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.

The state Senate took another crack at reforming the state's tax credit system this week. Lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully during the past few sessions to reduce the amount of tax credits issue by the state, but difference between the House and Senate have scuttled all previous attempts at reform. The Senate has attempted to rein in Low-Income Housing and Historic Preservation tax credit programs — two of the largest tax credit programs offered by the state, but the House and Senate have been unable to agree on specific numbers for the programs. This week, the Senate made a few changes to a House bill that limits Low-Income Housing tax credits to $55 million annually and eliminates the program after 2018. The House version reduces Historic Preservation tax credits from $140 million to $45 million annually, but senators increased the limit to $60 million.

Areas of our state have seen a positive impact through this important tax credit, revitalizing parts of our cities and bringing life back into forgotten communities.

The Senate's version of this tax credit legislation, similar to House Bill 598, which was debated by the upper chamber this week, includes incentives to attract data centers to the state if those centers create at least 20 new jobs, as well as $60 million in tax credits over eight years for freight forwarders at Lambert St. Louis International Airport. The package also includes so-called "Angel Investor" tax credits for those who invest in small business startups in Missouri. The investor tax credits, sponsored by Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, are limited to $6 million annually and expire after 2019. My colleagues and I acknowledge that there needs to be some reform, but we want to make sure we are still meeting the needs in our communities through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and other beneficial programs.

The Senate returned the tax credit bill to the House with a few changes.

Another House bill debated by the Senate this week would create a cause of action for damages against a health care provider for personal injury or death. House Bill 112 rejects the state's use of English Common Law as it relates to claims pertaining to the delivery or failure to deliver health care services by a health care provider. The measure is a response to a 2012 Missouri Supreme Court ruling that the cap on noneconomic damages approved by the General Assembly in 2005 is unconstitutional and violates the right to trial by jury. HB 112 attempts to thwart the state's constitution by declaring that medical negligence cases should not be considered part of the common law of England. The bill also stipulates that the statutory (as opposed to common law) legal action allowed from the tort reform bill of 2005 is the only action for medical negligence allowed in Missouri. The sponsor set aside the bill after a lengthy floor debate.

A pair of senators on opposing sides of the gun issue reached an agreement on legislation that creates the Second Amendment Preservation Act. House Bill 436 asserts that state law trumps federal law regarding the manufacture, possession and use of firearms and declares all federal laws that infringe on the Second Amendment to be invalid. An amendment was offered and later adopted to the bill that states Missouri recognizes responsible gun ownership, including parental supervision of minors in the proper use, storage and ownership of all firearms and the prompt reporting of stolen firearms. The amendment also states, "The General Assembly of the state of Missouri hereby condemns any unlawful transfer of firearms and the use of any firearm in any criminal or unlawful activity."

HB 436 also allows a school district to designate one or more school teachers or administrators as a school protection officer. School protection officers must carry a firearm on his or her person at all times while on school property or be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and subject to immediate removal from the classroom and employment termination proceedings. Additionally, the measure lowers the a person can apply for a conceal carry permit from 21 to 19 years old. The Senate approved HB 436 on a 26-6 vote, sending the amended version back to the House.

Meantime conferees from the House Budget Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin trying to work out the difference between the budgets passed by both chambers. As the senior most member from the minority party on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I was named as one of the budget conferees. Under the Missouri Constitution, work on the state budget must be completed the Friday prior to the last Friday of session, so lawmakers have until May 10 at 6:00 p.m. to send the $25 billion budget to the governor.

There are two weeks remaining in the First Regular Session of the 97th Missouri General Assembly, which ends at 6:00 p.m. 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 (voted out of 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 House Rules 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 (assigned to House Rules Committee)
• 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 (voted "do pass" by 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 - Designates a portion of Interstate 70 in Independence as the "Clinton J. Scott Memorial Highway" (hearing conducted in 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.