Senator Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, tours the inner workings of Missouri’s State Capitol on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014.

Due to the winter weather, Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, sponsored the appointment of local residents Steve Renne (top) to serve on the Electronic Prior Authorization Review Commission, and Lisa Jan Taylor (bottom) to the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities Committee during the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014.

On Monday and Tuesday this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee began hearing public testimony from various state agencies concerning their budgets and Missouri citizens.  On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the Senate Appropriations Committee began its initial inquiry into each state agency’s budget by line item.

I greatly appreciate the time these departments spend in organizing their testimony and meeting with our committee. The commitment of these organizations and their members to helping their fellow Missourians is indispensable, and does not go unnoticed.

Last Thursday, Jan. 30, I, along with several Senators and state agency personnel, toured the inner workings of the State Capitol.  The tour allowed the senators a true glimpse of the deterioration happening to the historic structure.

On Monday, Feb. 3, I filed two bills. Senate Bill 820 modifies the formula for determining how much money a tobacco product manufacturer that does not participate in the Master Settlement Agreement will receive back from the escrow fund in which the manufacturer is required to deposit money from the sale of cigarettes.  Senate Bill 821 adds a motorcycle registration surcharge of $5 to be deposited in the motorcycle safety trust fund.

Due to the snowy weather in mid-Missouri, many organizations were not able to participate in their lobby days this week.  We look forward to seeing them soon.

Due to weather conditions on Wednesday, Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, presented to the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee the appointment of Steven Renne to serve on the Electronic Prior Authorization Review Commission, and Lisa Jan Taylor Crandall to the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities Committee. 

I greatly thank Sen. Kehoe for sponsoring the appointment of these local citizens. I’m confident they’ll do a wonderful job representing our area.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, I sponsored Senate Bill 843, which would modify provisions relating to Missouri’s open records laws, commonly known as the Sunshine Law.

The status of my sponsored legislation for the 2014 session is as follows:

• Senate Bill 498, which would require health insurance navigators to be bonded and create a private cause of action against navigators for the unlawful release of information, was heard in the Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee on Jan. 24 and was voted do pass by committee members. It awaits placement on the Senate calendar for debate.

• Senate Bill 696, which increases the penalties and driver’s license suspension periods for those who fail to yield the right-of-way in certain instances, was second read and referred to the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Jan. 30; it awaits a hearing before the committee.

• Senate Bill 697, which allows the Department of Revenue to disclose the annual number of cigarettes sales by the tobacco manufacturer, was second read and referred to the Appropriations Committee.  A hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon, Feb. 10.  

• Senate Bill 733, which reduces the rate of tax on personal income over a period of five years, was first read on Jan. 16 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.

• Senate Bill 756, which would modify the elementary and secondary education funding formula by adding an additional weight for gifted education, was first read on Jan. 21 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 762, which defines automobile event data recorder and limits the release of data collected to five circumstances, was first read on Jan. 22 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Currently, trustees of a county hospital formed under Chapter 205 are prohibited from providing health care services or entering into partnerships with other local or county hospitals if such adjoining or nearby counties also have a county hospital.  Under Senate Bill 763, so long as the trustees of such county hospitals provide consent, county hospitals in Boone and Cooper counties shall be allowed to provide such health care services or enter into such partnerships.  The bill was first read on Jan. 22 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 820, which modifies the formula for determining how much money a tobacco product manufacturer who does not participate in the Master Settlement Agreement will receive back from the escrow fund when the manufacturer is required to deposit money from the sale of cigarettes, was first read on Feb. 3 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 821, which adds a motorcycle registration surcharge of $5 to be deposited in the motorcycle safety trust fund, was first read on Feb. 3 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.

• Senate Joint Resolution 36, which modifies constitutional provisions regarding the right to keep and bear arms, was second read and referred to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Jan. 30.  A hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon, Feb. 10.

• Senate Joint Resolution 44 is a constitutional amendment that, if approved by the voters, would require any revenue received by the state in a fiscal year in excess of the amount appropriated for such fiscal year shall be returned to taxpayers in the form of a refundable tax credit.  The bill was first read on Jan. 16 and awaits referral to committee.

In local news, the Missouri Department of Conservation is offering a pond management workshop in Boone County next month. The workshop will cover a wide variety of topics including pond site selection, pond construction, pond stocking, fisheries management, aquatic vegetation management, pond watershed management and nuisance wildlife. Professionals will give presentations and answer questions. There will also be some very useful literature and brochures on pond management available, as well as snacks and refreshments.

The Pond Management Workshop is on Tuesday, March 4, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Missouri Department of Conservation Central Regional Office, located at 25000 Gans Road in Columbia. To register to the free event, contact (573) 815-7900. Space is limited.

Thank you for your interest in the issues that affect the citizens of Boone and Cooper counties.  If you have any questions or concerns throughout this session, or plan on coming by the Capitol, please contact my office at (573) 751-3931.

Did you know...?

The 1936 Olympic Games were the first games to be broadcast on television.  In addition, the 1936 Games were the first to introduce the torch relay from Olympia Greece to the site of the current games.  Go USA!