JEFFERSON CITY— In early June, the bills that make up Missouri’s $23.2 billion operating budget for Fiscal Year 2012 received the governor’s signature.  Appropriations for many of the state’s programs and departments include funding for elementary and secondary education, higher education, highways and transportation, social services and agriculture.  Legislation relating to health care providers, fine arts education and taxes received the governor’s approval.

Fiscal Year 2012 Operating Budget

With the governor’s approval, funding is now set in place to operate the many state-run departments and programs starting July 1.  Funding sources for this fiscal year’s budget include general revenue, some federal budget stabilization dollars, federal dollars, as well as other funding.

The governor also lent his signature to appropriations measures for capital improvement projects for the maintenance, repair, replacement and improvement of state buildings and facilities, and for land improvements or acquisitions (he is withholding $104.6 for capital improvement projects).  The governor also line-item vetoed several provisions in HB 10, including $30,000 for civil detention and legal fees.  In addition, the governor is withholding more than $172 million from the $23.2 billion FY 2012 budget.  When a governor withholds money instead of implementing a line-item veto, he can later release the funding.

Here’s a breakdown of the FY 2012 operating budget taken from all funds:

Prescription Medication Assistance

Low-income seniors and those citizens with disabilities will benefit from House Bill 412, passed by the Missouri General Assembly on the last day of session and signed by the governor on June 10.  Carried through the Senate by Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa, the legislation extends the sunset on the Missouri Rx (MoRx) Plan from Aug. 28, 2011, to Aug. 28, 2014.  The bill also defines the term “legend drug” in relation to wholesale drug distributors, modifies the Board of Pharmacy’s regulatory process in regards to distributor licenses, and expands the types of medications to include legend drugs that veterinaries can administer or prescribe to animals. 

All three of these provisions are also found in Senate Bill 284 and 325, sponsored by Sen. Wasson.  The provisions relating to wholesale drug distributors took effect immediately upon receiving the governor’s signature.  Other provisions found in House Bill 412 will take effect on Aug. 28.

Health Care Providers and Health Issues

Senate Bill 62, sponsored by Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, also received the governor’s approval on June 10.  The measure, which addresses medical records, provider taxes and health care transparency, will take effect Aug. 28.  More specifically, the measure, beginning Jan. 1, 2014, requires health insurance carriers to allow policy holders, upon request, to know the amount of a deductible, co-payment and co-insurance under their plan or coverage that they would be responsible for paying before receiving a specific item or services.  This information must be delivered to the policyholder in a timely manner and made available through a website or by other means if they don’t have access to the Internet.

The provision limiting the amount to copy medical records was also included in Senate Bill 177, sponsored by Sen. Dan Brown, R-Williamstown.  The provider tax provision was also included in Senate Bill 322, sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia.

Sponsored and handled by Sen. Robin Wright-Jones, D-St. Louis, Senate Bill 38 and House Bill 667 creates two prostate cancer pilot programs that will provide screening, referral services, treatment and outreach for men affected by this disease.  These pilot programs, established by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, will be located in St. Louis and in Pemiscot, Dunklin or New Madrid counties.  The program will be open to uninsured or economically challenged men older than 50 year of age or between 35 and 50 who are at high risk of prostate cancer.  These measures will take effect Aug. 28, 2011.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 and House Concurrent Resolution 37, also sponsored and ushered through the upper chamber by Sen. Wright-Jones, asks the governor to recognize every third week in June as Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) Week in Missouri.  Over time, individuals with diabetes can develop nerve damage throughout their body, which if gone untreated or is not treated properly, can result in amputation of the most commonly affected areas — the feet and legs.  Approximately 364,000 Missourians were diagnosed with diabetes in 2009, and more than half of all those with the disease suffer from DPN.

Various Changes to Education

Sponsored by Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and signed by the governor in early June, Senate Bill 81 makes various changes to fine arts education, summer school and school district fund transfers.  Among other provisions, the legislation ensures that each Regional Professional Development Center provides professional development education assistance for fine arts beginning in Fiscal Year 2013, repeals a provision in state law that would increase state funding if summer school attendance decreases by 25 percent as compared to the 2005-2006 school year summer school attendance (identical to Senate Bill 253, sponsored by Senate Minority Floor Leader Victor Callahan, D-Independence), and changes how school districts may transfer certain funds at the end of each fiscal year (June 30). 

Environmental Protections

Senate Bill 135, sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, addresses expiration dates for certain lead-acid battery, hazardous waste, and motor fuel vapor recovery fees; changes scrap tire provisions in state law; and removes the banning of polypropylene coolers on or within 50 feet of certain rivers in Missouri, among other provisions.

Production of Records

Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, sponsored Senate Bill 68.  The legislation, starting Aug. 28, 2011, will allow the Senate President Pro Tem or the Speaker of the House to issue subpoenas, or a written order, requiring state agencies and others to provided records they have failed to provide when previously requested.

July 14 is the final day the governor can act on legislation delivered to him by the General Assembly.  If no action is taken on legislation, by either receiving a signature or a veto, then the bill becomes law on its effective date.

Vetoed Legislation

On June 17, the governor vetoed Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Napton.  His legislation would have established requirements for advance voting and voter photo IDs for elections.  Voters would have had to produce a valid, government-issued photo ID at the polls.  In addition, the legislation would have established advance voting for certain elections.  “Disenfranchising certain classes of persons...” was the reasoning behind the governor’s veto letter.

However, Missourians will still be able to vote on a constitutional amendment found in Senate Joint Resolution 2, also sponsored by Sen. Stouffer.  The resolution would, upon voter approval, require a voter to identify him or herself as a U.S. citizen and a resident of Missouri by producing a valid, government-issued photo ID.  Because the proposal is a joint resolution, it can go straight to the polls without receiving the governor’s approval.

Senate Interim Committees

The Missouri Senate leader also created two Senate interim committees to examine both short- and long-term issues affecting Missouri.  The Senate Interim Committee on Natural Disaster Recovery Efforts, chaired by Sen. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, was created in response to the string of natural disasters, ranging from blizzards, tornadoes and massive flooding, that has hit the state in the last several months. 

More specifically, the committee was created to examine what actions the General Assembly should take in order to best assist Missouri residents and local governments as they recover and rebuild from the recent wave of natural disasters.  Comprised of three subcommittees focusing on specific areas of response and recovery, senators will work with corresponding administrative agencies and make preliminary reports to the committee’s chairman before the annual veto session, scheduled for Sept. 14.  Senators named to the subcommittees include:

• Subcommittee on Emergency Response – Sen. Mike Kehoe (chairman), R-Jefferson City; Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit; Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington; Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles; Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City; and Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City.
• Subcommittee on Fiscal Response – Sen. Kurt Schaefer (chairman), R-Columbia; Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown; Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla; Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis; Sen. Timothy Green, D-St. Louis; and Sen. Kiki Curls, D-Kansas City.
• Subcommittee on Insurance Response – Sen. Mike Parson (chairman), R-Bolivar; Sen. Scott T. Rupp, R-Wentzville; Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa; Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield; Senate Minority Floor Leader Victor Callahan, D-Independence; and Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City.

The Senate Interim Committee on Health Insurance Exchanges, chaired by Sen. Rupp, was created to study various insurance exchange proposals and their compliance with Missouri law.  Health insurance exchanges were formed as a result of the recent number of health care reform plans passed by other states, as well as the federal “Affordable Health Care Act.”  Exchanges are designed to offer buyers of health insurance numerous plans from different insurance providers. 

Lawmakers appointed to serve on the committee will examine whether or not Missouri should follow federal guidelines and enact its own health insurance exchange.  Members include Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield; Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon; Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah; Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph; Sen. Kiki Curls, D-Kansas City; and Sen. Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis.  The committee will share its recommendations on the establishment of Missouri’s health insurance exchange and its effect on state law to the General Assembly.

This update is written once a week throughout the legislative session. To follow these and other issues facing the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can track legislation as it passes through the General Assembly, learn more about their district, or, when the Legislature is in session, listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens. For more legislative news, please visit the Senate Newsroom. There you will find various audio and video programs and other services, such as:  

• Missouri Legislative Update (MLU) – A video program produced periodically throughout the year that provides an overview of the news in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives. The program features news interviews with lawmakers and stories on issues concerning Missourians.
• Capital Dialogue – Missourinet's Bob Priddy hosts this monthly half-hour roundtable program bringing legislators together from the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives from different political parties to discuss their positions on specific issues and legislation.
• This Week in the Missouri Senate – A weekly five-minute audio program that wraps up the week’s news in the Missouri Senate. Programs are posted online every Friday in .mp3 format.
• Senate Minute – A condensed, one-minute audio report of current Senate news. Programs are posted in .mp3 format and are available through podcast.
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