JEFFERSON CITY—Senators delved into two of the most controversial bills of the session this week, debating the power plant and economic development measures for a combined 20+ hours on the Senate floor. Though these two issues dominated discussion this week, the Senate gave first-round approval to a bill that would expand college scholarships, and the Senate Appropriations Committee passed all 13 budget bills for the coming fiscal year.
Senate Bill 558 , sponsored by Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter), received a preliminary vote of approval from the Senate on Monday. The measure would expand the scholarships available to high school students planning to attend community college, or technical or vocational school by creating the Missouri Promise Program.
The bill extends the current A+ Schools scholarship program to all eligible high school students and would no longer require program participation through an A+ designated high school. The legislation would also provide funding for an additional two years for qualifying graduates who go on to a four-year public university.
To be eligible for the scholarship program, students must attend a Missouri public high school for at least three years prior to graduation and have at least a 2.5 GPA, show a good faith effort to secure other sources of funding, be enrolled full-time at a public community college or public or private vocational or technical school, and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA while receiving the scholarship. Students striving for a scholarship beyond a two-year degree would be required to have a minimum 3.0 GPA. All scholarship recipients must avoid disciplinary issues to maintain the award. Another Senate vote sends SB 558 to the House for similar consideration.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on SB 558.
The Senate Appropriations Committee this week passed all 13 of the budget bills (House Bills 1–13) for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1, 2010. The bills could be brought to the Senate floor as early as next week. The General Assembly is constitutionally required to pass this year’s budget by May 8.
Several amendments were offered to SB 228 , sponsored by Sen. Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City), during debate Tuesday afternoon and evening. The complex measure would determine if utilities can pass off the costs of building a new power plant to customers through increased rates prior to the plant producing energy, essentially repealing the state’s current construction work in progress law (CWIP). The law bans investor-owned utilities from charging customers for costs associated with building a new power plant before the facility goes online. One amendment successfully added to the bill exempts seniors 65 and older and the disabled earning less than $40,000 a year from having to contribute to the building costs.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on SB 228.
The Senate brought the House version of the comprehensive economic development measure to the floor on Wednesday, with debate going well into the night. House Bill 191 would expand the Quality Jobs Act and create a variety of other tax credit programs.
Also debated this week was SB 572 , sponsored by Sen. Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles) and Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City). The measure creates the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment authority to create, attract, and enhance new and existing science and innovation companies in the state and make Missouri attractive for science and innovation research, development, and commercialization.
Senate Bill 549 , sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale), which establishes a MO HealthNet data transparency program, received a first-round passing Senate vote on Wednesday. The program would require MO HealthNet to provide data about plan participants (in line with federal medical privacy laws) via its website that would be available to the general public.
Also receiving a preliminary passing Senate vote on Wednesday was SB 538 , sponsored by Sen. Norma Champion (R-Springfield). The measure puts into law the current practice of granting a monthly personal needs allowance to residents in long-term care facilities. It creates a formula for increasing the current $30 per month allowance annually, starting in 2010, by no more than $5 a year until the allowance reaches $50 a month. Beyond that, the allowance may be increased only upon annual appropriation.
A bill establishing the Joint Interim Committee on the Public School Retirement System (PSRS) of Missouri received an initial vote of approval from the Senate on Thursday. Senate Bill 383 , sponsored by Sen. Dempsey, establishes the committee to study issues during the legislative interim including contribution rates by employers and members, long-term solvency of the PSRS and issues affecting other state retirement systems that may similarly impact PSRS.
Senate Bill 71 , sponsored by Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton), earned a final passing Senate vote on Thursday. The legislation creates an income tax credit equal to 50 percent of the amount of an eligible donation made, on or after January 1, 2010, to a qualifying developmental disability care provider.
Senate Bill 430 , sponsored by Sen. Jeff Smith (D-St. Louis), was passed by the Senate Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee this week. The measure seeks to create environmentally sustainable practices, such as requiring that any appliance purchased with any portion of state funds be Energy Star-certified and requiring that any state building constructed, significantly renovated or acquired by a lease be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as meeting the silver rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system. Public college and university buildings are exempt from the proposed statute.
The measure also creates an income tax deduction for the purchase of qualified hybrid motor vehicles. Missourians who purchase these vehicles for their own use may deduct either $2,000 or 10 percent of the purchase price from their taxes, whichever is less.
Senate Bill 283 was passed by the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee this week. The measure, sponsored by Sen. Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis), would prohibit health carriers from imposing co-pay amounts that exceed 50 percent of the total cost of any single health care service.
Receiving a hearing in the Senate General Laws Committee this week was SB 53 , sponsored by Sen. Rita Heard Days (D-St. Louis). The bill allows adopted individuals who were born in Missouri and are age 18 or older to obtain copies of their original birth certificate. However, they must agree in writing that they will abide by the birth parents’ contact preference, if that preference is included with the birth certificate. Adopted individuals would also be able to receive a medical history form with their birth certificate, if one is available.
Also receiving a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee was Senate Joint Resolution 14 , sponsored by Sen. Yvonne Wilson (D-Kansas City). The measure would put a proposed constitutional amendment before the voters that if passed, would allow for the creation of discrete tax-free or reduced tax geographic zones for the purpose of promoting economic development in those areas.
And finally, this week the governor signed the General Assembly’s $312 million supplemental spending bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2009, which ends June 30, 2009. House Bill 14 received the governor’s signature on Tuesday.
The Missouri Senate will reconvene in full at 12 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 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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