Nance: Adopt/Sponsor a Roadway, House Action, Students Tour the Capitol

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth." –Muhammad Ali

Adopt One or Sponsor One

In District 4, approximately 400 active adopters maintain 400 miles of roadway, but there is always opportunity for new enthusiasts to make a difference.

Adopters take care of at least a half-mile of urban roadside or a two-mile rural stretch, with the commitment to collect litter at least twice every six months. Volunteers are provided with the necessary trash bags and safety vests, and participate in MoDOT's safety training.

A route currently open for adoption is Ray County: Richmond, MO 13. (Contact 888-275-6636 for more information on how you or your organization can help).

House Action

The House third read and passed HB 1404 by a vote of 145-4. The bill would create the crime of failure to adequately control an animal.

The House third read and passed HB 2357 by a vote of 145-1. The bill would prohibit any public retirement plan of the state or a political subdivision from investing funds with foreign companies that have active ties to any country designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.

HB 1473 guarantees students at public four-year institutions, including Linn State Technical College, and private institutions receive a maximum amount of financial assistance awards of $2,150 and $4,600 respectively from the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program.

Beginning with the 2014-2015 academic year, the substitute combines the categories for these schools into one with a $2,850 maximum and a $1,500 minimum award and increases the maximum award for community colleges from $1,000 to $1,300.

HB 1444 requires the governing body of any county, city, town, or village or any entity created by these political subdivisions to hold a public meeting and to allow public comment four business days prior to voting on an issue involving fee or tax increases, eminent domain, zoning, transportation development districts, capital improvement districts, commercial improvement districts, or tax increment financing.  The provisions will not apply to any votes or discussions related to proposed ordinances that require a minimum of two separate readings on different days or in the case of an emergency; and tax measures under these provisions will not include the setting of the annual tax rates.

Orrick 4th grade students were in the Capitol Thursday for a tour of their State Capitol. They enjoyed a wonderful experience.

In the District

Last Saturday I presented resolutions to three new "Royal Rangers" at the Lawson Assembly of God Church. Receiving awards were Zac Emry, Jacob Bellis, and Jordan Guilkey.

I will return Thursday to help honor Excelsior Springs citizens that are receiving recognition at the Annual Chamber of Commerce Dinner. I am also speaking to Citizens for Missouri's Children at 11:30 Friday at the Elms.

Purgason: Reigning in Tax Credits

This week the budget will move into the conference stage as five members of the House and five members of the Senate will now meet together and try to forge a compromise between the House and Senate positions. This committee will work for the next two weeks with the constitutional deadline for completion of the budget on May 7th.

We have many questions and concerns when it comes to looking at this year’s budget. This budget is balanced on $900 million of federal budget stabilization dollars that will not be available next year. With continued unemployment numbers and a failing economy, we are looking at a shortfall of over $1 billion in next year’s budget.

Of the entire state budget, around $7 billion is General Revenue or state tax dollars. $16 billion is federal pass-through dollars over which the state has very little control. That means that the $1 billion that will be required to be cut next year must come from the $7 billion of General Revenue. That means that over 15% of that money will need to be found and reduced.

One way we can begin to deal with next year’s budget problems is by not allowing legislation that adds to this cost to be passed into law. My job as chairman of the Senate Committee on Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight is to look at bills that add cost to the state. Currently, we have over 60 bills referred to my committee. Many of these are in the dead file because we simply cannot afford them at this time.

In crafting this year’s budget, it would be easier if we had total flexibility when it comes to the issue of available General Revenue dollars. This is not the case.

We currently have around $700 million in tax credits that are issued by the state each year. The committee, as well as the Governor, has shown concern that the legislature’s budget committees have little control over this huge part of state spending. Tax credits are basically entitlements that must be paid before any of the state’s other obligations are look at. This has to change if we are to begin to put together a budget next year that does not come down hard on elementary, secondary and higher education obligations.

I believe tax credits are one way that government picks winners and losers in a free market system. Many times these credits are awarded to companies to come into the state to directly compete with existing businesses. I do not mind the competition, that is how you get a good product at a good price, but to allow government to give special favors and monetary advantages is not a level playing field.

There was an explosion of tax credits in the 1990’s when, instead of returning money that was required to be sent back to taxpayers under the Hancock amendment, the state began issuing tax credits to move money around in order not to be in violation of this requirement. This began an explosion of tax credits because other interest groups decided to try to get a piece of the action and this, in turn, began our feeding frenzy when it comes to the expansion of our current tax credit system.

I believe we must begin rethinking the way we approach economic development in our state. We currently compete with other states for jobs by coming up with the biggest Christmas package of goodies and begin the race to the bottom because all the states are suffering financial problems just like the ones the state of Missouri faces.

The facts are that 92% of our jobs are created by small businesses in our state. Why not move to system that fosters small business growth rather than chasing after dream companies that continue to play each state against each other in order to get the best deal?

Government is a poor creator of jobs. Most of the jobs government creates result in more bureaucrats and red tape. I believe we must begin the process of making Missouri a low tax, low regulation state that allows businesses to expand and grow to create a pro-growth economy.

The saying, “I am from the government and I am here to help you,” is not a very welcome approach when dealing with a small business owner. The policy we should employ when it comes to job creation is the policy of empowering small businesses to do what they do best --- and that is to grow, create jobs, and pursue the American dream while the role of government is to assure a level playing for all businesses large or small.

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions, and concerns. I can be reached in Jefferson City at (573)751-1882, you can e-mail me at chuck{dot}purgason{at}senate{dot}mo{dot}gov or you can write to me by regular mail at 201 West Capitol Avenue, Room 420, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Nodler: Federal Healthcare Mandate Creates a Troubling Future

This week, the Senate continues to try to find ways to cut spending in the state. In order to balance the budget, the Senate made nearly $500 million in cuts to the governor’s original proposal. The budget is now in conference and House and Senate members are working hard to create a balanced spending plan for our state. This work has me looking to the future when, according to the federal healthcare plan passed by Congress, Missouri will need to come up with billions of dollars in additional revenue to fund expanded Medicaid eligibility. This ticking time bomb of fiscal irresponsibility is going to cause serious budget destruction down the road.

President Obama signed the federal healthcare legislation this year. The bill contains a significant expansion in Medicaid eligibility, adding 255,000 Missouri adults to the state-sponsored healthcare system by increasing eligibility caps by 113 percent. The federal government has tried to silence some state’s protests over the unfunded mandate by covering the costs of the expansion for the first three years it is in effect, but federal support will not always be available. Once Missouri has to start footing the bill, the Department of Social Services estimates the plan will cost our state an additional $1.34 billion from 2017 to 2023—a devastating price tag for our finances. These are Missouri taxpayer dollars that the federal government is forcing us to pour into healthcare costs.

This expansion is costly and fiscally irresponsible, but the federal government has stripped control away from our state. This action threatens the availability of healthcare as well as the health of Missouri’s future finances. No matter what actions we take in the coming years to balance our books and cut spending, this aspect of our budget will be out of our hands come 2017 when we will have to spend an additional $99.2 million to meet federal regulations. We have created a tradition of fiscal responsibility in Missouri, but our careful planning will be for naught if we are forced to spend taxpayer dollars on federal mandates.

States throughout the nation are in fiscal crises, and I am proud to say that Missouri is fairing better than many other states in the nation. During my time as appropriations chairman in the Senate, we maintained one of the highest carryover balances in Missouri's budget history, held on to Missouri's AAA bond rating, and passed responsible, sustainable budgets. However, forcing us to pick up the cost of expanding healthcare will be detrimental to our careful efforts. Asking the states to shoulder the burden of this federal mandate just shows that the healthcare plan passed by Congress is short-sighted and detrimental.

Brandom: Early Voting, Photo ID, and the State Budget

Early Voting and Photo ID

This Week, the Missouri House passed legislation making it easier to vote and harder to cheat in Missouri elections. We gave approval to House Bill 1966 and House Joint Resolution 64 that establish the procedures to allow early voting and require voters to
produce photo identification before voting.

This legislation creates a four day (“no excuse - in person - absentee”) early voting period. Each county would have at least one voting center. Big cities and large counties would have regional voting centers. Early “no excuse” voting in Scott County would be available at the county courthouse, just as it is now
for those casting regular absentee ballots.

Recent elections saw increased instances of voter fraud. This important legislation would require voters to produce a form of photo identification when voting to help reduce fraud and abuse in our elections. In my recent constituent survey, eighty percent of those who responded were in favor of a photo ID to vote. In this day and age, requiring photo identification to vote is a common sense requirement. To ensure that this measure does not discourage voting, we created exemptions for the
elderly, the disabled, and those unable to afford the documents necessary to obtain proper identification. With the photo identification requirement, we have established necessary safeguards to help prevent voter fraud and ensure the integrity of our elections.

State Budget

Much of our time has been focused on budget negotiations during the recent weeks. The Governor submitted his budget to the House in January. Unfortunately it was soon found to be unbalanced due to Missouri’s continued declining revenue. The House
and Senate were looking at a shortfall of $500 million. Additional cuts have been made by each chamber.

The House reduced the budget by $225 million. The budget then went to the Senate where it was reduced by another $275 million. The Senate first eliminated and then restored $37.4 million to pay teachers earning Career Ladder money this year.
The next step for the budget is five members from each chamber to meet and compromise the differences between the two versions. Each chamber will then review the compromises and vote a final approval. The final budget is due on the governor’s
desk by 6pm on May 7.

On a personal note, I wanted to thank the following people for visiting my office this week:

• Jim Maurer and Wayne Wallingford from Cape Girardeau
• Eric Michelsen from Oran
• Julie Hodges, Pam Dowe, Karen Bain, Natalie Kirk, Nancy Robey and Mark Savage from Sikeston

It is always a pleasure to have friends, neighbors, and constituents visit. If anyone from the 160th district is in or around Jefferson City, please stop by my office and say “hello.”

Stouffer: Paying Teachers for Work Completed

The Missouri Legislature is facing the toughest economic situation in our state's history. However, because of tough decisions made in the last decade, Missouri is one of only seven states in a good financial position for the future.

Addressing these challenges has required a great deal of time, patience and understanding. As I have mentioned before, your input and prayers have provided lawmakers with a firm ground to stand on during these turbulent times.

We are in the process of putting together a balanced budget for Missouri's next fiscal year, which will start on July 1, 2010. Unlike the federal government, we are not able to spend more than the state brings in from revenues — your tax dollars.

To understand Missouri's budget, it is important to know the biggest two expenditures: Social services and K-12 education. It is these two departments where we have to do the most work to balance our state's budget this year. Currently, our budget is $1 billion behind where we were in revenue one year ago.

This year, the Legislature has put a priority on classroom funding for Missouri's students, which means keeping the funding for classroom instruction through the state's formula at the same rate as 2010.

Not decreasing funding to Missouri's classrooms has led to cuts to state government and other types of education spending like Career Ladder, a program that reimburses teachers for extra work they do to educate children outside of the classroom.

Some legislators believed we could cut funding to Career Ladder. Fortunately, we were able to reverse that decision in the current budget that I voted for. It is only right and honest to compensate teachers for work they have completed.

In addition to Career Ladder, there has also been a lot of controversy surrounding changes in teacher retirement. Unfortunately, special interest groups have led current and retired teachers to believe their retirement would be affected by a common sense solution to reform state employee retirement by changing benefits for all new employees. The retirement legislation passed (Senate Bill 714), but as promised, it did not and will not include teachers.

This session has provided lawmakers with an opportunity to reconsider all of our state's spending, as we are all doing in our homes, and improve state government. This is all being done without a tax increase. Times like these remind me why I became involved in state government and it remains my honor to serve you in the Missouri Senate.

Holsman's Urban Farming Bill Passes Senate Committee

Jefferson City, MO - House Bill 1848, the Urban Farming Bill, has passed the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food Production, and Outdoor Resources with a unanimous 'yes' vote. Representative Jason Holsman (D-Kansas City), the bill's sponsor, is hopeful that the legislation will soon make it before the full Senate, one step closer to landing on the Governor's desk.

The bill, if passed, would create a task force designed to study urban agriculture and vertical farming. These studies would likely make Missouri less dependant on other states and foreign countries for food and would lead to job opportunities for citizens in Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, and Springfield. After introducing the bill in January and shepherding it through a House committee hearing, a House floor vote, and a Senate committee hearing, Holsman will now turn over the bill to Senator Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City) to handle the bill in the Senate chamber.

"I'm excited to see that the bill has gone this far and am looking forward to the opportunity to have this piece of legislation pass the Missouri Senate," said Holsman, "this bill means jobs for Missourians and economic revitalization of the blighted neighborhoods and abandoned buildings in Kansas City and Saint Louis."

Kraus: Voting Legislation

Legislation

Early Voting and Voting Identification

Last week, the Missouri House gave first-round approval Wednesday to legislation, HB 1966, that would allow for an early voting period and require photo identification to vote.

Early voting would authorize a 4-day advance voting period prior to each primary or general election using absentee ballots. In a change to current requirements, no reason for requesting an absentee ballot would be needed.

The bill would also require a voter to present photo identification to election officials in order to vote. I believe that this provision is necessary to protect the election process by preventing voter fraud. Some doubt the existence of election fraud; however, many election officials contend otherwise.

House Approves Veterans Legislation

The House gave final approval last Thursday to a wide-ranging bill that would help Missouri's military members and veterans.

One provision of the bill would make it easier for military members serving overseas to vote. It would require the Secretary of State to establish procedures for overseas voters to request voter registration and absentee ballot applications and the use of some form of electronic communication.

Another provision of the bill would require the Adjutant General to establish the Missouri Youth Challenge Academy for at-risk high school age youth.  It also would require all state agencies and political subdivisions to give a three-point bonus preference to a service-disabled veteran business operating as a Missouri business when letting a contract for any job or service.

The House approved HB 1524 & 2260 by a vote of 148-0. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Visitors to the Capitol

Last week was a another busy week for visitors to the Capitol

On Wednesday, about 55 residents of District 48 visited the Capitol.  I certainly enjoyed having them as guests.  They were able to go on a number of tours, and I was able to spend some time with them to answer questions and talk about state government.  At left, the photograph shows the great residents of John Knox Village in Lee's Summit.

On the same day, the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce came to Jefferson City for their day at the Capitol.  It was a pleasure meeting with them.  About seven valiant members made the daunting climb with me to the very top of the Capitol.  A deck at that height allows for a beautiful view of the city and the Missouri River.  It was a great day for that experience!

Another great school to visit the Capitol last week was the Lee's Summit Temple Baptist School.  This was a wonderful group of kids, led by Ron Peters. I always love it when students come to the Capitol and I have the opportunity to help educate them on the workings of the House of Representatives.

Back in Lee's Summit, I spoke at the Job Olympics Awards Ceremony at Unity Village.  Here, special needs students from Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, and Belton school districts were given awards for their skills in a variety of fields.  It was nice to see the kids' smiling faces as they received their awards.  Their excitement with their achievements truly brings home the worthwhile nature of this event.

With the beginning of the 2010 Legislative Session, the Capitol Report will be issued about once a week. During this time, if you have an event that you would like me to attend or speak at, please contact my office at 1 (573) 751-1459 or e-mail at will{dot}kraus{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov.

Tishaura Jones: Supporting Greater Options for Treating Autism, Statistics on St. Louis Area's Children

Supplemental Insurance Plan to Increase Number of Families Covered by Autism Mandate

At right: Rep. Tishaura Jones and Melissa Palmer from the Missouri Department of Insurance during the hearing for HB 2389 at the Special Standing Committee on Health Insurance.

Although Senate Bill 618 and House Bill 1311 have a few differences, their main idea is the same.  Both prohibit insurance companies from discontinuing coverage on an individual or their dependent because the individual is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  It also mandates that insurers cover the expenses for diagnosis and treatment of ASDs.  Coverage is limited to that which is deemed medically necessary by the insured individual's licensed physician or psychologist.  The House Bill specifies that coverage for individuals younger than 19 years of age for the applied behavior analysis (ABA) services will have a maximum benefit of $36,000 per year with no limit on the number of visits to an ASD service provider.  The Senate Bill covers individuals until the age of 21 and raises the maximum benefit to $55,000.

At left: Rep. Jones and the Gray Family celebrating April as Autism Awareness Month.
The problem is that both of these proposed mandates, if put into action, will only cover approximately 30 to 35% of families with insurance.  House Bill 2389 provides an alternative option for those not included in the mandates.  It requires the Missouri Health Insurance Pool to create a separate program that allows individuals to purchase supplemental health insurance coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of ASD.  The coverage would comply with all state and federal requirements for health insurance coverage for ASD.  This option would be less expensive than traditional health insurance because it offers lower benefit amounts (benefits would be the same as those offered in the finalized autism insurance mandate).  It will be funded primarily through premiums paid by participating families, similar to a general high-risk pool.  This bill does not replace the current mandate, it simply offers another option for those not covered by the mandate.

Facts from the 2009-2010 Children of Metropolitan St. Louis Report to the Community

• More than 535,000 young people under the age of 18 reside in the five core counties of the St. Louis region (St. Louis City, St. Louis county, and St. Charles county in Missouri and Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois)
• Over 22% of children in the five-county area reside in ZIP codes where risks to their well-being are severe.
• Of the 18 ZIP codes that fall within the boundaries of St. Louis City, 13 of them - or 72% - have a "severe" risk rating
• 36 ZIP codes in the five-county region have a minority population about the national norm of 35%
• Of these ZIP codes, 78% fall in the severe risk category, 14% are high risk, 8% are moderate risk and 0% are low risk.
• 0% of the ZIP codes with a lower percentage of minority population qualified as severe risk, 3% were high risk, 23% were moderate risk, and 74% were low risk.
• Rates of lead poisoning in the older neighborhoods of the St. Louis area have declined sharply with less than 7% of children testing positive for lead poisoning.
• The report highlights six children's fundamental need areas including family support, early childhood development, maternal and child health, quality education, youth development, safe neighborhoods and strong communities.
• The national alternative care rate per 1000 children under 18 was 6.8 in 2007.  Out of the 138 ZIP codes in the St. Louis area, 39 ZIP codes exceed the national rate and of those, 6 more than double the average.
• In 2006, 3.6% of all births nationally were to mothers who had no or inadequate prenatal care.  Of the 138 ZIP codes in the St. Louis region, 64-46.4% have rates greater than the national percentage.  Of these, 27 have rates four times higher than the national rate.
• The greater portion of St. Louis area school districts routinely report dropout rates lower than the national average.
• In 2007, the national crime rate was 32.6 per 1000 residents while the violent crime rate was 4.7 per 1000.  Out of the 191 St. Louis area neighborhoods and municipalities, 72.8% had rates that were higher than the national average.

Rep. Jones receives Award for Advocacy for Families with Autism

On Tuesday, April 13, Rep. Jones received an award from the Gateway Chapter of the Autism Society of America for her work to bring attention to the struggles faced by urban families with Autistic children.  "Our families in Urban Areas are drowning and do not have access to early diagnosis and treatment.  On average, African-American children aren't diagnosed until age 7.  Which is too late for treatment to be effective."

Rep. Jones chosen as Honorary Co-Chair for 2010 NamiWalks for the Mind of America

Rep. Jones will lead the Virtual Walkers Team of the 2010 NamiWalks for the Mind of America.

Come join us and help this be our best WALK ever. Our goal is $175,000 and we don't want to disappoint.  If you're interested in being helping and want more information click here.

Ruestman: Preventing Election Fraud

For any republic to function there must be fair and open elections on a regular basis. The one thing that has made the American story so great is the idea that the power belongs to the people. The Founding Fathers knew our elected officials must be held accountable at the ballot box.

Over time we’ve seen multiple attempts to defraud the public with election scams. These efforts undermine the will of the people and tear at the fabric of our state and nation. Last week, the Missouri House of Representatives gave first-round approval to key legislation which insures fair elections.

House Bill 1966 requires voters to present identification at the time of voting. We’re all used to presenting ID to use credit cards, board a plane or drive a car. It only seems logical that you should offer some evidence of who you are when at the polls. Obviously, such an ID check would prevent individuals from going poll to poll claiming to be someone they are not. Many Democrats say this law is unnecessary and that fraud isn’t happening. If that is the case, then why do they fight so hard against voters showing ID? Are they afraid fraud will be exposed?

Other provisions in HB 1966 make voting easier for our men and women fighting overseas. It requires the Secretary of State to establish new, electronic procedures for overseas voters to register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot. It also requires that ballots must be printed and available to these voters within 45 days of the election.

The bill also makes it easier to vote absentee by opening up special voting centers for a brief period prior to the election. One provision also removes the current requirement that you must have an excuse for voting absentee. We understand you are busy with your children, work and travel. Sometimes you just don’t have time on Election Day and it would just be easier to get it over ahead of time.

The final version of the bill would become effective upon voter approval of a constitutional amendment. Once again, we are allowing YOU to decide.

If you have problems, questions or wish to express concern over an issue, please do not hesitate to contact me or my Legislator Assistant, Jonathan, at my Capitol office either by phone 573-751-9801 or by e-mail at Marilyn{dot}Ruestman{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov.

Schaefer: Preserving Education Funds, Update on Bills to Ban K2

With only four weeks remaining in the legislative session, the Missouri Senate is hard at work debating budget issues and bills before the May 14 adjournment.

During the budget debate this week, I worked hard to preserve money for Missouri education programs. The Senate restored cuts made to higher education, and provided enough money to preserve the freeze on undergraduate, in-state tuition. We also restored $37.4 million in cuts to fully fund the Career Ladder program, which compensates teachers for taking on afterschool activities.

I also introduced funding for a new program into the FY2011 Missouri budget (beginning on July 1, 2010) that gained Senate approval. This funding would provide for a smoking cessation pilot program, costing approximately $8 million, available for Missouri residents currently on Medicaid. This program would help save the state money in Medicaid costs, and would promote healthy lifestyles in Missouri.

Legislative Action

On Tuesday, Senate Bill 1040 was heard in Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment Committee. This bill deals with environmental remediation statutes for dry-cleaning facilities. Under current law, payments into the Dry-Cleaning Environmental Response Trust Fund expire on August 12, 2012.  My bill would extend the expiration date to August 28, 2022.

Senate Bill 884, which would ban spice cannabinoids, also known as "K2", has also been placed on the Senate Formal Calendar for final consideration. Additionally, House Bill 1472, which I am handling in the Senate for Representative Ward Franz, has been placed on the Senate informal calendar to be third read and finally passed. This bill is also similar to Senate Bill 884.

Capitol Visitors

Because April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, representatives from the University of Missouri-Columbia visited Jefferson City to advocate ParentLink. ParentLink provides parenting information, materials, and other resources to strengthen Missouri's families. I appreciate their work tremendously, and thank them for supporting Missouri's children and families.


Left: Richard and Mrs. Ewing with Senator Schaefer; Right: Byron Hill with Senator Schaefer

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of presenting two outstanding individuals for gubernatorial appointments:  Richard Ewing as a member of the Missouri Family Trust Board of Trustees, and Byron Hill as a member of the Missouri Workforce Investment Board.

In addition, I met with LeAnn Lowery and occupational therapy students from Columbia. I hope they enjoyed their day at the Capitol.

Senator Schaefer with occupational therapy students from Columbia.

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 involving state government, please contact my office.

Keaveny: How to Find Your Unclaimed Property

How would you like to find $360? That’s the average amount one in ten Missourians have waiting for them in the unclaimed property account, located within the Missouri State Treasurer’s office.

You can think of the Unclaimed Property office as Missouri’s largest lost and found. According to the state treasurer, unclaimed property consists of cash from bank accounts, stocks, bonds and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned. Abandoned property is defined as property for which there have been no documented transactions or contact with the owners in five or more years. Other types of unclaimed property include uncollected insurance policy proceeds, government refunds, utility deposits and wages from past jobs. The Unclaimed Property Division does not handle real property such as land, houses, cars and boats.

When companies cannot reach the owner of these types of property within five years, it is state law for the company to turn the amount over to the state treasurer’s office. That office doesn’t hold on to the property forever, such as in the case of safety deposit boxes, and they occasionally host an auction and hold the money in an account listed under the person’s name.

The website www.showmemoney.com allows you to search the database of unclaimed property by name. You can also call them by phone at (573) 751-0123 or write them at Missouri State Treasurer's Office, Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 1004,
Jefferson City, MO 65102. There is no time limit for filing claims, and if you do find unclaimed property, you’ll just need to provide the necessary documentation. The office can also put you in touch with the other states that have unclaimed property holdings.

Please note that the process is entirely free. The treasurer’s office would never charge a fee or require a deposit or credit card information to locate unclaimed property.

So what are you waiting for? Find out if you have any money waiting for you or someone you know. You’ll be glad you did.

Nance: Career Ladder Restored, Prevent Bullying

Many of you have contacted my office regarding Career Ladder funding.  A controversial cut made by the Senate Appropriations Committee has been restored and Missouri teachers performing extra duties for extra pay will get their money. This program provides funding to approximately 19,000 teachers. Teachers who participate agree to do extra duties for additional money. The full Senate has reinstated the program, but only for one year.  SCS HB 2002, the budget bill that funds public education is one that I believe the state had a moral obligation to fund and ensure the teachers get paid. The teachers undertook to do work under the Career Ladder program before they ever knew that there would not be funding for that program.

We just passed a bill that makes cyber-bullying a crime HB 1543. In 2006 HCS HB 2008; 1218; 1062 was passed requiring school districts to have anti-bullying policies. District policy shall be founded on the assumption that all students need a safe learning environment. "Policies shall treat students equally and shall not contain specific lists of protected classes of students who are to receive special treatment. Policies may include age appropriate differences for schools based on the grade levels at the school. Each such policy shall contain a statement of the consequences of bullying." (Section 160.775) As you can see, everyone is to be treated equally under the law.

If you believe your child is being bullied, contact the school immediately.

I want everyone in the District to know I am available for any questions on any votes on bills or legislation being considered. If you have any concerns about any legislation, my number is 550-0101. If you have a bill number it would be helpful.

Friday

Grab a quick bite and learn how Citizens for Missouri's Children is working to support Missouri's children this 2010 legislative session. The event is Friday, April 23, 2010 at The Elms Hotel

For more information or to register, contact Julie Leicht at 314.878.5022 or jleicht{at}mokids{dot}org