Volume 1, Issue 3 – The Week of Feb. 4, 2019
Moving Bills Out of Committee
As we enter the second month of the legislative session, bills are beginning to be voted on by Senate committees and sent to the Senate floor for further debate and deliberation.
As we discussed in a previous May Report, the Senate’s Seniors, Families and Children Committee considered legislation that requires individuals to comply with federal work requirements in order to receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. By failing to comply with these requirements, Senate Bill 4 would make an individual ineligible for SNAP for a period of time and could even lead to them being permanently disqualified from the program. This week, the committee approved SB 4 and sent it to the Senate floor. I voted against this measure, believing it is punitive and that it will only make it harder on Missouri families to put food on their tables. As this bill makes its way through the legislative process, I will continue to voice my opposition and stand up for families struggling to make ends meet.
Additionally, the Senate’s Seniors, Families and Children Committee voted on legislation dealing with a proposed prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). Senate Bill 155 creates a PDMP that allows doctors to track patients’ prescription habits in the hopes of preventing the overprescribing of highly addictive opioids. I believe Missouri needs a PDMP to help curb the opioid epidemic, and that is why I voted for this legislation. While I voted for the bill, it failed to receive enough “yes” votes to be voted out of committee. There is a chance this bill may be reconsidered, but as of now, it has died in committee.
Lastly, the Senate’s Government Reform Committee approved Senate Bill 7. This bill deals with Missouri’s joinder and venue laws. The intent of the bill is to reduce the number of class-action lawsuits in St. Louis. I voted against this bill, because of my concerns about proposal’s current language and the negative effects it could have on Missourians’ ability to come together in legal cases.
As these bills and others make it to the Senate floor, I will ensure that the voice of the people of the 4th Senatorial District are heard in the Missouri Senate. I look forward to hearing from you on the issues that are important to you this legislative session. If there is anything my office can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3599.