JEFFERSON CITY— After 11 weeks of hard work, Missouri’s state senators return to their hometowns for a quick break. In the beginning half of the First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly, the Senate addressed many of the serious issues facing Missouri. One of the more pressing matters at hand centered on the abusive practices in some municipalities that unintentionally push the poorest residents in our state further into poverty.
Senate Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, said some municipalities are far too reliant on revenue from fines and fees to operate. This reliance has destroyed the bonds of trust between the people and the municipal court system. Senate Bill 5 will reduce cities’ threshold for general operating revenue coming from traffic fines.
“Despite the best efforts of the ‘Macks Creek Law,’ cities across the state continue to abuse traffic enforcement and rely on the fines generated to support their own governmental bureaucracy,” said Dempsey. “Traffic tickets should be about safety promotion, not revenue collection.”
The Senate also passed bipartisan legislation that will bring fairness to Missouri’s regulatory environment by placing caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases. Senate Bill 239 will reduce incentives for frivolous lawsuits and lower the skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance rates that are forcing doctors to raise costs or move out of state.
Dempsey said this issue has been a Senate priority for a few years, and it will create a better work environment to attract and keep more doctors in the state.
“By reinstating caps on non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits, we will reduce incentives for these frivolous lawsuits,” said Dempsey. “We need to support our medical professionals who provide Missourians the quality care they deserve.”
Also this session, the Senate marshaled their energy and passed legislation to support one of the biggest industries in the state, agriculture.
“Agriculture is the driving force for the state’s economy,” said Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin. “For many people in Missouri, farming is more than just a business; it’s a way of life. We need to protect this industry and help it continue to grow.”
Senate Bill 12 will secure the future viability of Missouri agriculture. The measure offers an insurance program for dairy farmers and also establishes the Missouri Dairy Scholars Program to provide college scholarships for students in agriculture-related degree programs.
The Missouri Senate also advanced Senate Bill 24, which will strengthen the state’s efforts to fight poverty. Known as the Strengthening Missouri Families Act, this reform measure will modify provisions of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
Richard said to be able to give TANF dollars to Missouri families, the state receives a federal block earmarked for assistance to the poor.
“Missouri has failed to implement many of the reform policies adopted by other states. As a result, we rank dead last in the country in welfare reform policies. We need to restructure our system, reinvest the savings back into the system and get people back into the work force,” said Richard.
Looking ahead to the second half of session, the Senate will continue to address the current shortfalls of the state’s education system so that every child in Missouri has access to a quality education.
“It is important to remember that the only kids in Missouri who currently have no choice as to the school they attend are those from families too poor to change their zip code or too poor to pay for an educational alternative. We need to find a way to reduce the number of students transferring out of their home districts so they can get a good, quality education close to home. We are also looking at ways to support additional local options for students in failing districts,” said Dempsey.
The Senate is scheduled to convene for regular session again on Monday, March 30, 2015, at 4 p.m. To see a complete list of the bills advanced out of the Senate during the 2015 legislative session and to see the bills’ progress, visit www.senate.mo.gov. |
