Jefferson City — The Missouri Senate gave final approval to a handful of bills this week, while spending significant time debating legislation relating to a potential plan for building a jet assembly plant in Kansas City.
Receiving final approval this week was Senate Bill 768, sponsored by Sen. Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville), which creates the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The purpose of the commission is to advise the governor, lawmakers and state agencies, as well as develop a sweeping statewide plan for an integrated system of training, treatment and services for people of all ages with ASD. The measure is the result of several recommendations made by the Blue Ribbon Panel on Autism created last year to help devise a plan for how the state can improve services relating to ASD.
Senate Bill 846, also sponsored by Sen. Rupp, received a second vote. The legislation allows more high schools, community colleges and technical schools to participate in the state’s A+ Schools scholarship program. The program, created by the Outstanding Schools Act of 1993, allows qualifying high school students who graduate from designated A+ high schools to receive state scholarships to community colleges or career or technical schools in Missouri. Senate Bill 846 expands the program to include eligible provisionally accredited and unaccredited high schools and would allow both qualifying public and private two-year vocational and technical schools to receive the A+ Schools designation. It also extends funding to the Kids’ Chance Scholarship Program — a not-for-profit fund that provides scholarships to children of Missouri workers disabled or killed during work-related accidents covered by workers’ compensation benefits.
Senate Bill 1159, sponsored by Senate leader Mike Gibbons (R-Kirkwood), also received final approval this week. The measure, which provides increased protections for rape victims, changes how forensic examinations are conducted. For instance, if a medical provider believes that the offender is the victim’s parent or guardian, and the victim is under the age of 18, the medical provider is only required to provide written notice of an exam to the parent or guardian not suspected of committing sexual assault. When conducting a forensic exam and providing treatment, medical professionals follow a checklist developed by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). Sen. Gibbons’ legislation also requires the department to develop a kit for medical providers to use to collect evidence, if necessary. Under current law, DHSS pays medical providers to cover any forensic exam charges for sexual assault victims. Senate Bill 1159 requires that medical providers be paid from a newly created fund that has the specific purpose of paying the costs of such exams.
Senate Bill 748, sponsored by Sen. Luann Ridgeway (R-Smithville), received a second vote as well. Last year, the General Assembly passed a law that put an end to tax breaks for non-residents who work in Missouri. Until then, non-residents, mostly from neighboring Kansas and Illinois, were able to deduct the property taxes they pay on their out-of-state homes when they itemize their Missouri income taxes, just as Missouri residents are able to do in Kansas. Senate Bill 748 narrows last year’s law by allowing property tax deductions for non-residents, but with one exception — the state of the non-resident must reciprocate for Missouri residents. Kansas legislators are working to take away deductions for Missourians unless Missouri restores the benefit for Kansans.
House Bill 2014, a major supplemental budget bill of the session, was given final approval by the General Assembly this week and now moves to the governor’s desk for signing into law. The bill appropriates $83 million in additional funds for the remainder of the fiscal year, primarily for public K-12 schools and health care. Supplemental budget bills are needed to cover any expenses not anticipated or underestimated when the original budget passed the year prior.
Senate Bill 1021, sponsored by Sen. John Loudon (R-Chesterfield), was debated on the floor this week, though did not receive a vote. The measure would make midwifery a legal option for families in Missouri, however it would require midwives to carry malpractice insurance and restrict their ability to administer medication. Midwives who are licensed by to the North American Registry of Midwives would be allowed to practice in the state. Under current law, only nurse midwives partnered with a doctor are allowed to practice. Sen. Chuck Graham (D-Columbia) offered an amendment that would require midwives to be certified by the same board that certifies doctors.
Senate Bill 1234, sponsored by Sen. Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) and co-sponsored by Sen. Ridgeway was a topic of extensive discussion for senators this week. The measure opens a window for a Montreal-based company, Bombardier, to build a $375 million airplane assembly plant at the Kansas City International Airport. Bombardier is considering KCI as a potential site for the plant, which would employ approximately 2,100 workers paying an average annual wage of $55,000. Senate Bill 1234 clarifies the mechanics of how the Missouri Department of Economic Development can offer state assistance through existing programs including the Enhanced Enterprise Zone and Quality Jobs Act programs, which provide incentives to companies such as Bombardier.
Passed by the House Rules Committee this week was SB 830, sponsored by Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis). The measure limits the tuition a public Missouri university or college may charge to certain combat veterans to no more than $50 per credit hour for programs that culminate in either the earning of a certificate, or an associate or bachelor’s degree. For veterans to participate in the program, they must have served in armed combat after September 11, 2001, been Missouri residents when they first entered the military and been discharged from their service under honorable conditions.
To follow these and other issues facing the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can track legislation as it passes through the General Assembly, learn more about their Senate district, or listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens.
The Missouri Senate will reconvene at 4 p.m. Monday, April 14. The Second Regular Session of the 94th Missouri General Assembly will run through Friday, May 16.
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