JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Senate returned from its mid-session recess this week and promptly began working on several pieces of legislation, sending a handful of bills to the House for similar consideration.
This week was marked by extensive debate on some of the key issues of the session, including the economy and jobs, tax credits, abortion, crime—and education. Senate Bill 291 , an omnibus education bill sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph), was discussed into the early morning hours on Thursday when it received an initial vote of approval.
The wide-ranging measure allows schools to offer—and receive state funding for—virtual courses. It also allows the governor to establish the "P-20 Council" as a private, not-for profit corporation on behalf of the state. The purpose of the P-20 Council, which would have 20 members, is to create a more efficient and effective education system to better prepare students for entering the workforce.
Senate Bill 291 also provides that all revenue collected from the repeal of the casino loss limits passed last November be deposited into the Classroom Trust fund and then be dispersed to schools through the fund, ensuring that the money voters intended for public schools to receive is properly distributed.
The bill also requires public schools to develop specific teacher performance standards by June 2010.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on SB 291 .
Senate Bill 167 , sponsored by Sen. Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville), also received a first-round vote of approval. The measure requires health carriers that issue or renew health benefit plans to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders for individuals up to 18 years of age. It also restricts health carriers from refusing to issue or renew coverage based solely on the fact that an individual is diagnosed with autism.
Another measure receiving a first-round Senate vote of approval was SB 5 , sponsored by Sen. John Griesheimer (R-Washington). The measure creates the Missouri County Planning Act, which allows any county with an assessed valuation of more than $200 million to create, adopt, amend and carry out a county plan. It also allows for any plan approved by the planning commission to be put to a vote of the people prior to implementation.
This week the House agreed with the Senate’s changes to HB 14 , this year’s major supplemental budget bill, effectively sending it to the governor on Tuesday. The $312 million spending bill fills in budget gaps for the remainder of the 2009 fiscal year, which runs through June 30, 2009. In the coming weeks, the FY 2010 budget—which is currently being discussed in the House—will be taken up for debate on the Senate floor.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on the fiscal year 2010 budget.
Several bills also received on Thursday the second passing vote they needed to move to the House for similar consideration. Among them was SB 176 , sponsored by Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton), which establishes an Alzheimer's State Plan Task Force.
Another of Sen. Stouffer’s bills, SB 58 , also received a final Senate vote. The comprehensive transportation bill, among other provisions, establishes a drunken driving risk reduction awareness program and prohibits the issuance of an automated red light camera citation unless the driver is clearly identifiable by a police officer.
Senate Bill 89 , also sponsored by Sen. Stouffer, received a final passing Senate vote. The bill addresses safety issues in long-term care facilities, including requiring the installation of an approved sprinkler system in recently renovated facilities. It also prohibits former employees (within two years of employment) of such facilities to be assigned to inspect or survey a long-term care facility by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Also earning a final vote of approval from the Senate was Senate Bill 130 , sponsored by Sen. Ryan McKenna (D-Crystal City). The bill prohibits text messaging while driving on Missouri highways and would constitute an infraction and a moving violation for the purpose of assessing points on driving records.
Missourians on the state’s No-Call list may soon have more options for blocking unwanted calls and messages. Sen. Rupp’s SB 65 also received a final passing Senate vote and would expand the list to include personal cell phone numbers. It prohibits solicitations via text message, fax or graphic imaging and adds certain automated calls to the list of prohibited calls. Senate Bill 65 additionally requires that anyone making a political phone call to a Missouri resident must include a "paid for by" statement. Violators may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per knowing violation.
Passed out of committee on Tuesday was SB 535 , sponsored by Sen. Rita Heard Days (D-St. Louis), which creates the crime of breaching airport security. This offense would be a class D felony and includes unlawfully entering airport property that is not open to the public; knowingly or recklessly entering a private area within the airport's buildings; or knowingly or recklessly entering an area of an airport without the prior authorization required by airport or transportation security administration personnel.
Committee discussions continued with a handful of election-related bills receiving a hearing in the Senate Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee . They included SB 14 (Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin), which bars felons from running for or holding public office; SB 115 (Sen. Joan Bray, D-St. Louis), which requires all petition circulators to be Missouri residents and prohibits them from being paid on a per signature basis; and SB 21 (Sen. Days), which creates an advance voting system for elections.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on SB 14.
The Missouri Senate will reconvene at 4 p.m. Monday, March 30, 2009. The First Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly will run through Friday, May 15, 2009.
The Missouri Senate General Column is written on a weekly basis. To follow these and other issues being addressed by 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, and listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens.
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