Dear Friends:

In an effort to keep you informed about the activities at your State Capitol and how those activities may impact your lives, I am offering a regular electronic newsletter. This column includes information about bills making their way through the legislative process, including legislation that directly affects the citizens of Kansas City. I welcome your feedback and encourage you to contact my office with any questions or concerns you may have.

Thank you.

One of the most important health care measures last year passed by the General Assembly and signed into law included a provision that addressed the licensure of health insurance navigators. My legislation (Senate Bill 262) prohibits individuals or entities from performing, offering to perform, or advertising any services as a navigator in Missouri or receive navigator funding from Missouri or a health insurance exchange unless they are licensed as a navigator by the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration. Today, these licensed navigators are able to provide Missourians with fair and impartial information and services in connection with eligibility, enrollment and program specifications regarding any health benefit exchange operating in our state. My bill also allows navigators to facilitate the selection of a qualified health plan and initiate the enrollment process, as well as provide referrals to any applicable office or agency for enrollees regarding questions or concerns pertaining to their health plan or coverage.

As a member of the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee, I recently heard testimony on two bills filed this session pertaining to health insurance navigators: One would require health insurance navigators to be bonded and create a private cause of action against navigators for unlawfully releasing personal information that could identify a citizen (Senate Bill 498); the other would require an applicant for a navigator license to submit to a criminal background check and take an exam created by the Department of Insurance (Senate Bill 508).

Safeguards were set in place through Senate Bill 262 last year designed to protect consumers by requiring individuals who apply for a navigator license to successfully pass an examination given by the Department of Insurance that tests an individual's knowledge regarding health insurance, health insurance exchanges, and navigator roles and responsibilities. In addition, most navigators who work with agencies are bonded and uphold consumer protection standards required by their coalitions.

To learn more about navigator licensing requirements or view a list of licensed navigators (individuals and entities) in Missouri, visit http://insurance.mo.gov/otherlicensees/navigators.php.

Last session, the General Assembly included in its Fiscal Year 2014 state budget funding ($700,000 secured by my work on the Senate Appropriations Committee) for a disparity study to ensure that the minority- and women-owned businesses (M/WBE) program can compete fairly for state contracts. These businesses should have an equal opportunity at securing state contracts for infrastructure projects, and a disparity study will help determine how to allocate these dollars by comparing the actual number of M/WBE in Missouri to the actual number of M/WBE that receive state government contracts. We'll know if a disparity exists if it is found that these certain businesses are underutilized in the state contracting system. Our state last conducted a similar disparity study in 1994, which was completed in 1998.

The Office of Administration (OA) is holding a public meeting at the end of this month regarding this disparity study for the M/WME program. Firms, stakeholders, organizations and other interested groups are encouraged to attend the public meeting that will allow input to be gathered from business, community organizations and individuals regarding their experiences in doing business with our state through its M/WBE program. During the meeting, attendees will also be able to help identify barriers pertaining to full and fair inclusion of all involved in Missouri's contracting opportunities. The meeting with also include a presentation on the study's elements and provide an open forum for additional comments and questions about the study.

For those who cannot attend this meeting in Jefferson City, remote access will be available in Kansas City at the Fletcher Daniels State Office Building (615 E. 13th St., Rm. 503, Kansas City, MO 64106) and in St. Louis at the Wainwright State Office Building (111 N. 7th St., Rm. 923, St. Louis, MO 63101). Seating is first come, first served at all meeting spaces. And in the coming months, business owner and stakeholder interviews will be held in Cape Girardeau, Jefferson City, Kansas City, St. Louis, and Springfield.

The study will be conducted by Colette Holt & Associates in conjunction with local sub consultants from Kansas City and St. Louis

It's important that those involved in the M/WBE program attend this initial meeting. Your insight and experience with the program will help OA identify potential program improvements, and support our state's objective to increase collaboration and promote economic growth for all business groups in Missouri.

Kansas City residents who have a high school diploma or GED and are pursuing educational opportunities at an accredited or certified college, university or vocational/technical school might be qualified for a scholarship through the Opportunities Scholarship Fund. With administrative help through the City, this scholarship grant program is funded by The Port Authority of Kansas City and area casino gaming operators.

To qualify, students must be between the ages of 17-25 and live in a household that has a total annual income of 80 percent or less than the median income of Kansas City households (see chart below).

Individuals Per Household:

• One - Less than $26,692
• Two - Less than $34,221
• Three - Less than $41,749
• Four - Less than $53,726
• Five - Less than $63,650
• Six - Less than $71,863
• Seven - Less than $81,103
• Eight - Less than 90,342
• Nine or more - Less than $108,137

These minimum $1,000-per-year scholarships can be used for tuition, books, room and board, and activity fees. They are renewable if scholarship recipients remain full-time students, stay in good academic standing with their school, and continue to live in the household outlined in the scholarship guidelines.

To apply, you must submit, along with a high school transcript or GED certificate: a 300-word (max) essay; letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, employer or clergy member; most recent IRS tax forms of all members of your household; and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Student Aid Report. All applications are due May 1, 2014.

Those wishing to renew their applications must provide the most recent copies of all 1040EZ, 1040A or 1040 IRS forms for all members of your household.

Visit the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation at www.gkccf.org/kcmo to submit your application online. Scholarship awards will be announced by June 15, 2014. For more information about this scholarship, please e-mail scholarships@gkccf.org or call (816) 842-0944.

Every student should have the opportunity to reach their full potential, and with this wonderful scholarship program, many bright minds in the Kansas City area will be able to do just that.

Cable news network giant CNN recently released its 2014 list of top 50 spots for 50 states. From breathtaking national parks to festivals of all sorts, there's no lack of things to do or see across the country.

In Missouri, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum at the corner of 18th and Vine was named the go-to destination in the Show-Me State. Founded nearly 25 years ago, this museum preserves the rich history of America's pastime through multimedia displays and hundreds of photos and artifacts dating from the late 1800s through the 1960s. This 10,000-square-foot facility opened its doors in 1997 and has since shared the thrill and excitement of the Negro Leagues with thousands of visitors each year.

This nationally recognized museum is located in the heart of my Senatorial district, and received $250,000 last year by the General Assembly through my work on the Senate Appropriations Committee to help continue the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's overwhelming impact on our community and the visitors who walk through its halls.

To learn more about the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, visit www.nlbm.com or call (816) 221-1920. The museum is located at 1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO 64108.

To read about my work at the State Capitol or to learn more about the topics in this week's column, please visit www.senate.mo.gov/curls or contact my office at
(573) 751-3158.