Capitol Briefing for the Week of Monday, May 7, 2012
Senators Send FY 2013 Budget to the
Governor Ahead of Schedule
Measure Addressing the Well-Being of Veterans Sent to the Governor

Numerous budget bills that comprise Missouri’s operating budget for FY 2013, which begins on July 1, were considered carefully in various conference committees this week. After ironing out differences between the Senate and House regarding HB 2002-HB 2013, the $24 billion budget is now on its way to the governor one day before its constitutional deadline of 6 p.m. on May 11.

Elementary & Secondary Education

House Bill 2002 includes $3.009 billion for the state’s school foundation formula, $99.8 million to transport students to and from the classroom, $144.7 million for early childhood special education, $50 million for vocational education, and $15 million for early childhood development. The total amount allocated for elementary and secondary education funding for FY 2013 is $5.4 billion.

Higher Education

The $1.2 billion allocated in HB 2003 includes $33 million for the A+ Schools Program, $13.3 million for the Higher Education Academic Scholarship Program, and $57.8 million for the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Fund.

Social Services

The Department of Social Services, which receives funding through HB 2011, includes the Family Support Division, the Children’s Division, the Division of Youth Services, and the MO HealthNet Division, and received $8.225 billion. This funding includes $28 million for low-income, visually impaired Missourians, a line item negotiated by lawmakers during their budget conference committee this week.

Health & Mental Health

Funded through HB 2010, the Department of Mental Health, which includes the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Division of Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, and the Division of Developmental Disabilities, received $1.393 billion. The Department of Health and Senior Services, also funded through HB 2010, includes the Division of Community and Public Health and the Division of Senior and Disability Services, and received $1.043 billion.

Economic Development, Labor & Insurance

The Department of Economic Development, which includes the Division of Tourism, the Missouri Housing Development Commission, and the Public Service Commission, received $363.2 million; the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations received $133.9 million; and the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration received $39.7 million. These three departments received funding through HB 2007.

Agriculture, Conservation & Natural Resources

The Department of Agriculture, which includes the Division of Animal Health and programs for the Missouri State Fair, received $40.6 million; the Department of Conservation received $146.8 million; and the Department of Natural Resources, which includes the Division of Energy, the Division of State Parks, and the Soil and Water Conservation Program, received $592.9 million. All three departments are funded through HB 2006.

Public Safety

House Bill 2008 provides funding for the Department of Public Safety, which includes the State Highway Patrol and the Water Patrol Division, the Missouri Veterans’ Commission, the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, and the State Emergency Management Agency.  The department received $559.5 million. Consequently, the Legislature this week passed legislation (HB 1731) providing a dedicated funding source for Missouri’s veterans’ homes that are funded through the Veterans’ Commission Capital Improvement Fund, found in HB 2008.

Revenue & Transportation

The Department of Revenue, which includes funding for the Division of Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing, the State Tax Commission, and the State Lottery Commission, received $448.4 million. The Department of Transportation, which includes funding for various construction and maintenance for road, rail, aviation and waterways programs, received $2.150 billion. Both departments are funded through HB 2004.

All Other Agencies

  • Office of Administration - $261.6 million (HB 2005)
  • Employee Benefits - $828.2 million (HB 2005)
    This includes a 2 percent pay raise for state employees who earn up to $70,000 annually, which covers more than 54,000 employees or 97 percent of the state employee workforce.
  • Corrections - $667.3 million (HB 2009)
  • Elected Officials - $112.1 million (HB 2012)
  • Judiciary - $194.9 million (HB 2012)
  • Public Defender Commission - $39.4 million (HB 2012)
  • General Assembly - $33 million (HB 2012)
  • Real Estate - $149.8 million (HB 2013)

Members of the Senate who served on conference committees for HB 2002-HB 2013 included Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia; Sen. Dan. Brown, R-Rolla; Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit; Sen. Timothy Green, D-Spanish Lake; and Sen. Shalonn “Kiki” Curls, D-Kansas City.

Two other appropriations bills, HB 2001 and HB 2014, were previously passed by the Legislature. HB 2001 addresses public debt, and HB 2014, which has already been signed by the governor, is a supplemental measure that authorizes an additional $131 million in expenditures for the current fiscal year.

Click here to watch “Daily Audio and Video Clips” from May 10, which highlight lawmakers’ consideration of the FY 2013 budget. Senator Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, and Senate Assistant Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, are included in these postings.

Additional Bills Moving to the Governor for His Signature

Funding for veterans’ homes and services received much debate in the Senate this week. After the upper chamber’s consideration and final approval of HB 1731 on Thursday (5-10), the bill is now on its way to the governor.

The measure, handled in the Senate by Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, would adjust the allocation of the gaming commission fund to ensure full funding for operation of Missouri’s veterans’ homes while providing the needed mechanism to balance the state’s $24 billion operating budget.

More specifically, the act would remove specific funding for the Early Childhood Development, Education and Care Fund and provide the net proceeds of the fund remaining after distribution to the specified funds go to the Veterans' Commission Capital Improvement Fund. The Early Childhood Development, Education and Care Fund would receive at least $35 million from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement each year.

Missouri has seven veterans’ homes across the state — Cameron, Cape Girardeau, Mexico, Mt. Vernon, St. James, St. Louis, and Warrensburg — that serve the needs of its aging veterans. The health and happiness of veterans and ensuring they are cared for with respect and dignity is high on the priority list for many lawmakers. 

The bill contains an emergency clause, meaning it would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.

Click here to watch “The Senate Minute” from May 10, which highlights the upper chamber’s approval of HB 1731. Senator Crowell and Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City, are included in this report. These lawmakers are also featured in “Daily Audio and Video Clips” from May 9, which concentrate on the bill’s debate.

Numerous other bills were sent to the governor for approval this week after receiving final stamps of approval from the Senate and House.

House Bill 1106, handled by Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, would modify provisions relating to public offices that have statutory bond requirements. More specifically, the act would establish minimum qualifications for the county collector and county treasurer-collector’s offices, among other priorities. Except for county collectors in charter counties, a candidate for these offices must be at least 21 years of age, a resident of the state and the county in which he or she will serve for one year prior to filing for office, and a registered voter.

Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, handled a measure that aims to protect the health and safety of children who suffer from asthma. House Bill 1188 would allow a school nurse or other trained employee to administer asthma-related rescue medication to a student experiencing an asthma attack.

Senate Joint Resolution 51 would modify the composition of Appellate Judicial Commission and number of nominees for vacancies. Currently, the Appellate Judicial Commission consists of seven members, consisting of one Missouri Supreme Court Judge; three attorneys, who are elected members of the Missouri Bar; and three laypeople appointed by the governor. The act, if approved by Missouri voters, would change the commission by removing the chief justice and adding an additional layperson appointed by the governor. A judge would still remain on the commission for counsel, but would be a non-voting member. 

With an objective to protect Missourians from devastating flood damage, SCR 25, sponsored by the Senate President Pro Tem, would urge the federal government to manage the Mississippi River to protect against destructive flood events. More specifically, the resolution would strongly urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to:

  • Re-examine the flood plan for the Mississippi River;
  • Conduct its river operations to avoid flooding disasters, like those experienced in 2011; and
  • Rebuild the damaged levees as quickly as possible.

Click here to listen to “The Senate Minute” from May 9, which features a report on measures that have already been sent to the governor.

Measure Relating To Transportation Receives Senate Approval

House Bill 1402 obtained the Senate’s stamp of approval on Thursday, May 10. The measure addresses numerous provisions relating to the regulation of motor vehicles, including household goods movers and the Uniform Commercial Driver’s License Act.

Under the legislation, household goods movers would no longer have to file their schedule of rates, fares and charges with the state highways and transportation commission. A household goods mover would need to maintain and publish its schedules of rates, fares, rules, and charges in its stations and offices. Such rates must be available for inspection by the commission, shippers, and the public.

In addition, HB 1402 would add new definitions to the Uniform Commercial Driver's License Act and make modifications to current definitions relating to commercial driver license requirements in order to comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations and support the implementation of the federal rule labeled “Medical Certification Requirements as part of the CDL.”

House Bill 1402 moves to the House for its final approval.

Click here to watch “Daily Audio and Video Clips” from May 10, which feature debate on HB 1402. Included in this report are Senate Minority Floor Leader Victor Callahan, D-Independence, and Sen. Schaaf.

Bills Sent to Conference Committees

These measures are currently under consideration in conference committees, where members of the Senate and House work together to iron out differences between the two chambers.

Senate Bill 611 would, among other provisions, require the Missouri Department of Transportation to establish minimal yellow light change interval times for traffic lights. Such interval times would need to be established in accordance with standards set forth in the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

The act also addresses Missouri’s “Move Over Law,” and would require drivers who approach stationary emergency vehicles or vehicles owned by the commission and operated by Department of Transportation employees displaying amber or amber and white lights to proceed with caution by making a lane change away from the stationary vehicle or vehicles, if possible.

Five members from the House, in addition to Sen. McKenna; Sen. Robin Wright-Jones, D-St. Louis; Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City; Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Napton; and Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis, have been assigned to the conference committee on SB 611.

Also addressing motor vehicle safety, SB 568, sponsored by Sen. Parson, tackles the “Move Over Law,” as well as temporary permit tags, biennial registration for larger vehicles, inspections of rebuilt salvage vehicles, and failure to appear in court, among other concerns.

Senate conference committee members for SB 568 include Sen. Parson; Sen. Stouffer; Sen. Ron Richard, R-Joplin; Sen. McKenna; and Sen. Wright-Jones. The Missouri Senate adopted the conference committee report on SB 568 and the bill now awaits final approval in the House.

Handled in the Senate by Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, HB 1073 would modify several provisions pertaining to agriculture.

House Bill 1073 would require the State Board of Education to establish standards for agricultural education that could be adopted by a private school. The standards would need to be sufficient to allow a private school to apply to host a local chapter of a national agricultural education association, among other requirements.

The bill would also exempt farm work performed by children under the age of 16 from certain child labor requirements, including the obtaining of a work certificate, hours/days of performance, and certain prohibited hazardous jobs, such as operating and maintaining power-driven machinery and working with certain chemicals. Young people would be able to work on their own family farms and, with the knowledge and consent of their parents, could work on the family farms of others.

Members of the Senate appointed to this conference committee include Sen. Munzlinger; Sen. Parson; Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah; Sen. Callahan; and Sen. McKenna.

Senate Bill 569, sponsored by Sen. Kraus, would change Missouri’s law relating to elections. The bill was originally introduced in the Senate as a measure that would change the dates available for elections. Now the legislation includes provisions that would modify how vacancies are filled by the governor in statewide offices and the office of U.S. Senator, and require election judges to swear that they will support and defend the U.S. and Missouri constitutions, among other provisions.

Members of the Senate appointed to this conference committee include Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington; Sen. Kraus; Sen. Justus; Sen. Luann Ridgeway, R-Smithville; and Sen. Wright-Jones.

Sponsored by Sen. Brown, SB 564 states that an applicant who is an active member of the U.S. Armed Forces and has successfully completed a military motorcycle rider training course that meets or exceeds the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s curriculum standards, would be able to demonstrate his or her ability to operate a motorcycle or motor tricycle, instead of having to take a driving test, to obtain a motorcycle license.

Senator Brown; Sen. McKenna; Sen. Richard; Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa; and Sen. Wright-Jones were appointed to serve on the conference committee for SB 564.

Handled in the Senate by Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, HB 1135 would modify provisions regarding the updating and reviewing of administrative rules. The Secretary of State would be given the authority to make non-substantive changes to the Code of State Regulations to update state agency information, such as name or address changes. This act further states that every state administrative rule would be subject to a periodic review by the appropriate state agency every five years.

Members of the Senate appointed to serve on the conference committee for HB 1135 include Sen. Dixon; Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield; Sen. Ridgeway; Sen. Green; and Sen. Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis.

The Missouri Senate will stand adjourned until 3:00 p.m. Monday, May 14. The 2012 legislative session will draw to a close at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 18.

To see the Senate’s weekly schedule or view a complete list of bills filed this year, among other information pertaining to the 2012 legislative session, please visit the Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov.

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, and, 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.
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