| Capitol Briefing for the Week of Feb. 9, 2015 | |
Senate Approves Priority Measures for 2015 Session |
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JEFFERSON CITY—The Missouri Senate finished its sixth week of session, sending numerous bills to the House for consideration. Legislators also spent extensive time on the floor discussing a measure that would modify Missouri’s social services programs. Additionally, committees continued their work vetting proposed legislation and sending previously considered bills to the full chamber for debate. Senate Approves 2015 Legislative Priorities The Senate third read and gave final approval to a number of measures this week, including legislation that was pegged by President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, as one of the upper chamber’s main priorities for the 2015 legislative session. Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, would cap the amount of revenue a municipality can generate from traffic tickets to 10 percent. Under the legislation, a municipality may only fund up to 10 percent of its budget with traffic fines. The reduction would be phased in over two years. Additionally, the bill has provisions that create penalties if political subdivisions do not remit money over the threshold: 1) people in the city will get the opportunity to vote on municipal disincorporation; and 2) the excess revenue will be distributed to local schools, enforced by the Department of Revenue. Senate Bill 18, sponsored by Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, would require the Missouri Department of Revenue to notify sellers if there is a change in sales tax law interpretation. If the department fails to notify a seller of the change, they would not be liable for the additional taxes until they are notified. The department would also have to update its website with information regarding modifications in sales tax law. Senate Bill 18 is one of the recommendations to come from the Senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices. Senate Bill 38, sponsored by Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington, was approved by senators this week. The legislation amends current statute so that the Joint Committee on MO HealthNet would be a permanent committee. The panel is charged with studying the resources needed to continue and improve Missouri’s Medicaid program over time. Senate Bill 14, sponsored by Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, would require all departments and divisions of the state, including statewide offices, to post copies of contracts entered into for the provision of legal services from outside firms on the Missouri Accountability Portal. Senate Bill 26, sponsored by Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville, would establish requirements for authorized entities to stock epinephrine (EPI) auto-injectors for use in emergencies. These measures now go to the House for consideration. The Senate also gave its approval to three concurrent resolutions, which include:
Senate Holds Lengthy Debate on Changes to TANF and SNAP Programs Senate Bill 117, sponsored by Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, would require that a primary election be held for every special election at least 45 days prior to the special election. The bill also requires that notice of both the primary and special elections be published with the name of the office to be filled, the dates of the primary and special elections, and the dates by which candidates must be filed for office. The committee also considered Senate Bill 136, filed by Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton, which would allow emergency workers to request, receive and submit absentee ballots in the event that a state of emergency has been declared by the state or federal government, and Senate Bill 146, sponsored by Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, which would modify provisions of law relating to the licensing and certification for speech-language pathologists and audiologists in Missouri. Panel on Families and Children Hears Bills to Protect Missouri’s Most Vulnerable Citizens The Seniors, Families and Children Committee met on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to hear public testimony on Senate Bill 179, sponsored by Sen. Sater, which would establish the Missouri Child Protection Registry. The legislation is aimed at preventing minors from receiving inappropriate electronic messages. The act would require the Department of Public Safety to establish and operate the Missouri Child Protection Registry composed of a secure list of contact points belonging or accessible to minors. Under this act, contact points may include instant messaging identities, wireless telephones, pagers, facsimiles, or email addresses. Parents, guardians, schools and other entities may add contact points to the registry by registering such contact points with the Department of Public Safety. The bill bans any person from sending a message to a contact point that has been registered for 30 days or more if the primary purpose of the message is to advertise or otherwise link to a message that advertises gambling, intoxicating liquor, tobacco products, vapor products, controlled substances, or pornographic material for minors. A person found to violate this act shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. The committee also considered Senate Bill 211, sponsored by Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors, which would allow human trafficking victims to participate in the address confidentiality program administered by the secretary of state. The bill would require state and local government agencies to accept the substitute address when creating public records relating to a participant in the program. Senate Committee Examines Campaign Contribution Limits The Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee, sponsored by Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, met to consider two measures related to campaign contribution limits. Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Sen. Pearce, would limit campaign contributions to $5,000 for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor or attorney general; $2,000 for state senators; and $1,250 for state representatives.
Additionally, the committee heard Senate Concurrent Resolution 12, sponsored by Sen. Wasson, which would establish the Missouri Multiple Sclerosis Task Force. Senate Bill 86, sponsored by Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, would allow a court to place a person on electronic monitoring with victim notification if a person has been charged with, or found guilty of, violating an order of protection. Senate Bill 216, sponsored by Minority Floor Leader Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, would establish the Missouri Commercial Receivership Act. A commercial receivership is a legal process by which a court appoints an entity or individual to be responsible for property, assets and rights of a business. It’s a court action often made when a business cannot meet its financial obligations. Senate Bill 216 would create a uniform set of developed, standardized statutes and guidelines for when courts are faced with the duty to administer receiverships. Senate Bill 201, sponsored by Sen. Dixon, would modify the state’s requirements to reimburse counties for certain costs related to imprisonment and electronic monitoring for criminal offenders. Senate Bill 202, also filed by Sen. Dixon, would allow sheriffs and deputies to assist in other counties throughout the state. Three Bills Heard in Small Business Committee The Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee, chaired by Sen. Parson, met on Tuesday to receive testimony on three bills filed for the 2015 session. Senate Bill 37, sponsored by Sen. Romine, would award attorney’s fees and court costs in cases where a settlement offer was previously rejected and when the court rules on a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim. Senate Bill 227, sponsored by Sen. Emery, would modify provisions relating to the collateral source rule and provides that parties may introduce evidence of the cost, rather than the value, of the medical treatment rendered. Senate Bill 233, sponsored by Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, modifies provisions relating to expert witnesses. Public Safety Committee Considers Bills to Create a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program The Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee, chaired by Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, held a public hearing on Wednesday morning to review two bills that would establish a prescription drug monitoring program. Senate Bill 63, sponsored by Sen. Sater, and Senate Bill 111, sponsored by Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, would create a drug monitoring program in Missouri to oversee the dispensing of controlled substances. The panel also considered Senate Bill 131, sponsored by Sen. Parson, which would add livestock to the current milk exemption for weight limitations on highways, and Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Pearce, which would expand the ban on using cell phones while driving to all drivers and to include telephone calls. Agricultural Committee Hears Legislation on Beef Commodity Merchandising Program Fees On Wednesday afternoon, the Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee, chaired by Sen. Munzlinger, considered two bills, Senate Bill 138 and Senate Bill 208, which modify provisions relating to beef commodity merchandising program fees. Currently, state fees are not allowed to be collected by the beef commodity merchandising program in excess of a commensurate amount credited against a federal assessment of beef producers. These measures would repeal that provision. The committee also heard testimony on Senate Bill 148, sponsored by Sen. Parson. Currently, authorized farm corporations and family farm corporations are required to file a corporate registration report annually with the Missouri Secretary of State. Under Senate Bill 148, such farm corporations would not have to file an annual report if the information required by the corporate registration report has not changed since the filing of the corporation's articles of incorporation or most recent registration report. Additionally, the panel heard Senate Bill 132, also sponsored by Sen. Parson, which modifies provisions relating to evidence of financial responsibility for certified commercial pesticide applicators. Currently, a certified commercial pesticide applicator is required to furnish evidence of financial responsibility to the Director of the Department of Agriculture in order to receive a license. Currently, the amount of the surety bond or liability insurance required is $25,000 for property damage and bodily injury. Under Senate Bill 132, the amount is modified to $50,000 for each occurrence. Furthermore, the applicator is not required to furnish such evidence for license renewal, unless upon request. If the director so requests, the applicator shall furnish such evidence within 10 days. Education Committee Considers Measure Related to University Board of Curators The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Pearce, gathered on Wednesday afternoon in the Senate Lounge to consider a handful of bills related to higher education in Missouri. Senate Bill 110, sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, modifies the appointment and employment authority of the University Of Missouri Board Of Curators. The bill would prohibit any member of the University Of Missouri Board Of Curators from voting to appoint to, hire, or employ in any way in any position in the university any person who appointed him or her to the board. Any such vote taken by a curator will be null and void. Any curator who violates this prohibition will immediately forfeit his or her curator position. The committee also considered Senate Bill 173, sponsored by Sen. Romine, which would modify state funding for small school districts. The Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee, chaired by Sen. Mike Cunningham, R-Rogersville, met on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to consider three bills filed for the 2015 session. Senate Bill 83, sponsored by Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, would prohibit a workforce development agency from knowingly omitting from any bidding process an entity with whom it has a contract. Senate Bill 185, sponsored by Sen. LeVota, modifies provisions relating to the state budget and fiscal notes. The legislation would require audio and video feeds of all committee hearings on appropriations bills to be made available on the websites of the General Assembly and the chamber holding the hearing. The act also creates the Consensus Revenue Estimate Committee, which will create a consensus revenue estimate to be used in appropriations bills. The committee will be comprised of members of the General Assembly, executive department and economists from several institutions around the state. The budgets produced by the Governor and the General Assembly must be based upon the committees consensus revenue estimate formulated by the committee. Senate Bill 203, filed by Sen. Dixon, would modify the extent to which the Auditor may examine state tax returns by removing a provision allowing the Auditor to use and disclose information related to overdue tax debts. The bill also specifies that grant agreements entered into as a result of grants received by state agencies and political subdivisions shall include language describing the Auditor's authority to examine and inspect property, equipment and facilities purchased with the grant money. Ways and Means Committee Considers Tax Cut Measure On Thursday morning, Feb. 12, the Senate Ways and Means Committee met to consider Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Schmitt, which would reduce the individual income tax rate by lowering the top rate to 5 percent. Additionally, the legislation would also create a larger business income deduction. Taxpayers would be able to deduct 50 percent of their business income once fully phased-in. Both provisions would be phased-in over a period of years, beginning in 2017. The bill also contains safeguards that prevent the cuts from taking effect unless general revenue has increased enough from prior years. If revenue does not increase, the reductions do not go into effect for that year. The 2015 legislative session runs until May 15. To follow these and other issues before the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can track legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2015 session, learn more about their legislative district and listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens on the Senate floor. The 2015 legislative session runs until May 15. To follow these and other issues before the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can track legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2015 session, learn more about their legislative district and listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens on the Senate floor. The Missouri Senate’s Capitol Briefing will be distributed and posted weekly throughout session. For more legislative news, please visit the Senate newsroom at www.senate.mo.gov/newsroom, where you will find various audio and video programs and other informational services, such as:
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