Dear Friends:

In an effort to keep you informed about the activities at your state Capitol and how those activities might impact your lives, I am offering a regular electronic newsletter. I will send you information about bills making their way through the legislative process, especially bills that directly impact the lives of Kansas Citians. I welcome your feedback and encourage you to contact my office with any questions or concerns you may have.

Thank you.

Continuing to Stand Up for Missouri Citizens, Addressing Petition Signature Fraud, and Keeping General Revenue in the State

Members of the Missouri Senate Minority Party stood united in their opposition this week to Senate Bill 350, which eliminates the renter's portion of the Senior Citizens Property Tax Credit. The measure received final Senate approval on a 21-12 vote, with two members of the Majority Party joining all 10 Senate Minority Party members in opposing the bill.

Known as the "Circuit Breaker Tax Credit," the program provides up to $750 annually to seniors who rent their homes and meet certain income guidelines. This tax credit applies to Missourians who are older than 65 or those who are 100 percent disabled. Recipients must earn $27,500 or less annually to qualify for the tax credit.

One of my colleagues, Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, previously served on the governor's Tax Credit Review Commission and says she understands that this issue needs to be addressed. However, she shared with the Senate that members of the Minority Party would not vote for this bill until there is substantive tax credit reform. This program has been in place for many years, and for countless seniors throughout our state, it's the only disposable income they receive all year.

The bi-partisan Missouri Tax Credit Review Commission was created by Gov. Nixon in 2010 to review each of the state's 61 tax credit programs and make recommendations regarding their effectiveness.

Lawmakers considered the elimination of the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit in a 2011 special session as part of a larger economic development bill. An amendment to strip out this particular tax credit from the larger economic development package passed by one vote, with all members of the Minority Party voting to preserve the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit. Senate Bill 350 now moves to the House for consideration.

Legislation that reauthorizes the New Markets Tax Credit program, which provides state and federal tax credits to investors who make investments into approved funds and then invest in projects in low-income areas of the state that have a poverty rate of 20 percent or more, received the Senate's initial approval this week. This program has produced positive results in numerous parts of the Show-Me State. The bill sponsor offered an amendment to Senate Bill 112, which was adopted, that will reduce the size of the New Markets Tax Credit program from $25 million to $15 million. A final vote in the Senate would send this bill over to the House of Representatives.

Senators gave their final approval to legislation that makes changes to state law regarding initiative petitions and referendums. Senate Bill 2 seeks to crack down on petition signature fraud by making it illegal to intentionally submit petition sheets knowing that a person whose name appears on the petition did not sign it. The bill also makes it a crime to accept money or anything of value in exchange for a signature, or to fraudulently obtain a signature. Anyone with a reasonable suspicion that petition fraud has been committed is required by law to report the suspected abuses to law enforcement.

Finally, lawmakers this week sent to the governor a bill that originated in the Senate that eliminates state and local use taxes on motor vehicle sales. Senate Bill 182 requires all local taxing jurisdictions that have not already approved a local use tax to put to a vote of the people whether to discontinue collection sales tax on the titling of motor vehicles purchased outside of Missouri. If a taxing jurisdiction does not hold such a vote before November 2016, that taxing jurisdiction must cease collecting the sales tax.

There are six weeks remaining in the First Regular Session of the 97th Missouri General Assembly. Next week, the bills for the state's operating budget will be up for consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. I proudly serve as a member of this important committee and will work to help pass a fiscally responsible budget that will benefit the citizens of our state. The deadline to pass the Fiscal Year 2014 state operating budget is May 10; the 2013 legislative session ends the following week on May 17.

Status of Sen. Curls' Sponsored Legislation

The following are measures I have filed this session (notes last legislative action):

• Senate Bill 151 - Changes the notice requirement to a tenant in a foreclosure action from 10 to 90 days (assigned to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee)
• Senate Bill 152 - Allows judges to suspend the imposition of an adult criminal sentence for juvenile offenders (assigned to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee)
• Senate Bill 153 - Requires a non-custodial parent to pay child support until the child reaches 22 instead of 21 years of age (assigned to the Senate Seniors, Families and Pensions Committee)
• Senate Bill 223 - Modifies provisions of the Public School Retirement System of Kansas City (hearing conducted in the Senate Seniors, Families and Pensions Committee)
• Senate Bill 224 - Increases the maximum salaries that may be paid to the members of the Kansas City Police Department and provides that actions taken against the police chief are subject to review (assigned to the House Crime Prevention & Public Safety Committee)
• Senate Bill 225 - Modifies laws regarding educational parental support for higher education (assigned to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee)
• Senate Bill 262 - Prohibits heath carriers from denying coverage for a health care service on the basis that the service was provided through telemedicine if the same service would be covered when delivered in person (passed by Senate and delivered to the House)
• Senate Bill 263 - Creates the crimes of assault of an employee of a mass transit system while in the scope of his or her duties in the first, second and their degree (assigned to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee)
• Senate Bill 346 - Modifies the eligibility requirements for food stamp assistance (hearing conducted in the Senate Governmental Accountability & Fiscal Oversight Committee)
• Senate Bill 388 - Regulates certain contracts for the sale of residential real estate (assigned to the Senate Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee)
• Senate Bill 389 - Provides a process for the Parole Board to review the case histories of offenders serving more than 15 years in prison and recommend clemency or allow release on parole (assigned to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee)
• Senate Bill 422 - Relating to the designation of highways (assigned to the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee)
• Senate Joint Resolution 11 - Upon voter approval, increases the amount of time for repaying the Budget Reserve Fund when monies from this fund are appropriated due to a disaster or the governor's reduction of the state's expenditures (assigned to Senate Ways and Means Committee)
• Senate Joint Resolution 20 - Upon voter approval, authorizes the creation of Show-Me Small Business Districts (assigned to the Senate Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee)

To read more about my legislative actions in the Missouri Senate, visit my Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/curls and click on the various informative links, which include my news releases, under my Media tab.