With state legislators on both sides of the aisle introducing bills to reform the way they do business in Jefferson City, Gov. Jay Nixon has drawn a line in the sand on what he says “must” be in a bill next year.

“Meaningful ethics reform must begin with contribution limits, but it cannot end there,” Nixon wrote today in a letter to members of the General Assembly.

In 1994, 74 percent of Missouri voters approved a statewide ballot initiative that set limits on campaign contributions.

In 2008, the Republican-controlled General Assembly repealed campaign contributions on the last day of the session and then-Gov. Matt Blunt signed the bill into law.

The repeal on contribution limits opened up the floodgates to large sums of money flowing into the campaign coffers of politicians on both sides of the aisle — including Nixon — just in time for the November 2008 general election.

“No effort to reform the ethical culture of public service in this state — or the ethical stature of those of us who live that service day in and day out — can be true to the manifest will of those we serve unless it reinstates the previous limits on campaign contributions and closes the loopholes that would render them meaningless,” Nixon wrote in the letter.

Under the previous law, individual contributors were limited to giving $1,375 to statewide candidate, $675 for Senate candidate and $325 for House candidates. Many contributors would attempt circumvent the limits by making donations to legislative district committees, which would in turn funnel the money to the candidate’s committee.

The Democratic governor also is advocating for lawmakers to ban non-candidate political action committees from passing donations to other non-candidate committees.

The practice makes it almost impossible to trace the original source of the money, making it a form of legalized money laundering.

Nixon also wants to see a ban on current members being able to work as paid campaign consultants for fellow legislators. This proposed reform, which is being sought by Republicans and Democrats, is mostly in response to former House Speaker Rod Jetton running a consulting business while being in charge of deciding the fate of legislation.

“Simple common sense demands that the practice of one elected official paying another elected official for ‘political advice’ be outlawed completely and forever,” Nixon wrote.

Nixon also would like to close the so-called “revolving door” that allows lawmakers to immediately become lobbyists after leaving office.

The former attorney general noted state law already prohibits certain executive branch officers who leave state government “from returning to lobby in their former areas of responsibility for a reasonable period.”

Legislators have already included these reform proposals in various bills that have been pre-filed in December. Other lawmakers have proposed strengthening the penalty for violating campaign finance laws, banning gifts and meals from lobbyists and giving the Missouri Ethics Commission more enforcement power.

Nixon ended his letter by saying that a “consensus on these key reforms already has formed, and, therefore, they should be the foundation of our efforts.”

The 2010 legislative session begins at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Somebody had to start the process. A Columbia woman is the one who has made it possible for a petition campaign to put early voting on the ballot next year. .

Former state League of Women Voters President Jo Sapp filed the petition with the Secretary of State after watching the issue get tied up in partisan politics in the last legislative session and hearing various groups talk about the need to get an early voting law passed. Majority Republicans refused to back early voting unless Democrats dropped their opposition to voter photo ID proposals. The stalemate killed both bills.

The Secretary of State has approved Sapp’s petition for circulation, giving groups a specific proposal to consider running with. She hopes groups promoting early voting in the past will organize around the petition and gain signatures needed to put the issue on the ballot.

Sapp’s petition would allow no-excuse early voting from 17 days before an election until the weekend before election day. She says Missouri is kind of an island on his issue. “As I understand it, all of the states surrounding Missouri have early voting one way or another,” she says.

She says she’s confident citizen groups will pick up the petition and circulate it. Whoever circulates the petitions has to get tens of thousands of signatures by next May 2nd.

link to the petition at the MO SOS

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KWMU) – Several new laws affecting motorists in Missouri take effect tomorrow.

The one garnering the most attention is the ban on texting-while-driving for drivers age 21 and under.

Lt. John Hotz with the Missouri State Highway Patrol says the new law is aimed at the young, inexperienced driver.

“We know that they are overrepresented in the number of crashes that they are involved in, as it is…and if we can do something to take away just one more source of distraction from those young drivers, then we can hopefully reduce the number of crashes they’re involved in,” Hotz said.

Drivers 21 and under caught texting while driving can be fined up to $200 and have two points added to their driving record.

via KWMU: New laws take effect in Mo. Friday (2009-08-27).

2009 Legislative Highlights

May 18, 2009

In this issue:

I. What we accomplished together

II. Biggest loss this session

III. Legislative “Heroes”

IV. Our work isn’t done: where do we go from here?

I. What we accomplished together:

At a time of great need, together we enhanced Unemployment Benefits, helping more than 260,000 Missouri families:

The Missouri Budget Project worked in partnership with you to advance HB 1075 (Sponsored by Representative Barney Fisher, R-District 125) and SB 495 (Sponsored by Senator John Griesheimer, R-District 26). In addition, Representative Vicki Lorenz Englund, D-District 85, sponsored a critical amendment to HB 1075 that brought essential changes to the legislation. These legislators worked tirelessly on this important measure. On the final day of session the legislature worked in a bi-partisan manner to pass HB 1075. Missouri’s unemployment rate reached 8.7 percent in March, making this a critical bill for hundreds of thousands of Missourians.

More than 261,000 unemployed Missouri workers will be helped by this legislation that:

* Increases the Unemployment insurance benefit by $25 per week for all workers in the current year. This is fully federally funded and will bring an estimated $122 mil in federal funds to Missouri
* Provides an additional 13 – 20 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for an estimated 34,479 Missourians who are facing long-term unemployment due to the recession. This benefit is also fully federally funded and will bring an estimated $130 mil to Missouri in extended benefits.

Together we advanced state budget priorities and the appropriate use of Federal Economic Recovery Funding:

Faced with proposed significant budget cuts to vital services at the start of the legislative session, together we were able to convince the legislature to invest Federal Economic Recovery funding into critical budgetary priorities including mental health, child care and services for seniors. Together we were able to prevent an attempt to divert $1 billion of the federal economic recovery funding for a short-sighted tax cut.

Because of our work, together we were able to:

* Restore much funding for critical mental health services,
* Protect child care assistance from reductions,
* Protect an array of services for seniors including congregate and in-home meals.

Tens of thousands of Missourians will be helped by these measures.

The Missouri Legislature approved:

* House Bills 1 – 13 (the annual operating budget) utilizing $783 million in federal recovery funding,
* House Bill 21 utilizing $2.5 billion in federal recovery funding, and
* House Bill 22 utilizing $381 million in federal recovery funding.

The MBP is working to finalize a report with more details on the full content of these bills.

All of these budget bills are on the Governor’s desk. He has the power to veto line items in the budget, but he may not add money to any line item.

Together we prevented bills that would deteriorate Missouri’s revenue and harm Missouri families (TABOR & HJR 36):

Together we once again prevented passage of a TABOR bill in Missouri. The measure would create the strictest constitutional constraint on revenue, limit the State’s ability to invest in services such as transportation, education and health care, and tie Missouri’s future fiscal health to the current fiscal crisis.

In addition, we successfully faced and prevented a new threat in 2009: HJR 36. This measure would eliminate Missouri’s corporate and individual income tax and replace it with a much enhanced, expanded sales tax. Estimates by the MBP indicate that the state would need to increase the general revenue sales tax rate from 3 percent to 9 percent for the measure to be “revenue neutral”. The enhanced sales tax would have been applied to all services and purchases including food, prescription drugs and over the counter medication, child care, educational services and nursing facilities. With exemption of any services or purchasing, an even higher tax rate would be needed.

II. Biggest loss this session: Health Care

The largest defeat this session was the failure of the Legislature to pass restoration of Medicaid eligibility for 35,000 very low income parents with incomes between 20 – 50 percent of the federal poverty level (or an income of $292 – $763) per month. In an attempt to encourage bi-partisan action on increasing access to health care, Senator Tom Dempsey, District 23, proposed SB 306, the “Show-Me Health Plan”. In the final days of the legislative session, Senator Dempsey worked tirelessly with other Senate Leaders including Senators Engler and Shields to incorporate language that the Missouri Budget Project requested in order to support the measure.

The Substitute for HB306 passed by the House was drastically different from the Senate-passed version. Although House and Senate conferees were appointed, it was apparent that the House and Senate would not come to an agreement, and SB306 was not taken up.

In a last ditch effort on the last day of the session, parts of SB306 were amended to HB156 (Nance), which provided supplemental food stamps for elderly persons. The Senate passed the Senate Substitute for HB156 and sent it back to the House. Unfortunately, the House leadership failed to bring up this bi-partisan measure endorsed by the Senate and the Governor, which would have provided health care to 35,000 low income families at NO cost to the State.

Another loss in health care was the failure of the General Assembly to approve funding for the Governor’s proposal to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Ideology and partisanship took precedence over the health care needs of Missouri’s children and families in 2009.

III. Legislative “Heroes”

Unemployment Heroes:

The Missouri Budget Project commends Representative Barney Fisher, Senator John Griesheimer, and Representative Vicki Lorenz Englund, , for their tireless efforts to pass the Unemployment Benefits legislation.

Budget Heroes:

The Missouri Budget Project commends Representatives Kiki Curls and Chris Kelly and Senators Nodler, Bray, Green, Mayer and Rupp for their tireless efforts to bring compassion to the Missouri budget. Representatives Bringer, Curls, Harris, Hughes, Lampe, McClanahan, Morris and Storch were strong advocates in the House Appropriations process, as was Representative Silvey on the SCHIP issue

Health Care Heroes:

The Missouri Budget Project commends Senate Republican Leadership, particularly Senators Engler, Shields and Dempsey for their tireless efforts to enhance access to health care for low income Missourians, and their willingness to move beyond party lines to support Medicaid. In addition, the Missouri Budget Project commends House and Senate Democrats who continued to fight for Medicaid Restoration.. Finally, the MBP commends Representatives Silvey, Hoskins, Largent, and Wasson for their willingness to support Medicaid in HB 11, despite the House Republican leadership’s opposition.

Please help us thank these legislative heroes for their efforts!

IV. Our work isn’t done; where do we go from here?

The Missouri Budget Project is discussing how we can best continue our collective work on health care and budget issues prior to the next legislative session. Our work to advance access to health care for parents and children will continue. With the economic recession, growing number of unemployed families and growing number of uninsured, we believe the time is now to advance health care access to Missouri. Missouri families simply can not wait any longer for access to health care.

The federal economic recovery money softened the blow that Missouri’s budget could have been dealt this year. That federal money is temporary. The Missouri Budget Project believes that it is critically important that policy makers address the structural deficit in Missouri’s budget, and find ways to raise adequate income to meet critical needs in a way that is fair and equitable. We simply cannot continue to short change education, health care, mental health and other services in order to balance the budget.

For more information regarding the issues in this update, please contact one of the MBP staff:

Amy Blouin, Executive Director

314.652.1400 (office) 314.518.8867 (cell), ablouin@mobudget.org

Ruth R. Ehresman, Director of Health & Budgetary Policy

314.652.1400 (office) 314 504.3616 (cell), rehresman@mobudget.org

Tom Kruckemeyer, Chief Economist

573.636.2581, tkruckemeyer@mobudget.org

Heather Lasher Todd, Communications Director

314.652.1400 (office), hlashertodd@mobudget.org

Missouri House Speaker Ron Richard and House Budget Chairman Allen Icet announced on Thursday, April 23 that they are redirecting their plan for the State of Missouri to spend Federal Stabilization/Stimulus Funds. A new bill filed by them does not currently include transit funding for Metro.

Previously on April 14, Budget Chairman Icet, with the support of Speaker Ron Richard, introduced HB 20 which allocated $20 million to Metro from the Federal Budget Stabilization Fund.

“We’re very concerned with the impact on jobs that the reduction in the transportation system would cause,” said Rep. Icet. “We’re trying to step up to reach out to Metro on a one-time basis to help them get to where they need to be next year they can become a self-sustaining system.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 04/15/09]

The service reductions Metro was forced to implement on March 30, 2009 affected thousands in the St. Louis region.  With this unexpected turn of events, Metro will be unable to restore access to jobs, schools, businesses and transit services for the elderly and disabled.

Metro will continue to fight for our riders’ access to transit.  If you are concerned about the state of public transit in the St. Louis region, the leadership of the State of Missouri needs to hear from you.  Now is the time show your support for emergency state transit funding.

Missouri House Speaker, Ron Richard – ronald.richard@house.mo.gov
(573)751-2173

Missouri House Budget Chairman, Allen Icet – allen.icet@house.mo.gov
(573)751-1247

Missouri Senate Appropriations Chairman, Gary Nodler -
gary_nodler@senate.mo.gov
(573)751-2306

Please call these folks and let them know that Mass Transit is vital to the region.

Keith Tubbs
St. Louis Young Democrats Political Chair
Young Democrats of Missouri Committeeman

Conservatives are running $1 million in ads, starting today, to crush the public health insurance option¹—the heart of Obama’s health care plan. And they’ve promised to spend tens of millions more.²

To win against the powerful insurance lobby, we’ll need to be everywhere. Hundreds of thousands of MoveOn members have already made calls, signed petitions, faxed Congress, rallied at events—and we’ll even run our own ads soon—all in support of the public health insurance option.

But with the insurance industry in all-out attack mode, we now need to go even further. Can you drop by your senator’s local office today or tomorrow to tell him or her to stand up for a public health insurance option that would guarantee coverage and reduce costs by up to 30%?³

Here’s the office closest to you (or at least we hope so; see the P.S. for other options):

Sen. Claire McCaskill’s District Office
5850 A Delmar Boulevard
St. Louis, MO

Click here to print out your flier and let us know you’re going:

New Policy Goes Into Effect June 30th

ST. LOUIS, MO, April 17, 2009 – The Special Administrative Board of the St. Louis Public Schools voted unanimously (3-0) in closed session last evening to remove the deed restriction clause currently included in all property sales contracts. This policy goes into effect on June 30, 2009, to allow the district ample time to evaluate the facility needs for the upcoming school year in light of several new academic initiatives presented at the meeting by Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams.

Among those issues are:

· Assessing the required classrooms and schools needed for initiatives, such as pilot independent schools, before and after school programs, and alternative education programs which are included in Superintendent Dr. Kelvin Adams’ academic plan for the district.

· Providing alternate school sites for buildings undergoing lead paint abatement during the summer of 2009.

“We have worked with our elected leaders at the state capital in resolving this issue, and we appreciate their support in finding a resolution where we can enhance the education for all of our City students,” said Rick Sullivan, President & CEO of the Special Administrative Board.

The deed restriction has been a long standing issue from past school boards, and it was determined by the Special Administrative Board to be in the best interest of student education in St. Louis to revisit and revise the policy.

State Representative Tim Jones (R-89) said, “I appreciate the willingness of the St. Louis Public Schools to revisit this policy. I believe that by working together, we have reached a solution satisfactory to all parties for the betterment of education for the children in the City of St. Louis.”

State Representative Chris Carter (D-61) added, “I support the Special Administrative Board in this decision that will help make our neighborhoods stronger. This decision allows the St. Louis Public Schools to do what it believes is in the best interest of all the students in the City of St. Louis.”

The House of Representatives on April16 approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would eliminate Missouri’s income tax and replace it with a higher sales tax. The measure went to the Senate on a 90-65 vote.

The individual and corporate income taxes currently account for the bulk of state general revenue collections. HJR 36 would eliminate those taxes but bump the state sales tax to 5.11 percent from the current 4.225 percent. Although it would be just a modest percentage-point increase, the scope of the tax would be greatly expanded to apply to services, which currently aren’t subject to the sales tax, in addition to goods. Supporters say the expansion of the sales tax base would generate revenue sufficient to replace the income tax.

Supporters also say the sales tax is a fairer method of taxation and harder to avoid paying than the income tax. Opponents say it would shift the tax burden to the poor. They also contend the replacement sales tax rate would be far too low to cover the lost income tax revenue, resulting in massive cuts to government services.

And thank you for our State Reps who voted NO on this bill: Rep. Colona, Rep. Kratky, Rep. Mott-Oxford. Let’s hope it gets lost in the Senate…

via Senate Newsroom

Senate Advances $22.3 Billion FY 2010 Budget

Health Care Coverage Bill Moves to House

JEFFERSON CITY-With a constitutional deadline some three weeks away, the fiscal year 2010 budget was the primary order of business for the Missouri Senate this week.

The Senate altered 12 of the 13 budget bills, which will likely be sent to a conference committee consisting of both Senate and House members. The conference committee is charged with working out the differences between the two chambers, before it sends the negotiated version back to the House, and then to the Senate, for final approval.

The Senate’s version of the 13 budget bills in total account for an approximately $23.2 billion operating budget for the upcoming 2010 fiscal year, which runs July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010.

Education funding was one of the Senate’s priorities, with a $63 million increase for the K-12 public school foundation formula, as well as a $60 million increase in one-time funding to Missouri ‘s four-year colleges and universities. Health care coverage was another focus as the Senate set aside nearly $147 million to provide health insurance to the uninsured.

The General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass the budget this year by 6 p.m., Friday, May 8.

Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on the FY 2010 budget.

Also this week, the Senate gave a first-round vote of approval to SB 363 , sponsored by Sen. John Griesheimer (R-Washington). The measure allows Missouri auto dealers to title and register the vehicles and trailers they sell and lease. The dealers would also be able to collect and submit sales tax on vehicles.

Another provision of the bill puts into law the governor’s policy of awarding fee office contracts through a competitive bidding process.

Also receiving initial approval was SB 376 , sponsored by Sen. Brad Lager (R-Savannah), which creates the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act. The bill requires the Public Service Commission (PSC) to allow electric companies to implement and recover costs related to PSC-approved energy efficiency programs. It also allows eligible energy customers to opt out of their electric company’s energy efficiency program and not be charged for the associated costs.

Additionally, the bill requires utilities to annually report on their energy efficiency activities and list separately the costs associated with these programs on their customers’ bills.

Both SB 363 and 376 need one more Senate vote before moving to the House for approval.

The Senate also gave several final votes this week, sending Senate Bill 207 , sponsored by Sen. Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville), to the House. The legislation requires businesses to notify Missourians when their personal or financial information has been compromised. Businesses would be required to disclose the type of information that was violated, discuss the steps being taken to protect further breaches and provide them with advice and contact information.

Senate Bill 306 , sponsored by Sen. Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles), also moves to the House after a final passing Senate vote. The legislation establishes the Show-Me Health Coverage Plan, which provides health care coverage through the private insurance market to 35,000 low-income Missourians. Funding for the plan would come from federal funds and existing hospital tax dollars and participation would be capped at five years. Eligibility requirements for the plan could potentially expand down the road to include another 200,000 Missourians.

Senate Bill 453 , sponsored by Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter), earned a second Senate vote. The bill changes the school funding formula so that money received from the repeal of casino loss limits, passed last November by Missouri voters, will go to students in Missouri classrooms. The bill would allow the funds to be disbursed more effectively through the existing Classroom Trust Fund.

Legislation sponsored by Sen. David Pearce (R-Warrensburg) also moves to the House. Senate Bill 542 expands eligibility for the state treasurer’s Linked Loan Deposit Program and removes the current cap on investment returns through community banks.

House committees held hearings this week on SB 141, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Smith (D-St. Louis), and SB 93 , sponsored by Sen. Tim Green (D-St. Louis). The House Special Standing Committee on General Laws Committee heard SB 141, which helps protect presumed fathers from false paternity. Senate Bill 93, which establishes a drunken driving risk reduction awareness program involving signs being placed at the scene of drunken driving accidents, was heard in the House Crime Prevention Committee.

The Missouri Senate will reconvene at 4 p.m. Monday, April 20, 2009. The First Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly will run through Friday, May 15, 2009.

The Missouri Senate General Column is written on a weekly basis. To follow these and other issues being addressed by the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov . Visitors can track legislation as it passes through the General Assembly, learn more about their Senate district, and listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens.

via Senate Newsroom:

Senate Gives First Nod to College Scholarship Expansion Measure

Senate Appropriations Committee Passes 13 FY 2010 Budget Bills

JEFFERSON CITY-Senators delved into two of the most controversial bills of the session this week, debating the power plant and economic development measures for a combined 20+ hours on the Senate floor. Though these two issues dominated discussion this week, the Senate gave first-round approval to a bill that would expand college scholarships, and the Senate Appropriations Committee passed all 13 budget bills for the coming fiscal year.

Senate Bill 558 , sponsored by Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter), received a preliminary vote of approval from the Senate on Monday. The measure would expand the scholarships available to high school students planning to attend community college, or technical or vocational school by creating the Missouri Promise Program.

The bill extends the current A+ Schools scholarship program to all eligible high school students and would no longer require program participation through an A+ designated high school. The legislation would also provide funding for an additional two years for qualifying graduates who go on to a four-year public university.

To be eligible for the scholarship program, students must attend a Missouri public high school for at least three years prior to graduation and have at least a 2.5 GPA, show a good faith effort to secure other sources of funding, be enrolled full-time at a public community college or public or private vocational or technical school, and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA while receiving the scholarship. Students striving for a scholarship beyond a two-year degree would be required to have a minimum 3.0 GPA. All scholarship recipients must avoid disciplinary issues to maintain the award. Another Senate vote sends SB 558 to the House for similar consideration

Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on SB 558.

The Senate Appropriations Committee this week passed all 13 of the budget bills (House Bills 1-13) for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1, 2010. The bills could be brought to the Senate floor as early as next week. The General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass this year’s budget by May 8

Several amendments were offered to SB 228 , sponsored by Sen. Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City), during debate Tuesday afternoon and evening. The complex measure would determine if utilities can pass off the costs of building a new power plant to customers through increased rates prior to the plant producing energy, essentially repealing the state’s current construction work in progress law (CWIP). The law bans investor-owned utilities from charging customers for costs associated with building a new power plant before the facility goes online. One amendment successfully added to the bill exempts seniors 65 and older and the disabled earning less than $40,000 a year from having to contribute to the building costs.

Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on SB 228.

The Senate brought the House version of the comprehensive economic development measure to the floor on Wednesday, with debate going well into the night. House Bill 191 would expand the Quality Jobs Act and create a variety of other tax credit programs.

Also debated this week was SB 572 , sponsored by Sen. Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles) and Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City). The measure creates the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment authority to create, attract, and enhance new and existing science and innovation companies in the state and make Missouri attractive for science and innovation research, development, and commercialization.

Senate Bill 549 , sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale), which establishes a MO HealthNet data transparency program, received a first-round passing Senate vote on Wednesday. The program would require MO HealthNet to provide data about plan participants (in line with federal medical privacy laws) via its website that would be available to the general public.

Also receiving a preliminary passing Senate vote on Wednesday was SB 538 , sponsored by Sen. Norma Champion (R-Springfield). The measure puts into law the current practice of granting a monthly personal needs allowance to residents in long-term care facilities. It creates a formula for increasing the current $30 per year allowance annually, starting in 2010, by no more than $5 a year until the allowance reaches $50 a year. Beyond that, the allowance may be increased only upon annual appropriation.

A bill establishing the Joint Interim Committee on the Public School Retirement System (PSRS) of Missouri received an initial vote of approval from the Senate on Thursday. Senate Bill 383 , sponsored by Sen. Dempsey, establishes the committee to study issues during the legislative interim including contribution rates by employers and members, long-term solvency of the PSRS and issues affecting other state retirement systems that may similarly impact PSRS.

Senate Bill 71 , sponsored by Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton), earned a final passing Senate vote on Thursday. The legislation creates an income tax credit equal to 50 percent of the amount of an eligible donation made, on or after January 1, 2010, to a qualifying developmental disability care provider.

Senate Bill 430 , sponsored by Sen. Jeff Smith (D-St. Louis), was passed by the Senate Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee this week. The measure seeks to create environmentally sustainable practices, such as requiring that any appliance purchased with any portion of state funds be Energy Star-certified and requiring that any state building constructed, significantly renovated or acquired by a lease be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as meeting the silver rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system. Public college and university buildings are exempt from the proposed statute.

The measure also creates an income tax deduction for the purchase of qualified hybrid motor vehicles. Missourians who purchase these vehicles for their own use may deduct either $2,000 or 10 percent of the purchase price from their taxes, whichever is less.

Senate Bill 283 was passed by the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee this week. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis), would prohibit health carriers from imposing co-pay amounts that exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any single health care service.

Receiving a hearing in the Senate General Laws Committee this week was SB 53 , sponsored by Sen. Rita Heard Days (D-St. Louis). The bill allows adopted individuals who were born in Missouri and are age 18 or older to obtain copies of their original birth certificate. However, they must agree in writing that they will abide by the birth parents’ contact preference, if that preference is included with the birth certificate. Adopted individuals would also be able to receive a medical history form with their birth certificate, if one is available.

Also receiving a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee was Senate Joint Resolution 14 , sponsored by Sen. Yvonne Wilson (D-Kansas City). The measure would put a proposed constitutional amendment before the voters that if passed, would allow for the creation of discrete tax-free or reduced tax geographic zones for the purpose of promoting economic development in those areas.

And finally, this week the governor signed the General Assembly’s $312 million supplemental spending bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2009, which ends June 30, 2009. House Bill 14 received the governor’s signature on Tuesday.

The Missouri Senate will reconvene in full at 12 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 2009. The First Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly will run through Friday, May 15, 2009.

via KWMU: Photo ID resolution passes Mo. House committee (2009-04-07).

A State House committee has passed a resolution that would require Missouri voters to present photo identification and make other changes to voting laws.

The sponsor, State Representative Stanley Cox (R, Sedalia), says in addition to requiring photo I.D.’s, the resolution would make it easy for those who don’t have one to get one.

“It provides you, if you can’t afford it, a photo I.D., the non-driver’s license (I.D.), for people who don’t have one free of charge,” Cox said.

Cox also says there would be exemptions for some voters, including the elderly.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan opposes the resolution.

She says it would disenfranchise more than 200,000 voters in Missouri.

“And it goes even further by narrowing the acceptable absentee voting rules, which would have a big impact on disabled folks who are now on a permanent absentee list, and (it) also would restrict military voters from having the certainty of getting their ballots back by Election Day,” Carnahan said.

But Cox insists that current absentee law would be included into the proposed photo I-D constitutional amendment.

If it passes the General Assembly, it would be placed on the November 2010 ballot.

via Stltoday.com

HJR 23 has a Hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee TOMORROW,

Wednesday, April 8, 2009, Upon Morning Adjournment

Senate Committee Room 1

HJR 23, a TABOR-like bill, would create an additional constitutional revenue/spending lid in Missouri that would permanently tie Missouri to the current fiscal crisis and deteriorate Missouri ’s ability to fund basic services. The bill was changed slightly in the House. The largest change was the permanent tax reduction resulting when the revenue hits the “TABOR” lid was changed to a temporary tax reduction. The bill however is still TABOR and would still have very damaging impacts on Missouri ’s ability to fund services and invest in education and infrastructure. (See attached talking points for more information).

We need Your Help to secure a “no” vote in the Committee. Please Testify or Submit Written Testimony to the Senate Ways & Means Committee members. Ask that they vote NO on HJR 23- TABOR.

Committee Members:

Senator Vogel: carl_vogel@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-2076

Senator Lembke: Jim.lembke@senate.mo.gov 573-751-2315

Senator Bartle: matt_bartle@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1464

Senator Bray: jbray@senate.mo.gov 573-751-2514

Senator Lager: Brad.Lager@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1415

Senator Purgason: chuck.purgason@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1882
Senator Schmitt: Eric.schmitt@senate.mo.gov 573-751-2853

Senator Jones: Robin.jones@senate.mo.gov 573-751-2606

When lawmakers return the week of April 20, they’re sure to face a fight over whether to make it easier for workers to unionize. The “Employee Free Choice Act” would allow employees to join a union if a majority of workers sign a card signifying their intent to do so.

It would also provide other workers’ rights. Critics say the legislation, which is often referred to as “card check,” would eliminate the secret ballot for union elections, making it easier for labor groups to intimidate workers. They also say more power for the unions would hurt business at a time when the economy is suffering. Backers say an empowered work force will increase wages and raise the standard of living for many workers.

A similar bill passed the House in 2007 but stalled in the Senate. This time it is once again expected to have enough votes to pass the House easily, but getting the 60 votes it needs to overcome a possible filibuster in the Senate could be difficult. One big difference between now and last time: President Barack Obama supports the measure; George W. Bush didn’t.

Sunday, April 5, 2009, 6:38 PM

By Steve Walsh

The State Senate takes another stab, this week, at passing SB 45 – the huge economic development bill that has stalled in the chamber. A revised version, with the Quality Jobs component of the legislation intact, hits the floor this week

Senator Brad Lager (R-Savannah) is taking the lead on this newest version of the legislation, saying it addresses the controversial issue of caps and sunsets for tax credits.

via Missourinet: Senate readies for another attempt to pass economic development bill.

Today the Senate gave final approval to Senate Bill 141, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Smith (D-St. Louis), which protects men from false paternity. The bill has now moved to the House.

A presumed father would be able to challenge paternity if new evidence exists—such as a DNA test—that did not when paternity was originally assigned.

If a DNA test reveals the man is not the father, the court is required to relieve him of responsibility and set aside the previous judgment of paternity and his child support commitment. The court must also eliminate remaining child support payments, expunge any criminal non-support records, and order the Department of Health and Senior Services to modify the child’s birth certificate.

Anti-Historic Tax Credit Gang Lacking Consistent Records

Here’s what some Missouri state senators are saying about the successful state historic rehabilitation tax credit that they are trying to destroy (the Senate will take up one proposal today):

“Tall hogs don’t like to move off the trough. This process will move the tall hogs off the trough.” –Senator Matt Bartle (R) quoted in the Columbia Tribune (March 12, 2009)

“Why is it that tax credits only benefit big businesses when most Missourians work for small businesses?” –Senator Jason Crowell (R) quoted in the Kansas City Star (March 24, 2009)

Do they think we have short memories in Missouri?

The Missouri Senate has set aside a bill that would make it illegal to coerce a woman into having an abortion, after a group of Democratic senators launched a filibuster Monday.

Joan Bray of St. Louis, one of the senators who led the filibuster, says there are no statistics about women being coerced into having abortions.

“This is something that’s just been dreamed up across the country and in various states to put another hurdle in the way of getting a safe, legal procedure,” Bray said.

Senators Jeff Smith (D, St. Louis) and Jolie Justus (D, Kansas City) also participated in the filibuster.

via KWMU: Mo. Senate sets aside abortion coercion bill (2009-03-24).

from Congress.org

Following President Barack Obama’s call for more volunteerism and public service, Congress is considering a bill this week that would encourage national service. H.R. 1388, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education (GIVE) Act, would more than triple the number of positions in the Americorps program, from 75,000 to 250,000, and would increase educational stipends and other financial awards for people of all generations who enter public service programs.

A huge budget battle is shaping up in the Missouri Legislature. House Budget Chairman Allen Icet, R-Chesterfield, has proposed deep funding cuts to social services, health, mental health, corrections and other essential programs in budget bills recently filed. The bills shift general revenue dollars away from education, replacing them with federal recovery package funds.

The Legislature already was operating under circumstances not for the faint of heart.

As Gov. Matt Blunt’s term ended and Gov. Jay Nixon moved into the helm in January, the Office of Administration projected that the state could face a $342 million deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30. This would force the new governor to make substantial mid-year cuts since a balanced budget is required by the Missouri Constitution.

Balancing the state budget may seem like a Sudoku puzzle to many, a matter of trying different figures until the math problem is solved. But beneath the numbers, every budget is a moral document, reflecting our deepest values. Our revenue and expenditures should meet human needs, promote the common good and reflect honesty and accountability.

The budget crisis before us offers stark choices. We can slash state spending to care for our most vulnerable citizens or we can look for creative

alternatives that will improve the quality of our life together. It is time for serious discussion of the Tax Justice for a Healthy Missouri income-tax revision plan put forward by Missourians for Tax Justice (House Bill 567 and Senate Bill 300) and supported by The Long Spoons Coalition of People of Faith. Fair taxation means that we all contribute our fair share to the common good, and Missouri’s very regressive income tax system is a complete failure in that regard. The proposed legislation would:

— Modernize the outdated tax brackets. Missouri’s top tax bracket of $9,000 was set in 1931 and has never changed.

— Reduce taxes paid on average for the 60 percent of Missourians with the lowest incomes. This is done, in part, through a refundable tax credit of $150 per household member, phasing out between $30,000 and $50,000 per year for singles and between $60,000 and $80,000 per married couple filing jointly.

— Work toward creating an overall fairer tax system in which middle- and low-income Missourians aren’t asked to pay more as a percentage of their income in taxes than the wealthiest Missourians.

— Produce more than a billion dollars in new state revenue to provide for our state’s essential needs.

Even in better economic times, the general response of Missouri legislators is to ask “who do you want us to cut?” when citizens come to testify to appropriations committees about the many unmet needs in our state. Given this history, without vigorous outcry by the Missouri public, the budget that the Legislature will pass in May probably will focus on cuts and line items frozen at the previous level. Flat-level funding in reality is a cut.

To his credit, in his State-of-the-State address, Gov. Nixon has proposed increases in funding for public schools, partial restoration of health care cuts that were made four years ago and shielding state colleges and universities from funding cuts. The governor also proposes deep reductions in some areas. While we appreciate the care his staff has taken to look for the least harmful places to cut, we are concerned about the chronic understaffing that has plagued many of Missouri’s essential services for years under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

We are concerned about the more than 700,000 Missourians without health care, veterans who are homeless, low-wage workers without affordable child care and neighbors with mental illness who are incarcerated instead of receiving services through community mental-health programs. Shouldn’t we address these needs through an income tax system that is modern, fair and adequate?

In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama called for a new era of responsibility and reminded us of the price and promise of citizenship. In Missouri, that includes a serious discussion of our state’s budgetary needs to find a moral way to help each other and improve the quality of our common life. The current financial crisis demands that we wait no longer. Now is the time.

State Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, D-St. Louis, is sponsor of the Tax Justice for a Healthy Missouri income-tax revision plan.

The Rev. John Bennett is outreach coordinator of Missouri IMPACT, an ecumenical and interfaith grassroots network.

from Missourinet

The Senate Judiciary Committee it considering legislation that would expand the crime of unlawful use of weapons to include the discharge of a firearm into the air for celebratory purposes in an urban area.

Senator Yvonne Wilson (D-Kansas City) sponsors the bill, as she has done in a number of previous years, saying this is a common occurrence in urban areas just prior to and just after midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Wilson acknowledges that while this might not be a problem in many parts of Missouri, it is a problem in Kansas City and other urban areas. She says a state law is needed because it would bring state law enforcement officials into the mix to help local authorities deal with a situation that she finds intolerable.

The hearing ended with the committee taking no vote on the legislation.

The Employee Free Choice Act’s fate increasingly hinges on Sens. Blanche L. Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) — two wavering moderates who would love to dodge the controversy.

As Big Labor and Big Business gird for a free-for-all on the Employee Free Choice Act, the bill’s fate increasingly hinges on Sens. Blanche L. Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) — two wavering moderates who would love to dodge the controversy.

via Business, unions swarm Hill – Glenn Thrush – POLITICO.com.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – One hundred public school supporters held a Save Our Schools Rally at Shepard Elementary School at 3405 Wisconsin this morning to show support for keeping the school open. They then marched to Monroe Elementary, Carnahan High School, Meramec Elementary, three schools that have been recommended to stay open, with a concluding rally at Cleveland High School on S. Grand (which was closed three years ago).

Rep. Jan Schakowsky is hoping for a “big change moment” to tackle women’s concerns.

WASHINGTON (WOMENSENEWS)–In June, Michelle Obama made a last-minute decision to take time out of her campaign schedule to speak at the annual fundraising luncheon for the National Partnership for Women and Families, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., that lobbies for workplace fairness and balance.

It was an auspicious sign that the group would have a key ally in the White House if her husband, Barack Obama, won the presidential race.

Now first lady, Michelle Obama has appointed Jocelyn Frye, formerly the general counsel for the National Partnership, to be her policy director and has pledged to use her position to help working women balance responsibilities to their careers and families.

Michelle Obama has not publicly laid out a work-family legislative agenda; a spokesperson did not return a call for comment.

But the president supports legislation that would narrow the gender pay gap, lower the cost of child care, encourage companies to offer flexible work schedules, protect workers with caregiving responsibilities from discrimination and expand leave benefits to employees.

Efforts to tackle these problems have come up short in recent years, partly because President Bush opposed many of them.

But with a new president and first lady championing work-life balance issues–and with Democrats in firmer control of Congress–lawmakers and advocates see the possibility for major change on the horizon.

“I have every hope this is one of those moments, those big change moments,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat who is the new co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Women’s Issues, a bipartisan group of female lawmakers in the House of Representatives. “I don’t see change happening in small increments.”

Schakowsky spoke to Women’s eNews in a recent interview.