We began the first full week of the 2013 session with a number of inaugural activities, including the swearing in of the governor and the Inaugural Ball. With those festivities finally out of the way, we got down to business. We are looking at a very busy session. There are a lot of policy decisions ahead of us with huge implications for our state. 

One of the more immediate issues we have to deal with involves the Second Injury Fund (SIF). The SIF is nearly insolvent. According to the attorney general, the total liability against the SIF—including more than 28,000 pending claims—exceeds $100 million. There are hundreds of injured workers who have yet to receive their benefits, and the annual costs of the SIF are far more than what it brings in. We will be looking at a handful of proposals to address the SIF’s financial shortfall.

Tort reform is another topic we will likely consider this year. Last year, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision that the state’s cap on jury awards for medical malpractice cases was unconstitutional, effectively removing the cap and reversing a previous decision from the court that established the original cap. Without this limit, medical malpractice insurance premiums will skyrocket, and with them, healthcare costs. Doctors will also begin relocating to states that favor sensible malpractice caps. We have to find a way to balance the right of malpractice victims to compensation while protecting physicians from possibly devastating and frivolous lawsuits, which would have a negative effect on everyone in the state.

We also have to address transportation funding. We currently fund transportation through a gasoline tax, at around 17 cents a gallon. This has not been raised since 1992, despite higher costs for transportation projects due to inflation. And, because of greater fuel efficiency in vehicles, people are buying less gas. All together, we are simply not bringing in enough revenue to cover the costs of maintaining our roads and highways. We cannot allow this to continue. We have to look at all our options for transportation funding and pick the one that is the most fiscally responsible, and, more importantly, sustainable.

Another issue I will be working hard to resolve this session is the expiration of a number of benevolent tax credit programs. These credits are critical in helping non-profit organizations, like food pantries and pregnancy resource centers, provide aid to Missouri citizens. One of my top priorities is seeing those programs reinstated and extending the sunset on ones set to expire this year.

These are just a few of the issues we will be tackling this session. In light of recent events on the federal level, it is almost guaranteed we will be debating gun control, which I feel should be left to the states. We will also look at our K-12 education funding formula, which has been underfunded for years, our workers’ compensation system, and a number of economic development measures.

There are many policy decisions ahead of us that will affect our state for years, possibly decades, to come. This is why it is critical we take the time to examine all the proposals, weigh every possible outcome, and pick one that works best for the majority of Missourians. It is inevitable that not everyone will be happy, but hopefully, if we remain open to compromise and listening to both sides, we will find solutions that everyone can at least live with.

If you have any questions or comments about this or any other matter regarding your state government, please feel free to contact me at (573) 751-1503; you are also welcome to e-mail me at jay.wasson@senate.mo.gov.