Website | Newsroom | Columns | Legislation
| On the Floor
Similar to last week’s progress, progress in the Missouri Senate has remained slow during this week of the legislative session. On Thursday, March 9, the Senate passed Senate Bill 34 and senators deliberated Senate Bills 66 and 28. On Tuesday, March 7, the senators heard SB 66 on the Senate floor. The bill would put restrictions on how long an individual on workers’ compensation can receive benefits. The first provision of this bill would terminate benefits once a worker reaches “maximum medical improvement”, which is define as when a worker can no longer “reasonably improve”. The bill would also create a 400-week or 8-year cap for individual to receive benefits. “It’s our duty, as a state, to protect all people, especially the most vulnerable, when there are attempts to revoke the support they heavily depend on. Our state cannot turn its back on those unable to work, which is why I will work hard to oppose this bill and continue to prioritize all Missourians,” Sen. Nasheed said. On Tuesday, March 7, the Senate heard also Senate Bill 28. The bill would leave thousands of Missourians — seniors, people with disabilities, and children — vulnerable to the harmful effects of health care cuts. Your express concerns about the jolt this bill would have on Missouri’s Medicaid program were relayed to the Senator’s office. She will continue to oppose this bill while acknowledging the harm that would come to the members of St. Louis and the communities throughout Missouri if this bill becomes law. On Thursday, March 9, debate about House Bill 130 continued on the Senate Floor. This bill would strengthen requirements for all Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) and their drivers. These companies would have to apply for annual permits from the Department of Revenue and maintain insurance coverage. This bill would also require these companies to adopt nondiscrimination and privacy policies for their riders. If HB 130 becomes law, each driver must complete a local and national criminal background checks. Bills and Committees Senate Bill 287 – On Monday, March 6, the Committee on Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence successfully heard SB 287: The Fourth Amendment Affirmation Bill. This bill would help reduce the presence of biased policing. Senate Bill 52 – On Thursday, March 9, the House’s Committee on Health and Mental Health Policy reported SB 52 and the bill is currently on the consent calendar. This bill would require that higher education institutions provide resources to students for suicide prevention and awareness purposes. Appropriations This week, the Appropriations Committee heard testimony presented by statewide officials, including the Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, and Treasurer. On Tuesday, the committee heard testimony concerning the Department of Social Services and the recommendations from the governor regarding their budget. Other News House Republicans Reject Minimum Wage Increase Members of the majority party griped about a St. Louis ordinance that would ultimately raise the citywide minimum wage to $11, because the city’s minimum wage would be higher than the state’s. So after complaining that the ordinance was inappropriate because of this, House members of the majority party casually rejected, on March 8, a proposal to increase the state’s minimum wage to $11 an hour by 2020. The wage proposal was defeated on a near party-line vote of 45-108 with Democrats in support and all but one Republican in opposition. The minority party proposed the statewide wage increase as an amendment to another measure, House Bill 1194, that would block implementation of a St. Louis minimum wage ordinance. City officials enacted the ordinance in 2015, but it had been tied in litigation until a unanimous Missouri Supreme Court upheld it on Feb. 28. Also in 2015, the Republican-controlled General Assembly overrode a gubernatorial veto to enact legislation prohibiting cities from having local minimum wages that are higher than the state’s minimum. However, that legislation included a grandfather clause that allowed for higher local wage ordinances to take effect after Aug. 28, 2015, which St. Louis’ did. HB 1194 would eliminate the grandfather clause, thus invalidating the St. Louis ordinance. On March 9, the House voted 111 to 45 to send the bill to the Senate for further debate. Budget Panel Proposes Ending Renter’s Tax Credit On March 7, the House Budget Committee took the first steps toward eliminating the circuit breaker tax credit for low-income renters who are elderly or disabled. The roughly $60 million in savings from eliminating the credit could be used to preserve funding for nursing home and in-home care services for the disabled, which the governor has proposed cutting back. The circuit breaker tax credit provides property tax relief to low-income elderly or disabled Missourians. Members of the majority party say that only homeowners should qualify for the credit since renters don’t directly pay property taxes on their homes. Members of the minority party argue that it is appropriate to extend the credit to renters — as it has been for more than 40 years — because landlords pass on the cost of their property taxes to renters. The average renter’s credit is about $500 a year. The minority party further argues that with the hundreds of millions of dollars in special interest tax cuts the Legislature has approved in recent years, a relatively modest tax break for the elderly and disabled isn’t the first place lawmakers should turn to for savings. Another committee must hear the bill before it can advance to the full House for debate. The Governor’s Team Uses Nonprofit to Avoid Disclosure Operatives connected to the governor have established a nonprofit organization called A New Missouri Inc., to advocate for the governor’s agenda and to pay for some of his expenses, “The Kansas City Star” reported on March 8. As a nonprofit, A New Missouri Inc. doesn’t have to disclose its donors, making it impossible for the public to know whether individuals, companies or interest groups with business before the state are making contributions in order to curry favor with the administration. Moreover, The Star reported that the nonprofit will coordinate directly with the governor’s office and campaign committee. In some cases, the various arms of this organization will share staff with at least one person, the governor’s senior adviser, who works for the office, committee and organization — an arrangement that could blur legal and ethical lines. During his campaign for office, the governor vowed to fight the corruption and the influence of lobbyists and campaign donors in Jefferson City. However, the governor has been criticized for not practicing what he preached, taking nearly $2 million in untraceable “dark money” campaign contributions and refusing to disclose the amount of dollars donors gave to him during the inaugural ball or who is paying for his plane travels while on official business. St. Louis Mayoral Primary Race On Tuesday, March 7, St. Louis voters took to the polls to vote for the city’s primary candidates for mayor. It was a truly competitive and close race. Sen. Nasheed extends her sincerest praise to Tishaura Jones for putting up a good fight for the betterment of St. Louis, and her congratulations to Democratic candidate Lyda Krewson on her primary victory. “Although we may differ on how to get there, we share the same vision for a safer, brighter and more prosperous St. Louis — and that will outshine any and every difference we may have,” Sen. Nasheed noted. |