The 2019 legislative session ended in May, and the Missouri General Assembly passed more than 90 bills concerning issues such as workforce development, health care and our state’s infrastructure. The governor signed a majority of this legislation into law, and only vetoed six bills. This week, during the annual veto session, my colleagues and I did not vote to override the governor’s veto on any of the six bills.
The governor also called an extra legislative session to run concurrently with veto session, to pass legislation resulting from a recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling. This summer, the court ruled that the sale proceeds of only one vehicle can be used as a credit toward the purchase of a new vehicle for the purposes of calculating sales tax. Up until this decision, Missourians have been able to use the sale proceeds of more than one vehicle to go toward the sales tax on the purchase of another vehicle. The governor called this extra legislative session in the hopes that the General Assembly would pass legislation allowing Missourians to continue to use the proceeds of multiple vehicles toward the sales tax obligations of a newer vehicle. I introduced the Senate bill that would make this change; however, the House version of this bill will pass, but it was an honor to sponsor this legislation on behalf of the governor.
Earlier this year, I sponsored 25 bills and one Senate Concurrent Resolution during the legislative session. Of these 25 bills, 13 were passed by the General Assembly. The governor signed five of my bills, and the remaining eight were added to other legislation that was signed by the governor. Below is information regarding those 13 bills.
- Senate Bill 86 was passed in Senate Bill 275. Senate Bill 86 establishes the “Senior Services Growth and Development Program” within the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. This legislation provides that 5 percent of an existing insurance premium tax will go toward agencies on aging to help them pay for meals, Medicare, education, adult day care, transportation and other services for the senior citizens of our state. I recently received the Public Policy Leadership Award for my work on this legislation. It was an honor to receive this award and bring attention to the needs of our senior citizens and the agencies on aging across the state that need funding.
- Senate Bill 87 is “Sahara’s Law.” This legislation extends the sunset until Dec. 31, 2024, on a current law that gives taxpayers the option to donate a portion of their income tax refund to the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund. This is not an additional tax, and it is not mandatory to donate. This bill is named for a 12-year-old girl named Sahara who battled a brain tumor and unfortunately passed away. Her mother shared her incredible story with me, and I wanted to do my part to contribute to the Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund. Pediatric cancer research is severely underfunded, and this optional donation from your income tax refund will help fund important research for treatments for pediatric cancer.
- Senate Bill 134 pertains to solid waste penalty assessments. Current law regarding this topic contained confusing language about the penalties for violations and the definition of a processing facility and a disposal area. This bill clarifies the definition of each facility and does not increase the penalties set forth in state law, but simply clarifies penalties and the associated fines.
- Senate Bill 180 aims to recruit and bring jobs to Missouri by creating an additional tax credit through the Missouri Works Program. This tax credit provides our state with the incentives and tools needed to attract military jobs to Missouri. As a member of the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission, this bill is especially important to me. Bringing new military jobs to our state and maintaining our current military jobs has an incredible impact on our state’s economy. The Department of Defense and the National Security Agency spend billions of dollars every year on military bases, and I certainly want some of that money to be spent in Missouri, so it was important to provide incentives to invest in military jobs in our state.
- Senate Bill 184 was passed in Senate Bill 68 and modifies the Missouri Works Training Program by renaming it the Missouri One Start Program. This legislation will help the Missouri Department of Economic Development address the unique needs of businesses looking to expand and grow by simplifying workforce training incentives and giving businesses the tools they need to attract and employ skilled workers. I was recently presented with the Business Champion Award from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce for my work on this legislation. I am incredibly honored to receive this award because I believe that in order to bolster our state’s workforce, we need to give businesses the necessary resources to train and recruit skilled workers.
- 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). In 2000 and 2001, a new law was passed that specified which state agencies were eligible for membership in MOSERS. Unfortunately, the language used in this bill unintentionally excluded employees of the MHDC and the EIERA. Their membership would have expired this year. My legislation simply corrects the previous language so employees of the MHDC and the EIERA will maintain their membership in MOSERS.
- Senate Bill 211 was passed in Senate Bill 134. This legislation 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 on helping our state continue to recycle old tires.
- Senate Bill 291 modifies provisions related to emergency communication services. This bill was passed last year, and this year, I made a few adjustments to clarify the language in the legislation regarding service charges on certain purchases that will go toward emergency services.
- Senate Bill 302 was passed in House Bill 399. This essentially prohibits health carriers from requiring health care providers to use methods of reimbursement that require providers to pay a fee. For example, if your health care provider gave you a refund and put it on your credit card, and that incurred a fee, they would not be allowed to distribute your refund in that manner.
- Senate Bill 405 was passed in House Bill 565. This bill 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 overseas because it allowed me to stay connected to the United States and updated on current events. Located in Bloomfield, Missouri, the Stars and Stripes Museum and Library 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 am thrilled this legislation was passed to commemorate and celebrate this important newspaper.
- Senate Bill 406 was passed in House Bills 138 and 397. Referred to as “Simon’s Law,” this legislation modifies life-sustaining treatment policies. This legislation prohibits a health care professional from instituting a do-not-resuscitate order for any child without oral or written permission of at least one parent or legal guardian.
- Senate Bill 407 was passed in House Bill 604. This legislation establishes the “School Turnaround Act” in which the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will establish a school turnaround program to assist schools designated as needing intervention. The department will use an outcome-based measure to set criteria for schools designated as needing intervention, and will determine the specific criteria the school must meet in order to complete the turnaround program. This bill requires DESE to report to the Joint Committee on Education on the implementation of the School Turnaround Program before Nov. 30, 2021.
- Senate Concurrent Resolution 5 establishes the Joint Committee on Solid Waste Management District Operations. This is the third time the committee has convened. The purpose of this committee is to discuss new ways to reuse and recycle products and to minimize the number of products sent to landfills.
As many of you may know, this is my last term serving as your state senator. It has been my honor to serve you in the Missouri Senate. I am looking forward to next year’s legislative session and the opportunity to once again represent you in the Missouri Senate.
During my time in the Senate, I have sponsored 156 bills, eight Senate Concurrent Resolutions and one Senate Remonstrance. Of those 156 bills, 120 were original bills, and throughout my time in the Senate, the governor has signed 16 of my bills, while 46 were passed as amendments to other bills. While these numbers don’t fully encapsulate my time in the Senate, they do in part show the amount of work senators accomplish during session.
As always, it is an honor and privilege to serve you in the Missouri Senate, and I am looking forward to once again representing you during next year’s session. Thank you for your continued support.
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.