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| June Keaveny Connection | Contact: Stacy Morse — (573) 751-3599 | ||
| Senator Keaveny's Bills Sent to the Governor | |||
To provide greater efficiency when handling administrative child support orders, SB 69 would grant authority to administrative hearing officers from the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) to set aside or correct administrative child support decisions or orders and proposed administrative modifications of a judicial order. Errors found in child support cases are infrequent; however, by allowing professionals to correct such mistakes, these cases wouldn't need to be reheard in court, saving time and resources. Senate Bill 99 would — among other provisions pertaining to Missouri government and elections — make the position of City of St. Louis Public Administrator appointed by a majority of the circuit judges and associate circuit judges of the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court. Current statute states that all public administrators are to be elected in the county or city in which they serve. Counties in Missouri that appoint their public administrators include St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and Jackson County. The bill would also allow the Official Manual of the State of Missouri (known as the “Blue Book”) to be printed again. The book is currently published online only. The state’s Blue Book provides information about local, state, and federal governments, as well as stories, essays, and pictures that help preserve Missouri’s heritage. Senate Bill 100 addresses numerous aspects of Missouri's judicial system. The underlying bill is designed to help increase protections for Missourians involved in bankruptcy proceedings and keep certain funds safe for health-related purposes. Under current state law, an individual who must declare bankruptcy can exempt his or her money located in an inherited retirement or a profit-sharing plan from creditors. Senate Bill 100 would expand those exemptions to include money a Missourian has accumulated in a health savings plan or received from an inherited individual retirement account (IRA). To view a full list of bills sent to the governor, visit the Missouri Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov, click on the "Legislation" tab at the top of the page, and visit the "Truly Agreed Bills" link. Also to reach the governor's desk — as is required by the Missouri Constitution — is Missouri's budget plan for FY 2014, which lasts from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014. I was glad to help secure funding in the budget for Missouri's disparity study. This study will compare the actual number of minority- and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE) that exist in the state against the actual number of M/WBEs utilized in state government contracts. Missouri's last disparity study was commissioned in 1994 and completed in 1996. This study is critical in determining a fair and competitive business market in our state. |
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| Continuing to Fight for Important Causes | |||
Early Childhood Education in Missouri I was disappointed that the Legislature failed to address state funding for early education programs in our state. Throughout the 2013 legislative session, I sponsored SB 133, which would have helped expand access to early childhood education by allowing a school district that operates an early childhood education program to receive state funding through the foundation formula for students between the ages of 3 and 5 who are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Not including early childhood education in the foundation formula continues to be a detriment for young children who need the skills developed in preschool in order to be successful in their academic careers. Early education programs also help identify children who have special needs or come from neglectful homes in a more timely fashion, thus allowing necessary interventions to occur sooner. By providing improved access to early education programs, our state would gain a more educated workforce that would entice businesses to relocate to Missouri. Promoting Seat Belt Use and Road Safety Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among Americans aged 5 to 34, and the most effective way to prevent death or serious injury is to wear your seat belt. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seat belts have the potential to reduce serious injury and death by approximately 50 percent. Teenagers are the least likely to wear their seat belts — 34 percent of Missouri teens don’t buckle up. Between 2010 and 2012, more than 240 teens were killed in traffic crashes, and of those killed, 78 percent were not using a seat belt. These young people have such bright futures ahead of them, and it's tragic when their lives are cut short. It's important to note that seat belt use is lower in states with secondary enforcement seat belt laws or no seat belt laws (79 percent use), compared to states with primary enforcement laws (88 percent use). We need to establish stronger seat belt laws to encourage citizens to adopt better safety habits on the road. This session and in previous years, I've sponsored a bill (SB 62) to increase the fine for seat belt violations from $10 to $50. Not only would this generate additional revenue for our state, it would remind Missourians that seat belt safety is important and to set a good example for those who look up to them. Improving Criminal Procedures When dealing with trials and sentencing for individuals accused of a crime, matters must be dealt with accurately and precisely for the sake of the victims, the accused, and all other parties involved. It's horrible to think that because of inaccurate procedures, an innocent person could sit in jail while the guilty offender wanders about freely. Missouri needs to update its criminal procedures system, which would prevent future failures of justice by addressing important issues that have led to wrongful convictions in our state. A bill I sponsored this year (SB 162) would have helped streamline our criminal procedures system and addressed five key areas of the criminal justice system: eyewitness identification procedures, post-conviction DNA testing, jailhouse informant testimony, custodial interrogations, and biological evidence procedures. With science and technology available to help professionals thoroughly investigate a crime to the best of their ability — therefore allowing judges to administer the most accurate sentences possible — Missouri needs to jump on board to modernize its criminal procedures system. |
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| Disappointments of the 2013 Legislative Session | |||
One of the bills that made it to the governor's desk to which I am very much opposed is HB 253 (similar to SB 26), which would reduce income taxes on corporations and wealthy individuals. It's estimated that the bill would reduce state revenue by $500 to $800 million when fully implemented. House Bill 253 is an ill-conceived plan to keep up with Kansas, which dramatically reduced its income taxes. Though businesses and prospective businesses need tools to succeed, it should not be on the backs of our most vulnerable citizens. I was thankful to hear that on June 5, the governor vetoed HB 253. Click here to read the governor's veto message. I'm also disappointed about the failure to expand our state's Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act. Members of the majority party refused to consider the issue, opting instead for an interim committee to study Medicaid expansion and reform during the summer. My colleagues and I in the minority party sponsored legislation and offered amendments several times during the year to expand Medicaid to provide health care to nearly 300,000 working poor in Missouri, but we were defeated each time. Organizations ranging from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce to the Missouri Hospital Association advocated for Medicaid expansion, culminating in one of the largest rallies at the Capitol all year. However, many lawmakers refused to budge, arguing the federal government could not be trusted to pay its share of the cost of expansion. The federal government would pay 100 percent of the cost of expansion for the first three years and would never pay less than 10 percent of the cost. Missouri now stands to lose billions of dollars in federal funding as a result of lawmakers’ failure to expand Medicaid. I will continue to advocate for quality health care solutions for all Missourians and work to find a solution to our growing health care crisis. |
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| Recovering After the Recent Tornado | |||
Missourians who sustained property damage need to call their insurance companies immediately. If you have lost the contact information for your insurance company, the department may be able to help you locate it. The Department of Insurance also offers the following instructions for citizens affected by the storms:
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| Voices for Children | |||
Judges, child welfare professionals, and caregivers make decisions every day that affect children who, through no fault of their own, were removed from the care of their parents and brought into state custody. These children have the least power in the decisions made by the court and the professionals who are responsible for their well-being. Voices’ CASA volunteers and staff of child advocacy professionals give children a powerful voice in decisions about where they will live and go to school, spending time with siblings and other relatives, how long they will be in state custody and where they go when they leave foster care. The organization is in need of caring citizens to serve as CASA volunteers. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved with Voices for Children, visit the organization's website at www.voices-stl.org and click on the "CASA" tab at the top of the page. There, you can learn how to get started in becoming a CASA advocate. You can further learn how you can get involved by calling Voices for Children's recruitment and retention specialist, Kelly Edwards, at (314) 615-4594. |
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| Simpler Applications for Applying for Health Insurance | |||
| Recently,
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) announced that the application for
health coverage has been simplified and significantly shortened.
This is welcome news for citizens, as it's understandably frustrating
to fill out pages and pages of paperwork for health care. The application
for individuals without health insurance has been reduced from
21 to three pages, and the application for families is reduced
by two-thirds. For the first time, consumers will also be able to fill out one simple application and see their entire range of health insurance options, including plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and tax credits that will help pay for premiums. Click here for various Medicare and Medicaid resources. Consumers can apply online, by phone or paper when open enrollment begins Oct. 1, 2013. For more information about the Health Insurance Marketplace, visit www.HealthCare.gov. |
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| Beyond Housing Food Truck Round-Up | |||
Here are some of the programs available under Beyond Housing:
For more information about Beyond Housing and how you can help this organization, visit www.beyondhousing.org. |
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| Community Announcements | |||
I had the recent privilege of presenting the Gold Star Award from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to Brentwood High School. Principal Dr. Don Rugraff, who is retiring this year, accepted the award. The Gold Star Schools Program recognize high-achieving and improving schools. Thank you to Brentwood High School for your efforts and hard work! I'd also like to offer my congratulations to all 2013 graduates — whether you're moving on to higher education or beginning your career, I wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors. Although beginning a new chapter in life can be scary, remember to take a deep breath and embrace new experiences, and don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back for all your accomplishments. Saint Louis Art Museum Grand Opening Designed by the celebrated architect Sir David Chipperfield with technical leadership from HOK, the Saint Louis Art Museum will celebrate the opening of the new East Building galleries. The new East Building in the Saint Louis Art Museum increases the museum's public space by 30 percent and adds more than 300 parking spaces, as well as a new, fully accessible entrance on Fine Arts Drive. The museum is currently open; however, the entire museum will be closed from June 17 to
Free Health and Back-to-School Fair this Summer This summer, I will host my annual health fair offering free services to the people of St. Louis. The health fair will be on Saturday, July 20, at the Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers (PHC). Please visit the PHC website at www.phcenters.org to learn more about its services. |
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