Missouri Legislative Update week ending February 12, 2010

This past week in the Missouri Senate and Missouri House committee hearings were held on a wide variety of subjects. Here is a brief synopsis of legislation that would have an impact on the citizens of the City of St. Louis.

Missouri Senate

Senator Joe Keavney who is on the Health, Mental Health, Seniors,and Families Committee recently released information that, according to the 2009 Kids Count Report, states there are more than 130,000 Missouri children who are currently uninsured. These children do not always have ready access to regular physician care, so more often than not they end up in the emergency room which translates to increased cost for us all.

With more people out of work, the number of uninsured children is sure to grow. Part of the solution would be to achieve higher child enrollment. Another part of the solution would be to increase access to public health coverage. One of the most successful examples of increased access to public health coverage is right here in St. Louis; Health and Dental Care for Kids, located at 4055 Lindell Boulevard.

Senator Robin Wright-Jones recently had a hearing on Senate Bill 674 which if passed would not allow gas, electric, water, heating, sewer and telephone companies to require a deposit or other guarantee for continued service to any existing customer who has been late in paying the utility bill at least five times in a 12-month period when that customer has consistently made a monthly payment during that 12-month period of at least $100 or 25 percent of the total amount due.

In other Senate action Senators spent a significant amount of time this week on local government measure SB 580, sponsored by Sen. John Griesheimer (R-Washington), ultimately giving it initial approval. Most provisions contained in the bill are specific to certain Missouri cities and counties, but two provisions would apply to the entire state. The first would set specific bidding regulations for soliciting bids and awarding contracts of $6,000 or more to increase fairness in the bidding process. The provision would not apply to political subdivisions that have specific state or local competitive bidding requirements that are equivalent or stricter than those in the bill.

The second statewide provision would allow counties to adjust their budgets when revenue decreases unexpectedly. Currently, a county can amend its budget when the county receives additional funds, but not when there is a decrease in funds. The bill needs one more passing vote before it can move to the House for similar consideration.

Senate committees also continued sending bills to the floor by passing a variety of measures, making them eligible for floor debate. For instance, a bill that would replace the state income tax with an expanded sales and use tax was passed by the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee this week. Senate Joint Resolution 29 is a proposed constitutional amendment sponsored by Sen. Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield) that would, upon voter approval, replace the state individual and corporate income tax, the corporate and bank franchise tax and state sales and use tax with a tax on the sale, use or consumption of taxable property and services equal to 5.11 percent beginning January 1, 2012 (a one-time adjustment to the new sales tax rate would be allowed to ensure revenue-neutrality). Each qualified family would receive a sales tax rebate based on the federal poverty level guidelines to offset the sales tax on basic necessities.

Missouri House

Representative Chris Carter is a member of the Healthcare Transformation Committee.  Recently in that committee  a bill was introduced that would develop a system to screen and drug test work-eligible applicants and recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, taking away aid from individuals who tested positive and either refused drug treatment or failed to stay clean once they had completed a drug treatment program.

Representative Carter stated that “while I understand the chronic drug problems we face as a state and a nation, and the frustration taxpayers may have concerning tax dollars possibly being spent on illicit drugs, I believe this bill is a public policy disaster, and for the following reasons I opposed it in committee.”

In other House action  HB 1540, which requires that judicial procedures for an infraction be the same as for a misdemeanor and requires motorists to obey reasonable signals and directions given by law enforcement in the enforcement of infractions, was third read and passed by a vote of 150-4.  HB 1497, which requires special elections to fill vacancies in the offices of Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, and United States Senator, was perfected by a vote of 88-59.

HCR 38 was adopted by a vote of 137-16. The resolution urgently requests the United States Congress to cease and desist from imposing unfunded mandates on the states.
HCR 34 & 35 was third read and passed by a vote of 121-28. The resolution submits to Congress a proposed federal balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.

Posted by The Core Editor on Feb 18 2010. Filed under Government. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.