This Week at the Capitol

This week we join in celebrations and festivities to give thanks to those who fought for our freedoms and those brave men and women who continue to protect and defend our country. May your Fourth of July be filled with joy, peace and safe fun.

Part of the political process within out state is the governor’s ability to veto legislation even after it has been passed by the Legislature. While I do not agree with these vetos, the following bills were vetoed by the governor.  I am confident the majority will be able to override most if not all of the vetoes in September when we return for the veto session.

I am upset that the governor is preventing the state from moving forward.  His cuts affect our most vulnerable and will have a devastating impact on our constituents and our economy.

In June he vetoed 10 bills, including Senate Bills 584, 612, 662, 693, 727, 829 and 860, as well as House Bills 1296, 1455 and 1865. These bills all deal with taxation in some form in the Show-Me State. During the entire legislative session, legislators worked tirelessly to ensure tax protections for everyone.

Senate Bill 662 requires the Department of Revenue (DOR) to notify a seller if there is any change in the interpretation of sales tax laws affecting that business.

Senate Bill 829 and House Bill 1455 put the burden of proof back on the Department of Revenue for, not only individual taxpayers and small businesses but also for large corporations and for those who collect and pay sales taxes.

Senate Bill 829 simply makes all taxpayers equal. I am very disappointed that the governor has chosen to support DOR’s flawed policies rather than support the citizens and small businesses in Missouri, and I know I am not the only legislator who feels this way.

On June 24 the governor also announced devastating vetoes of $144.6 million in general revenue spending and restricted $641.6 million in general revenue expenditures. Many of the cuts affect citizens, people who most relied on funding of special needs programs and groups. These Missourians will suffer because of the governor’s haste in slashing a budget. He states revenues will not allow for some of the programs and costs laid out in the 2015 fiscal year budget.

The changes made by the governor to the state budget are expected to cut 263 full-time positions statewide and another 23 new positions in Fiscal Year 2015.  This will cause further delays in providing services to Missourians.

In positive news from the state capitol, this week the governor did sign several bills into law. Among them was Senate Bill 525, legislation that modifies current law in relation to food preparation and production for charitable purposes. This legislation allows non-profit organizations and groups to prepare food in their homes, or other private facilities, for distribution to community members at charitable fundraising dinners.

It requires that the consumer be informed by a clearly visible placard at the serving location that the food was prepared in a kitchen that is not subject to regulation and inspection by the regulatory authority.  Organizers may also notify the regulating authority of the event and provide them with the time, day, location and name of the person organizing the event. This law does not apply in Jefferson, St. Louis or St. Charles counties, or in the City of St. Louis.

This legislation also allows cottage food production operations to be exempt from state health or food code laws.  Additionally, local health departments are not allowed to regulate production of food at a cottage food production operation, but each local health department and the Department of Health and Senior Services shall maintain a record of complaints made against a cottage food production operation. 

This is just common-sense legislation. It allows small in-home, food-based businesses to run their businesses, as they have been for years, without the oversight of the state. These businesses are doing a good job. If for any reason that changes, the state will have a record of complaints, and the business will lose customers if they neglect to maintain a high quality product.  Accountability for the cottage food industry remains while we protect the practice of fundraising dinners for non-profits.