Getting Started
Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As bills on the Senate side move forward, it has been interesting to listen to and engage in floor debate with my Senate colleagues. I welcome the frank discussion as a refreshing opportunity to gain insight into what may be some of the underlying causes or ideas that move someone to craft and file a particular piece of legislation.

I am learning much and it is exciting. Most encouraging at this early stage of my Senate tenure is that people from both sides of the aisle seem willing to work with our office to hear our concerns and consider our ideas. Changes have been made based on our input. Don’t misunderstand: there will be many bills that have received our input that I still will not support. But each of those with whom we have worked seems genuinely interested in creating the best bill possible to move the state in the direction they support. The challenge, as always, will be finding common ground around that direction.

With deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve,



Senator Jill Schupp

Ethics Legislation
Ethics reform has been a topic in the hallways of the Capitol and within our district, especially since all Missouri campaign contribution limits were lifted on August 28, 2008. Missouri is the only state in the nation with both no limits on campaign contributions and no caps on the amount of gifts lobbyists can give to elected officials.

When we see checks for $1 million going to a candidate for public office in Missouri, most people I know believe that it results in elected officials being “bought” by the highest bidder. Because so many of you have told me that you are weary of the huge amounts of money flowing into elections, SB 123 reinstating reasonable campaign contribution limits was the first bill I pre-filed after you sent me to the Senate.

This week we amended and passed Senator Ron  Richard’s SB 11, which represents a very small step towards ethics reform. Unfortunately, all campaign contribution limit amendments to this ethics bill were ruled out of order and will not become part of the bill moving forward.

Instead, Senator Richard’s bill represents a very limited attempt to reform current ethics practices. It simply dictates that legislators must observe a two year “cooling off” period after their terms have ended before becoming lobbyists, and that does not even apply to current elected officials! It also specifies that political officials must receive one hour of ethics training after being elected. It tinkers around the edges of reform, but does not deal with the most egregious practices that make voters lose confidence in their elected officials.

Capital Improvement Bonding
Low interest rates coupled with our AAA bond rating allowed for the passage of legislation enabling capital improvements of approximately $600 million. Now we are in the process of prioritizing and upgrading our aging state facilities, including our magnificent Capitol building. Sponsored by Senator Mike Parson, SCR 8 and SCR 9 show the Senate’s initial approval of Higher Education and state building projects. We have few state buildings within the 24th Senatorial district.  The St. Louis State Office Building on Page Avenue will receive $524,000 in requested improvements under SCR 8.

Common Sense Epi Pen Legislation
Legislation has received Senate approval which allows restaurants and other public gathering places to have employees trained to administer epinephrine injections. It was third read and passed with unanimous consent on Thursday, February 12th. As the co-sponsor of this legislation put forward by Republican Senator David Sater (R-Cassville), I am hopeful this will earn broad support in the House of Representatives and become state law. Both Senator Sater and I had drafted similar legislation, and rather than filing two bills, I signed onto his. This type of common sense legislation has real potential to save lives. 

It allows epinephrine auto-injectors (Epi Pens) to be made available in public places with a high risk of allergens. This includes but is not limited to restaurants, recreation camps, youth sports leagues, amusement parks, and sports arenas. This bill allows trained employees to administer the epi pens to an individual who is experiencing anaphylaxis, which could otherwise result in injury or death. The bill to follow is SB 26.

Health Care Directive
The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and Health recently heard and voted do pass on SB 122 introduced by Senator Gina Walsh, a bill that creates an online health care directive registry where participants store their important medical information. It will hold records such as a living will, an intent to donate an anatomical gift, a do-not-resuscitate order, etc. While all the data and information would remain confidential, the bill allows authorized healthcare providers immediate access when necessary, ensuring they act as the patient desires.  In its current form, I am supportive of Senator Walsh's bill.

Pay Raise Rejection
Following the lead of the House, the Senate recently passed HCRs 3 & 4, resolutions that rejected a pay increase for state elected officials. Despite a positive recommendation from the the Missouri Citizen’s Commission that was put in place to examine this issue outside the influence of politics, when pressed for a procedural vote, Senators voted against the raise. In my opinion, this is largely due to a politician not wanting to defend a record of raising his own salary. However, the idea that our low-paid state employees would receive no increase was also a stated factor in the rejection of the pay raise.  I voted against the pay increase for elected officials.

24th district Bills Recently Filed
Youth Suicide Prevention
As reported by the Associated Press, suicide claims more lives in Missouri than homicides and DWI accidents combined.  The American Association of Suicidology ranks Missouri 18th in the nation in suicide rates. But the reason I filed legislation to support educator training about the identification of students in crisis and suicide prevention is much more personal.

SB 328 is the result of a meeting and discussions with a dad whose 15 year old daughter took her life this past May. He is determined to save lives, even if just one life, of some other young person whose suicide would become another irrevocable tragedy. He has turned his pain into a passion for educating and helping others.

Our legislation is a step to helping train those who have so much contact with our kids in identifying the signs of a youth at risk and understanding how to intervene. You will hear more about this legislation as it moves through the legislative process. Support for it is being heard from around the state and from a multitude of organizations.  The Jefferson City News-Tribune wrote an opinion piece in favor of SB 328 last week. Suicide knows no partisan or geographical bounds. We are determined to make a difference in all those lives that might be affected by moving this legislation forward.  It has been referred to the Committee on Education and should receive a hearing soon.

Flu Vaccinations
This is a bill I originally filed during my time in the Missouri House. It seems clear that people working in healthcare settings where patients are sick, hurt and whose immune systems may be compromised need to be as healthy as possible.  Inadvertently introducing the flu around the ill or infirm can have horrific consequences.  Flu shots are valuable remedies.  SB 329 promoting public health is an important way to support positive outcomes.  It has been referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Health, one of the committees on which I serve. 

Capital Punishment
The death penalty continues to be a controversial topic, especially as we see long-time inmates being released from prison based on wrongful convictions. Missouri’s use of capital punishment, at the rate of about one execution per month over the last year, certainly gives me pause. In order to properly address the concerns from racial bias to access to resources, SB 393 creates a task force which will analyze the issues relating to our state’s current capital punishment system. This legislation organizes the task force and charges it with identifying policies to prevent wrongful convictions and promote fairness in the system. Until those recommendations are made, the legislation calls for a moratorium on executions. 

Equal Rights Amendment 
It’s 2015. It’s time. It’s time for women to legally have the same rights and opportunities as men. It's time for Missourians and their elected officials to take a stand and support ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. If passed, Missouri would be the 36th state to declare that “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” The ERA is supported by several of my colleagues. We need more. Shouldn’t this be the year that the Missouri legislature accepts gender equality?

Health Care Enrollment Event
On January 31st, the Maryland Heights Community Center, with the support of Mayor Mike Moeller, opened its doors to a community-wide health care enrollment event. Joining with me in hosting this event were Representatives Mary Nichols, Tracy McCreery, Bill Otto, Clem Smith, Sue Meredith, Deb Lavender, Joe Adams, and Margo McNeil.

Navigators, also referred to as Counselors, helped over a dozen people sign up for health care coverage before the February 15 deadline. Much gratitude goes to the professionals and the organizations they represented so well at our event:

Cover Missouri: Providing information and Navigators
Mercy Hospital: Providing health products and Navigators
SSM Health: Providing First Aid Kits
BJC Healthcare: Providing health products
Walgreens: Providing free flu shots

Watch for announcements about future community events and opportunities. Please let us know if you have ideas for how we can help serve the community.

Other Bill Updates
SB 24, a bill changing the provisions in the federally funded TANF program (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program...aka Food Stamps) was perfected in the Senate.  This was one of the bills that my office worked on for weeks with the sponsor, other colleagues, the Department of Social Services and advocates who work with the poor in our communities.  Our concern was how original proposals being made would adversely impact each family's children.  We were pleased that the sponsor allowed all of our recommended changes to his legislation.  It will receive one more Senate vote before moving to the House. 

SB 237 prohibiting discrimination based upon a person's sexual orientation or gender identity will receive a hearing next week in Progress and Development, one of the committees on which I serve.  Equality and justice under the law are principles for which I am always ready to fight!  

Announcements
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Scholarship Opportunity
Women Legislators of Missouri are encouraging young women set to graduate from high school to apply for a $500 college scholarship. Candidates must fill out an application and are required to submit a 500-word essay answering the question, “If you were a state legislator, what would you hope to accomplish and why?”

Download the application Here .

Deadline March 19, 2015.

Violet Marcel Chief of Staff

Email Violet at violet.marcel@senate.mo.gov
  

 June Isenberg Executive Assistant

Email June at june.isenberg@senate.mo.gov

Katie Walkley, Intern

Bre Bambrick, Intern

Office Contact information:

Office phone number: (573) 751-9762
Office address: State Capitol, 201 W. Capitol Ave., Rm 425, Jefferson City, Mo. 65101