Data Centers & Municipal Court Reform

This week, the Senate took a good first step in moving our state forward in hopes of attracting new business to Missouri. My colleagues and I gave first round approval to Senate Bill 149, which would offer sales and use tax exemptions to data storage centers looking to establish, expand or relocate to the Show-Me State. Data storage centers house computer servers storing digital information for credit card providers, online retailers, vital health records and Internet search engines. The advent of cloud computing and storage has made data storage centers a billion-dollar industry. Nationwide the demand for such facilities is far greater than the data storage centers capacity can accommodate.  Through this incentive, Missouri will be able to attach data storage centers as the industry attempts to meet the large demand.

 To receive the sales and use tax exemption a new data storage center must show the project will result in at least $25 million of new facility investment and create at least 10 new jobs with wages of at least 150 percent of the county average wage over a three year period. 

Due to our climate, geography, central location and a relatively cheap cost of energy, our state is a great location for these centers. Our neighboring states, including, Kansas, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Iowa already offer these types of incentives to lure data storage companies to their areas. It’s time Missouri acts before we get left behind in the new digital age.  

This week the Senate also approved a measure aiming to limit the amount of money cities, towns and villages can use for budget purposes from traffic fines. The “Macks Creek” law passed two decades ago capped the percentage of revenue created from traffic fines at 30 percent. Senate Bill 5 would drop the 30 percent cap to 10 percent for most local governments, with a phased in reduction starting in January 2016. The measure now moves to the House for similar consideration. 

I presented several of my sponsored bills to various Senate Committees this week, including Senate Bill 141 to the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. This bill would raise the amount the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund paid to eligible victims and allows the Department of Public Safety to negotiate costs of medical providers on behalf of victims.  I also presented several bills to the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senate Bill 132 would change laws relating to evidence of financial responsible for certified commercial pesticide applicators; and Senate Bill 148 would modify corporate registration report requirements for authorized farm corporations and family farms. In simple terms this bill eliminates bureaucracy and lessens regulations on farms.

We had a busy week of visitors in Jefferson City. I was pleased to welcome various members of the FFA from around the state, including state leaders. Also, I met with members of DECA, the Municipal League, the Missouri Council of Career and Tech Administrators, dental hygienists and several other groups as the week progressed. On Wednesday, I was job-shadowed by two young, bright, energetic ladies who learned a little about how I spend my time in the Senate.  As always, if you have any questions about any legislation, or if you have any concerns please contact my office.