After our legislative spring break, my fellow senators and I returned to the Capitol to begin the second half of the 2019 legislative session. The Missouri Senate has already passed several important pieces of legislation that have been sent to the Missouri House of Representatives for consideration. A few of the bills I have sponsored for this legislative session are scheduled to be discussed on the Senate floor or have already been passed by the Senate and sent to the House for consideration.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 establishes the Joint Committee on Solid Waste Management District Operations. I have introduced this legislation in the past, and the proposed committee has been well received by the Department of Natural Resources. The purpose of this committee is to examine the operations of solid waste management districts, and the efficiency, efficacy and reasonableness of costs and expenses to Missouri taxpayers. This resolution has been sent to the House for consideration.
Senate Bill 211 extends the sunset date on the fee for the sale of new tires from Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2025. Every time you purchase a new set of tires, there is a small fee added that is used to recycle your old tires. Before this fee was imposed, tires were stacking up along the side of roads, in forests and in landfills because there was no funding to properly dispose of the old tires. The stacks of tires collected water, allowing mosquitos to breed, and it also became a fire risk. The fee for the sale of new tires will be used to shred them for playgrounds or as an energy source for a power company. This legislation may seem like a small change, but it has a big impact helping our state continue to recycle these tires. This legislation has been passed out of the Senate Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.
Senate Bill 185 provides eligibility for all employees of the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) and the Environmental Improvement Energy Resource Authority (EIERA) for membership in the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS). This legislation fixes an error that unintentionally excluded employees of the MHDC and EIERA from eligibility in MOSERS. In 2000, the definition of department changed and this affected which state agencies’ employees were eligible for MOSERS benefits. This proposal changes the language to ensure the employees of MHDC and EIERA are not removed from the MOSERS system. This important measure has been passed by the Senate and is under consideration by the House.
Senate Bill 405 designates Nov. 9 of each year as “Stars and Stripes Day” in Missouri to commemorate the United States Armed Forces newspaper. The Stars and Stripes newspaper was first printed on Nov. 9, 1861, by Union soldiers in Bloomfield, Missouri. The first official publication of this newspaper came during World War I and continues to the present day. During my service in the United States Air Force, I enjoyed reading the Stars and Stripes newspaper while I was stationed in Southeast Asia and England because it allowed me to stay connected to the United States and updated on current events. There is a Stars and Stripes Museum and Library located in Bloomfield, Missouri, that includes an extensive research library on the history of our country’s military. I am proud to be a member of the board for this library and museum. This legislation is especially important to me as a veteran, and I want to commemorate this historic newspaper. This legislation has already been passed by the Senate and is currently making its way through the legislative process in the House.
Senate Bill 180 is one of the most important pieces of legislation I have filed for this legislative session. This proposal modifies the Missouri Works program by creating an additional tax credit for improving or expanding a military base in the state. This tax credit creates an incentive to bring military jobs to Missouri, keep current military bases open and find ways to expand them. In the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), Missouri was caught ill prepared. This federal policy consolidated and closed several military bases across the country, including the 139th military airlift wing in St. Joseph, Missouri. Investing in our military bases will ensure they remain open if another BRAC Commission is enacted. In addition to bringing more military jobs to the state, this tax credit would also attract high paying civilian jobs with excellent benefits for the purpose of supporting new military personnel and constructing new facilities in our state. Workforce development is one of the governor’s priorities for the state, and this legislation would bolster that initiative by bringing military jobs to Missouri.
Contact Me
I always appreciate hearing your comments, opinions, and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-2459. You may write me at Wayne Wallingford, Missouri Senate, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101, or email at wayne.wallingford@senate.mo.gov or www.senate.mo.gov/wallingford.
If you would like to stop receiving these weekly updates, please send an email here.