return home late Thursday afternoon. Fridays and weekends are usually reserved for meeting with constituents in their home district, catching up with our non-legislative jobs and of course, time with our family and church.

The biggest issue facing legislators will be gathering all information necessary to create a balanced state budget. Unlike the federal government in Washington, DC, the Missouri Constitution requires a balanced budget. I am grateful for this amendment as government should live within its means.

Missouri and the rest of the nation continue to struggle with high unemployment and a stagnant economy. Our state could be facing as much as a $700 million budget shortfall as federal funds came to an end while at the same time federally mandated spending continues to climb. In other words, Washington, DC has spent our nation into massive debt and now they are attempting to force their big spending ways on us here in state government. We simply must push back against this kind of control and manipulation by Washington, DC.

On a very positive note, there was a legislative prayer breakfast sponsored by one of Jefferson City’s local churches during the first week of session. Many House and Senate members, the Governor and various executive staff members and candidates and Supreme Court judges were in attendance. Concord Baptist Church did an excellent job with the prayer service. The service truly lifted up our state in prayer. The cornerstone scripture quoted was I Timothy 2:1-2*, the point of which is that it is incumbent upon the body of believers to hold up all persons in authority in prayer. I view it as part of my responsibility to pray for my district as ultimately the people are in charge in our representative republic. Please continue to pray for all of us in state, county, city and federal government as we face issues that are far beyond the sole capability of human wisdom.

I look forward to your continued input as this new session begins.

*I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives.
I Timothy 2:1-2, The Living Bible & Message Translations

Lichtenegger: Missouri Accountability Portal

2012-01-20T11:06:00.000-06:00

Today the House passed HB 1140 which requires the office of Administration to maintain public School and county government accountability information on the Missouri Accountability Portal (MAP).

This online portal was designed so Missourians would have a comprehensive, easy, one-stop access to how their state tax dollars are spent. This legislation would require “the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must collect and submit certain specified financial and policy information to the Office of Administration for inclusion on the portal. School districts and charter schools must annually provide detailed employee compensation data, the school calendar, the district budget, and school policies to the department in an electronic format that is commonly used by the school district in its communications with the department.

Each county governmental entity must collect and annually transmit to the Office of Administration for inclusion on the portal detailed compensation information and the county budget according to standards established by the office.”

HJR 43, referred to as the Taxpayer Protection Act, also passed. This constitutional amendment –which will require voter approval- will limit the growth of the state budget. Once approved by voters it will limit growth by tying any increase in the budget to population growth plus the rate of inflation. In any fiscal year when the net general revenue collections are more than 1.5% but less than 2.5% of the total state general revenue appropriations allowed, the excess moneys must be appropriated solely for state general obligation debt reduction. (from the bill summary which you can access the full perfected bill summary by linking here: HJR 43 complete summary)This prevents state entities from increasing the size or scope of government should the state experience a significant increase in future revenue.

Constituent Corner

I am excited to announce that out of 22 state-wide awards two Jackson businesses won the 2012 Rising Stars of Innovation and Entrepreneurship –sponsored by the Missouri Small Business & Technology Development (MSBTD).

Congratulations are in order for Donna and Dennis Cook, owners of Main Street Flooring and Interiors, (pictured top & lower left) and Lonnie and Lindsay, owners of Gaming Grounds (couple pictured right). Richard Proffer (second from the top-left) of the Cape Girardeau County University of Missouri Extension was the SBTD center’s counselor.

They received the award during Thursday’s MSBTD’s ceremony here at the state capitol.

Nolte: Tax Relief Plan for Missouri Businesses to Encourage Job Growth

2012-01-20T10:26:00.000-06:00

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. – State Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Gladstone, unveiled his plan to provide tax relief to all Missouri businesses during a press conference at Bennett Packaging and Displays in Lee’s Summit. Nolte announced plans to file the Broad-Based Tax Relief Act for the 2012 legislative session that will provide tax relief to all Missouri businesses. Following the success of his Manufacturing Jobs Act, Nolte said the goal of this legislation is to make Missouri more competitive and stimulate job creation.

“Times are tough, unemployment is still too high and Missouri families are hurting,” observed Nolte. “This legislation will create a pro-job environment where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.”

After the Manufacturing Jobs Act, the next step in creating that pro-job environment is across the board tax relief. This legislation will reduce by 50 percent the income taxes paid by all companies large and small, including family farms. Nolte said the change will produce a level playing field for everyone.

“Government does not create jobs, private enterprise does,” said Nolte. “This legislation will give Missouri one of the lowest tax rates in the country. In turn, we will attract new businesses to Missouri while helping existing businesses and encouraging job growth.”

The 2010 Manufacturing Jobs Act sponsored by Representative Nolte was the catalyst for the $1.1 billion investment by Ford at its Claycomo location, the retention of 3,700 existing jobs and an additional 1,600 new jobs. In addition, GM announced it will invest $384 million with over 1600 jobs saved and created at its plant in Wentzville. Jobs and investment related to the auto company suppliers and other businesses are not included in these figures.

“We have an opportunity to take another bold step forward in Missouri by creating an environment that will help us keep the businesses we have as well as attract new businesses from all over the country,” said Nolte. “Anyone who is willing to work hard must have the opportunity to succeed and benefit from their hard work.”

Engler: Working Towards a Balanced Budget

2012-01-20T08:39:00.000-06:00

Committee work continued in the Senate this week. I’m chairman of the Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee, and we’ve already heard four bills in our committee. We now have 25 bills to consider, with the possibility of more assigned later. I’m also a member of the Veterans’ Affairs, Emerging Issues, Pensions and Urban Affairs Committee, and we considered Senate Bill 478 this week, which would eliminate retirement benefits and insurance coverage for all members of the General Assembly elected after Jan. 1, 2013.

I think there’s a misconception that state legislators enjoy the same type of generous benefits as federal elected officials. This isn’t the case. We are called to be citizen legislators and many state legislators have full time jobs outside of this one. However, as we examine cuts to many state departments and programs, it’s only fair we turn the budgetary scissors on the legislative branch.

The governor gave his annual State of the State address on Tuesday evening. He highlighted many of the priorities we’ve been working towards in the Senate. He also outlined his budget proposal, which may have provided some good sound bites, but upon closer look, seems questionable at best.

As in years past, the governor’s budget recommendations for the next fiscal year depend on new legislation, never a wise idea. His proposal includes $52 million of revenue to be generated by a tax amnesty plan that has yet to pass, and $64 million from enhanced debt collections by the Department of Revenue.

We debated a similar tax amnesty plan twice on the Senate floor last year, and despite wide support, were unable to pass it. If the same happens again this year, we’ve got yet another hole in our budget plan to try and fill. I also question if we can collect over a $100 million in revenue from people who already aren’t paying their taxes. I’m afraid the governor’s proposal contains unrealistic expectations and empty hopes we’re going to have to fix as we continue the appropriations process.

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments last week in a lawsuit that seeks to have the new Senate district maps thrown out. The new maps were drawn to reflect population changes shown by the 2010 census. The duty fell to an appellate commission in 2011, as a public commission was unable to submit a new map before the deadline.

The lawsuit before the Missouri Supreme Court claimed the new maps violate the Missouri Constitution by splitting counties among districts. When objections were raised about this back in November, the commission released a revised map 10 days later. The lawsuit says this was also illegal.

This week the Missouri Supreme Court ruled the new Senate maps be thrown out. There were definitely issues with the new district maps, and I’m glad the court recognized this. Now, the governor will have to appoint a new public commission to start the redistricting process all over again. This is all unprecedented and has left a fair amount of confusion. Political candidates don’t know where they’ll be running, and citizens don’t know who represents them or what district they’ll fall in. It’s chaos and there’s little to do now but wait and see.

I will continue to keep you updated on all important events taking place in the Capitol as the session moves forward.

Lampe: Concern About Higher Education Funding, Redistricting, Bullying Legislation

2012-01-19T17:43:00.000-06:00

At right: Representative Lampe with MSU President Clif Smart before the State of the State Address

Tuesday night, Governor Jay Nixon delivered the State of the State Address to the Senate, House and public. Throughout his address, he urged Missourians to take that extra step to move our state forward. Governor Nixon outlined his Missouri Works plan, which aims to achieve several things including growing more auto supplier jobs in Missouri, selling more Missouri-made goods overseas, preparing more workers for high-tech careers, training and hiring more veterans, jumpstarting innovation in science and technology, targeting high-growth industries and creating more jobs in rural communities. The Governor also presented his recommendations for the state budget, including cuts for higher education funding.

Governor Nixon recommended a 12 percent cut in funding for public universities which will leave many of our schools struggling to compensate for this decreased financial support.

I was honored to have Missouri State University President, Clif Smart, as my guest at the State of the State Address. Clearly, the decisions that lie ahead will impact many Springfieldians. I appreciate that President Smart and the delegation from Missouri State made the trip to Jefferson City to watch Governor Nixon's address and to share their thoughts with me.

HJR 43 Update

The House passed HJR 43 today almost exclusively along party lines. HJR 43 was voted out of the Budget Committee last week, and is commonly known as TABOR or the Taxpayer Protection Act.

HJR 43 would cap annual spending at the rate of inflation plus population growth and 1.5 percent and require any excess revenue collections in a given year to be held in reserve. If also approved by the Senate, the measure would go on the November ballot for voter ratification. Opponents argue the concern that the cap would limit funding to schools.

Redistricting

The Missouri Supreme Court on Jan. 17 sent a pair of lawsuits challenging the state's new congressional districts back to a trial judge for a hearing on whether the legislation violates the constitutional requirement that the General Assembly create districts that are "as compact ... as may be." The court remanded the matter to Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green, who previously had dismissed the cases, for a ruling on the merits of the challenge.

In its unanimous decision, the Supreme Court signaled that the odd shapes of new Third District, which stretches from the St. Louis metro area to mid-Missouri, and the new Fifth District, which combines Kansas City and most of Jackson County with three rural counties to the east, might render the redistricting bill unconstitutional. "Districts 3 and 5 are alleged to be particularly suspect, as can be confirmed by any rational and objective consideration of their boundaries," the court said in its unsigned opinion. "However, it is a question of fact, yet to be tried, whether those districts are 'as compact and nearly equal in population as may be.'"

In order to expedite the process, the court ordered Green to render his judgment no later than Feb. 3. Regardless of his decision, it almost certainly will be appealed again to the Supreme Court for a final determination. The court indicated it wants the matter resolved quickly so that, if necessary, the General Assembly has sufficient time to enact a new redistricting bill before candidate filing opens on Feb. 28.

Bullying Legislation

I am refiling bullying legislation this session. The language of the bill is the exact same as the bullying bill I sponsored during the previous session. We are gathering signatures for co-sponsorship.

Because this is my final session as your State Representative, I know this my last chance to promote this legislation. I hope that my colleagues in both chambers will join me in supporting and passing this bill. If you would like to learn more about this legislation, you may find it [HB460] here.

Foundation Formula

At right: Representative Lampe and Minority Floor Leader Talboy at a budget interview with KWIX.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Committee met on Wednesday and heard testimony on HB 1043. HB 1043 is the House's foundation formula proposal. HB 1043 would require for the dollar-value modifier to be recalculated every fiscal year bringing in Fiscal year 2013.This legislation also repeals the provision which allows the state adequacy target to be adjusted to accommodate available appropriations once the phase-in is completed and several obsolete provisions regarding the formula's phase-in-period. The Elementary and Secondary Education Committee will meet to vote on HB 1043 next week.

Congratulations, Kelly!

Kelly Schultz, my former legislative assistant, is now the Director of the Office of Child Advocate. Governor Nixon appointed Kelly for this position in July 2011. Gubernatorial appointments must be approved by the Senate. The Senate voted in favor of her appointment today.

The Office of Child Advocate is part of the Office of Administration and independent from the Department of Social Services. This serves as an impartial fact-finder when an agency action or failure to act is in question. If you would like to know about the Office of Child Advocate, you can access its website here. I am proud that Kelly has been appointed. The children of Missouri will find no better advocate than Kelly Schultz.

Neth: Short Week, MLK Day Celebrations

2012-01-19T17:30:00.000-06:00

Op. note: HJR43 is incorrectly identified in this missive as HB43. HB43 was proposed last session and concerned nuisance abatement ordinances.

This has been a short week, but it saw my first committee meeting. Next week will see many more. We passed out of the house HB 43. Upon voter approval this would put spending limits in place for the state. (Read a summary of the bill here). That was the only floor action this week. Next week we will probably be on the floor a little more with a few more bills. Committees will be in full action, as I know I have a full docket in my Elections committee.

My weeks are getting full with numerous meetings with people regarding issues in addition to normal constituent work. Education continues to be my main focus with all the issues surrounding the Kansas City School District, along with some issues I will have to revisit this year (in opposition to my caucus) in relation to employment and discrimination law and whistleblower protection.

Winter has finally set in. I guess it was inevitable. Maybe we can luck out without any snow. (Sorry kids)

Have a great weekend!
Myron

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration

William Jewell College 2012

Singing along to "We will Overcome".

I had the privilege of giving some brief remarks at the MLK Celebration at William Jewell College. (To view these remarks click here) It was an uplifting event. A highlight of it was Liberty-Kellybrook 5th Grader Cassia Shaffer (above) singing "My Soul loves Jesus". Wow, what a voice. It is great to celebrate the life and legacy of a great American such as Dr. Martin Luther King

(photos courtesy of William Jewell College)

Speaking with constituent Pat Miller

Education Issues

StudentsFirst comes to Missouri

As most of you know, Education is a big deal for me. I came from a family that stressed education, my wife is a teacher and as parents we place a high priority on continual learning in our own kids. The current education environment is a volatile one with tight budgets, competing factions for dollars and the continual call for reform, however that looks. Through all of this, I have been continually disappointed on the legislative front in the lack of focus on individual student achievement.

This can be seen in our Education Committee meetings. Up until now, there have been groups representing the school boards, the administrators, the unions, religious groups, reform groups, etc. Noticeably absent from that list has been anyone truly representing the kids. In my opinion that has changed.

StudentsFirst, a group founded by the former Washington DC Superintendent, Michelle Rhee, has decided to come to Missouri to push for true education reform that is focused on students. They have made a commitment to push legislation that puts student success as the primary focus in decisions regardless of whether that is in a public, private or any other type of school or education setting.

I was able to sit down with some of their leadership this week to discuss some of the current issues and to determine best next steps towards these goals. I am looking forward to working with StudentsFirst this legislative session and in the future to ensure every child in Missouri has the opportunity for the best education possible.

Getting to know....

Aaron Sewell

Aaron is my Legislative Assistant in the Capitol. He came on board in September of 2011 after graduating from Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. He married his wife, Katelyn in September and they currently reside in Jefferson City. She is pursuing her career in photography.

Aaron has been a great new addition to my office and he keeps things running and me where I need to be. He is getting the hang of the Capitol and is a great asset. A few days ago, he had the distinction of getting more press than me, when he was quoted in the Kansas City Star. Take a look here at what he had to say.

On TV

I will be joining Nick Haines on Kansas City Week in Review on KCPT this week. Three other local legislators will be on the show as well. It will initially air at 7:30 PM on Friday the 20th and rebroadcast at 11:00 on Sunday.

Torpey: Kickoff To Session 2012

2012-01-19T15:19:00.000-06:00

As we wrap up the second week of session, I am happy to say that the House has hit the ground running this session. Through the course of this week, we heard the Governor give the State of the State Address, as well as Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Teitelman give the State of the Judiciary Address during a join session of the House and Senate. I go further into detail on the State of the State below; as for the State of the Judiciary, Judge Teitelman urged lawmakers to pass measures to reduce the number of people in prison for parole and probation violations. These changes could save the state $16.6 million over five years and reduce the state prison population. The legislature has been studiously reviewing such proposals relating to non-violent offenders since late last year. Being a member of the Appropriations of Public Safety and Corrections, as well as serving as Vice-Chair of the Interim Committee on Criminal Justice, I have found a niche in the corrections system; I look forward to discussing legislation that revamps our system, while saving the state money and holding violent offends accountable for their actions. We also heard a quite a bit of legislation on the floor this week, including Rep. Burlison’s HJR 43, the Taxpayer Protection Act which places smart limits on state appropriations. In short, this bill prohibits appropriations in any fiscal year from exceeding the total state general revenue appropriations for the current fiscal year that exceeds the level for Fiscal Year 2008. Although the week was cut short due to celebration of the great accomplishments by Martin Luther King, Jr., the House had a productive week of hearing and debating legislation, as well as laying out a plan for the rest of the session. I look forward to continuing this hard work and creating meaningful legislation for the state of Missouri.

Creating a Haven for Small Businesses

Partnering with MO SBTDC, PTAC, and Others

On January 3rd, I was introduced to a proposal which would create an entity entitled “MORE” or Missouri Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs. By partnering with Missouri Small Business and Technology Development Centers (MO SBTDC) and Missouri Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, MORE will organize and oversee a seamless network of business assistance and support organizations with the mission of cultivating a climate of opportunity and support for Missouri businesses. Behind this proposal is the challenge that we have many organizations offering support to small businesses, but there is little coordination between these organizations, creating difficulty in regards to access. By creating a comprehensive, collaborative catalog of business support services, entrepreneurs and small business owners can easily access the information they need to grow and succeed. Throughout the coming weeks, I will be working with a few of my peers in the Missouri House to seemingly perfect this proposal in order to create a seamless,
successful entrepreneurial support network. I will be sure to keep you up-to-date.

Governor Nixon’s State of the State Address

On Tuesday evening, January 17th, Governor Nixon, the Missouri State Supreme Court Judges, statewide elected officials, the Missouri Senate and Missouri House welcomed the Governor for his annual State of the State Address. The theme of the address was “Missouri Moving Forward.” Governor Nixon addressed the promise of not increasing taxes, more cuts to government spending by reducing the payroll, and adding jobs to Missouri. Unfortunately these promises will lead to shortfalls elsewhere. The Governor targeted higher education, proposing cuts in their budget of nearly 13%. There is major concern that these cuts could lead to universities raising their tuitions significantly. Nixon encouraged the universities to “cut overhead and administrative costs and to run smarter, more efficient operations.” Senator Kurt Schaefer and Representative Tim Jones were given the opportunity to deliver the Republican response to the State of the State which you can view here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv8-omPVuv4&feature=player_embedded

Kraus: State Of The State

2012-01-19T14:26:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012, Gov. Jay Nixon delivered his State of the State address for 2012. As usual, the governor was eloquent in his delivery. I commend the governor for his comments about Joplin and the resilience and teamwork the community has shown since May 22, 2011. There is no doubt the Legislature and administration could learn a lot from Joplin residents and the community that has supported them.

The governor used the speech to outline a new “Missouri Works” program. While many of the pieces are not new, the governor did make a strong case for a uniformed program to create jobs. Unfortunately, he gave few details and much of the program sounded like job promises from previous State of the State speeches. Unemployment numbers may have improved in Missouri, but we still have fewer Missourians working. The Legislature will need to move beyond those broken promises and actually make a difference.

I also applaud the governor for his stand on reforming tax credits. Too much of our budget is dedicated to sending your tax dollars to industries or companies we pick as “winners” while their competitors struggle to keep up. I hope the governor takes an active role in the legislative process on this issue.

In terms of the budget, I am disappointed that the governor once again failed to lead. Hundreds of millions of dollars he calls “savings” are either unattainable or require special legislation to be passed. In his position, he should present a budget that is balanced out of the gate, not on the back of possible votes or possible savings. It will once again be up to the Legislature to make the tough choices needed to fill the large budget gap caused by our earlier reliance on one-time federal stimulus dollars.

One choice the governor did make, but did not discuss in his speech, was to cut higher education by 12.5 percent. This follows cuts of 7 percent and 4 percent the last two years. Missouri’s universities are now being asked to educate our children and grandchildren at the same budget level they had in 1997. I’m not sure why the budget keeps targeting higher education while leaving other programs and agencies alone, but I doubt the Legislature will let those cuts stand.

The governor and Legislature will face some difficult issues this year. We have to fill as much as $500 million in budget deficit. We have to create a climate where businesses want to come to our state and grow here without having to use every tax dollar for incentives. While there are significant differences in our approaches to these issues, I look forward to working with the governor and his staff wherever possible to bridge those differences.

Grain Valley Town Hall

Don’t forget that Thursday night, Jan. 19, there will be a Town Hall meeting in Grain Valley with Mayor Mike Todd. The Town Hall is being held from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Grain Valley Community Center, 713 Main Street.

I will open with a short talk on the 2012 legislative session and then open the floor for questions and answers. Mayor Todd will also be there to discuss local issues and answer any questions you may have.

These town hall meetings are important to me because they give me the opportunity to interact on a personal level with the constituents of the 8th Senatorial District. It is a vital way to keep members of the local community up-to-date on activities within the Capitol and upcoming issues and events. I look forward to speaking with concerned citizens and addressing any questions they might have.

I hope to see you there!

District Days

This is another reminder that District Days at the Capitol for Senate District 8 are scheduled for March 21 and March 27, 2012. If you are interested in attending, let us know by replying to this email. More information will be coming in the next few weeks.

Senate District Maps

For those who have not heard, all proposed maps for Missouri State Senate districts have been thrown out by the Missouri Supreme Court. The process for deciding Senate districts will now start over. As soon as new maps are drawn and approved, we will include them in a Capitol Report.

Kelley: Two State Addresses, Exchange Families Sought

2012-01-19T13:47:00.000-06:00

As we journeyed to the Capitol this week with a blast of arctic air at our backs, we can only be thankful that there has been very little snow and ice to affect our commute to and from the Capitol. As the elected officials reconvene underneath the Dome, bills begin to offer themselves for presentment on the Floor after their successful passage through committee. The Capitol is abuzz with activity with murmurings of commentary following the State of the State Address given by Governor Nixon, the GOP Response presented by Senator Kurt Schaeffer and yours truly and the State of the Judiciary presented by Chief Justice Richard Teitelman.

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

Governor Nixon’s State of the State Address

On Tuesday evening, January 17^th, Governor Nixon, the Missouri State Supreme Court Judges, statewide elected officials, the Missouri Senate and Missouri House welcomed the Governor for his annual State of the State Address. The theme of the address was “Missouri Moving Forward.” Governor Nixon addressed the promise of not increasing taxes, more cuts to government spending by reducing the payroll, and adding jobs to Missouri. Unfortunately these promises will lead to shortfalls elsewhere. The Governor targeted higher education, proposing cuts in their budget of nearly 13%. There is major concern that these cuts could lead to universities raising their tuitions significantly. Nixon encouraged the universities to “cut overhead and administrative costs and to run smarter, more efficient operations.” Senator Kurt Schaefer and Majority Leader Tim Jones were given the opportunity to deliver the Republican response to the State of the State which you can view at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv8-omPVuv4&feature=player_embedded

The Judiciary Address

Chief Justice Richard Teitelman was welcomed into the Chamber for the 39th State of the Judiciary Address on Wednesday, January 18. He urged lawmakers to pass measures to reduce the number of people in prison for parole and probation violations. These changes could save the state $16.6 million over five years and reduce the state prison population by two percent. The legislature has been studiously reviewing such proposals relating to non-violent offenders only, since late last year.

Bill Progress

HCS HJR 43, the Taxpayer Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136), places wise limits on state appropriations. I am proud of the fact that this extremely responsible measure was the first substantive bill considered and passed by the Missouri House this year. This bill prohibits appropriations in any fiscal year from exceeding the total state general revenue appropriations for the current fiscal year that exceeds the level for Fiscal Year 2008. The appropriations growth limit is the percentage that is greater than zero for the sum of the annual rate of inflation and the annual percentage change in Missouri’s population. This bill will limit the growth of government spending, provide long-term fiscal planning and rainy day funds, help balance the economic highs and lows, protect programs and funding, reduce income tax rates, and create a stronger business environment. Unlike Colorado’s TABOR, adjustments have been made in the bill to prevent the “ratchet-back” effort. This bill was perfected and third read in the House today with an overwhelming, bipartisan majority, and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Traveler Information Map App

The Missouri Department of Transportation has made available free apps from the Android Market and the Apple App store. For those of you who travel across this great state and own a smart phone or an iPad, MoDOT has an app available on the Android Market and the Apple App Store. These free apps have the ability to show the road conditions as well as road closings due to traffic accidents or construction.

Exchange students

ASSE's website is www.assehosts.com if they would like to look at more information about hosting (the application is online too) all that is asked to be provided is a bed for the student (can share a room with a teen that is within 4 years of their age) a place to study, and 3 meals a day...and of course to be made a part of your family for the time they are here! You can always contact me for more information and I will put you in contact with the people in charge.

Visiting the Capitol

I always enjoy when constituents visit the Capitol and want to thank all who make the journey. If you ever find yourself in or around Jefferson City at any time during the year, please feel free to visit us! Stop by Room 201E and we will be happy to meet and greet you! If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving this 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.

Please contact me with any suggestions that you may have for Missouri legislation. Also, if you should experience problems in contacting or resolving an issue with a Missouri state agency, please feel free to call my Capitol office at (573) 751-2165 or email at mike{dot}kelley{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov. Thank you for the honor to serve as your Representative in the Missouri House of Representatives. Until my next update, I am, and remain, in your service.

Nance: Bill Increases Transparency In Local Governments

2012-01-19T13:09:00.000-06:00

“It ain't over till it's over.” Yogi Berra

The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out a pair of newly redrawn state Senate district maps and sent the new congressional map back to a judge for review. This may have an impact on several areas of the state including Ray County which was placed in the fifth congressional district (currently held by Congressman Cleaver of Kansas City). I will keep you posted.

I couldn’t attend the State of the State address on Tuesday. Our Governor applauded our everyday heroes in the state and included Bob and Kay Vandiver with family members who were honored as he spoke of the importance of agriculture in our state.

He also highlighted the legislation that I was proud to co-sponsor that will bring $1.1 billion in investment and 1600 new jobs to Claycomo, as well as General Motors investment in Wentzville. Missouri’s Triple A credit rating along with the U.S. Chamber ranking Missouri in the top ten business environment because of low taxes and fiscal discipline are important for attracting new businesses. Governor Nixon touted an agreement to sell $4.6 billion in goods from businesses and agriculture leaders in Missouri to China.

The General Assembly has a lot to accomplish this session.The Committee on Downsizing State Government passed HB 1140 as part of the House’s Blueprint for Missouri plan that pledges to protect Missouri taxpayers. The bill provides transparency in government by improving public access to financial information about counties and school districts.

HB 1140 allows residents to track their local tax dollars by requiring counties and schools to submit information regarding their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration. This information is then posted on the Missouri Accountability Portal, a one stop shop for information on state spending.

Taxpayers are not the only ones who can use this valuable resource. Counties and schools can use the information posted to the portal to analyze their current situation. A central database would serve as an assessment tool, allowing counties and schools to compare their progress throughout the year with other counties and schools.

Through the sharing of information, we can assist each other by improved efficiency and having better informed citizens.

In the District

Representative Jerry Nolte and I will tour the local levies with Tom Waters this afternoon.

Rupp: Protecting the Welfare of Mothers and Unborn Children

2012-01-19T12:31:00.000-06:00

As a lawmaker and father, protecting the lives of unborn children is imperative — I have always vowed to defend the sanctity of life. We have an obligation to defend the rights of all Missourians, even those who have yet to make their entrance into the world. Throughout the 2012 legislative session, I am sponsoring two bills that will emphasize these values and shed light on the importance of women and children’s health.

One of my bills, SB 657, would ensure that no medical professional would be mandated to perform an abortion or other related procedures against his or her conscience. If a physician morally objects to performing an abortion, he or she would not be punished or suffer employment discrimination because of his or her decision. My bill would also protect the conscience rights of medical researchers with regard to fetal tissue research, human cloning, embryonic stem-cell research, and somatic cell nuclear transfer. This legislation is of great importance due to actions by the National Institute of Health. Currently, the federal panel is seeking to force medical providers — both care personnel and facilities — to perform procedures even when it goes against their beliefs. No one should be forced to carry out an act against their will.

I am also sponsoring a measure that protects the health and well-being of mothers and their unborn children. Under my bill, SB 658, drugs (such as mifepristone) to facilitate the induction of an abortion, including drugs used during a subsequent visit to complete an abortion, would only be administered in a hospital or in an abortion facility in the physical presence of a physician. Before the procedure is carried out, the mother would be presented with several alternatives to abortion, and she would be informed of the possible risks associated with having an abortion. If the mother decides to continue with having the abortion, the procedure would be handled safely.

I hope you will support these two bills as they continue their journey in the Legislature. If you have any questions or input regarding these measures, please don’t hesitate to call or visit my Capitol office. Thank you and God Bless.

Tim Jones: State Of The State Address, Family Enrichment Resource Program

2012-01-19T11:56:00.000-06:00

Governor Nixon’s State of the State Address

On Tuesday evening, January 17^th, Governor Nixon, the Missouri State Supreme Court Judges, statewide elected officials, the Missouri Senate and Missouri House welcomed the Governor for his annual State of the State Address. The theme of the address was “Missouri Moving Forward.” Governor Nixon addressed the promise of not increasing taxes, more cuts to government spending by reducing the payroll, and adding jobs to Missouri. Unfortunately these promises will lead to shortfalls elsewhere. The Governor targeted higher education, proposing cuts in their budget of nearly 13%. There is major concern that these cuts could lead to universities raising their tuitions significantly. Nixon encouraged the universities to “cut overhead and administrative costs and to run smarter, more efficient operations.” Senator Kurt Schaefer and I were given the opportunity to deliver the Republican response to the State of the State which you can view at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tv8-omPVuv4&feature=player_embedded

The Judiciary Address

Chief Justice Richard Teitelman was welcomed into the Chamber for the 39^th State of the Judiciary Address on Wednesday, January 18. He urged lawmakers to pass measures to reduce the number of people in prison for parole and probation violations. These changes could save the state $16.6 million over five years and reduce the state prison population by two percent. The legislature has been studiously reviewing such proposals relating to non-violent offenders only, since late last year.

Bill Progress

HCS HJR 43, the Taxpayer Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136), places wise limits on state appropriations. I am proud of the fact that this extremely responsible measure was the first substantive bill considered and passed by the Missouri House this year. This bill prohibits appropriations in any fiscal year from exceeding the total state general revenue appropriations for the current fiscal year that exceeds the level for Fiscal Year 2008. The appropriations growth limit is the percentage that is greater than zero for the sum of the annual rate of inflation and the annual percentage change in Missouri’s population. This bill will limit the growth of government spending, provide long-term fiscal planning and rainy day funds, help balance the economic highs and lows, protect programs and funding, reduce income tax rates, and create a stronger business environment. Unlike Colorado’s TABOR, adjustments have been made in the bill to prevent the “ratchet-back” effort. This bill was perfected and third read in the House today with an overwhelming, bipartisan majority, and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

PSA: Family Enrichment Resource Program Upcoming Event

The Family Enrichment Resource Program, an organization that seeks to reduce child abuse and educate parents in all areas related to raising their children, is hosting their Second Annual Children’s Art Auction on Saturday, February 11th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Fox Run Carriage House in Eureka. All proceeds raised support families in and around the Eureka region. For more information, please visit http://www.familyresourceprogram.com or call (314) 603-5767.

PSA: Seminar Available for Administering Trusts

Your law firm may use some of the most sophisticated tools available to establish strong estate plans for your clients, but the true test of that strategy comes with its implementation. In order to bring all your carefully laid plans to fruition, you need to be up to speed on the issues you may face when called on to administer an existing trust. For more information please visit: http://www.nbi-sems.com/SemTeleDetails.aspx/R-58058ER%7C?ctname=SPKEM

Traveler Information Map App

Upcoming Workshops

The St. Louis Arc Family Workshops are designed to provide in-depth information on topics related to supporting family members with developmental disabilities. The workshops are free and take place at the St. Louis Arc Family Center at 1177 N. Warson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123. For more information, please visit www.slarc.org or contact Ann Mangelsdorf at amangelsdorf{at}slarc{dot}org or at 314-817-2275. You must be registered to attend. For a complete list of the workshops and support groups available through the St. Louis Arc, visit www.slarc.org.

Fine Arts Grant Available

Visiting the Capitol

This week we received many, many visitors at our office including my good friends Mark Schwieder, Dennis Broadbooks, Todd Hamby and Bob Bechtold. I always enjoy when constituents visit the Capitol and want to thank all who make the journey. 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! If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving this 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.

Mayer: Audio and Video Reaction To State Of The State Speech

2012-01-18T09:29:00.000-06:00

Jefferson City — Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, recently added new audio and video links to his multimedia page, which is located on his Missouri Senate website. This page features audio and video links (both streaming and broadcast quality — when available) for visitors to listen to and watch Sen. Mayer address issues that are important to him and the citizens of the 25^th Senatorial District.

The new audio and video links include Sen. Mayer discussing his reaction to the governor’s annual budget address, commonly referred to as the “State of the State.”

Senator Mayer will continue to add audio and video clips throughout the year. You can download his podcast and listen to it by going to Sen. Mayer’s multimedia page: http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/mayer/Multimedia.html.

Mayer: Audio and Video Reaction To Redistricting Maps Ruling

2012-01-17T20:42:00.000-06:00

Jefferson City — Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, recently added new audio and video links to his multimedia page, which is located on his Missouri Senate website. This page features audio and video links (both streaming and broadcast quality — when available) for visitors to listen to and watch Sen. Mayer address issues that are important to him and the citizens of the 25th Senatorial District.

The new audio and video links include Sen. Mayer discussing his thoughts on the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision regarding state redistricting maps and what Missouri’s Fiscal Year budget could hold for 2013.

Senator Mayer will continue to add audio and video clips throughout the year. You can download his podcast and listen to it by going to Sen. Mayer’s multimedia page: http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/mayer/Multimedia.html.

Dugger: Missouri Supreme Court Rejects New State Senate Maps

2012-01-17T15:25:00.000-06:00

The Missouri Supreme Court, Tuesday, struck down new state Senate districts and ordered a further legal review of new U.S. House districts.

The Supreme Court rejected new state Senate maps submitted by a special panel of judges. That means the redistricting process must start over, with the governor appointing a new, bipartisan citizens commission to draw Senate boundaries.

The high court also ruled that a trial judge must consider further legal challenges to the boundaries for Missouri's U.S. House districts, which shrank from nine to eight as a result of the 2010 census. The Supreme Court ordered the trial court to act by Feb. 3.

To read more: http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/01/17/missouri-court-sides-with-redistricting-challengers/

Tim Jones: Majority Minute: State Of State Response With Sen. Schaefer

2012-01-17T13:55:00.000-06:00

As we begin our second full week in the Missouri House, Governor Nixon will be presenting his State of the State Address this evening at 7:00 p.m. CST. Senator Kurt Schaeffer (R-Columbia) and I will be presenting the Republican response. The Senator and I will be presenting our critique of the Governor’s presentation as well as presenting the positive, pro jobs, pro taxpayer, pro families agenda that the Missouri House and Senate will be pursuing throughout the 2012 Legislative Session. The Address and the Response will be broadcast on various radio and television stations throughout the State. In the St. Louis area you will be able to listen to the address on 90.7 KWMU (St. Louis Public Radio at www.news.stlpublicradio.org), and a live video stream can be found on the State of Missouri website at: http://www.mo.gov/

Monday, January 16, 2011

The House of Representatives was not in Session on Monday to commemorate the 26th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great American hero whose efforts to correct the injustice of discrimination and racism helped this nation overcome the blindness of bigotry and served as a beacon of hope for millions of Americans longing for the day when we are all united; the day when we view each other as fellow human beings and fellow Americans, with no regard to race or color. This nation has made tremendous strides since that fateful day in 1968 which ended the life of Dr. King. On Monday, we remembered and celebrated the unwavering message of Dr. King.

A Glimpse at the Week Ahead

Several bills are currently on the House Calendar and may be taken up for Perfection by the House this week.

HCS HJR 43, sponsored by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136), would place limits on state appropriations. Upon voter approval, this proposed constitutional amendment prohibits appropriations in any fiscal year from exceeding the total state general revenue appropriations from the previous year by more than the appropriations growth limit when the total state general revenue appropriations for the current fiscal year exceeds the level for Fiscal Year 2008. The appropriations growth limit is the percentage that is the greater of zero or the sum of the annual rate of inflation and the annual percentage change in Missouri’s population. Supporters say that the bill will limit the growth of government spending, provide long-term fiscal planning and rainy day funds, help balance the economic highs and lows, protect programs and funding, reduce income tax rates, and create a better business environment. The bill does not apply to local governments and will not limit the power of the legislature to appropriate funds between programs. Unlike Colorado's TABOR, adjustments have been made in the bill to prevent the “ratchet-back” effect.

HB 1135, sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), will give the Secretary of State the authority to make technical changes to rules. HB 1135 improves transparency in Missouri government by requiring the review of administrative rules. Over time, department rules become outdated or obsolete. By requiring these rules to be reviewed periodically, we can ensure that all agency rules are efficient and effective. This proposal also allows ordinary people the right to request an administrative rule change. The agency must respond to any such request and inform a committee of the General Assembly about the request and their response. Under current law, these administrative rules can stay on the books of a state agency indefinitely. HB 1135 also requires all administrative rules to sunset after 10 years. By including the sunset provision, all rules will have to pass through the public comment process periodically, providing citizens a say in how our executive departments run.

HCS HB 1140 is also sponsored by Rep. Jason Smith (R-150). Currently, information about state spending is available on line at the Missouri Accountability Portal. HB 1140 requires counties and schools to submit their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration for posting on the portal. This gives taxpayers a one stop shop for tracking how their state and local tax dollars are being spent, expanding the information available to them. Under this proposed legislation, school districts and public charter schools must annually collect and submit detailed employee compensation data and the district’s annual operating budget and bonded indebtedness to the Office of Administration for inclusion. HB 1140 also requires each county to collect and annually transmit to the Office of Administration for inclusion on the portal detailed compensation information for all elected county officials, a copy of the detailed financial statement that counties are currently required to publish, and any cash reserves.

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

Lant: House Makes Progress On Three Bills, Yellow Dot On Back Glass Of Vehicle

2012-01-17T13:23:00.000-06:00

Last week was busy although there were not a lot of bills passed out of committee. It takes a couple of weeks for the bills to get assigned to committee and another week to hear testimony so by next week we will be increasing in numbers. There were three bills that were voted out of committee for us to debate on the floor this week. The first one was HB 1140. This bill will provide transparency in government by improving public access to financial information about counties and school districts. The premise of the proposal is, when every dollar counts, citizens deserve to know where their tax dollars are going. 1140 allows tracking of tax dollar expenditures by requiring counties and schools to submit information on their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration where they will be posted on the Missouri Accountability Portal for easy access. Counties and schools will also be able to use this new resource to keep track and analyze their current situations. They can compare themselves to other counties and districts throughout the state and share valuable information.

HJR 43, The Taxpayer Protection Act passed out of Budget Committee this week. During this economic downturn, we have been dealing with budget shortfalls. In keeping with our promises, we have refused to raise taxes and instead tightened our belts and kept the budget balanced. This hasn't been fun for all those who had to deal with less money to run their departments. The Governor has even withheld appropriations for Higher Ed, K12 education and Social Services. HJR 43 attempts to remedy the situation in the future by tying future increases in budgets to population growth plus the rate of inflation. If successful, this bill will allow us to take advantage of good economic times by setting aside funds for the future when the economy turns down again. This is exactly the same theory many of our parents preached to us!

HB 1135 also targets transparency in government. An administrative rule which is passed today may make perfectly good sense, but give it a few years and sometimes they become very irrelevant. Under current law, rules that make absolutely no sense and are completely out of touch with modern times can remain on the books forever. HB 1135 requires that these rules be periodically reviewed to ensure they are efficient and effective. By including a sunset provision, all rules will have to venture through a public comment process every 10 years which gives all citizens a say in how our executive departments run.

Currently the House Committee on Children and Families is examining our own current Mandatory Reporter Laws to ensure they are adequate to address issues that have arisen across the country. Although I am not a member of the committee, I met with a group of concerned educators on Friday and discussed some of the ways that children in our area are falling through the cracks. As in the above discussion of HB 1135, some rules here appear to make no sense. Sometimes, we can become so obsessed with not crossing over department lines, that the very children we are committed to protect become victims! I have no idea at this point what I can do, but I assure you I will be trying. This is one subject that I promise you will be hearing more about.

Also on Friday, I was honored to have my picture taken receiving a "Yellow Dot" on the back glass of my car. Camille Graves is spearheading a drive to affix a yellow vinyl dot to the back glass of your vehicle to notify emergency responders that there is a packet of information in the glove box containing medical information. Although this program is geared mostly for seniors (I can't imagine why she wanted a picture of me), it will work wonderfully for anyone who has a medical condition that first responders should be aware of. It is extremely simple to fill out the information packet (Jane did it in less than 5 minutes), and Camille tells me that the announcement about when and where they will be available is coming soon. Once again McDonald County is leading the rest of the State!

I'm sure next week will be full of surprises, The Governor's State of the State Address will be Tuesday evening and committees will be meeting nonstop all week. Until next week, I am, and remain, in your service.

Mayer: Senate Gets to Work on Jobs Bills

2012-01-17T09:01:00.000-06:00

In my opening day address, I outlined how the Senate’s plan to help put Missourians back to work starts with three measures. These ideas are not what you call “headline grabbing,” but when we talk with small business owners they says its changes like these that will allow them to invest more in growing their businesses and hiring new employees. I am proud to report the Senate has already held public hearings on all three of these priority measures.

The first idea, Senate Bill 469, moves Missouri business owners a step close to greater freedom from excessive and burdensome state rules and regulations. Few things can bring private sector growth to a halt more quickly than overly contrived red tape. That is why this bill would require state agencies to review and reconsider regulations on a regular basis. The bill would give each regulation a limited shelf life of ten years, increase agency accountability, and improve legislative oversight.

The second idea, Senate Bill 592, would change state laws to mirror federal employment laws when it comes to discrimination. We want Missouri employees to be protected from employers who break the law. We can best do this by raising our standards to meet the provisions set out in the historic Civil Rights Act giving employers and workers better certainty across the board when it comes to their day in court. Bringing certainty to these laws means businesses can spend less money on expansive legal fees and instead invest those dollars towards expanding their businesses.

The third idea, Senate Bill 572, would restore protections for co-employees from personal lawsuits for their role in honest accidents at work, return Workers’ Compensation as the exclusive remedy for workplace accidents and address Missouri’s insolvent Second Injury Fund. This bill presents real solutions to problems facing our state’s workforce and their employers. Ending lawsuit abuses, relieving the need for additional insurance to cover honest accidents at work, and protecting injured workers while keeping costs reasonable for employers are all important to making sure Missouri businesses can grow and hire more employees.

I appreciate the swift work by our sponsoring senators and the members of the committees who considered these bills. It is important we act timely on these priorities to help put Missourians back to work in good paying jobs with benefits. I look forward to the full Senate considering these important bills in the coming weeks.

You may have also heard about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to close 259 offices and labs across the country. This closure of offices includes several here in Missouri and one in our backyard – the Natural Resource Conservation Service Office (NRCS) in Dexter. The USDA says staff will keep their jobs, but work from other area offices that will stay open. These closures may impact my fellow farmers and ranchers and I encourage you to share any concerns you may have with your local USDA officials.

Please feel free to contact me throughout the year with any comments, questions, or issues at the contact information listed below and on my website at www.senate.mo.gov/mayer.

Burlison: Productive Session Underway

2012-01-16T19:10:00.000-06:00

January 4th marked the beginning of the 2nd Regular Session of the 97th General
Assembly of the State of Missouri. Although the House has only been in session for one full week, Republicans have set high expectations for the year by introducing a comprehensive Blueprint for Missouri. At the core of this legislative framework is my strong conviction that individual Missourians are the key to moving our State forward. By simply shifting power from government bureaucrats to individual citizens, we will create a better, more prosperous Missouri. Here are some encouraging details on the progress we made last week:

Protecting Our Taxpayers

As our State continues to experience widespread economic turmoil, revenue for 2012 has fallen short of government expectations. Although there is growing pressure to make up for this loss by raising taxes, I am working to protect hardworking Missourians by implementing commonsense budget reforms. Unlike the short-sighted plans that raise taxes on families and businesses, my Taxpayer Protection Bill [HJR43] balances the State budget by saving excess revenue during times of prosperity. Rather than taking more money from taxpayers, it's time for our State Government to take a lesson from Missouri's families and businesses: no more short-sighted, one-year budgeting!

At right: David and Reagan Day met with me on the first day of the 2nd Regular Session. I always enjoy speaking with constituents!

Bringing Jobs to Our State

With Missouri's unemployment rate hovering around an atrocious 8%, it's crucial that we reform the laws that continue to suppress economic prosperity. We know that unemployed Missourians are eager to return to the workforce to provide for their families' needs, so Republicans are working on several bills that will bring jobs to the State by lowering the cost of employing Missourians. Next week, I will introduce a bill that gives Missourians more choice regarding unionization. By acknowledging Missourians' right to work outside of a union, we will begin to unleash the entrepreneurial forces required to bring jobs to our State.

Improving Our Schools

My family has been blessed with the great education that characterizes our schools in Springfield; unfortunately, many families in our State are not afforded the same opportunity. The startling number of schools losing State accreditation has created an education crisis for thousands of Missouri families. While it is important to preserve our excellent schools in Springfield, we must do something to help families avoid the nightmare of sending their children to failing schools. Republican leaders began drafting a bill to assist students in unaccredited schools last year, while officials in Kansas City were bracing for the fallout of a local school district losing accreditation. The bill protects children from failing schools by empowering families to send their kids to accredited districts. I am proud to protect children from a substandard education by creating choices for families in failing school districts.

Defending Our Values

Fair elections are the foundation of healthy governance. Constituents' interests are only represented when politicians are held accountable on Election Day. To strengthen electoral accountability, House Republicans introduced H.B. 1104, a bill that protects Missouri from election fraud by requiring voters to present a government-issued photo I.D. before entering the ballot box. I sincerely hope that Governor Nixon will consider this bill on its own merits when it reaches his desk; though he vetoed a similar bill last session, the current version takes strong precautions to prevent voter disenfranchisement. Regardless of the Governor's final decision, voters will have the opportunity to enshrine these election protections in the State Constitution by passing the Voter ID Amendment in November.

Oxford: Can't Budget-Cut Our Way To Prosperity

2012-01-16T16:59:00.000-06:00

The 96^th Missouri General Assembly convened its second regular session on Jan. 4 and will continue through May 18. Elected leaders calling for yet another round of deep budget cuts while offering a fairly modest legislative agenda, perhaps due to uncertainty that still marks relationships between the GOP majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives following the failed Special Session of 2011.

This is a bittersweet time for me as I enter my eighth and final year in the House of Representatives (due to term-limits). I am currently circulating more than a dozen bills and resolutions for co-sponsor signatures and will file most before the end of January. In my next newsletter I will include a link to a summary of this proposed legislation.

Major Issues of the 2012 Legislative Session

Budget - With no federal recovery/stimulus funds expected to relieve Missouri budget woes, and with House and Senate leaders vowing to block any attempt to increase revenue through tobacco tax increases or other commonsense strategies, a budget shortfall of $550-800 million is anticipated. (For more detail, see: http://www.mobudget.org/files/Missouri_Facing_Major_Budget_Shortfall_in_FY%202013.pdf.) Since Missouri must balance its budget by state constituent, that leaves no alternative but to cut crucial programs that serve our state.
Job Creation - Unemployment has been sliding down, but many of our neighbors are still out of work. Various "economic incentive packages" failed in both regular session and special session in 2011. Undoubtedly, we will see many of them again in 2012. I am pleased to have been named to the Special Standing Committee on Government Accountability and Oversight which is trying to ascertain why so many of our tax credit programs have performed less well than anticipated. With almost three-quarters of a billion in tax credits being authorized annually, if these were the key to a vibrant economy, one would think Missouri would be near full employment by now.
Education Funding Problem - This is the year that the "new formula law" that passed in 2005 was supposed to be fully phased in, increasing funding for many school districts. However, the General Assembly has not managed to keep pace with the new formula, and many legislators are now promising yet another re-write. I voted against the new formula in 2005 because it seemed to me that the real problem was that we were not adequately funding the old formula. I hope advocates throughout the state will now call for Missouri to address its inadequate revenue problem instead of constantly moving the targets, often at the detriment of the well-being of our communities. After all, when the state fails to adequately fund education in order to keep a "no new taxes pledge," in reality we are simply punting the tax hike to local districts where bond issues often go on the local ballot.
Students Transfers - State law allows students whose home school districts lose their state accreditation to transfer to the accredited district of their choice in the same or an adjacent county, with their "home" district obligated to pay tuition to "receiving" districts. After the St. Louis Public Schools lost its accreditation, however, suburban districts in St. Louis County refused to accept transfer students, but, in 2010, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that transfer law means what it says. Now that the Kansas City School District has lost its accreditation, there will be a bigger push to rewrite the law to allow districts the discretion to refuse transfers from unaccredited districts. Such changes are expected to be fiercely opposed by school choice advocates.
I-70 Toll Road - The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will ask lawmakers to approve a plan to allow a private contractor to lease I-70, rebuild it, and recoup their investment by operating a toll road. It is not clear if this plan could clear constitutional hurdles in court or the lukewarm reception it is receiving from our governor and lawmakers.
The Everything Tax - Republican lawmakers are again expected to pursue a proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate Missouri’s income tax and replace it with a substantially higher sales tax on nearly all goods and services.The everything tax would shift the state’s tax burden from the wealthy to the poor and middle class and also could bankrupt the state since higher sales tax isn’t expected to cover lost revenue.
Sexual Abuse Reporting - Attorney General Chris Koster is asking the General Assembly to enact a law that would require any person who witnesses the sexual abuse of a child to report it to authorities or face criminal prosecution for failing to do so. (This is partly in response to the Penn State scandal.)

Can't Budget Cut Our Way to Prosperity
It should be obvious by now that Missouri cannot simply continue to cut the budget year after year. Those who serve persons with disabilities, senior citizens, children, veterans, and other vulnerable populations have already squeezed every drop out of every penny of state funding. There is no "pork" left to trim in almost every area of state government; we have gone past bone into muscle and tendons. We are currently $4 billion below the Hancock revenue caps. Surely it is time to raise the tobacco tax to near the national average (we are at 17 cents per pack, and the national average is $1.46) and to collect sales tax that is owed on internet sales. Let the following leaders know that you support raising the tobacco tax and the "Main Street Fairness Act" (to level the playing field between bricks and mortar stores and online sales):

Gov. Jay Nixon - constituent{dot}services{at}mo{dot}gov, 573-751-3222 - The State of the State speech is Tuesday evening, January 17, so let the governor know your thoughts immediately.
President Pro Tem of the MO Senate Rob Mayer - rob{dot}mayer{at}senate{dot}mo{dot}gov, 573-751-3859
Speaker of the House Steven Tilley - steven{dot}tilley{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov, 573-751-1488
Chairman of the Budget Committee Ryan Silvey - ryan{dot}silvey{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov, 573-751-5282

For more information, see: http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0222.pdf

Community Announcements

Missourians for Single Payer invites us to hear Dr. John E. Morley of St. Louis University Medical Center speak on "Why Can't America Be More Like France?" (France ranks at the top in healthcare quality worldwide.) The program is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 19, in the Hanke Room of the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road (west of Brentwood). Enter from the rear parking lot, and the Hanke Room is just inside the west end door.
Thanks to a partnership between the Missouri Department of Mental Health, the Missouri Foundation for Health, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Pathways, Mental Health First Aid courses will be made available to faith communities throughout Missouri. On February 4-5, 2012, Epiphany United Church of Christ (UCC) in Benton Park, 2911 McNair, will host a twelve-hour training with these goals: 1) Increase participants’ knowledge about common mental illnesses; and 2) Train participants to assess a situation and gently guide affected individuals toward ongoing professional help. The training hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5. Thanks to grants and collaboration, there is no cost to receive the Mental Health First Aid training, but attendance is capped at 25, so registration is required. Lunch will be provided on Saturday as well as beverages and snacks on both days. Call 314-775-8940 or e-mail epiphanyucc{dot}1{at}juno{dot}com to request a registration form.
Many of my constituents and supporters are progressives and will enjoy these new resources from Progress Missouri: 1) High Five at Five emails. A evening clip service with the top stories in Missouri politics sent out every weekday around 5pm. To sign up, e-mail http://progressmissouri.org/highfive. 2) MOLeg.org messaging and research hub. Check http://www.moleg.org often for updates and info. 3) MOLeg.org text messaging service. Sign up by texting MOLEG to 30644.
Music is a major part of my self-care and soul-refreshment. This Saturday night, Jan. 21, a wonderful singer/songwriter, Lydia Ruffin, will perform at Epiphany UCC, 2911 McNair, Benton Park, from 5-7 p.m. with her band Mayor Taylor and special guest Peter Ruthenburg. A flyer for that event is attached. The refreshment break will include the opportunity to win fun raffle prizes, including a sweatshirt autographed by Sheryl Crow, Missouri native and rock star.
Another musical event, but this one I'll miss due to being in Jefferson City - The St. Louis Low Brass Collective performs at the Sheldon Concert Hall (on Washington just west of Grand) on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted, and a reception will follow.
April Ford Griffin, Director of the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency for the City of St. Louis, will be the guest speaker at the Sunday, Jan. 22 meeting of Stonewall Democrats of Eastern Missouri. The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. at the Obama campaign headquarters at 1925 Washington. (There is no fee for parking at meters on Sundays.) Please come learn what the City of St. Louis is doing to fight discrimination against LGBT residents and to promote equality.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Celebration

As a friend says, MLK's Birthday is not a day off; it's a day on. It's a day on practicing gratitude for all who fought/fight to win equality. It's day on to speak out and stand up for racial and economic justice. Happy Birthday, dear Martin. Thank you for being a major inspiration and influence in my life.

JMO

Newman: 2012 Session Gearing Up

2012-01-16T15:06:00.000-06:00

The first full week of 2012 session is behind us…bills are beginning to be heard in committees and appropriations committees will start this next week.

THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK? The swearing in of four new House members who were elected in November in special elections throughout the state. Brandon Ellington (D-Kansas City), Tracy McCreery (I- St. Louis), Judy Morgan (D-Kansas City) and Chrissy Sommer (R-St. Charles) were officially sworn in Tuesday January 10 with family and friends filling the House chamber balconies and then immediately took their seats on the floor with us.

I am most pleased to be serving with my longtime friend, Rep. McCreery who is my new chamber seat mate. As colleagues, we have worked on many issues since 2000 – domestic violence, equality rights, reproductive justice and fighting to protect children/families from gun violence. As new members of the Progressive Caucus, I look forward to working with her and Reps. Ellington and Morgan as we work to protect rights and justice for all Missourians, not just for those who can afford it.

TASK FORCE FOR THE PREVENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN MEETS

Concerns about child sexual abuse were suddenly forced to the forefront of the public consciousness as news of the Penn State scandal surfaced. Despite the horrific details of the case, it's good timing for members of the Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children.

I am a legislative-appointed member of the 16-member group which held its first meeting Friday, January 6 in Jefferson City.

The Task Force was created via the passing of SB54 during the 2011 legislative session to study the issue of sexual abuse of children, will meet monthly and will issue a final report with recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly and State Board of Education by January 1, 2013.

Drawing attention to child sexual abuse in past years has been difficult at best because of its ghastly nature. The arrest of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky in November has allowed more public dialogue on the issue.

"People, because of Penn State, seem willing to listen," said Joy Oesterly, executive director of Missouri Kids First.

The statute creating the task force dictated that a wide array of stakeholders,from school officials and police to children's advocates and sexual assault counselors, be included on the membership roster.

Portions of Friday's meeting were spent discussing what issues should be tackled and what types of remedies should be considered. An additional worry among members was that, with the state continuing to struggle with budget deficits, any recommendations the task force produces requiring funding may not be picked up by lawmakers.

"It's hard to do anything without money, but it's hard to get any money in this budgetary climate," said Emily van Schenkhof, deputy director of Missouri Kids First.

A model of how to tackle a complicated subject like child abuse and present meaningful results may be the Attorney General's Task Force on Domestic Violence, on which I also served. That panel found specific policy recommendations that could help to curb domestic violence in Missouri that didn't require a lot of additional funding by "piggy-backing" off existing resources.

In 2010, around 80 percent of the child sexual abuse reports in Missouri came from mandated reporters. The largest category of reporters was law enforcement and social workers, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services.

NIXON TO DELIVER STATE OF THE STATE SPEECH - TUESDAY, JANUARY 17

Gov. Jay Nixon will deliver his 2012 State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly at 7 p.m. on Jan. 17. In the speech, Nixon will offer his proposed state operating budget for the 2013 fiscal year and outline his legislative agenda for the year, which is expected to focus on job creation. The speech will be streamed live at www.mo.gov.

STATE OF THE JUDCIARY BY SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE RICHARD TEITELMAN - WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18

The address will also be streamed live at the joint session of the General Assembly at 10am at www.mo.gov.

Please feel free to come to the State Capitol in Jefferson City and visit us in action. We normally go into session at 4pm on Mondays and adjourn for the week Thursday afternoons. Let me know if you are coming so I can be sure to meet with you - either via scheduled appointment or by me stepping briefly off the floor.

I will be back home in my district in St. Louis on Fridays so please contact Carla Luebbert, my assistant if I can be of any assistance to you then.

I would love to hear from you so please don't be shy!

Holsman: Apppointment To House Rules Committee, Tours of Kansas City Star and Milbank Manufacturing

2012-01-16T15:02:00.000-06:00

The 2012 legislative session is officially underway. It's good to be back in the capitol working for Missouri citizens.

This session I will be dividing my time between leading on the issues of Renewable Energy and Urban Agriculture, as well as, learning the ropes as a new member of the Rules committee.

Today we pause to celebrate the achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. It's hard to imagine and easy to forget the courage it took for Dr. King to protest in peace when violence appeared to be expedient. For love to be victorious it needed a superior spokesperson and for his efforts we commemorate the preacher with a dream. The entire world is a better place when peace becomes a precedent.

It is my honor to serve you in our state capitol. Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,
Jason

Welcome our Legislative Intern Christopher Vick

Our new legislative intern Christopher Vick, is a junior English major at Truman State University. Chris originally from Southaven, Mississippi has come to Jefferson City to learn the inner workings of state politics.

Vick is one of 20 full time Truman State interns at the capitol this session, selected to participate under the Missouri Government Internship program, supervised by political science professor Candy Young.

He will be working closely with legislative assistant Dan Bryar and is looking forward to assisting the constituents of the 45th district.

Opening Day of the Legislative Session

The 96th Missouri General Assembly convened for its second regular session on January 4th, 2012. House Speaker Steven Tilley kicked off the session with a speech promoting cooperation between not only the Democrats and Republicans, but also the House and Senate. Tilley then addressed the key issues this year's legislation will face, which includes education, job creation, and balancing the state budget.

Speaker Tilley's vision is elaborated in his "Blueprint for Missouri" plan, which would monitor the state's future revenue spending, as well as reform laws governing student transfers, give tuition tax credits to students in unaccredited districts, and expand charter schools.

House Minority Leader Mike Talboy agreed on Tilley's list of important issues facing the legislative body, though differed on the approaches to solving our state's difficulties.

During the Democratic caucus press conference, Talboy proposed the ideas to raise state revenue, instead of relying soley on cuts to needed social services and education.

Talboy offered examples to raise state revenue, such as increasing the cigarette tax, and taxing goods sold over the internet.

In the area of job development, Talboy stated "we need to make sure that, again, in our haste to become more business friendly, we do not become anti-worker." This is the balance that needs to be struck in order to ensure that Missouri protects its most valuable asset, its citizens, while at the same time competing for jobs in the global marketplace.

Welcome Newly Elected Representatives

Congratulations to the newly elected members of the Missouri House of Representatives.

Representative Tracy McCreery (Independent, St. Louis) is taking over for now St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman in the 83rd district, Representative Brandon Ellington (Democrat, Kansas City) was elected to the 41st district to replace now Senator 'Kiki' Curls, Representative Judy Morgan (Democrat, Kansas City) takes over the 39th district for now Kansas City Prosecutor Jean-Peters Baker, and Chrissy Sommer (Republican, St. Charles), enters the statehouse in the 15th district replacing St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith.

Congratulations to Representatives McCreery, Ellington, Morgan, and Sommer and best of luck to you in representative your constituents in Jefferson City.

Representative Holsman Appointed to the House of Representatives Rules Committee

The 2012 legislation session has brought changes to the legislative committee assignments to House members. Representative Holsman, who serves as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Urban Agriculture as well as the Chairman for the Special Standing Committee on Renewable Energy, was recently appointed by Minority Leader Mike Talboy (D-Kansas City) to the House Rules committee. The Rules Committee is charged with reviewing all bills which are passed out of their committee of origin, and assigning the time of debate to each bill before its can be taken up on the House floor for debate.

"Being placed on the House Rules Committee is a tremendous honor and speaks to the level of trust that I have developed with fellow members to thoroughly and objectively work on legislation. I appreciate the opportunity extended by Democratic Minority Leader Mike Talboy." commented Rep. Holsman.

Holsman also serves on the Joint Committee on Education, Utilities and the Interim Committee on Disaster Recovery.

Holsman Attends 2nd Fridays with Councilmen Sharp and Taylor

Representative Jason Holsman attended the 2nd Fridays meeting with Councilmen Sharp and Taylor on Friday January 13th. The meeting was also attended by Grandview Mayor Steve Dennis, and Senior Advisor for State and Federal Government Affairs to Mayor Sly James Sammy Panettiere. The main topic of discussion at the meeting was legislative priorities for Kansas City in the newly minted 2012 legislative session.

2nd Fridays is a bi-monthly meeting hosted by Councilmen John Sharp and Scott Taylor at the Trailside Center located at 9901 Holmes Road, in Kansas City, Mo.

Missouri American Water to Deliver Presentation to the Special Standing Committee on Renewable Energy

Chairman Holsman wasted no time calling the inaugural meeting of the 2012 legislative session for the Special Standing Committee on Renewable Energy for a presentation to be delivered by Missouri American Water.

American Water delivers utility services to approximately 15 million people in more than 30 states in the U.S., as well to some parts of Canada. Learn more about Missouri American Water at: http://www.amwater.com/moaw/

Joint Committee on Urban Agriculture to Host 5th Informational Hearing on January 24th in Jefferson City

At left: Members of the Joint Committee on Urban Agriculture touring the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture

The fifth informational hearing hosted by the Joint Committee on Urban Agriculture will take place on January 24th in the State Capitol building in Jefferson City.

The scope of this hearing has been expanded to include experts in this emerging industry from across the country. The committee will hear presentations from: Sweet Water Organics Co-Founder Jim Godsil, Sweet Water Foundation Executive Director Emmanuel Pratt, Columbia University Professor and author of "The Vertical Farm: Feeding Ourselves and the World in the 21st Century" Dr. Dickson Despommier, AquaRanch Founder Myles Harston, as well as a presentation from St. Charles based corporation Novus International.

"The Joint Committee on Urban Agriculture, alongside the Advisory Sub-Committee and statewide activists in the industry have worked throughout the summer and winter months to develop a wealth of knowledge on this subject. What we have found is extremely promising. This movement has the power to mitigate urban blight, repurpose abandoned buildings, bring fresh nutritious foods into food deserts, and most importantly infuse good jobs that cannot be out-sourced into a recovering economy," said Representative Holsman who serves as Committee Chairman.

What:	Joint Committee on Urban Agriculture, Fifth Informational Hearing
When:	Tuesday January 24th 12:00PM
Where:	State Capitol Building 201 West Capitol Avenue Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 House Hearing Room 7

The content discussed in this meeting, as well as the previous four meetings will form the foundation to a report along with legislative recommendations to be delivered to the Governor, President Pro Tem of the Senate, and Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives before the year's end.

Kansas City Star Tour

Representative Gail McCann-Beatty (D-Kansas City) joined Representative Jason Holsman (D-Kansas City) on a tour of the Kansas City Star printing presses.

The tour was a part of an ongoing effort of House members to meet with and learn from the Kansas City business community. If you would like to organize a visit to your facility with Rep. Holsman or any member of the Kansas City Caucus please contact Dan Bryar.

Milbank Manufacturing Tour

Milbank Manufacturing welcomed a visit from Rep. Jason Holsman to their North Kansas City plant location. Milbank builds utility electrical boxes and a host of alternative energy devices.

The visit consisted of a facilities tour and a sit down meeting with CEO Lavon Winkler to discuss Renewable Energy legislation in the General Assembly as well as potential ballot initiatives for the 2012 general election.

Schupp: First Six Bills of 2012

2012-01-15T17:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

This year's start to the session seems to have moved into high gear quickly. Perhaps because of last year's failed special and general sessions, we are already seeing bills voted out of a few committees, when most committees have not yet even met for the first time! Look for some real controversy early on. That stated, I will continue my work to help ensure my caucus is up to the challenge of vetting and supporting legislation that puts Missourians back to work, takes care of our vulnerable children and seniors, and provides a quality education for all of our kids. Thank you for allowing me to serve you in Jefferson City.

Truly,
Jill

ANNOUNCEMENT

Governor Jay Nixon will deliver the State of the State Address before the General Assembly on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Look for information on Missouri Works, the job creation initiative; and budget shortfall details estimated between $400 and $800 million depending upon the source you use.

My First 6 Bills in 2012

The first six bills I am sponsoring continue making their ways to legislators’ offices for co-signing. Look for these bills to be filed in the next week or so. The links take you to last year's bill since unfiled bills are not yet online. (There is no link for the Term Limit legislation.)

Nathan’s Law [HB603] makes essential changes to how unlicensed in-home child-care facilities can operate. It counts all non-school age children, including relatives, toward the total number of four children allowed in this type of setting. It requires that notification be given to parents using the in home care about the home’s licensure status. It imposes greater financial penalties for non-compliant providers, and it allows the Department of Health and Senior Services to close non-compliant home facilities. With over 40 deaths in home care facilities since 2007, it is time the legislature steps in to protect our children. This legislation is garnering bi-partisan support and will be filed with co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle.

Tax Deferral for Senior Citizens [HB380] on fixed incomes follows a legislative model utilized in Oregon. This legislation would allow our state’s senior population to defer a portion of their taxes until after they either choose to sell their property or pass it onto heirs. At that time, the deferred taxes would be repaid from the estate. This legislation will have a net zero effect on the state, and would allow Missouri’s seniors to age in their homes.

The Missouri Indoor Clean Air Act [HB438] will be submitted again to promote healthy conditions in public places throughout the state. With what we know about second-hand and even third-hand smoke, it is time for the legislature to support good health policy and cut healthcare costs by enacting this legislation.

In order to emphasize what is implicit but seemingly ignored in existing law; I will re-file a bill stipulating that a student of the University of Missouri may serve as a voting member on the Board of Curators.

During this past session, almost half of the Representatives in the House entered as freshmen. Many of the newly elected Representatives won their seats because their predecessors were term-limited out. When we lose so many legislators at once, we tend to lose important institutional knowledge. Meantime, newcomers are required to step in and make critical policy decisions without the opportunities to learn from many experienced legislators around them. Term Limits, in their current form, do not bode well for the people of Missouri. Rather than having so many people “term out” at the same time, AND without changing the total number of years of service allowable under today's law, this legislation allows an elected member to continue running to serve for a maximum number of 16 years in either the House or Senate or some combination thereof.

I will be continuing, with bipartisan support, efforts to label foods as Kosher and Kosher for Passover including listing the certifying agent. [HB933]

Legislation Moving Forward...HB 1135

House Bill 1135 has soared through House committees very early on this session. In its most egregious section, it terminates all rules created by departments and agencies which provide direction for implementing our state laws. Ironically, this bill originated in the "Downsizing Government" Committee. On the contrary, in an effort to minimize duplication, inconsistencies or outdated rules, we will be tossing out the proverbial baby with the bathwater, and starting again. Sounds as if we will be providing government with lots of additional work. The costs are yet to be estimated, and the opportunity for special interests to interfere with good policy and practice is of concern. Read the legislation here.

House Joint Resolution 43

Also being pushed forward with disturbing speed is HJR 43, a constitutional amendment which caps state spending each year so that it mirrors spending levels of 2008. The only increases will be for inflation as calculated by the CPI, and to adjust for increases in population. Should this pass, levels of spending for essential services that many are finding inadequate will continue into the future. Read the legislation here.

A New Year "Feel Good" Story... Puppies for Parole

This past Fall, many of you attended the Town Hall meeting featuring Director of Corrections, George Lombardi. He talked about how the hearts and minds of inmates have been changed when they are given the privilege of training dogs to put up for adoption. He recently forwarded this story that I know you will take pleasure in reading:

Our Prison dog handlers are taking their dogs who have advanced in the their socialization skills into the prison infirmaries, hospices and mental health units as a means to give some solace to those who are very needy.

Here is a quote from an inmate at Crossroads Correctional Center who has done so:

“I took Penny to the hospital to see all the sick guys that wanted to see her. There was one very sick person there, I cannot mention his name here. I asked if he wanted to meet Penny and he said, “Yes.” So I led her up to meet him. He put his hand on the side of the bed. He petted and felt her fur. He said she was soft and asked if she could jump on the bed. She was a little anxious at first, but she did with a little coaxing. She went up and laid down by his side. He started petting her and said that til we got the dogs in here, he had not seen or petted a dog for some thirty years. He got a smile on his face and you knew he went back in time in his mind to better days.

After a while we left. Later I asked how he was and found out that he had died that weekend in this sleep with a smile on his face. I think that Penny knew that he was not well and she didn’t care. To her, he was someone else to share her love, hugs and enjoyment of petting her to make them feel better.”

Davis: KZRG Staff Honored For Storm Coverage, Three Bills Filed

2012-01-14T18:27:00.000-06:00

At left: Presenting Zimmer Radio Group with a resolution for their coverage during Joplin’s tornado. Larry Boyd, Chad Elliott and Sam McDonald came to the capitol for the presentation and a tour.

“Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun, But you have to know how.”
― Dr. Seuss

As our second week in session comes to an end, we are starting to see things gear up for a busy session. As a point of interest, the only thing that the legislature must do during session is pass a balanced budget. That’s it, everything else is a plus (or many times a minus, for our citizens.) The appropriation committees are in full swing as well as is the budget committee. The 4 committees I am on are now being assigned legislation for debate.

Increasing the size of government can only lead to higher taxes. So, whenever we have the opportunity to limit growth in the state government, I view it as an opportunity for us to resist raising taxes on hard-working Missourians. This week, committees in the Missouri House moved forward with our Blueprint for Missouri by passing several measures that focus on protecting you, the taxpayer.

Families and businesses across the state plan their budgets with an eye toward the future. We save money when times are good and dip into those savings when times are tough. That is the idea behind HJR 43, the Taxpayer Protection Act, which passed out of the Budget Committee this week.

During the economic downturn, we have been faced with a budget shortfall. Rather than hampering the recovery by raising your taxes, House Republicans have chosen to tighten our belts to keep the budget balanced. And we remain committed to doing it again this session.

However, while we work on balancing the budget this session, we must also plan for the future by taking steps that make budget shortfalls less likely in the coming years. The Taxpayer Protection Act is a step toward accomplishing this goal.

When times are good and the budget is flush with money, past legislatures have used the revenue windfall to increase the size and scope of government. The Taxpayer Protection Act limits growth by tying any increase in the budget to population growth plus the rate of inflation. Any money left over after the adjustment is saved for times when the budget is short.

Protecting you, the taxpayer, is a top priority for us in the House. The Taxpayer Protection Act protects you by limiting growth in the state budget and reducing the likelihood for tax increases in the future. By moving forward with this important piece of legislation, you can keep more of your money to plan for the future.

Thanks to Phil Cook for spending time with me this past Friday talking about K-12 funding. I simply went to the Carl Junction office to drop off my School Board Appreciation letters to honor those in CJ serving on the school board but I couldn’t get out quick enough before superintendant Phil Cook saw me and wanted to bend my ear. HAHA, just kidding, Phil. I have to admit, school funding is not my strong point and any time I can be educated, I am more than willing to listen. One thing that I learned is that the schools I have the honor of representing are doing a great job with the monies they are given from the state. Our schools are using the money wisely to ensure our children get the education they deserve. Keep up the good work and we will be fighting for every penny our schools get.

I filed 3 bills this week protecting and helping our veterans. One bill [HB1297] deals with the licensure of our separating military members and with education credits at our Missouri institutions of higher learning.

The second bill [HB1296] protects our noncustodial military members when they are deployed.

The third one is a resolution [HCR12] that designates the Honor and Remember Flag as the State of Missouri's emblem of service and sacrifice of service men and women who have given their lives in the line of duty.

I will file a bill this week that will combine the Show Me Heroes and the Heroes At Home programs in hopes that it will be more widely utilized by our returning military members.

Next Tuesday night at 7 PM, the governor will present to us the state of the state address. You can listen to it live HERE.

Thank you for allowing me to server as your representative in Jefferson City.

Neth: Letting 17-Year-Olds Vote In Primaries Among Proposed Legislation

2012-01-13T17:40:00.000-06:00

The first full week of session is complete. There is not a lot of official activity going on yet as it takes some time for many things to formally get going, such as bills being referred to committees and things to debate on the House floor. However, that does not mean that meaningful things are not going on.

I have spent a lot of time talking to numerous people about the issues that I will be most involved in this year. Many times it is these types of conversations and relationships that one builds on to be successful in anything one might do during the session. I always say that the most important thing to success in the political realm is the good relationships one builds in order come to consensus.

Listed below are the bills that I plan on sponsoring. This is not to say that there might not be others, but these are the things I currently have working. In addition, one thing that many people don't realize is that most of the time individual bills do not get done by themselves. Usually there is just not enough time to get through all the bills that are offered. Many time bills are made into amendments that are added to other similar bills in order to get done. So for those things that I support I continually work to find a place for it so I can ensure it gets done in some form.

I know I have been seen, heard and quoted some lately in the press regarding the Kansas City School District and its future. As things are still a little fluid there I'm not ready to give a full accounting of things quite yet. However, I am committed to ensuring that the kids in Kansas City do not lose any more years of learning due to the dysfunction of their adult leaders and that those actions do not negatively impact the surrounding districts.

Have a great weekend.
Myron

Martin Luther King Day Celebration

I will have the privilege of joining many others around the nation on Monday of being a part of an event celebrating Martin Luther King Day. William Jewell College will be holding an event at 10:00 AM on campus at Gano Chapel. I will making some brief remarks during the event. The featured speaker will be Patricia Okonta, a Liberty High School graduate.

Student Proposed Legislation

Local students work to get the law changed

I am preparing to file a bill later in the month that would put on the ballot a Constitutional change to allow 17 year olds the ability to vote in a primary election if they will be 18 at the time of the next General Election. This was brought to my attention by the AP Government classes at Liberty High School and Liberty North High School and their teacher Kurt Gates.

After much research on the part of the students and finding out that several other states allow this in some capacity I decided to support the students' efforts. Besides working to change existing law, it is proving to be a great lesson in the legislative process, both in theory and reality.

Currently, the students are contacting my fellow House members to let them know about the bill and to ask them to support or co-sponsor. I have talked to the classes about the best way to do that and good strategies. Once the bill is filed, I will hopefully get a hearing in Committee and have some students testify on behalf of the bill and then work some more on lobbying for the bill.

I have received many compliments already on the students' efforts and am receiving a lot of commitments for co-sponsors. Let me know your thoughts and I will pass it on to the students so they are aware of the feedback.

Planned Legislation 2012

Assault on a Police Animal Penalty

This came to my attention via Corporal Kendrick with the Clay county Sheriff's Department. In the current Missouri statute if a Police animal is intentionally assaulted it is a C misdemeanor. This legislation would change the penalty to an A misdemeanor.

Ball Room Dancing for credit in Schools

This would allow a school in Missouri to offer Ballroom, Square, or Country dancing to be taken as a class/course for physical education requirements. This effort is the result of efforts by 34^th District resident Will Adams.

Private Contractor/Owner Payment Contracts

This Bill would create provisions meant to protect contractor payments. It puts in place safeguards to make sure expected payment is made and expected work is done when in the private sector. This matches the current requirement on public construction.

Allowing 17 year olds to vote in the Presidential Primary

This idea was put into motion with the help of Kurt Gates' AP Government Classes at Liberty High School and Liberty North High School. The Bill would allow voters who will be 18 years old by the November Elections of a Presidential voting year to vote in the Presidential primary at the age of 17 years old.

School Bonding increased Indebtedness

This would allow schools increase their bonded indebtedness as long as they meet set criteria.

Term Limits

Term limits would be set to a total of 16 years of time served in the House and Senate combined. Instead of being limited to eight in one and eight in the other, it can be all in one body or the other or any combination.

Grade Cut-Off Dates

This would establish that no school districts may establish a cut-off date for final grades that is more than two days before the last day of school, except for that of graduating seniors.

Engler: Senate Committees Begin Work on Bills

2012-01-13T15:34:00.000-06:00

Most of the work in the Senate this week took place in committee hearings, where senators consider different bills and hear testimony from related experts and the public. Since this is the second regular session, committee membership generally remains the same, resulting in less introductions for committee procedure and moving bills through committees a little quicker. I serve as the chairman for the Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee, and we’ve already been assigned 18 bills. The Senate will likely debate its first bill sometime next week, with many more following as the session progresses. I’m hoping the Senate turns to a consensus building approach this year to accomplish what’s best for the people of Missouri.

I filed Senate Bill 633 this week, which would allow scrap metal operators to acquire vehicles or vehicle parts that are 10 years old or older without the original certificate of title. There are a lot of old cars around Missouri that are no longer road-worthy, but still hold value as scrap metal or parts. Senate Bill 633 would make it easier for people to sell these vehicles to scrap yards, but keep in place the proper restrictions to protect the public. This is a straight-forward bill that tackles a clear issue with common sense. I’m hoping my colleagues in the General Assembly recognize this and move quickly to send the bill to the governor’s desk.

Besides committee work, we’re also gearing up in the Senate for the upcoming budget process. Next week the governor will give his State of the State address and release his budget proposal. After that we’ll begin crafting the Senate’s version of the state’s spending plan. This won’t be easy as we’re facing a significant shortfall, but we remain committed to doing the best thing to properly fund K-12 education.

We’ll also begin looking at ways to resolve an issue currently affecting thousands of students across our state. Due to a decision by the Missouri Supreme Court in the case Turner vs. School District of Clayton, students in Missouri now have the right to transfer from an unaccredited school district to another school in the same or a nearby county. This has resulted in thousands of students in St. Louis, and soon Kansas City, transferring out of their unaccredited school districts. This is a pressing issue, and one we have to address this session. Every child in Missouri deserves a quality education, and we’ll do everything in our power to protect that right.

I will continue these reports throughout the session. I’ve also posted a new video welcome on my Senate website. You can view it by visiting my Senate website www.senate.mo.gov/engler and clicking on the ‘View Video Welcome’ button below my picture on the left side of the page. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I can be reached by email at kevin{dot}engler{at}senate{dot}mo{dot}gov or in my Capitol office by phone at (573) 751-3455.

Lichtenegger: 2012 Regular Session Underway

2012-01-13T13:40:00.000-06:00

Given the recent passing of Weldon H. Macke, I want to say a few words in his honor before I begin to comment on this year’s General Assembly and the work ahead.

Weldon was not just a great man, father and husband to Bonnie, but he was a dear personal friend of 35+ years. I have such fond memories of the many hours we spent working on political campaigns; we were both charter members of the Cape Girardeau Pachyderm Club; and then there were the parades, Jackson Homecomers events and the SEMO Dist fair . . . actually there are just too many wonderful memories to list them all! He will be a forever cherished friend.

My guess is that my memories are multiplied a hundred-fold in the lives of many of you.

I have co-sponsored a few important bills this year. Two of which change the pensions for those of us serving in the House and Senate. One states no years and the other says after 16 years of service. For many years I have said publicly that I don't believe in pensions for politicians. I agree with Senator Jason Crowell that all elected State officials should forgo pensions. I serve at the will of the people, and I feel that the people should not have to pay my retirement. Once the fiscal note is published on these bills, we’ll know approximately how much money this will save Missouri taxpayers. I'm also working on a Bill for equal pay to Physical Therapist. This has to do with insurance payments. If interested in the details you may contact me. As always I would like your feedback; you can call me any time at 573-979-1084.

On a serious fiscal note: The state has many, very tough decisions to make in the near future since the Missouri Constitution requires a balanced budget, and since the estimated revenue shortfall is between five and seven hundred million dollars, everyone is going to have to sacrifice to make up the difference!

Don’t forget you can influence these or any other bills filed during this legislative session using the following steps:

Link here to the House of Representatives website.
Use the Bill Tracking / Search or Subject Index on the House page to find the House Bill that concerns you.
As you can see from the HB 1099 example there are several options to choose to get additional information.
You’ll want to link on the Actions tab wherein you can view not only all House actions on the bill any time during the session, but you will want to note whether the bill was assigned to a committee. If so link to the committee information page wherein you can note who is the committee chair and call her or his office and request that the chairman schedule a public hearing (if one is not scheduled).
If a bill has yet to be assigned to a committee you are welcome to call the Speaker of the House, Representative Steven Tilley, office and request that he assign the bill to a committee.

And don’t forget you are welcome to call, email, or fax my Capitol office and let me know which House bills you support or oppose. Call 573-751-6662; email donna{dot}lichtenegger{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov fax: 573-522-0557.

My office staff will record your comments whether or not you are a registered voter. I will always have access to any and all feedback and therefore have a general idea of what are the greatest legislative concerns of my constituents.

Constituent Corner

My Capitol office recently moved to Room 403B. Don’t forget if you visit the Capitol to drop in and say “hello”. If I’m in Chambers my assistant will contact me so I don’t miss meeting you!

Dugger: Two Pro-Agriculture Measures Proposed

2012-01-13T13:20:00.000-06:00

In America, every day is a new beginning; every sunset is merely the latest milestone on a voyage that never ends. For this is the land that has never become, but is always in the act of becoming.- Ronald Reagan

The first full week of the second regular session of the 96th General Assembly is now recent history. Already, several important pieces of legislation have been filed and begun their journey through the legislative process: from a taxpayer protection act that would limit the size and scope of government; to a bill that would require counties and schools to submit information regarding their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration. It will not take long for lively debate to fill the halls of the Capitol as we work to make Missouri a better place to live and work.

As session quickly gains steam, I wanted to take the time to highlight a couple of bills that I feel are important for the district. Representative Tom Loehner will be filing a bill that protects Missouri’s farmers and thus provides stability to the agricultural industry of Missouri. This is especially important, since farming and its many byproducts are the driving force of Missouri’s economy. Loehner’s legislation, which I have co-sponsored, will secure the right of Missouri famers to raise livestock in a humane manner without the state imposing undue economic burdens on the livestock owners.

Another key piece of legislation was filed by Representative Casey Guernsey. Guernsey’s resolution, which I co-signed, states the House of Representatives’ opposition to the excessive land values assigned by the State Tax Commission to agricultural and horticultural land in Missouri for the years 2012-2013. In these economic hard times, we must ensure that all forms of industry from small businesses to the family farmer are given a fighting chance.

Even though session is a little more than a week old, much has already been done. However, much work still remains. I look forward to being your voice in the numerous discussions that are yet to be had in Jefferson City.

Korman: Joint Committee Discusses Prospect of Tolled I-70

2012-01-13T12:17:00.001-06:00

Mother nature reminded us that we are in winter the last couple of days. However, the discussion in the committee hearing of the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight will definitely be hot enough to melt the snow next week with how to improve I-70 being discussed.

On Tuesday, January 17 at 1:00 p.m. the Committee will hold a forum to discuss I-70. There will be a time for public testimony. Any citizen may present public testimony either in person or in writing. Our office can send you a copy of the proper witness form for testimony or you may complete it upon entering the hearing. Depending on the amount of public testimony the hearing may be continued until Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. If you would like to express your opinion on improvements that should be made to I-70 then I encourage you to call the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight Co- Chairman, Representative Charlie Denison, at (573) 751-2210 so that he can include you on the schedule. You may also submit written testimony. Rep. Denison can provide further information about testifying at the hearing. Be sure to provide his office with your name and contact information in case of inclement weather or in the event that the second day of testimony is not required.

Several bills have been heard and passed in committee and will be headed for full debate on the House floor next week including House Bill (HB) 1135 which improves transparency by requiring the review of all administrative rules. Over time, department rules become outdated or obsolete. By requiring these rules to be reviewed periodically, we can ensure that all agency rules are current, efficient and effective.

Under current law, rules can stay on the books of a state agency indefinitely. HB 1135 also requires all administrative rules to sunset after 10 years. By including the sunset provision, all rules will have to venture through the public comment process periodically, giving citizens a say in how our executive departments run.

Missouri’s future will be in the forefront in Jefferson City next week as the Governor presents his “State of the State” and the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court presents his “ State of the Judiciary” to Missouri lawmakers. I will update you on their reports next week.

Kraus: Legislation Grabs State Media's Attention

2012-01-13T10:21:00.000-06:00

Legislation Questions

Shortly after arriving at the Capitol on Monday, my office started receiving calls from the media regarding Senate Bill 590, a bill I filed which deals with illegal immigration. Calls came from all over the state, including Columbia, St. Louis, and Kansas City. Over the next two days, I appeared on a talk radio show, gave a statement over the phone to a local Kansas City radio news station, appeared on camera for news shows in Columbia and Kansas City, and spoke with several print reporters.

Because we had so many inquiries, and because those opposing the bill held a tele-conference which I believe misrepresented the intent of the bill, we issued the following statement to the media:

“During the 2011 legislative session, I introduced a bill that would require the Missouri Attorney General to sue the federal government for its lack of enforcement of immigration laws. One of the objections we encountered was that there was no known cost to the state. Based on those comments, I asked my office to reach out to state agencies to find out who actually tracked the cost of illegal immigration on Missouri taxpayers. The results were underwhelming as we found most agencies have no idea of the true cost to taxpayers.

This year, I introduced SB 473, which again asks the Attorney General to sue the federal government, and also asks the Missouri Auditor’s office to determine the cost to Missouri taxpayers so we can seek restitution from the federal government to recoup those costs.

As a companion bill, I introduced SB 590, which does three things: Asks our public schools and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to specifically determine the cost of illegal immigration on our public schools; mirrors federal law in creating a state misdemeanor for any non-citizen who does not have their documentation; and allows police to ask for immigration status on all stops, not just arrests. Each of these provisions is designed to better determine the number and impact of illegal immigrants in Missouri. None of these proposed items have any significant punitive provision above what is already in current federal law.

Immigration is ultimately a federal issue and the solution will be a federal solution. But until a solution is reached, the impact of the federal government’s lack of enforcement is being felt at the state level. As fiscal stewards of our residents’ tax dollars, we have a responsibility to determine that impact.”

You can find some media stories and clips regarding SB 473 and SB 590 at the following links:

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/10/3363713/missouri-schools-would-be-required.html

http://www.kctv5.com/story/16491252/filed-immigration-bill-drawing-mixed-reactions

http://www.komu.com/news/missouri-senate-bill-targets-immigration/

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/jan/09/bill-takes-aim-at-illegal-immigrants/

Grain Valley Town Hall

On Thursday, Jan. 19, Grain Valley Mayor Mike Todd and I will be hosting a town hall meeting in Grain Valley from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Grain Valley Community Center, 713 Main Street.

I will open with a short talk on the upcoming 2012 legislative session and then open the floor for questions and answers. Mayor Todd will also be there to discuss local issues and answer any questions you may have.

These town hall meetings are important to me because they give me the opportunity to interact on a personal level with the constituents of the 8th Senatorial District. It is a vital way to keep members of the local community up-to-date on activities within the Capitol and upcoming issues and events. I look forward to speaking with concerned citizens and addressing any questions they might have.

I hope to see you there

2012 District Days

We have set the dates for this year’s District Days! Each year, we set two days aside during session when district residents can come to the Capitol, attend a session, take tours and visit with their senator. For 2012, our District Days will be March 21 and March 27. If you are interested in attending, let us know by replying to this email. More information will be coming in the next few weeks.

District Office

Now that we are in session, the District Office will only be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Fridays. We continue to urge you to call for an appointment at 573-751-1464, since it is possible other events may pull us away.

Denison: Pace Quickens in Second Week of Legislative Session

2012-01-13T09:50:00.000-06:00

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” – Cynthia Ozick

Pace Quickens in Second Week of Legislative Session

While the action hasn't moved to the House floor yet, the second week of session has brought with it an increased level of activity at the committee level. The debate in the House Chamber tends to produce passionate debate and memorable sound bites but it's in committee where bills are deliberated and fine-tuned until they're ready for discussion by the entire body. That's the mode we're in right now as our committees work on many bills on a multitude of issues in preparation for the coming weeks of floor debate.

House Committee Approves Measure to Stabilize Government Spending (HJR 43)

With the intent of stabilizing spending and eliminating the boom and bust budget years we have seen, the House Budget Committee approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit future increases in state spending. The proposal would put in place a spending cap on state general revenue, which is the money over which the legislature has the most discretion. This appropriations growth limit would be based on the rate of inflation plus the growth in population. In essence, a budget would be capped at the previous year’s budget plus the appropriations growth limit. With this limit in place, we can ensure government doesn’t grow at a level that isn’t sustainable. We also know that studies have shown a government with a stable tax rate and stable expenditures will see more economic growth and more stable growth because of the confidence that stability gives employers. It’s an idea that makes up one of the pillars of the Speaker’s Blueprint for Missouri and something we will certainly see move through the House quickly this session. If it makes it through both chambers, the proposal would go before a vote of the people.

House Education Appropriations Committee Looks at Funding Formula Fix (HB 1043)

One of the most important issues we will deal with this year involves the way our state's many public schools are funded. Right now we're in the midst of a multi-year phase in of the school foundation formula that began in 2006 and will be complete next year. The formula was designed to eliminate the disparities that had existed in the previous funding mechanism that was based on the property tax base of each school district. That system led to some school districts being very wealthy with others being less fortunate. The new foundation formula implemented a funding system based on the needs of each student. When passed in 2005, the idea was to ensure each student in the state received the amount needed to receive a quality education. The idea also was to gradually increase that amount each and every year over a seven-year period.

The foundation formula wasn't an issue until recent years when our state's budget woes prevented us from providing the level of funding called for in the formula. As we found we could not meet the demands of the formula, it became necessary to explore how to fairly distribute the monies that were available. Specifically, the issue stems from the concept of “hold harmless” school districts, which are districts that were receiving more funding than was called for with the new formula but were promised they would not receive a funding cut. With slightly more than 150 of Missouri's more than 500 school districts “hold harmless” it has represented a significant challenge as the legislature has been unable to fund the formula fully. The bottom line is that right now we have all districts, both those that have seen increases in funding under the formula and those who have had their funding frozen, sharing in the pain of reduced funding. That’s why we’re considering legislation this year to make the reduced funding more equitable for all schools. It's a challenge I hope we can work together to solve so that we can “share the pain” in a way that's fair for every school district in the state.

House Committee Approves Legislation to Increase Government Transparency and Accountability (HB 1140)

The House Committee on Downsizing State Government met this week to discuss and approve legislation that would provide an additional level of transparency for the spending habits of county governments and public schools. It's something that has worked well at the state level where the Missouri Accountability Portal that provides updated information to the public on how their tax dollars are being utilized by state government. We want to carry that success through to the local level by requiring counties and schools to provide similar information that will be accessible through the accountability portal.

The idea is to avoid a problem similar to the one seen in Cook County, Illinois where residents there were stunned to learn about the massive debt the county had incurred. In total, there was more than $108 billion in debt that amounted to more than $60,000 in debt per household. While we are confident there are no examples that extreme in Missouri, it's still a good idea to fully disclose the information so the public is not left out in the dark. To take a closer look at how it works on a state level I encourage you to visit the accountability portal at mapyourtaxes.mo.gov.

Visitors

On Monday, January 9^th, Dr. Lynn Herndon stopped by my office. Dr. Herndon is with the Missouri Optometric Association, and later in the day the association held a reception where members and legislators were able to discuss legislative matters for the 2012 session.

On Wednesday, January 11^th, Dr. John Lilly was in the Capitol to serve as Physician for the Day for the House of Representatives. Dr. Lilly stopped by my office along with Ken Hurley of Billings, Missouri. While at the Capitol, Dr. Lilly was also providing to all representatives a video on the foundation of the Locke and Smith Award and the process of determining the winners of the Locke and Smith Award for 2012.

Pictured left to right: Dr. John Lilly, Ken Hurley, Representative Denison

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.

Schaefer: Appropriation Committee's First Meeting Of Session

2012-01-13T08:50:00.000-06:00

This week marked the first hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Testimony was heard from representatives of the Department of Social Services, the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Revenue.

We heard many moving comments, and I greatly appreciate the time, effort and dedication of those who attended and testified.

Starting Monday (1/9), I filed the following bills with the Senate:

Senate Bill 627 would allow the Director of the Office of Administration’s Division of Facilities Management, Design, and Construction to provide waste management services for any state agency except for those agencies designated in the constitution.
Senate Bill 628 would expand the number of detention facilities which qualify for the Inmate Security Fund. The money gained from this fund would be used to purchase information-sharing equipment that would allow inmates in short-term detention facilities to be identified and tracked within certain criminal justice systems.
Senate Bill 629 would affect tobacco product manufacturers that are not participating in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement by requiring them to deposit money into an escrow fund. Money from these escrow funds would be appropriated to non-profit institutions to build research facilities and promote the research of tobacco-related illnesses.
Senate Bill 644 would ensure that our health care providers are reimbursed uniformly, regardless of the venue in which health services are provided.
Senate Bill 645 pertains to environmental permits and changes the timeframe of appeals made based on the decision of an environmental commission. This bill would remove the requirement that any actions filed in a court of law seeking judicial review by the Air Conservation Commission or Clean Water Commission must be made in the court of appeals rather than in the circuit court.
Senate Bill 651 relates to the licensing of home inspectors. If passed, this bill would require all home inspectors to apply for a license and complete a training program. This bill is important in order to ensure our homes are properly inspected by a certified and knowledgeable individual. This bill would take effect January 1, 2014.

On Wednesday (1/11), I spoke with representatives from various community colleges in the state of Missouri. My Senate colleagues and I discussed budget concerns with these dedicated individuals, while keeping in mind our mutual interest in sustaining quality education despite our limited state budget.

Beginning Jan. 18 at 8 a.m., the Appropriations Committee will hear public testimonies from the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Department of Higher Education, Office of Administration, Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Conservation, Department of Economic Development, Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, Department of Public Safety, and Department of Corrections.

If you are interested in testifying on issues related to the above departments listed, please call the Appropriations staff at 866-475-6083 or email public{dot}testimony{at}senate{dot}mo{dot}gov. Positions to testify are limited, so contact as soon as possible. If you are scheduled to testify, please arrive before 8 a.m. in order to check in and find a seat.

If you have a specific question or need regarding issues other than the Legislature, my Community Service Directory will provide you with the information you need to contact the correct state department or individual to answer your question.

Thank you for your continued interest in the issues that affect the citizens of Boone and Randolph counties. If you have any questions or concerns throughout this session, please contact my office.

Lampe: Legislation Concerning Gifted Programs

2012-01-12T18:52:00.000-06:00

Op. note: The State of the Judiciary Address will be delivered by Richard Teitelman, who succeeded William Ray Price as Chief Justice in July 2011.

Governor Nixon will address the General Assembly, special guests, and the public at the annual State of the State address on Tuesday. During his speech, the Governor will outline his strategy for economic prosperity. This strategy, known as the Missouri Works plan, aims to create more jobs and career opportunities for Missourians. The Governor will also reveal his expectations for the state budget. As the Ranking Minority Member on the Budget Committee, I am ready to get to work on bringing people together to balance Missouri's budget.

The judicial branch will also have an opportunity to address the legislature next week. The State of the Judiciary address will be held on Wednesday morning in the House chamber. The Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, William Ray Price Jr., will give the address on behalf of his colleagues.

HJR 43

On Wednesday, the Budget Committee passed HJR 43, also known as the Taxpayer Protection Act. If HJR 43 is passed by both chambers, then it will be subject voter approval. If the measure receives enough votes from the public, then it will amend the Missouri Constitution and mandate state expenditures.

Specifically, this amendment would cap state spending at $8 billion. Any increase to this sum would be determined by inflation and population growth. HJR 43 also passed out of the Rules Committee today and will be heard on the House floor soon.

One Heart. One Mind. One Spirit

On Tuesday, I attended a celebration of unity and diversity in the Capitol Rotunda. The Black Legislative Caucus hosted this event, which included inspiring speeches from Representative Steve Webb (D-Florrisant) and performances by the Storling Dance Theater from Kansas City.

As Martin Luther King Jr. Day nears, I hope that the messages of freedom, equality and progress ring throughout Springfield and the entire state. I look forward to joining the Springfield chapter of the NAACP and other community members to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, 9am, at Mediacom Ice Park.

Gifted Legislation

I recently filed two pieces of legislation dealing with the educational concerns of those students who are in the gifted programs. Neither of these bills negatively impact school funding.

The first bill establishes the Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children. This Council will consist of seven members who are appointed by the commissioner of education. This council will provide advice for the commissioner of education regarding rules and polices dealing with the gifted and talented children.

The second bill I filed requests that the state board of education designate a staff person to be in charge of educational programs for gifted and talented children. This person will be responsible for a variety of things including, but not limited to serving as the main contact for any stakeholder and collecting annual growth in learning regarding the gifted programs.

Korman: Legislative Internship

2012-01-12T15:42:00.000-06:00

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Bart Korman, R-High Hill, is pleased to announce that his office is accepting applications for legislative interns for the 2012 session. The internship is open to applicants that are enrolled in college and interested in state government.

“I believe that this is a wonderful opportunity for Missouri college students who are interested in the legislative process,” said Korman. “The internship is a great way to earn valuable experience in a number of areas. Not only do you become familiar with the roles and tasks associated with Missouri government, but it is a great way to serve constituents and be a part of the lawmaking process.”

Interested applicants should email their resume to bart{dot}korman{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov

Tim Jones: Taxpayer Protections, Mandatory Reporter Law,

2012-01-12T14:01:00.001-06:00

At left: Participating in an extensive tour of the St. Louis Boeing facility and yes, taking over the cockpit of a real life F/A-18 Super Hornet!

As frost covered bluffs shimmer and glisten throughout the Heartland and a blast of Canadian air brought us a late week snowy reminder that Winter still lords over the Midwest, the legislators have returned for the first full week of the 2012 Legislative Session beneath the Capitol dome with committee hearings being the first sign that the Session is speedily gaining its full stride…

“All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.” –Winston Churchill

Taxpayer Protection

Economically, times are difficult in our homes, our businesses and in balancing every budget. When a family’s income has decreased, the wisest option is to reduce spending to make ends meet. Our responsibility as elected Representatives is to instill the same common sense approach in crafting the state budget. Like you, government must tighten its belt to balance the budget, all the while by not raising job-killing taxes. The answer is making better use of the funds we have available.

While we are working hard to balance the current budget, it is also important to take steps in making budget shortfalls less likely for future legislatures. The Taxpayer Protection Act is a step toward accomplishing this goal. In the past when times were good and the budget was flush with money, legislatures have used the extra revenue to increase the size and scope of government. The Missouri Taxpayer Protection Act limits growth in the budget by using a formula which allows the budget to increase only as the state’s population grows plus the rate of inflation. Any money remaining after the adjustment is saved for times when the budget is short.

Protecting taxpayers is a top priority for the House. By balancing the budget without raising taxes and easing the strain of “boom and bust cycles” on future budgets, we can keep more money where it belongs, in the pockets of hard-working Missourians.

Missouri Values

Missouri is a great place to raise a family because of the values that are commonly shared throughout the state. Whether we are discussing protecting the life of a child or providing for the veterans who have served our great country and state with honor, we all hold “values” in high esteem, and they deserve to be protected.

Against the backdrop of the terrible Penn State University tragedy, here in Missouri, the House Committee on Children and Families is examining our own current Mandatory Reporter laws to ensure that they are adequate to address issues that have arisen across the country. If our laws are inadequate or need to be updated, we will expect our House Committee to present us with an appropriate recommendation.

Providing for our veterans is a top priority this Session. With the economy in the doldrums, and a shortfall in the state budget, many Veterans’ Homes are experiencing a funding crisis. If a dedicated funding source is not found, the Veterans’ Commission will have little option but to begin closing homes in July of 2013 and our veterans will unable to obtain the care they need. The House is exploring several funding options to assist Veterans’ Homes during these challenging times.

Response to the Governor’s State of the State Address: Tuesday, January 17, 2012

I am greatly honored and humbled to announce that Senator Kurt Schaeffer (R-Columbia) and I will be presenting the Majority Party’s response to the Governor’s State of the State address this coming Tuesday, January 17^th. The Senator and I will be presenting our critique of the Governor’s presentation as well as presenting the positive, pro jobs, pro taxpayer, pro families agenda that the Missouri House and Senate will be pursuing throughout the 2012 Legislative Session. The Address and the Response will be broadcast on various radio and television stations throughout the State. In the St. Louis area you will be able to listen to the address on 90.7 KWMU (St. Louis Public Radio at www.news.stlpublicradio.org), and a live video stream can be found at http://www.mo.gov/

Up-Coming Workshops

The St. Louis Arc Family Workshops are designed to provide in-depth information on topics related to supporting family members with developmental disabilities. There are workshops for adults with developmental disabilities as well as summer volunteer and employment programs for teens. The workshops are free and take place at the St. Louis Arch Family Center at 1177 N. Warson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123. For more information, please visit www.slarc.org or contact Ann Mangelsdorf at amangelsdorf{at}slarc{dot}org or 314-817-2275. You must be registered to attend.

I have had the honor and privilege to meet many constituents in my District who work hand in hand with the very hard-working people at St. Louis Arc and have been very impressed with the individual determination of these families who quietly and determinedly work through many substantial daily life challenges. These individuals, these families and the St. Louis Arc organization accomplish a great deal for those in our communities who truly cannot help themselves by themselves and they do it with very little funding and a great deal of love and compassion. I am proud to help and support these constituents in any way I can.

For a complete list of the workshops and support groups available through the St. Louis Arc, visit www.slarc.org.

Fine Arts Grant Available

Visiting the Capitol

I always enjoy it when constituents visit the Capitol and want to thank all who make the journey. 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

Kelley: Job Creation Remains Top Priority

2012-01-12T12:53:00.000-06:00

Nationally, our job creators remain fearful of spending money and expanding their payrolls. Their fear is based upon several factors including their concerns about the unsustainable federal spending and debt, concern that their taxes at the federal level will go up and that the Obama Administration inclination to increase regulation on business will bankrupt them. The uncertainty created by Obama Care and the President’s war on domestic energy continues to impede job creation.

We, in Missouri, cannot undo what is happening in Washington, but we can make positive steps to encourage job creation in our state. Putting Missourians back to work will be a priority again this session. Last session, we took several steps to create jobs. We cut taxes on small businesses adding new employees, eliminated the franchise tax and adopted several measures to improve the business climate. Still, with the unemployment rate above 8%, there is much work to be done.

Nationally, there was good news regarding job creation in the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report issued by the U.S. Department of Labor last week. Unfortunately, that same report was not so good for Missouri. According to that report dated January 5^th, the unemployment insurance claims increased in Missouri by 3,236 last week following layoffs. Missouri was reported as one of the 19 states across the country with more than 1,000 initial claims last week.

Job creation will remain a top priority for us in the Missouri House this session. By helping entrepreneurs cut through bureaucratic “red tape” and improving the business climate, we can continue to get Missourians back to work. We need to ensure accountability for decisions made by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

One idea designed to improve the business climate is by enacting a “loser pays” law this session. Attorneys’ fees racked up due to frivolous lawsuits can be burdensome or even bankrupt small businesses. “Loser pays” will lower the number of frivolous suits and cut litigation costs businesses have to pay. That money can then be used to hire new employees or expand the business. Likewise, we need to address issues relating to the Worker’s Compensation Laws. Recent events and court decisions have added uncertainty to a system that has been in place for decades.

One innovative idea to spur job creation is the Entrepreneur Virtual Resource Network. This new program would provide resources to the Department of Economic Development for a website that pools the information needed to start a small business in the state. Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of job creation, but they often need assistance in navigating the regulatory hoops necessary to create their business from scratch. This website will give them a one-stop shop on how to get their idea to the marketplace.

Please contact me with any suggestions that you may have for Missouri legislation. Also, if you should experience problems in contacting or resolving an issue with a Missouri state agency, please feel free to call my Capitol office at (573) 751-2165 or email at mike{dot}kelley{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov. Thank you for the honor to serve as your Representative in the Missouri House of Representatives. Until my next update, I am, and remain, in your service.

Hoskins: Speaker's Priorities, Blunt's Visit,

2012-01-12T10:59:00.000-06:00

The Second Regular Session of the 96^th General Assembly is now officially underway. There is excitement all throughout the Capitol as the beginning of the second session offers renewed vigor to challenges from last session and provides an opportunity to promote new and innovative ideas to lead Missouri on the path to prosperity. I am again, honored, to be here at the State Capitol working hard to represent the great people of Johnson County and the 121st District.

Of the 163 members, 4 are new; having been elected during the special elections held in their respective districts on November 8^th, 2011. Welcome Representative Chrissy Sommer of the 15^th District out of St. Charles, Representative Judy Morgan of the 39^th District out of Kansas City, Representative Brandon Ellington of the 41^st District out of Kansas City, and Representative Tracy McCreery of the 83^rd District out of St. Louis. As I begin my fourth year as Representative for the 121^st District and watch as new Members join the ranks of the Missouri House of Representatives, I recall the humbling experience of walking onto the Floor of the Missouri House for the first time, of sitting at my desk for the first time, and of casting my first vote….. It is truly an honor to serve and I congratulate these new Members for achieving their goal to serve in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

During his final opening address, Speaker Steven Tilley, serving his last year as our Speaker, offered his vision of what the average citizen expects from their government and a plan, called the “Blueprint for Missouri,” to provide Missourians with the governance they expect and deserve. Under Speaker Tilley’s plan we will:

Pass a balanced budget while not raiding the reserves of Institutions of Higher Learning
Stay out of the taxpayer’s wallet (no raising taxes)
Force state government to live within its means
Place strict limits on the growth of government
Fund Missouri Veterans Homes
Pass legislation protecting our children from predators
Provide an economic environment conducive to business expansion
Protect Missouri employers from frivolous law suits
Work tirelessly to provide the type of quality education every child deserves

Thursday, January 5, 2012

During this morning’s caucus meeting, we had the pleasure of being addressed by U.S. Senator Roy Blunt. Of the many issues Sen. Blunt spoke about, one of them sticks out in my mind as valuable insight into properly addressing the continued economic struggle we face in Missouri, in the United States, and indeed, across the globe. In evaluating the recent financial disasters in Europe and Greece, it becomes clear one of the underlying issues is their governments have grown too large. As Senator Blunt clearly stated, “Government cannot get bigger than what the economy can support.” This is important insight at all levels of government; from your local municipality, to the federal level. We do not want the financial problems associated with big government in the U.S., or in Missouri. “Fiscal Responsibility” and “Local Control” are two fundamentals of governance I strongly support and with the help of strong leadership at the state and federal levels, these core principles will help guide the U.S., Missouri, and Johnson County, toward a brighter and more prosperous future.

Week of January 9th – Prelude to State of State Address

On Tuesday January 17th, 2012, Governor Jay Nixon will deliver his annual State of the State address. Governor Nixon is supposed to introduce possible tax increases to keep income in line with spending. With the slow rebound, we need a straightforward budget from the Governor which does not include burdening the citizens of Missouri with any further tax increases.

Governor Nixon is also supposed to introduce business incentives to accelerate job growth in the State, the exact same, in fact, introduced and implemented last year. There is no doubt the State’s existing business incentives for job creation have been a failure. Governor Nixon and his economic development officials have failed to create the amount of jobs they said they were going to create this time last year. Out of the 23,145 jobs the Nixon Administration said were going to be created, only 5,873 have actually been fashioned.

I will continue to support incentives for job growth and small businesses such as HB 45, which I sponsored and passed last year, to provide tax incentives to our small businesses who hire additional workers. We must continue to work together and be innovative in maintaining jobs in our State and attracting new ones.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

During our budget committee meeting on Wednesday, we discussed a constitutional amendment prohibiting appropriations in any fiscal year from exceeding the total state general revenue appropriations from the previous year by more than the appropriations growth limit. This basically means any excess amount of State generated revenue not spent will be appropriated logically, instead of just being spent as overflow.

This method would work by the following:

General Revenue increases < 1.5% would be used for general appropriations.

General Revenue surplus between 1.5% and 2.5% will be used to pay down Missouri debt.

Any surpluses exceeding 2.5% of the general revenue mark will be split into two categories, Cash Operating Reserve (67%) and a Budget Reserve fund (33%). These two funds would help provide stability in budget years that have declining state revenue.

We feel like this is the right track for Missouri. It will produce a rainy day fund for the future, and will protect us from tumultuous economic times like we are facing now.

Legislation

This week the house has been busy with first and second readings of house bills, with committee meetings, and with a barrage of bills awaiting co-sponsorship. As we progress into third readings, I will present more detailed information about specific bills of interest.

Redistricting News

Many of you have voiced concern over the new district lines and which district you may end up in beginning with the 2012 elections. As you know, I will be running for office in the newly formed 54^th District. The following link should provide you with a detailed and interactive map to determine your new district:http://oa.mo.gov/bp/redistricting/newlegislativedistricts/

Visiting the Capitol

I would like to extend a special thanks to Janet West for her visit to my office on January 4^th, 2012. Anytime you find yourself near your Missouri State Capitol (201 West Capitol Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65101) please feel free to visit. Our state boasts one of the most beautiful Capitol buildings in the nation and you are always welcome.

Ways to Keep in Contact

Sater: Constitutional Amendment Advances That Would Prohibit Excessive Spending

2012-01-12T09:02:00.000-06:00

Winter has finally arrived in Missouri and Jefferson City where I am writing this. I have enjoyed the last few weeks of mild weather, especially because of lower heating bills. Just like political harmony does not last, neither does the mild weather. Speaking of politics, we are now in our second week of session and some movement of bills are starting to proceed. I am in my last year and the last year that I will be Chairman of Health Care Policy. A lobbyist told me yesterday that it seemed I had been around the capitol longer than dirt. In some ways it does seem that way and in other ways, it has flown by. Anyway, I will have the same committee members as last year and we will probably start hearing bills in the next few weeks.

I continue to serve on the Budget Committee where we were presented HJR 43 this week. HJR stands for House Joint Resolution. It is processed as a normal bill and has to be passed by the House and Senate and signed by the Governor, but instead of going into law, it will go on the ballot for the citizens of Missouri to vote on because it deals with the state constitution.

The economy and state revenue goes up and down. In 2008 we had a 9.8 percent increase in revenue. In 2010, we had a minus 3-4% in revenue. It seems that in the good times, Republicans and Democrats cannot keep from passing legislation that costs the state money. When we have the bad times, such as the last few years, we run out of money because we did not put enough in reserve. This bill would make us do that in the good times. After figuring in the inflation rate or CPI, if revenues increase more than 1.5% over the CPI, then the next 1% or up to 2.5%, is used for debt reduction. For revenues beyond 2.5%, these funds would be placed in a kind of savings account to be used only when revenues are down to keep essential programs properly funded. As I mentioned, both Democrats and Republicans are guilty of over spending during good times. In the 1990s, during a few good years, the sales tax of groceries was suspended. This was a permanent fix for a short term budget issue. HJR 43 passed out of committee and now will go the House floor next week.

A couple of Senate bills are being heard. One is a statewide mandatory rabies vaccination for all pets. Even though this may sound good, there were only 29 confirmed rabies cases last year - most were from bats and skunks, not pets. It is ok for cities and counties to enact such regulations, but this is overkill and I still lean toward local control, not state mandates.

In the early 1990s, our state budget totaled around $5.9 billion dollars. It now totals over $23 billion dollars. Of that $5.9 billion, $4.5 billion was state revenue and $1.4 was federal. Now, 60% of our funding is federal. Because of this, the federal government holds the purse strings over the states and whether you call it blackmail or not, it forces us to do some things we might not want to do. A Senate bill being heard is proposed because of federal highway funds being withheld if we do not pass the legislation. The bill requires that truck drivers pass a medical test before they are allowed a commercial driver’s license. That is the way things are. Currently, the federal government is diverting $20 million dollars in transportation funds from road construction to highway safety because our statutes on convicted DWIs are not as stringent as they would like. Unless we pass another bill on DWI federal standards, then the $20 million dollars will not be available for road repairs and construction.

If you have any questions about the issues talked about or need more information, please contact me anytime. Thanks for letting me serve. My Capitol Office is open now Monday through Friday and can be reached at (573) 751-1480. You can also call me at my home in Cassville (417/847-4661).

Mayer: Senate Committee Hears Legislation to Curb Excessive Rules and Regulations

2012-01-11T17:32:00.000-06:00

Measure Would Help Tear Down Economic Barriers for All Businesses

JEFFERSON CITY – Thanks to legislation sponsored by Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, Missouri business owners are one step closer to greater freedom from excessive and overly burdensome state rules and regulations. The measure, Senate Bill 469, was heard today by the Senate Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee and is one of several Senate bills aimed at putting Missourians back to work.

“An important part of the jobs solution is making sure Missourians can exercise their freedom to earn a living,” said Dixon. “Burdensome regulations can be barriers that stifle job growth and make Missouri less competitive. This is one way we can go back to basics and make government work for Missourians.”

Chairman of the committee, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, said the bill was a priority for his committee.

“Missouri must be ready to compete when it comes to businesses expanding or relocating here,” Schmitt said. “Few things can bring private sector growth to a halt more quickly than overly contrived red tape. That is why we must bring better oversight and accountability to rein in extreme rules and regulations.”

In an October 2011 Gallup poll, small-business owners ranked compliance with government regulations as the most important problem facing them today.

Senate Bill 469 would require state agencies to review and reconsider regulations on a regular basis. The bill would give each regulation a limited shelf life of 10 years, increase agency accountability, and improve legislative oversight.

Each regulation would have an automatic expiration date. Renewal would require agencies to review the rule to determine whether it is outdated, duplicative, conflicts with other rules, is burdensome or narrowly tailored and then make necessary changes while still providing adequate protection of the public.

“We sunset statutes and programs, and term limit legislators,” said Dixon, “but ineffective or burdensome regulations don’t have an expiration date. This bill would put a process in place to review these rules regularly.”

The bill is a priority that was outlined in Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer’s opening day address to the Senate. Mayer said the measure is part of a comprehensive package of bills that are aimed to help spur job creation.

“We must tear down the walls that are economic barriers to all Missouri businesses,” Mayer, R-Dexter, said. “Our plan in the Senate starts by curbing excessive and overly burdensome regulations that affect all business – big and small.”

A supporting vote by the committee would recommend the bill for debate by the full Senate. To learn more about this bill or to track its progress, visit www.senate.mo.gov.

Rupp: Committee Focuses on Job Creation in Missouri

2012-01-11T16:53:00.000-06:00

Committee work was in full swing this week as a wide range of 2012 Senate bills were considered. One very important piece of legislation heard in the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee, of which I am chair, would restore protections for co-employees from personal lawsuits for their role in honest accidents at work and return Workers’ Compensation as the exclusive remedy for workplace accidents.

The measure (SB 572) is designed to allow employers to use their funds to hire more employees, instead of paying for frivolous lawsuits. Currently, more than 250,000 Missourians are out of work, and that is certainly not acceptable. We need to focus our time on getting people back to work — not on ridiculous lawsuits. In the Legislature, job creation is our top priority. I will do everything in my ability to endorse common-sense measures, such as this, which would allow businesses to stop spending money on insurance policies and lawsuit abuses that the Workers’ Compensation System was meant to cover, and instead, invest those dollars in creating new jobs for Missourians.

Another priority for the Legislature is passing a balanced budget, without raising taxes on Missourians. Next week, on Tuesday, Jan. 17, the governor is scheduled to give his State of the State Address. My colleagues and I are hoping he will present his budget plan for Fiscal Year 2013. I know that we will, yet again, be required to make difficult decisions regarding our state budget. However, I’m optimistic that the Legislature can work together to make Missouri and even better place to live, work, and raise a family. (Please click here to listen to my interview regarding my priorities for the 2012 legislative session.)

Thank you for reading this legislative column. As always, please feel free to call or visit my Capitol office if I can assist you in any way. Thank you and God Bless.

Rupp: Ready, Set, VOTE for TouchPoint!

2012-01-11T14:33:00.000-06:00

Friends:

Normally, I reserve my capital reports to discuss policy issues, however today I feel compelled to ask for a favor. An organization that is near and dear to my heart is competing for a grant from a great corporate community citizen, Monsanto. That organization has changed the lives of thousands of people with autism. Having personally seen the amazing success they have with helping children on the autism spectrum, I sincerely ask you to take the time to vote for TouchPoint in the below link. With your vote and this grant hundred's more families could experience the life changing miracles they perform daily.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Sen. Scott T. Rupp

From: TouchPoint Autism Services
Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 5:04 PM
To:
Subject: Ready, Set, VOTE for TouchPoint!

PLEASE VOTE FOR TOUCHPOINT
EACH DAY THROUGH JANUARY 29

Dear Friends:

Please take a moment to vote for TouchPoint Autism Services in Monsanto's Grow St. Louis Grant Contest!

If TouchPoint wins one of the grants, the funds will be used to GROW AUTISM UNDERSTANDING AND AWARENESS. This work is critical in our community, and we are determined to get Aaron Likens, our Community Education Specialist and Ambassador for Autism, out to spread his insightful message of hope and understanding!

Please vote daily through January 29, and please encourage your friends, family and Facebook contacts to do the same!

VOTE NOW at this link:
http://www.monsanto.com/stlouis/Pages/grow-STL-contest-voting-form.aspx

Thank you in advance for joining us in this effort!

Sincerely,
Your Friends at TouchPoint Autism Services

Nance: Three Bills Filed

2012-01-10T17:22:00.001-06:00

Roy Blunt will re-schedule the “Town Hall” gathering that was planned for Thursday.

I have filed three bills this week.

HB 1237 which requires the Lottery Commission to promulgate rules establishing criteria to allow licensees who have been convicted of a Class C or Class D felony to sell lottery tickets.

HB 1238 specifies that certain individuals must be eligible for food stamp program benefits.

HB 1239 would freeze property taxes for seniors 70 and older if they have resided in their home for ten years.

Allen: Session Begins!, Blueprint For Missouri, Current Legislation

2012-01-10T16:39:00.004-06:00

Session Begins!

The 96^th General Assembly 2^nd Regular Session opened for business on Wednesday, January 4^th. Speaker Tilley started with a message to remind legislators to never forget who we serve and who our real friends are in life. All too often in the hustle of Jefferson City politics some forget these sentiments. After the opening speech, the Preamble and Article I of the Missouri Constitution were read aloud by members of the House. The reading reminded us of the values of the drafters of our constitution and the values of all Missourians.

Procedure requires the House to pass resolutions to inform the Governor and Chief Justice that the House is established and prepared to receive messages and ready to establish a date for the State of the State and State of the Judiciary. The State of
the State will be given by Governor Nixon on January 17th at 7:00pm. The State of the Judiciary will be given by Chief Justice Richard B. Teitelman on January 18th at 10:30am. You can check your local television stations to watch the speeches live or visit http://house.mo.gov/ to listen to live audio.

Blueprint for Missouri

The main agenda during this session will focus on the “Blueprint for Missouri”, formulated by House Leadership and the entire Majority Caucus. The four planks of the Blueprint consist of advancing legislation in support of: 1) Missouri Jobs, 2) Missouri Taxpayers, 3) Missouri Schools and 4) Missouri Values. Much of my time will be spent on appropriation and budget related matters as our state currently faces an estimated $300-700 million shortfall.

With the Missouri unemployment rate hovering around 9%, the House will debate how we can foster the right climate for job creation in our State and what tools employers need to retain workers and add new employees to their payrolls. We will discuss Workers Compensation Reform (Co-employee liability, Occupational Disease, Second Injury Fund Reform), Prevailing Wage Reform, the Missouri Entrepreneur Virtual Resource Network, and tort reform measures that will include Employment Discrimination Law Reform, Loser Pays proposals, and Joint and Several Liability Reform.

To protect Missouri Taxpayers we will be focused on advancing the Taxpayer Protection Act and will once again adhere to our “No New Taxes” pledge together with a balanced budget. Criminal Justice Reform (which can dramatically reduce excessive economic drags on the State Budget) will also be on our docket and will consist of recommendations from working groups and interim committees.

With attention being drawn to the now unaccredited Kansas City School District and the long unaccredited City of St. Louis School District, there will be free market legislation advanced regarding tuition tax credits in unaccredited districts and
expanding charter schools. Other measures include the Turner Fix, the Teacher Quality Act and a Foundation Formula Fix. My belief is that control of school districts should be as local as possible and a way to accomplish that is to truly give parents the power and choice to control the tax dollars that fund the education of their children in Missouri’s public schools.

Other issues include veterans’ home funding, pharmacist & health care provider conscience bills, expanded college savings plans, and voter photo ID-enabling legislation.

My Current Legislation

Below is a list and brief summary of the bills I have filed so far this year. If you would like to read them in the full text, please visit: http://house.mo.gov/billreport.aspx?select=xSponsorDistrict:092&year=2012&code=R

HB 1032 - Adds a licensed professional counselor to the list of those authorized to conduct a full investigation into whether an individual is suitable as an adoptive parent.
HB 1033 - Requires health care providers to provide a mammography patient with a copy of the mammography report and information regarding the benefit of supplemental screenings for dense breast tissue patients.
HB 1049 - Changes the laws regarding bullying in schools and defines cyber-bullying.
HB 1051 - Requires the State Auditor to perform, on a one-time basis, a comparative audit of at least five, but no more than 10, of the largest state agencies with the goal of eliminating inefficiencies and significantly reducing costs. This has been done in several other states with significant cost savings.
HB 1052 - Establishes a closed primary election system for Missouri.
HB 1188 - Allows school nurses to use asthma related rescue medications on students experiencing asthma attacks.
HB 1189 - Eliminates the 30-day hold for sellers failing to provide proof of identification to pawnbrokers and requires valid proof of identification for all transactions between sellers and pawnbrokers. This was filed for a constituent who had grave concerns about pawnshop operations. After my office did some research, we felt that this action was appropriate.
HB 1190 - Repeals antiquated sections relating to the mandated paper copying and storage of local police records by the county. This issue was brought to my attention by the Manchester Police Department and the Department of Public Safety.

Congratulations to Matt Schumann!

I am happy to announce that as of Saturday January 7^th my Legislator Assistant, Matt Schumann, is now engaged to a lovely lady from the Kansas City Area. When I asked him about how he afforded such a beautiful engagement ring on his small salary, he said he scraped it together from some of his old paper route money that he had stashed away from his youth. This is a message that we should share with our children. Working hard and saving money in their youth - whether by a paper route, raking leaves, shoveling snow, cleaning gutters, or any other odd jobs – does payoff in the future, especially as unexpected expenditures arise. In this case, the payoff is obviously something that cannot be quantified. I wish Matt and his new fiancée the best on their new journey!

Tim Jones: Majority Minute: Discussions Begin On Blueprint Bills, Budget Gap

2012-01-10T14:49:00.000-06:00

The General Assembly and the Missouri House have begun our first full week of the 2012 legislative session with our main focus being on the four pillars of the “Blueprint for Missouri”. The Blueprint is our plan to move Missouri forward, concentrating on legislation that protects taxpayers, provides for an environment and the necessary tools that assists our businesses in creating jobs, advancing much needed reforms to our taxpayer funded public education system and protecting our values and principles.

Many bills have been introduced in the House and the referral process to various committees has begun. Committees will begin holding hearings, where proponents and opponents all have an opportunity to address legislation and make public comment. The Committees may then consider bills for a vote, offer amendments or substitute bills and the legislation will advance through the legislative process. To follow all of the legislation that proceeds through the House, an excellent resource is our House website which you can visit at:

Mayer: Audio and Video On Legislative Goals For Session

2012-01-10T14:38:00.001-06:00

Jefferson City — Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, recently added new audio and video links to his multimedia page, which is located on his Missouri Senate website. This page features audio and video links (both streaming and broadcast quality — when available) for visitors to listen to and watch Sen. Mayer address issues that are important to him and the citizens of the 25th Senatorial District.

The new audio and video links include Sen. Mayer discussing some of the legislation he hopes will be taken up in committees this week, as well as what he expects to hear from the governor’s budget address next week.

Senator Mayer will continue to add audio and video clips throughout the year. You can download his podcast and listen to it by going to Sen. Mayer’s multimedia page: http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/mayer/Multimedia.html.

Missives From Missouri

Newman: Voter Supression Efforts Continue

VOTER SUPPRESSION EFFORTS CONTINUE

Media

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS RESOLUTION ----PART OF COLLECTIVE ACTION IN 15 STATES

MY BILLS SUPPORTED BY MISSOURI COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC & SEXUAL VIOLENCE

WITH ELLIE GLENN, LIASON TO DEPT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES

GUN CROSSHAIR STICKERS TARGET SIX STATE LAWMAKERS

LAWSUIT CHALLENGES NEW HOUSE REDISTRICTING PLAN

Hoskins: Two Bills Clear House, Third Would Encourage Business

January 25, 2012 – Wednesday

Other Key Legislation

Free Federal Tax Opportunity

Ways to Keep in Contact

Visiting the Capitol

Engler: Expanding Missouri's Automotive Supply Industry and Protecting the Elderly

Korman: Technical Session Thursday Allows More Time To Visit Constituents

Mayer: Video on Creating Economic Development, Balancing The Budget

Dugger: Voter ID Bill Protects People From External, Internal Threats

Lichtenegger: Frugality Increases In House

Constituent Corner

Lampe: Springfield-Branson Area Leaders Make Jeff City Feel Like Home

Elementary and Secondary Education Committee

On the Floor this Week

Tishaura Jones: Voter ID Bill Passes Committee, Crosshair Stickers On Senators' Doors, Casinos Oppose Fee For Vets' Homes

HOUSE COMMITTEE ADVANCES PHOTO VOTER ID BILL

GUN CROSSHAIR STICKERS TARGET SIX STATE LAWMAKERS

LAWSUIT CHALLENGES NEW HOUSE REDISTRICTING PLAN

GAMBLING INDUSTRY OPPOSES FEE HIKE FOR VETERANS

Neth: Normal Week Filled With Committee Meetings

House Floor Action

Committee Action

Elections

Elementary and Secondary Education

Emerging Issues in Animal Agriculture

On TV

Guests in the Capitol

Rupp: Ending Discrimination Against Religious Organizations

Denison: House Shortens Week, Passes Bill Requiring Review Of Government Regulations

House Holds Short Week to Save Taxpayer Dollars

Missouri House Approves Bill to Institute Periodic Review of Government Rules and Regulations (HB 1135)

County Debt Disclosure Bill Receives House Approval (HB 1140)

Voter Identification Bill Receives Committee Approval (HB 1104)

Visitors

Lt. Governor’s Senior Service Award

Kelley: Taxpayers Shafted By Culture Of Entitlements

Tim Jones: Birthday Wishes, State Of The Judiciary, Local Events

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Legislative Update

The Weeks Ahead

Local News and Events

Age Smart, Age Well

American Legion Flag Collection

Employment Opportunity

Family Enrichment Resource Program

Up-Coming Workshops

Fun Fact of the Week

Fine Arts Grant Available

Visiting the Capitol

Personal News & Notes

Kraus: Toll Roads

Grain Valley Town Hall

District Days

Allen: "Taxpayer Protection Act" Passes With Exception For Schools, "Warm-Hearted Neighbors"

Governor Nixon’s State of the State Address

Taxpayer Protection Act

The Judiciary Address

Appropriations Committee Hearing

Fine Arts Grant Available

Constituent Comments

Warm Hearted Neighbors

This Week In Pictures

Congratulations!

Rep. Sue Allen Appointed to Committee Charged withConducting Comprehensive Review of Missouri Judiciary

Stouffer: Our District Is Changing, Again

Congressional Districts

State Senate Districts

How does this affect our area?

Tim Jones: Majority Minute: Transparency Measures Await Floor Debate

A Glimpse at the Week Ahead

Rep. Sue Allen Appointed to Committee Charged with
Conducting Comprehensive Review of Missouri Judiciary