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 of the Judiciary

Missouri senators adjourned to the House Chamber Wednesday to hear Missouri Chief Justice Richard Teitelman deliver the annual State of the Judiciary address to the General Assembly.  The Chief Justice discussed the success of Missouri’s drug court program, which began 20 years ago in Jackson County.  Drug courts divert non-violent substance abusers to supervised treatment programs rather than prisons.  Missouri now has treatment programs in 43 of the state’s 45 judicial circuits, and Chief Justice Teitelman told lawmakers Missouri has become a national leader in drug courts.  A report released by the judiciary this week finds Missouri saved about $50 million by diverting some 3,000 adult offenders to treatment programs rather than prison.

Legislative Panels Consider Bills

Committee work continued this week in the Missouri Senate, and the Senate Economic Development Committee approved a bill to provide tax credits to attract amateur sporting events to the state.  Proponents of the measure say the tax credits are needed to bring college basketball tournaments or Olympic trials to the state.  The bill now moves to the Senate floor for possible debate.  The committee also approved a bill to reinstate several benevolent tax credit programs that had expired, including those for food pantries and crisis pregnancy centers.

The Senate Education Committee heard testimony this week in support of Senate Bill 7, which removes the two-year waiting period that begins when a school district loses its accreditation before the State Board of Education can intervene.  The bill is substantially similar to legislation that passed unanimously in the Senate last year but died on the last day of session when House leaders refused to pass it unless the Senate approved a teacher tenure bill that did not have widespread support in the Senate.  SB 7 requires the Department of Education to conduct at least two public hearings regarding the accreditation status of a school district, and the hearings must consider community resources that could be utilized in helping the school district regain accreditation.

The Kansas City School District lost its accreditation Jan. 1, 2012.  Under current state law, the State Board of Education cannot intervene until June 30, 2014.  During this week's Education Committee meeting, I told panel members that my main concern is with the academic achievement of Kansas City students rather than who governs the school district. 

Pending Legislation in the Senate

The Missouri House sent the Senate legislation requiring all vacancies of statewide offices to be filled by a special election.  The lieutenant governor is a candidate for the Eighth District Congressional seat in southeast Missouri, and there is uncertainty whether or not the governor can appoint a replacement should he win the race to succeed former Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson.  Congresswoman Emerson resigned from Congress shortly after winning re-election to become a lobbyist.

The Senate is expected to begin debating bills on the floor next week. The Missouri Senate will convene on Monday, Jan. 28, at
4 p.m.