2018 Legislative Session Begins

Welcome Madison Malugen!

We are excited to welcome our intern from Truman State University, Madison Malugen. Madison is a senior majoring in political science. She has already demonstrated a passion and understanding of the work we do.  She will be a great addition to the office this legislative session. “I am very excited and see this internship as a way to help me make meaningful change through public policy,” Madison states. After graduation, Madison hopes to continue to work in politics and government.

Protections for Whistleblowers and Ending Discrimination in Housing

Last year, the governor signed a law limiting legal protections for government workers who report improper or illegal activity in the workplace. The bill removed longstanding protections and, as a result, workers are at risk of retaliation and termination. It is more important than ever to pass legislation restoring protections and adding safeguards for public employees who report inappropriate activity in the workplace. One of the bills I am sponsoring this year, SB 786, includes provisions to add transparency and taxpayer protections and puts an end to the non-disclosure agreements that have been misused in order to hide certain inappropriate behavior from the public.

This legislation promotes transparency and protects public employees who speak out for the best interests of Missourians. It is time to do away with secrecy in Jefferson City. We should all be secure in the knowledge that our tax dollars are being well-managed and that our public officials are held accountable for their actions.  When you protect those who are willing to step up and “blow the whistle,” you help keep government transparent.

In addition to protecting workers in Missouri, I have also filed SB 605 which repeals a portion of the Missouri Human Rights Act (last year’s SB 43). Specifically, certain housing practices will be unlawful if made because of a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability or familial status. This bill would bring Missouri back into compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Assistance Program and allow the funding from the program to return to our state. In order for Missouri businesses to attract good workers and citizens, people have to feel confident that their rights will be protected and that discrimination will not be tolerated.

Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence

Protecting the rights of vulnerable Missourians has always been a top priority. Victims of domestic violence need to be given the opportunity to recover and get away from their abuser without being victimized again by the loss of a job. We know that typically, victims may be required to go to court up to five times to get an order of protection and these critically-needed, but repeated, absences jeopardize their ability to keep their jobs and maintain financial stability.  No one should have to choose between employment and safety.

SB 739 would allow those victims employed by a public or private employer with at least 15 employees to access unpaid leave to resolve issues as a victim themselves or to support a family member. Permissible reasons for taking leave include seeking medical help, recovering from injury, obtaining victim services or counseling, participating in safety planning and/or seeking legal assistance. This leave would be limited to 2 weeks per year if an employer has at least 50 employees and 1 week per year if the employer has 15-49 employees.

This passage of this legislation would help victims become survivors.

Emergency Generators in Care Facilities

In times of power outages, people living in intermediate care facilities or nursing homes are at risk because moving them in an urgent and stressful environment can put their health in jeopardy. When Hurricane Irma struck Florida last year, over a dozen people died due to their lack of power in facilities without generators. In Missouri, officials from across the state have reached out to me about this issue. With extreme weather conditions, we need to protect our vulnerable residents in facilities and prepare for and prevent these types of tragedies from occurring.

While newly constructed nursing homes are already required to have enough generators to provide emergency power, older facilities often do not have a generator on-site. Providing these facilities with a financial incentive will allow residents, and their loved ones, to be assured of a stable environment in case of an emergency until appropriate arrangements can be made.

With this in mind, SB 606 creates a tax credit covering up to 50 percent of the cost of installing or upgrading to an approved emergency generator. This time-limited tax credit will be available to intermediate care facilities and skilled nursing facilities approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services.

State of the State Address Lacks Substance

On Wednesday, January 10, the governor delivered the annual State of the State address before the General Assembly. As I sat listening, I found myself disappointed with the governor’s lack of substantive plans for the upcoming year. Many issues facing Missourians, including the repairing of roads and bridges, education concerns, the opioid epidemic and healthcare reform were notably absent from his remarks. The most glaring omission, however, was the governor’s failure to lay out his budget priorities for the upcoming year. With the loss of federal money as result of the continuous cutting of corporate taxes, one would think that budget issues would be at the forefront of the governor’s remarks. As he called on legislators to refuse gifts from lobbyists, he failed to commit to increased transparency from his office. Lawmakers should be held accountable to the people of Missouri. The governor must not continue to act as a notable exception to the promise of openness that underscores good government.

As always, I will work to ensure the business of government remains open; that your rights are protected; and to make sure our most vulnerable people have the support and protections they need.