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In 2008, the Republican-controlled General Assembly repealed campaign contributions on the last day of the session and then-Gov.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.

Gov. Jay Nixon and State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, chairman of the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), have announced a proposal to pay the first year of property taxes for income-eligible Missourians who buy a new or existing Missouri home after Jan. 1, 2010. They will take the proposal before the MHDC at its Dec. 18 meeting.

If approved by the commission, Missouri families making less than $98,000 a year who enter into a contract to purchase a new or existing Missouri home after Jan. 1 would have their property tax paid up to $1,250. Those families would be eligible to have an additional $500 paid towards the tax bill if the homeowner purchases a energy efficient home or items, such as Energy Star appliances, to make the home more energy efficient.

The proposal is expected to pay the property taxes for 9,000 to 11,000 Missouri families using $15 million in unencumbered reserve funds at MHDC.

“Purchasing a home not only helps families achieve part of the American dream, but it also strengthens our economy and provides good-paying jobs,” Gov. Nixon said. “Because this is so vital to our state’s economic growth, we want to do everything feasible to encourage people to buy homes and make it easier for homeowners to save money and energy resources by installing energy-efficient features in their homes.”

In a report earlier this month that identified Missouri as one of 11 states most likely to recover from this recession the quickest, Moody’s listed Missouri’s diverse economy and stable housing prices as one of the main reasons for a potentially quick economic recovery in comparison to other states.

“I appreciate Gov. Nixon and the panel’s efforts on ways to reinvest in the economy and put Missourians back to work,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “Putting Missourians back to work and renewing the promise of responsible homeownership have been two of my priorities on MHDC.”

In August, Gov. Nixon formed the Home Building and Residential Energy Efficiency Advisory Panel by executive order to study how Missouri can both help increase home ownership and home building to improve the economy and increase homeowner access to energy-saving measures. The 19-member panel included representatives of the home building industry, banking institutions, real estate businesses, trade unions and community action agencies, along with experts in energy efficiency and “green” building.

The advisory panel analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the current new housing situation in Missouri, as well as the opportunities and threats being faced. The panel also examined the current home building market and the reasons to encourage energy efficiency home building in Missouri. Among the recommendations were proposals to use the MHDC to promote home ownership and incentivize energy efficiency. The panel’s full report can be found online at www.mo.gov or click here to download the report.

Who is eligible?

Income eligibility is based on previously adopted MHDC guidelines. Depending on the county of the home sale, household income limit guidelines for low to moderate income persons or families approved by MHDC last spring range from $58,300 to $98,560. These grants are for owner-occupied purchases only.

When would it start?

If approved by the MHDC at its next meeting on Dec. 18, 2009, funds would be available for contracts entered into after Jan. 1, 2010, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where is the funding for this program coming from?

The funding would come from a reserve fund held by MHDC earned through successful management of mortgage loans made to low- and medium-income individuals and families. These reserve funds are not from general revenue, nor subject to the legislature’s appropriation process.

How much of the property tax bill could be paid?

Eligible homeowners could have up to $1,750 of their property tax bills paid. According to the State Tax Commission, the average residential real estate tax bill for a Missouri homeowner is $1,160. An income-qualified individual or family is eligible to receive $1,250 or the amount of their first year’s real estate tax bill, whichever is highest, when they purchase a new or existing residential home. An income-qualified individual or family can enhance this base amount, up to $1,750, if they purchase an energy-efficient new home or make energy efficient improvements to an existing home that is purchased. These improvements must be made prior to closing or within 60 days of closing.

How do Missourians apply for these funds?

Forms and affidavits will be part of documents executed at the home sale closing. Additional receipts and documentation will be required for proof of energy efficient improvements.

What energy-efficiency upgrades would be eligible for the additional incentive?

Eligible improvements would include installing high-performance windows, house wraps, programmable thermostat controls, water-efficient toilets and faucets, and energy-efficient water heaters, lighting and appliances; sealing heating and air conditioning ductwork; caulking; insulating water heater pipes; increasing the R-value of insulation in crawl spaces and attics; and conducting on-site energy efficiency inspections and tests, including a blower door test, which tests the overall energy efficiency of the house, and a duct blaster test, which tests how much the air ductwork leaks.

The Missouri Ethics Commission has begun offering campaign finance record-keeping classes to candidates and campaign personnel. The first of the classes was held last week in Jefferson City, with two more sessions set for next month in the capital city, and regional classes being put together for early in the new year.

Ethics Commission Executive Director Julie Allen says most people involved in politics want to follow the rules and report accurately to the Commission, but they sometimes have difficulty understanding the rule.

“Most of us that keep records want to know, ‘How do we do it? What’s the right way to do it? And if we do have reporting requirements what are the right ways to report?” said Allen in an interview with the Missourinet.” And, sometimes the law can be very technical. So, at the Commission, our job is to help break that being technical to being understandable.”

Allen compares running a campaign to running a business.

“They’re taking money in and they’re spending money,” said Allen. “And just like a business there are ways to keep those records, both that are required by law, specifically, and also ways to keep their records so that they will know and be able to easily show that this is the money and this is the money that I’ve received and this is the money that I’ve spent. And then just take that and use that for the reports they have to file with us.”

The information offered covers a campaign committee from beginning to end.

“It’s really just the whole process, starting from when you first start and open your bank account all the way through to even if the committee ends,” said Allen. “It’s answering all of those questions from the beginning of the life of a committee to the end of that life of that committee.”

The Commission is also developing a web training guide on record keeping and reporting which will allow people to learn the ins and outs of electoral requirements from the comfort of their homes or offices. The Commission urges interested individuals to check the MEC web site from time to time for further details.

Missouri’s Cold Weather Rule goes into effect Sunday, November 1st, prohibiting the disconnection of service when the temperature is forecasted to drop below 32 degrees for the following 24 hour period.

“The Cold Weather Rule is in place to help low income customers when the weather gets extremely cold,” said Missouri Public Service Commission Chairman Robert Clayton in an interview with the Missourinet. “We try to have an orderly system set up to address times when perhaps low income customers cannot afford to pay their bill but it’s also very cold outside, so November 1st is when the Cold Weather Rule becomes in effect.”

Among other provisions, the Cold Weather Rule also requires utilities to notify customers, by mail, at least ten days prior to a date of proposed disconnection of services. Additionally, the utility companies must notify delinquent customers about possible financial help in paying their bills. Clayton points out the Cold Weather Rule is not intended to allow delinquent customers to have their homes heated at no cost.

“This is not just a ‘get out of jail free’ card,” said Clayton. “It doesn’t mean that you can just default on your bill completely and never be disconnected. First of all, if the temperature goes above 32 degrees you’re not saved by that. Second thing is that you’re required to make some minimum payments during the period and be sticking with a payment plan that is in place. It doesn’t mean that you get free service throughout the year.”

For more information on the Cold Weather Rule visit the PSC’s website.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced the release of more than $2.6 billion to states to help low income citizens with their heating bills during October, November and December of this year. These funds represent grants to states, tribes and territories under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Missouri is slated to receive $42,865,630; Illinois will receive $174,648,969.

“By releasing this money now, we are helping to provide needed assistance to millions of Americans who otherwise might not be able to afford heat this winter,” Secretary Sebelius said. “This program helps to offset seasonal energy costs for low income families, leaving more of their income to use for other necessities.”

LIHEAP helps eligible families pay the costs of heating and insulating their homes in the winter, and cooling their homes in the summer. HHS is releasing such a large allocation of LIHEAP funds now in order to ensure that states have resources available to support their energy assistance programs as the weather turns colder.

“Each year LIHEAP helps more than five million low income households deal with energy costs,” said Carmen Nazario, assistant secretary for children and families. “We will continue to work with states, tribes and territories to assure their heating assistance programs work effectively.”

In this issue:

1.    Federal health care reform – the eye of the storm

2.    October 20, 2009 National health action day.   Missourians made some noise!

3.    Weigh in on ways assure that children don’t go hungry

4.    State Departments’ revenue requests for FY2011 are available on- line

5.    New information from the Missouri Budget Project – check it out!

1.    Federal health care reform – the eye of the storm

Furious negotiating on health care reform is taking place by key members of the House and Senate. While it may seem quiet to those of us who are “outsiders”, we are just in the eye of the storm.
In the Senate

Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, and Senators Baucus and Dodd are key in shaping the bill that will come to the Senate floor.  It is expected that they will finish work either today or early next week, and the proposal will be “scored” by the Congressional Budget Office before floor debate begins. This is now likely to happen the first week of November.  The Senate is scheduled to break on November 11-13 for Veterans Day, and again at the end of the month for Thanksgiving.
Key points of contention continue to be

•    Whether a public insurance option will be part of the Exchange; or should there be a “trigger” to establish a public option if private insurance plans aren’t effective in providing affordable coverage?

•    Affordability concerns

•    What kind of employer mandates should be enacted
In the House

The House is also negotiating a bill to bring to the floor, probably the first week of November, as well.  Key points being considered in the House include:

•    A public option

•    Expanding Medicaid to individuals up to 150% of FPL

•    How to expand Medicaid without unduly burdening States (a small State match would be required for newly eligible individuals)

•    Coverage for immigrants: particularly whether there should continue to be a 5 year waiting period for legal immigrants before they are eligible for Medicaid or subsidies in the exchange.

2.    October 20, 2009 National Health Action day.   Missourians made some noise!

Several hundred Missourians took to the street on October 20 urging drivers to Honk for Health Care! to raise visibility and increase public support for health care reform. Volunteers were at intersections in St. Louis, Kansas City, and even Ellington. Allies not on the street organized calls and phone banks that resulted in more than 300,000 nationwide pro-reform phone calls to Congress.
Kudos to Missouri allies who  helped make the day a success: Missouri Health Care for All, Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, Central Reform Congregation, Paraquad, Disability Coalition for Health Care Reform, Missouri Budget Project, Provote, CWA Local 6355-Missouri State Workers Union, and the Greater Kansas City Labor Council. SEIU Local 1, GRO-Grass Roots Organizing and others.

3.    Weigh in on ways assure that children don’t go hungry

The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture issued the following invitation for comments on how to decrease childhood hunger.  If you able, please weigh in with your ideas.  One simple, straightforward way would be to increase Temporary Assistance to Needy Family Benefits. Missouri’s benefits are in the bottom tier of other states, and provide only $292 per month for a typical family of 3.
President Obama pledged to end childhood hunger in the United States by 2015, and Secretary Vilsack has made this a top priority for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). I would like to invite you to join the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in our efforts to make this bold pledge a reality by sharing your ideas on how we can end childhood hunger in the United States and by continuing your hard work to feed those in need.
FNS will be hosting four webinar listening sessions to gather input from a range of stakeholders including current, former, or prospective beneficiaries of the nutrition assistance programs, State Governments, local program offices, professional organizations, private industry, community and faith-based organizations, and other interested parties. During these sessions, FNS staff will listen and record your recommendations and comments.
The webinar listening sessions are scheduled as follows:
Tuesday, November 17, 2009: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm EDT
Thursday, November 19, 2009: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm EDT
Monday, November 23, 2009: 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm EDT
Thursday, December 3, 2009: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm EDT
All comments and suggestions are welcome and will be considered as our Agency creates a plan to end childhood hunger in the United States by 2015. While not required, participants are encouraged to provide written or electronic copies of their comments.

In order to ensure adequate availability of time for each speaker, please register at the following website: http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/17fb9g40b44. If you are unable to attend, please submit written comments and recommendations via email to ECH2015@fns.usda.gov. Also, please feel free to share this invitation with other colleagues and organizations.

4.    State Departments’ revenue requests for FY2011 are available on- line

The Missouri budget process requires the State departments to send their budget request to the Governor in October of each year.  The budget requests are available on-line at http://oa.mo.gov/bp/budreqs2011all.htm.

5.    New information from the Missouri Budget Project – check it out!

While the current recession has caused significant hardship for Missouri families, a review of the economic data from the last decade indicate that the decline for working families started a decade ago. Missouri families were worse off even prior to the recession than they were in 2000. Click Here to read more.

State revenue dropped drastically in the first quarter of the fiscal year. Without the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding Missouri would be facing a major budget crisis in the current year. Revenue drop calls for further Federal Stimulus funds for the State in order to avoid major budget problems in the next year. Click Here to read more.

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

In this issue:
1. Census data reveals inequities across state in income and health insurance status
2. TAKE ACTION!  Urge Governor Nixon to make administrative changes that will insure more children in Missouri
3. The Missouri Budget Project has moved.  Note our new address!

1. Census data reveals inequities across state in income and health insurance status

Data released on September 22, 2009 allows comparisons by Congressional Districts. Click here to see a comparison of median income and health insurance status.

2. TAKE ACTION!  Urge Governor Nixon to make administrative changes that will insure more children in Missouri

Nearly two months ago, a coalition of individuals and organizations from across the state signed a letter encouraging Governor Nixon to implement administrative policies that would help provide health insurance to the 100,000 Missouri kids who qualify for CHIP or Medicaid but remain uninsured.

Since that time, there have been conversations with his staff, but no action has been taken.

Our voices have not been heard and it’s time to turn up the volume. To show Governor Nixon how important it is to insure all Missouri children, this coalition is asking individual groups and individual organizations to send letter(s) to his office.

Attached is a sample draft that you are welcome to use as a starting point for a letter to Governor Nixon.
Please review the letter, bring it to the attention of the boards you serve on, the organizations you work for, your family and your friends.  The more letters, the greater the impact our efforts will have.  Modify the letter as you see fit, print it, sign it, put a stamp on it, and send it to Jefferson City!

It is also important that we get the letters to all the people who need to see them.  So please send a copy of your letter to the following individuals.

John Watson
Chief of Staff
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Jeff Harris
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Daniel Hall, DSS Liaison
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Ron Levy, DSS Director
P.O. Box 1527
Jefferson City, MO
65102-1527

Ian McCaslin, MO HealthNet Director
P.O. Box 6500
Jefferson City, MO
65102-6500

With your help, we can put Children’s Health Insurance back on the priority list in Jefferson City!  Thanks much!!
Sample letter
_____(date)

The Honorable Governor Jay Nixon
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Dear Governor Nixon,

In January of this year, at the start of the legislative session you stated, “In Missouri, there are 100,000 children among our uninsured who are right now eligible for health coverage under Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, but are not signed up.  That’s unacceptable.”

I/We couldn’t agree more.

I/We share in your disappointment that the legislature did not implement your proposal to expand health insurance coverage to 27,000 kids, an important step towards your promise of covering Missouri’s children.  Even without the cooperation of the legislature, much could be done.  Fortunately, the new federal CHIP law provides states with new options and additional federal funds to help Missouri provide health insurance to children in our communities, most of whom are already eligible for CHIP.  Therefore, I/we request that you adopt as many of those options as possible, including at least the following approaches:

I/We encourage you to implement “Express Lane Eligibility” to reach out to children who are currently eligible for CHIP or Medicaid.  Covering eligible children is simply the right thing to do.

In your speech last January you also said that, “We’re going to tear down the roadblocks that are preventing eligible families from registering their children for S-CHIP”.  I/We support this effort as well, and I/we encourage you to eliminate the cumbersome and bureaucratic “2 price quotes” requirement for families seeking CHIP coverage.  This  is an unnecessary step that is a burden for families, and it is bothersome to insurance companies to ask them to participate in such an exercise.

The cumbersome reporting requirements for Transitional Medicaid are an unnecessary roadblock for families, as well as an administrative burden for the State.  Therefore I/we urge you to adopt the new federal option to provide a year of Transitional Medicaid for needy families without the current bureaucratic requirements.

Lastly, I/we urge you to take advantage of the incentives given to Missouri under the reauthorized Federal CHIP law and eliminate the five-year waiting period that legal permanent resident children and pregnant women must endure before being covered.  These are individuals who have played by the rules, and they are being punished needlessly.
We urge you to take these and other available steps to cover Missouri’s uninsured children.  I/we stand beside you in support of your efforts to, “expand access to affordable health care, particularly for the 150,000 Missouri children who are uninsured today.”

Sincerely,

NAME/ORGANIZATION

3.  The Missouri Budget Project has moved!
OUR NEW ADDRESS IS CITY HOUSE, 3534 WASHINGTON AVENUE, ST. LOUIS, MO 63103. Our phone number and email addresses remain the same.

Congressman Russ Carnahan (MO-3) has taken action to extend unemployment benefits up to 13 weeks to 4,091 Missourians, whose unemployment assistance is scheduled to end by the end of this month.

“This extension will assist workers in providing for their families – helping to pay for groceries, filling their cars with gas and making their mortgage payments on time,” said Congressman Carnahan.

The bipartisan Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009 will immediately benefit an estimated 314,080 workers nationwide projected to exhaust all available unemployment benefits by the end of September. The legislation extends the total amount of potential Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits to 46 weeks.

In addition to those 314,080 workers with exhausted benefits at the end of this month an estimated 1,080,614 Americans will have exhausted EUC benefits by the end of December. With this legislation an estimated 20,556 Missourians currently expected to have exhausted benefits by the end of December will also be given this 13 week extension.

“Extending these benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fast-acting ways to stimulate the economy and support families in these tough economic times,” said Carnahan.

full story at St. Louis Beacon – Kinder, Talent, Coleman encourage Martin to challenge Carnahan.

More than $17.8 million in stimulus funding awarded to Missouri for community development projects. The State of Missouri and 17 communities have been awarded a total of $17,819,557 in federal grant money through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG).

The money was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The CDBG program helps states and local governments to undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide affordable housing and create economic opportunities. According to HUD, the following Missouri communities have been awarded funding: * State of Missouri – $6,433,629 * Blue Springs – $61,127 * Columbia – $227,139 * Florissant – $61,028 * Independence – $202,906 * Jefferson City – $88,951 * Jefferson County – $309,462 * Joplin – $177,586 * Kansas City – $2,371,367 * Lee’s Summit – $84,118 * O’Fallon – $65,991 * Springfield – $360,730 * St. Charles – $84,272 * St. Joseph – $475,429 * St. Louis – $5,333,348 * St. Louis County – $1,431,315 * St. Peters City – $51,159 Funding to states and localities through the economic recovery package will be allocated through existing federal programs like these, rather than earmarks, in order to ensure prompt distribution and better accountability. Local projects receive funds from these grants by following the process set up by each program. During Congressional consideration of the economic recovery bill, McCaskill worked to put additional accountability measures in place. McCaskill believes that federal grants and loans are a positive alternative to earmarks, which in the past have frequently had too little accountability. Competitive merit and need based federal grants and low-interest government loans bring federal assistance to Missouri in an honest and fiscally responsible manner.

from the Missouri State Auditor’s Office:

The following report is our audit of the General Assembly and Supporting Functions – House of Representatives.

Current House officials could not locate a formal request for proposals (RFP) or any competitive proposals/bids that were obtained and evaluated prior to the award of this contract. In addition, the House could provide no documentation which indicated an internal cost benefit analysis was performed to support the decision to out-source this operation. The circumstances surrounding the decision to privatize this operation and the selection of the service contractor are troubling and do not provide assurance this decision was made in a proper competitive environment. The audit recommended the House perform an internal cost benefit analysis to determine the most cost effective method to obtain print shop and copy center services when the contract expires in June 2010. If the decision is made to continue to out-source this operation, the House should solicit proposals through a formal RFP process and ensure complete documentation of the bid comparison and selection process is maintained.

Donations are solicited from lobbyists by House members and/or staff for various costs, including staff Christmas parties, retirement receptions, and food for late work sessions. The House did not maintain records of the expenses paid by lobbyists, therefore, the extent of such payments and the lobbyists who paid them could not be readily determined; however, the amounts could be substantial as our audit of the Senate noted over $49,000 was donated by lobbyists during the 3 years ended June 30, 2008, to pay similar expenses of the Senate and its staff. In addition, the House did not notify or remind the lobbyists of the need to report the expenses paid on behalf of the House to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Actively soliciting donations from lobbyists could give the appearance of, and may result in, a conflict of interest. To promote compliance with laws related to lobbyist activities, the House should notify lobbyists of the reporting requirement when soliciting and receiving donations, and of the need to amend expenditure reports filed with the Ethics Commission for any donations not previously reported.

The House does not require employees to work a minimum of 40 hours per week as is required of employees of most other state agencies. House employees are only required to work a 35-hour work week. In addition, House policy provides annual leave benefits that are more generous than those allowed to most other state employees.

The House reimbursed out-going members for out-of-state travel expenses incurred after their final legislative session, and currently has no policy regarding this situation. The audit noted that three out-going members attended out-of-state conferences after the close of the 2006 legislative session and incurred travel costs totaling $4,560. Another out-going member also attended an out-of-state conference and incurred travel expenses of $909, though records indicate the member participated in a swearing-in ceremony for a national organization’s new officer. Travel expenses incurred by House members to attend out-of-state conferences after the close of their final legislative session do not appear to be necessary or reasonable. In contrast, the Senate does not allow out-of-state travel in similar instances and has established a formal policy which prohibits term limited senators from being reimbursed for out-of-state travel following the close of their final regular session in the legislature.

The House paid $15,149 in January 2007 for lapel pins and charms as gifts for each member of the 2007/2008 legislative class, at a cost of $73 per item. Similarly, in January 2009, the House paid $19,442 for lapel pins and charms for each member of the most current legislative class at an approximate cost of $93 per item. These gifts do not appear to be a necessary or prudent use of state funds.

Property control duties are not adequately segregated, with the employee who is primarily responsible for maintaining the capital asset records also performing the physical inventories. Efforts to investigate items not located during physical inventories are not adequately documented and missing items that still cannot be located after being investigated are not written off in a timely manner. As of November 2008, the records listed 330 items (with a total acquisition cost of approximately $283,000) as missing. In addition, the capital asset records have not always been properly updated to accurately reflect property transactions.

Receipts are not always remitted to the state treasury for deposit on a timely basis. During the 3 years ended June 30, 2008, a total 29 deposits totaling $82,460 were made, or an average $2,843 per deposit.

Complete Audit Report

The following report is our audit of the General Assembly and Supporting Functions – Senate.

Actively soliciting donations from lobbyists could give the appearance of, and may result in, a conflict of interest. In addition, constitutional and statutory provisions indicate that state funds are to be held and disbursed by the state treasurer. To promote compliance with laws related to lobbyist activities, the Senate should notify lobbyists of the reporting requirement when soliciting and receiving donations, and the need to amend expenditure reports filed with the Ethic Commission for any donations not previously reported.

Support staff employees are not required to sign their timesheets to document the hours worked and any leave taken. In addition, the employees’ supervisors do not routinely review and approve the timesheets of their subordinates or related data in the time management system. For senators’ personal staff, detailed timesheets and records of compensatory time earned and accumulated are not always prepared or centrally maintained. The Senate does not require the time management system used for support staff to be used by senators’ personal staff and senators are allowed to decide how the time worked by their personal staff is to be documented.

The Senate accounts for its capital assets using two separate systems, an internal computerized system with bar coding capabilities and the fixed asset subsystem of the state’s accounting system. The Senate does not periodically reconcile the information on these two capital asset systems. In addition, property control duties are not adequately segregated, with the employee who maintains the records also performing the physical inventories.

The Senate did not always comply with bidding and documentation requirements of its procurement policy. Instances were noted in which competitive bids or proposals were either not obtained or the procurement methods and circumstances were not properly documented. Instances noted included a digital recording system costing $9,775, computers and related equipment costing $21,707, and legal services costing $13,202. In addition, gifts were provided to outgoing senators which were paid from the state’s General Revenue Fund. In June 2006, the Senate paid $2,240 for eight framed and engraved silver trays which were provided as gifts to the senators leaving office in 2006. Similarly, in early fiscal 2009, $1,947 was spent on seven framed silver trays given to outgoing senators in 2008. These gifts do not appear to be a necessary or prudent use of state funds.

The Senate does not have a formal disaster recovery plan for its computer system/data and does not store copies of backup data at an off-site location.

Complete Audit Report

Not waiting for the first Monday in October, the Supreme Court returned Wednesday for arguments in a case that could transform American politics. In its ruling, the court could reverse decades of its own decisions that have blocked corporate spending on federal candidate elections.

read full story via High Court Hears Campaign Finance Arguments : NPR.

full story via Missourinet: Change to Missouri Court Plan could be on ballot.

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).

from Stateline.org:
Food stamp stimulus hits state economies
By Christine Vestal, Stateline.org Staff Writer

States quietly launched a multi-billion-dollar boost in food stamp funding last month that experts say is more likely than any other stimulus program to jolt the moribund economy back to life.”People who receive these benefits are hard-pressed and will spend any financial aid they receive very quickly,” said Moody’s chief economist Mark Zandi. Every $1 spent on the food assistance program adds $1.73 to local economies because an uptick in food sales creates related jobs and further consumer spending.

In April, 32.5 million low-income recipients got their first monthly bonus – a 13.6 percent increase in benefits, averaging about $20 more per person – under the Obama administration’s stimulus plan. Slated to pump $20 billion into the market over five years, the stimulus plan gives each recipient more buying power but does not affect the number of enrollees.

It’s up to states to sign up the burgeoning ranks of the unemployed and others whose incomes have plummeted in this recession, and they have every incentive to do so. All of the benefits and about half of administrative costs are paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“It’s smart for states to promote food stamps, because that and unemployment checks often are enough to delay the need for other types of public assistance – such as welfare and Medicaid – that put pressure on state budgets,” said poverty expert Sheri Steisel at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Still, administering the program in this recession has been a challenge. “We’ve been grappling with caseload increases for more than a year,” said Larry Goolsby, legislative director for the American Public Human Services Association , which represents state agencies. “States were prepared for the stimulus situation, because they already had made changes to streamline the process,” he said.

In Ohio, where food stamp rolls hit nearly 1.3 million this year, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland spearheaded a community outreach program to ensure that every eligible person in the state could quickly apply for food stamps and other safety-net programs.

Utah revamped its entire social-welfare application process, making it easier for frontline workers to provide low-income families with food stamps and other services without filling out duplicative applications, and Washington state developed a unique online system that speeds the application process for food stamps and slashes state administrative costs in the process.

Last year, the Food Stamp program – recently renamed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP – served 28 million people nationwide, at a price of $36 billion. In the 12 months ending February 2009, the rolls spiked by 17.4 percent, helping 4.8 million more low-income people pay for groceries – more than in any year since the program began in 1964.

But even as the number of applicants spirals, states are reaching out to millions more who may not realize they are eligible or are reluctant to participate.

Tennessee caseworkers drive hundreds of miles to sign up people in housing projects, rural churches and community centers. Michigan food stamp administrators set up shop in centers for the elderly, and Nevada put kiosks in grocery stores so low-income shoppers can quickly find out whether they qualifyAt least 35 states pre-qualify those who receive public assistance through other state programs, 17 automatically send food stamps to elderly and handicapped people who receive assistance for the disabled, and 21 states let people sign up online, rather than appear in person, according to a recent USDA report.

Despite these efforts, only 60 percent of eligible Americans received food stamps in 2004, the most recent year data are available. But some states had more success than others at signing up those in need. Missouri, Tennessee and Oregon helped buy groceries for more than 80 percent of those who are eligible, while California, Wyoming and Massachusetts served fewer than 50 percent of their poor residents, according to a USDA report.

As states make it easier to become a new food stamp recipient, some are starting to focus on retaining people who already have benefits. “It’s much easier to close the back door than to go out and find new people who qualify,” said Stacy Dean, hunger expert with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Utah calls recipients who fail to return their signed rel over again is much more work for recipients and for the department,” she said.

The dollar value of food stamps an individual or family can receive is based primarily on income, with benefits ranging from a minimum of $16 per month for an individual to $200 per month for most making under $13,000 per year, and as much as $1,202 for a family of eight, making less than $45,000 per year. A family of four, making less than $27,000, can receive up to $668 per month, according to USDA.

For individuals, the stimulus plan adds $24 a month to their debit cards; families of four get an additional $80, families of eight get $144, and larger families get $18 for each additional member.

Unlike most other recovery act programs, the food stamp hike does not expire. Instead, the new benefit level will remain in effect until regular annual adjustments based on the cost of food result in an even higher benefit. The act also allows states to extend the duration of benefits for certain unemployed workers without children who otherwise would be eligible only for short-term assistance.

Democratic poll: Carnahan leading potential GOP opponents in Sen race
St. Louis Post-Dispatch – 5.14.09

Poll: Carnahan posts big lead
The Hill – 5.14.09

Carnahan off to fast start in Missouri
Politico – 5.14.09

Thanks to you, we’re off to a great start.  But it’s still very early
and there is much to do before November 2010.  We need your help TODAY
to build our grassroots team.

RUN WITH “TEAM ROBIN” IN THE RACE FOR THE CURE
Not only is Robin running for Senate, but once again this year she will
be running in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in St. Louis.  For
the past few years, Robin, a breast cancer survivor herself, has led a
team of family and friends to participate in this run/walk that benefits
research to find a cure for breast cancer.

Run or walk with us on Saturday, June 13!  To join Team Robin, click on
the link below today and then click “join team.”  Please note that team
registration closes THIS FRIDAY, May 22.
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.komenstlouis.org/site/TR/Race/General/1429486689?pg=team&fr_i
d=1050&team_id=15810

Best regards,

Mindy

Mindy Mazur
Campaign Manager

P.S.  Thanks again for helping us build our team. We’ll be in touch soon
with more campaign updates and more ways you can help.
—-

Paid for and authorized by Robin Carnahan for Senate

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

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.

Missouri has had to borrow reserve funds to stay afloat the past two months.

Records show the state borrowed $175 million from its reserve funds in February and $150 million in March, in order to pay state workers, keep schools operating and cover other expenses.

State Budget Director Linda Luebbering says, though, they don’t expect to borrow any more.

“We’re basing that on our revenue projections that at this point we have finished borrowing, and that we will have the budget reserve fund fully repaid no later than May 15th, that’s the required date…we may be able to repay it earlier than that,” Luebbering said.

The state’s economic downturn has also resulted in some Missourians experiencing delays in getting their state income tax refunds.

Ted Farnen is with the Department of Revenue.

“If the money just isn’t there by the time we’ve been processing some of these, we can’t send out a return or a refund,” Farnen said.

Luebbering added that in spite of the delays, the average Missourian should still get his or her state tax refund within seven days of filing their return.

via Stltoday.com

VOICE YOUR OPINION TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS!!!
Sponsored by: Missouri ACORN

Co-Sponsored by: Missouri Pro-vote, SEIU, UAW Cap, CWA, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, PROMO, IUOE, NARAL, MCU, & Planned Parenthood

WHO: ANY INTERESTED CITIZEN

WHEN: SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2009 @ 11:00AM

WHERE: FOREST PARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE THEATER

REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED

Please contact Jennifer Judd for further information: jenrjudd@gmail.com (248) 565-6064
Start Time: 11:00
Date: 2009-04-25

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

Saturday, April 4, 2009, 9:15 PM

By Jessica Machetta

More than 1,200 dogs have been confiscated from unlicensed breeders in Missouri in just three months.

Director Jon Hagler has been on the job for three months, and in that time has made finding and penalizing unlicensed breeders a priority. He says that’s where animals are kept in the worst conditions, and that unlicensed breeders put law-abiding, licensed breeders at a competitive disadvantage.

via Missourinet: Dept. of Ag cracks down on unlicensed breeders.

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.

from Missouri Accountability Portal:

A MAP to your tax dollars.

The MAP site is presented to the citizens of Missouri as a single point of reference to review how their money is being spent and other pertinent information related to the enforcement of government programs. As you browse the MAP site you will be able to view information about state agency expenditures, the distribution of economic development tax credits and state employee pay information.

The data on the MAP site is updated each business day. New features are added as they become available. Please visit the site frequently for new information.

Find out what your tax money is doing – with MAP it’s easy! To begin, click one of the options above.

via Welcome to the Missouri Accountability Portal.

Now or never’ on state ethics reform

April 1, 2009

BY NATASHA KORECKI Staff Reporter nkorecki@suntimes.com

Days before an indictment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich is expected, a commission aimed at reforming “pay to play” politics called on lawmakers Tuesday to comprehensively change the way business is done in Illinois.

“Enough is enough,” said former federal prosecutor Patrick Collins, who heads the Illinois Reform Commission. “It is now or never.”

Collins and other members of the commission, including city Inspector General David Hoffman, said the media and public need to keep the spotlight on lawmakers to follow through on real reform.

Among the specific recommendations:

• • Cap limits on contributions at $2,400 from individuals and $5,000 for political committees.

• • Require year-round, “real time” reporting of campaign contributions. Now, politicians file disclosures periodically, which could mean the public doesn’t know about a big money contribution for six months.

• • Move the primary from February to June. That would shorten the election cycle, and thus curb reliance on donors to fund campaigns and allow voters to grade politicians on their performance after lawmakers have cast their votes on bills.

• • Take the contracts disbursement out of political hands — give it to an independent authority.

Collins said the commission “has a voice but not a vote,” and said it was up to lawmakers to take action.

via ‘Now or never’ on state ethics reform :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State.

Missouri lawmakers welcome FBI investigation

By STEVE KRASKE and JASON NOBLE

The Kansas City Star

JEFFERSON CITY | Veteran lawmakers said Monday that an FBI investigation into the General Assembly was long overdue because the ethical culture in the state Capitol had eroded.

“I certainly believe that money became in 2007 and 2008 an overriding interest in how policy is driven in Jefferson City,” said Rep. Brian Yates, a Lee’s Summit Republican.

via Missouri lawmakers welcome FBI investigation – Kansas City Star.

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).

Gov. Nixon has appointed Michael J. Ponder, of Cape Girardeau, age 45, to the State Board of Education. A 1986 graduate of Central Methodist university and a 1990 graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law, Ponder is an attorney in private practice in Cape Girardeau. The Governor appointed Ponder for a term ending March 17, 2017.

http://transform.mo.gov

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.

We scooted up into the Senate gallery where Chad Beffa had arranged for Sen. Jeff Smith to acknowledge us from the floor.  While there we waved at Sen. Robin Wright-Jones (my kids were active in her campaign this summer).  We then went around the corner and popped into Robin’s office, asked Debi for a lunch recommendation (Ari’s pizza), and had a good conversation with John Bowman (chief of staff).  We found the stairs to go down to our other Senator’s office – Jeff Smith (also the kids know him as a neighbor).  He provided us with some good coloring and reading material but then had to run and do a roll call vote.  We went over to the House side, greeted Jamilah Nasheed,  and chatted a bit with Jeanette Mott-Oxford.

The kids and I enjoyed taking pictures of all the murals and carvings, and interesting ephemera at the capitol and on the grounds.  It was a long day but it is always impressive to see our government in action!

What is the greatest challenge or worry in ensuring the stimulus money is well-spent in your state?

Getting people back to work and, plus, making a transformation to a new economy. This is not just a Band-Aid on a problem. This is an opportunity to transform our economy. I believe that one of the important stools of the future of this economy is workers and worker training.” -Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D)

The total of cost of all the projects submitted by Missouri is $3,760,293,491