General Column – Friday, May 16, 2008
Top Priorities Passed on Last Day of Session
Village law repeal, immigration measure sent to governor on final day
Jefferson City — In the last 24 hours of the 2008 Missouri legislative session, lawmakers passed many of their high priority measures for the year.
A bill repealing the controversial village law was passed on Friday. Senate Bill 765, sponsored by Sen. Jack Goodman (R-Mt. Vernon), repeals the law passed last year that allows individuals to incorporate villages much easier than the previous requirements of a petition signed by two-thirds of the residents and approval from the county. Senate Bill 765 reinstates the former requirements.
Legislation offering relief from high property taxes caused by reassessment has cleared the Legislature. Senate Bill 711, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood), requires tax rate roll backs; closes a loophole in the law that allows taxing districts to apply new voter-approved levies to future and unknown assessments; requires that taxpayers receive a projected tax liability along with their reassessment notices; and increases the Senior Citizen Property Tax Credit award from $750 to $1,100 for homeowners as well as expanding eligibility.
Comprehensive legislation relating to immigration was passed with hours to spare. House Bill 1549 tackles illegal immigration on several fronts, primarily as it relates to employers who hire undocumented workers. Missouri employers are barred from hiring illegal immigrants and could lose permits or licenses if they knowingly employ illegal workers. To be eligible for state contracts, employers must participate in a federal work authorization program, including public employers. Employers who misclassify workers will be subject to penalties of $50 per day per misclassified worker and up to a maximum of $50,000 in fines.
Other reforms prohibit communities from adopting safe sanctuary policies for illegal immigrants, bar individuals from transporting or harboring any illegal immigrant, require written tests for commercial licenses to be administered in English only and provide penalties for individuals who use fraudulent means to assist illegal immigrants in obtaining driver’s licenses.
Senate Bill 873, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Graham (D-Columbia), allows a student member to sit and vote on the board of curators for the University of Missouri. Under current law, nine members sit on the board with one member from each congressional district. Senate Bill 873 ensures that if Missouri loses a congressional district from redistricting based on the 2010 census, the board will not lose a member as well. The ninth member of the board would be a student curator who serves a two-year term and could vote on any issue except for the hiring or firing of faculty or staff.
A large-scale agriculture bill also cleared the Legislature. Senate Bill 931, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield), covers a variety of issues relating to agriculture, including:
- Creating an income tax credit for those who build qualified alternative fuel stations.
- Exempting the purchase of forestry equipment, fencing and fuel for agricultural purposes from state sales tax.
- Changing hazardous substance spill cleanup requirements.
- Prohibiting the Missouri Department of Agriculture from mandating individuals to register under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Animal Identification System program unless the Department is required to do so by law.
A wide-ranging military measure, House Bill 1678, received final approval from lawmakers. The bill allows military families to make an easier transition when they move to Missouri from other states. Children of military families will be able to enter Missouri schools more seamlessly and military spouses who are teachers will be able to receive a provisional teaching license. It also establishes a tuition grant program for spouses and children of war veterans who die, or who become 80 percent disabled, as the result of injury or illness sustained while serving in combat.
Omnibus legislation relating to weapons, House Bill 2034, was also sent to the governor. A primary component of the bill protects owners of firearm ranges by shielding them from civil and criminal liability for noise emission. Another major provision removes residency requirements for concealed carry permits. Under current law, new residents must live in Missouri for six months before they can receive a permit. The new legislation waives the six-month requirement for those who already have a valid permit from another state. It also closes the records of those who filed with their county sheriff to receive a concealed carry permit, makes it a Class C felony for any felon to posses any firearm, and further defines “explosive weapons.”
House Bill 1384 allows consumers who suspect they are victims of identity theft to request a “security freeze” or lock on their credit file to prevent anyone from trying to receive credit, loans or services in their name. Consumers would then be able to temporarily lift, or “thaw,” freezes when they want to make use of their own credit files, such as when applying for credit or loans. It also specifies that identity theft victims have the right to contact local law enforcement and request that an incident report regarding the identity theft be prepared and filed.
County sheriff deputies are one step closer to better pay under HB 2224. The legislation allows sheriffs to receive an additional $10 fee for processing any civil summons, writ, subpoena or other court order. This money will go into the newly created “Deputy Sheriff Salary Supplementation Fund,” which will be used to bolster the pay of county deputy sheriffs. The average salary for county deputies is slightly more than $22,000 — with most taking home only about $15,500 per year — and putting those with families below the federal poverty line.
The governor’s signature enacts the above legislation into law. 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 Senate district, or listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens. Today (5/16) marks the final day of the Second Regular Session of the 94th Missouri General Assembly.
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