Tag Archives: General Assembly

Rep. Martha Stevens (D-46) – Boone County Democrats – June 6, 2021

08 Tuesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

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“…There were definitely a lot of really terrible bills [in Jefferson City] that were pushed this year by the Republicans. But I will say that although they tried to go after the petition initiative process, they had these horrible attacks on trans children [….] The list could go on and on and on…”

Missouri Representative Martha Stevens (D-46).

The Boone County Democratic Central Committee held a picnic fundraiser in Cosmo-Bethel Park on Sunday afternoon in Columbia.

State Representatives Martha Stevens (D-46) addressed the crowd:

…I’m really optimistic that its [Medicaid expansion lawsuit] gonna go in our favor and that the courts are gonna tell Republicans that we have to follow the Constitution that voters put in for Medicaid expansion last August. Because we know that that is a win for every community in our state. So that people have access to preventative health cares, so that we have healthy communities, healthy parents, and it’s a job creator…

Missouri Representative Martha Stevens (D-46).

Previously:

Boone County Democrats – Picnic in the Park – Columbia, Missouri – June 6, 2021 (June 6, 2021)

Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-45) – Boone County Democrats – June 6, 2021 (June 7, 2021)

Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-45) – Boone County Democrats – June 6, 2021

07 Monday Jun 2021

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“…Not only are these bills [in the General Assembly] oppressive, but a lot of them are absurd…”

Missouri Representative David Tyson Smith (D-45).

The Boone County Democratic Central Committee held a picnic fundraiser in Cosmo-Bethel Park yesterday afternoon in Columbia.

Missouri Representative David Tyson Smith (D-45).

State Representatives David Tyson Smith (D-45) addressed the crowd:

…The Republicans have realized that if everybody votes they can’t win. Okay. That’s a reality. They know that if everybody votes they can’t win elections. And so they’ve been using the Trump lie, about the stolen election, to justify these outrageous bills that they’re trying to move through the legislature…

Missouri Representative David Tyson Smith (D-45).

Previously:

Boone County Democrats – Picnic in the Park – Columbia, Missouri – June 6, 2021 (June 6, 2021)

Don’t mess with the mayors

02 Wednesday Jun 2021

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Right wingnut members of the Missouri General Assembly held a photo-op outside of their districts, without including the members of the General Assembly who actually represent that area.

The mayors of St. Louis and Kansas City had something to say about it.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones [2019 file photo].

Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, Mayor Quinton Lucas Release Joint Statement Regarding Proposed Special Session
Mayor Jones, Mayor Lucas Joint Statement on Special Session.

June 2, 2021 [….]

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas today released the following joint statement regarding Republican state lawmakers’ calls for a special session related to police funding:

“Today’s grandstanding doesn’t make our communities any safer. As mayors of Missouri’s two largest cities, we are committed to collaborating with anyone willing to offer real solutions and investment to address the underlying conditions that lead to crime—poverty, lack of mental health services, housing instability, and more.

“Republican lawmakers on the outskirts of our communities calling for a special legislative session are offering no real solutions. Instead, they are advocating away the right of St. Louis and Kansas City residents to make decisions for our own communities.

“Both of us have committed to visiting each other’s respective cities to speak with those most affected by disinvestment—primarily in traditionally minority neighborhoods—and to discuss solutions to benefit the people of St. Louis, Kansas City, and all of Missouri. We again extend that same invitation to any elected leader who is serious about having truthful conversations about what actually makes our communities safer.”

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas [2019 file photo].

Local control is apparently not a right wingnut value in Missouri.

HB 1413 (2018): All that labor

01 Tuesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly

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Today, from the Missouri Supreme Court:

“The exemption of public safety labor organizations violates principles of equal protection. The exemption of public safety labor organizations permeates throughout HB 1413 and reaches all provisions. The operation of this exemption forces this Court to declare HB 1413 void in its entirety rather than sever the offending provision. The circuit court’s judgment is affirmed.”

Void. In. Its. Entirety.

In 2018 HB 1413 was introduced as this:

HB 1413 — LABOR ORGANIZATIONS [pdf]
SPONSOR: Taylor

This bill prohibits any sum from being withheld from the earnings of a public employee for the payment of any portion of dues, agency shop fees, or other fees paid by public employee members of a public labor organization or a public employee who is a nonmember except upon the annual written or electronic authorization of the employee.

A public labor organization is prohibited from using or obtaining any portion of dues, agency shop fees, or any other fees paid by member and nonmember public employees to make political campaign contributions or expenditures unless it obtains a written or electronic authorization from the member or nonmember within the previous 12 months.

Failure to provide any written or electronic authorization shall not be a condition of employment.

This bill further requires public labor organizations to maintain financial records, identical to those required by federal law (29 U.S.C. 431(b)), for no less than five years. Each report required under this section must be made available to employees in a searchable electronic format. If a public labor organization fails to make the reports available to an employee, that employee will have a cause of action against the organization.

This bill is the same as HB 251 (2017).

And it morphed and was approved as this:

SS#2 SCS HB 1413 — LABOR ORGANIZATIONS [pdf]

This bill makes various changes to the laws regarding public employees, public employee labor organizations, and labor agreements between those labor organizations and public bodies. However, public safety labor organizations, and employees of the Department of Corrections are exempted from the bill’s provisions (Section 105.503, RSMo).

The bill provides that no sum shall be withheld from a public employee’s earnings to pay dues or other fees to a public labor organization without annual authorization. Labor organizations are required to maintain financial records substantially similar to federal law, and must make the records available to employees in a searchable electronic format (Section 105.505).

The bill requires labor organizations to adopt a constitution and bylaws and file a copy with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, along with a report containing specified information about the organization. Labor organizations are also required to annually file a report detailing the organization’s financial condition and operations. The financial report shall be in an electronic, readily accessible format available to its members (Section 105.533).

This bill requires every officer and employee of a labor organization to annually file a report listing any legal or equitable interest, income, or transaction the person, his or her spouse, or minor child received or derived from a labor organization or public body with employees that the labor organization represents or is seeking to represent (Section105.535).

The reports and documents filed with the department under the provisions of this bill are public records. The department must allow for the inspection and examination of the reports and documents, as specified in the bill, and furnish copies upon payment of the service (Section 105.540).

Each person required to file a report shall maintain, for at least five years, sufficient records to verify the information contained in the report. Each labor organization shall file a report within 90 days of becoming subject to the provisions of this bill, and people required to file reports shall file such reports within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year (Sections 105.545 and 105.550).

Any person who knowingly violates certain provisions of the bill related to the required reports or files a false report is subject to a fine or imprisonment of not more than a year (Section 105.555).

The bill provides that supervisory public employees, as defined in the bill, shall not be included in the same bargaining unit as the public employees they supervise and that the same labor organization shall not represent both non-supervisory and supervisory public employees (Section 105.570).

Recognition may only be obtained by a labor organization through an election before the State Board of Mediation. Voluntary recognition by a public body is prohibited. An election by secret ballot will be held after the board is presented with cards containing signatures of at least 30% of the employees in the bargaining unit.

The bill specifies the ballot language to be used for the selection of a labor organization as the exclusive representative for the bargaining unit. More than 50% of all public employees within the bargaining unit must vote positively to certify the labor organization as the exclusive representative. However, public employees of the bargaining unit may seek to decertify the labor organization at any time with a subsequent election provided that the board is presented with signed cards representing at least 30% of the employees in the bargaining unit. If more than 50% of the bargaining unit votes to decertify the labor organization then it shall no longer be recognized as the exclusive representative.

Labor organizations must be recertified every three years. No more than one election shall take place in any bargaining unit within a 12-month period. The board shall collect a fee from each labor organization participating in an election (Section 105.575).

Within eight weeks of a certification election, the labor organization shall meet and begin bargaining with representatives of the public body. No labor organization shall refuse to meet with the representatives of the public body.

Bargaining for renewal agreements shall take place triennially, provided that those labor agreements must be subject to certain limitations. Such limitations include management reserving the right to hire, discipline, and discharge employees; reserving the right to make and amend reasonable work rules; prohibiting all strikes and picketing; extending the duty of fair representation to all employees of the bargaining unit; prohibiting labor
organization employees from accepting paid time by a public body for conducting labor organization business with certain exceptions; and providing for the modification of the agreement in the event of a budget shortfall (Sections 105.580 and 105.585).

A labor organization, or associated representative, or public body, or associated representative, that violates the provisions of this bill is subject to a civil action for appropriate relief, including injunctive relief. Attorneys’ fees shall be awarded for the enforcement of the provisions of this bill (Section 105.595).

The provisions of the bill shall apply to personal care attendants and their labor organizations, as well as all officers and employees of such organizations (Section 208.862)

Ah, piling on.

The Missouri Supreme Court today:

…The State’s argument in favor of severance of the exemption is illogical in that the result would make public labor law reform applicable to public safety labor organizations, which the legislature specifically excluded. The exemption is not concerned with a singular provision or aspect of the bill; rather, it provides an exemption from the overall statutory scheme itself, which consists of approximately 20 sections. Even without giving weight to the late addition of the exemption in the legislative process, this Court refuses to sever the exemption and make this public labor reform law applicable to public safety labor organizations when the legislature contemplated this application and intentionally crafted section 105.503.2(1) to avoid such an outcome…

The anti-labor right wingnuts in the General Assembly were just too clever.

…This Court cannot say the legislature would have enacted the valid provisions of HB 1413 without this void one. If the legislature desired to pass a scheme imposing reform provisions to all public labor organizations, it had the opportunity to do so. But it did not; it specifically provided the reform provisions would not apply to public safety labor organizations. This Court will not, by severance, leave in place legislation contrary to the legislature’s intent. By its plain language, section 105.503.2(1) is essentially and inseparably connected with all other provisions of HB 1413; therefore, HB 1413 must be declared void in its entirety…

Yep, the General Assembly was trying to be much too clever.

So, organized labor organizations are organized labor organizations. Do you wonder why that “exemption” existed in the first place?

Severability is a double edged sword.

No surprise

30 Sunday May 2021

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly

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“…In Missouri, state funding accounts for about 32% of per-student funding. That places Missouri at 49th nationally for percentage of school resources coming from state funding. As a result, schools rely heavily on local sources like property taxes to fund schools…”

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D) [2019 file photo].

Priorities.

On Thursday:

Auditor Galloway’s examination of K-12 school funding trends finds Missouri ranks 49th in school funding from state resources
Unlike most other states, Missouri schools rely heavily on local sources to fund classrooms; Foundation Formula funding has not grown with inflation
05/27/2021

Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a report that examined funding trends in K-12 education in the state. The report found Missouri ranks near the bottom for the portion of classroom funding that comes from state sources and the formula calculating per-student funding has not kept up with inflation.

“The state is not stepping up to meet the needs of students in Missouri, shifting the burden and leaving Missourians paying higher property taxes to support their schools,” Auditor Galloway said. “The opportunity for a quality education is key to ensuring economic growth. My report details the facts that can spur change at the state level so we no longer rank at the bottom when it comes to supporting schools.”

The report looked at the portion of school funding that comes from state sources. In Missouri, state funding accounts for about 32% of per-student funding. That places Missouri at 49th nationally for percentage of school resources coming from state funding. As a result, schools rely heavily on local sources like property taxes to fund schools.

The issue of Missourians carrying a greater tax burden at the local level was first discussed by Auditor Galloway in a report released in February 2018 that examined the state’s annual budgeting process. That report found 68 percent of local school districts had seen an increase in reliance on local funding over the past 10 years.

The report also looked at funding provided through the State Adequacy Target (SAT), the mechanism used to determine whether the state has met its obligation to fund schools. This funding has not kept up with inflation.

The report looked at 10 years of data and found that from 2013-2017, the state did not meet its per-student funding obligation, a number that is based on average operating expenditures of the 25 top-performing school districts. Changes were made to the formula to cap growth and limit increases. While these changes have resulted in the formula being fully funded, the current formula to calculate the amount distributed has not kept up with inflation.

[….]

The audit.

We’re 49th! We’re 49th! We’re 49th…

SS SCS HCS HBs 85 & 310 – wasting time

15 Saturday May 2021

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Because there was nothing important or pressing to take care of for the people of Missouri?

United States Constitution:

Article VI
All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

Yesterday, in the Missouri House:

HB 85
Establishes the “Second Amendment Preservation Act,” which creates additional protections to the right to bear arms
Sponsor: Taylor, Jered (139)
Proposed Effective Date: Emergency Clause
LR Number: 0767S.10T
Last Action: 05/14/2021 – Emergency Clause Adopted on Truly Agreed to Bill
Bill String: SS SCS HCS HBs 85 & 310
Next House Hearing: Hearing not scheduled
Calendar: HOUSE BILLS WITH SENATE AMENDMENTS

12/01/2020 Prefiled (H)
1/06/2021 H 54 Read First Time (H)
1/07/2021 H 187 Read Second Time (H)
1/14/2021 H 329 Referred: General Laws(H)
1/26/2021 Public Hearing Completed (H)
1/28/2021 Executive Session Completed (H)
1/28/2021 HCS Voted Do Pass (H)
1/28/2021 H 426 HCS Reported Do Pass (H) – AYES: 10 NOES: 4 PRESENT: 0
1/28/2021 H 426 Referred: Rules – Legislative Oversight(H)
2/01/2021 Executive Session Completed (H)
2/01/2021 Voted Do Pass (H)
2/01/2021 H 451 Reported Do Pass (H) – AYES: 7 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 0
2/03/2021 H 479 Taken Up for Perfection (H)
2/03/2021 H 479 Title of Bill – Agreed To
2/03/2021 H 484 HCS Adopted (H) – AYES: 107 NOES: 43 PRESENT: 1
2/03/2021 H 484 Perfected with Amendments (H) – HA 1, HA 2 ADOPTED
2/03/2021 H 485 Referred: Fiscal Review(H)
2/04/2021 Executive Session Completed (H)
2/04/2021 Voted Do Pass (H)
2/04/2021 H 499 Reported Do Pass (H) – AYES: 5 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 0
2/04/2021 H 499 Taken Up for Third Reading (H)
2/04/2021 H 499 – 500 Third Read and Passed with Amendments (H) – HPA 1 Adopted AYES: 103 NOES: 43 PRESENT: 0
2/08/2021 S 233 Reported to the Senate and First Read (S)
3/11/2021 S 503 Second read and referred: General Laws(S)
3/25/2021 Public Hearing Scheduled (S) – Tuesday, March 30, Noon or uupon morning recess
3/30/2021 Public Hearing Held (S)
4/08/2021 Executive Session Held (S)
4/08/2021 SCS Voted Do Pass (S)
4/26/2021 S 907 SCS Reported Do Pass (S)
4/27/2021 S 985 Referred: Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight(S)
5/05/2021 Public Hearing Scheduled (S) – Thursday, May 6, 8:15 a.m., SCR 1
5/06/2021 Public Hearing Held (S)
5/06/2021 Executive Session Held (S)
5/06/2021 Voted Do Pass (S)
5/06/2021 S 1369 Reported Do Pass (S)
5/07/2021 S 1458 Placed on Informal Calendar
5/13/2021 Taken Up for Third Reading (S)
5/13/2021 Senate Substitute Offered (S)
5/13/2021 Laid Over (S)
5/13/2021 Placed on Informal Calendar
5/13/2021 Taken Up
5/13/2021 SS Adopted (S)
5/13/2021 Third Read and Passed (S)
5/13/2021 Emergency Clause Adopted (S)
5/13/2021 Reported to the House with… (H) – SS
5/13/2021 Referred: Fiscal Review(H)
5/13/2021 Executive Session Completed (H)
5/13/2021 Voted Do Pass (H)
5/14/2021 Reported Do Pass (H) – AYES: 5 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 0
5/14/2021 House Adopts (H) – SS
5/14/2021 Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed
5/14/2021 Emergency Clause Adopted on Truly Agreed to Bill

Quite a rush there.

Yesterday:

Hon. Stacey Newman, Missouri @staceynewman
They truly agreed and finally passed the 2nd Amendment BS Act today & the governor will sign it. Missouri Stop the Steal pro-Constitution GOP has gone mad.
[….]
9:33 PM · May 14, 2021

Gun Sense MO Mom @mizzouatheart
House is now about to consider HB 85, a bill that prohibits and punishes state and local law enforcement from cooperating with federal law enforcement to enforce federal firearms laws in Missouri. This bill is still unconstitutional and bad for public safety. #moleg
4:40 PM · May 14, 2021

Yeah, that pesky “Supremacy Clause” thingy.

Previously:

HB 162: Tenthers and guns, what could go wrong? (January 16, 2013)

HB 2174: Guns, check. Sort of nullification, check. (March 25, 2014)

HB 2196: blah, blah, guns, tenther drivel, blah, recycle, blah, stir… (January 13, 2016)

Constituent outreach

30 Friday Apr 2021

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Senate, social media

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Primum non nocere…

Dr. Bob Onder @BobOnderMO
Medicaid expansion fails in mo senate!
11:05 PM · Apr 28, 2021

He seems excited for all that continuing human misery.

There are responses:

Another way to say that is we denied the people a Constitutional Right.

And you are excited by this? Direct opposition to Missouri voters? What happened to the guy canvassing my neighborhood who said he was excited to work for the Missouri people? This victory lap of disdain for Missouri voters is gross and unprofessional.

And you’re proud of that?

Republicans ignoring the will of the people. Seems like a great strategy. Keep it up.

#DemocracyOnFire

Isn’t it amazing? Republicans across the nation are only concerned about the deficit & spending when it doesn’t support their programs to put more money in the wealthiest pockets.

The bottom line is they don’t care about the poor and the middle class.

Ignoring the will of the people is pretty on brand for #moleg

So much for Pro Life.

It’s weird, I thought this was passed by the voters. Also, is he bragging about this?

His ebullience would indicate this is so.

I can’t figure out what’s more important to him, “not expanding the welfare state” as he says or ignoring the democratic will of MO voters? I guess @BobOnderMO can answer that. He’s a Dr.

We can always count on Republicans to go against the will of the people. Glad you are so proud of that.

The cruelty is the point.

Alternative Dr Bob: “hooray for me, I’m a fucking prick!”

Could have just tweeted: “We completely ignored voters!”

See you in court

Shame on you. Shame.

So you violated the Missouri Constitution?

You’re a doctor who doesn’t want healthcare for the people in your state who overwhelmingly voted for it.

Yet, it was voted FOR by the citizens. So you are celebrating violating the will of Missourians because you don’t wanna.

You failed Missouri. We voted for it. You are going against the will of the people, saying we didn’t know what we voted for. The same people who elected you. We the people will have fun voting you out of office too.

You are a total disgrace.

Good job fucking over the kids and the poors, and the doctors like me trying to figure out how to care for all of them as they struggle without insurance. You @GOP assholes can fuck off.

Uh, they still don’t care.

HB 271: Merry Christmas

28 Wednesday Apr 2021

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House, Missouri Senate

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Christmas Tree – a bill before the Missouri General Assembly utilized as a vehicle to pass legislation which has not progressed or might not otherwise progress in the legislative process by hanging that legislation in the form of an amendment, like a Christmas tree ornament, on the original bill. The process can and does escalate. There is a point when enough amendments have been added that the bill is generally described as “a Christmas Tree”.

Yesterday in the Missouri General Assembly:

HB 271 – Modifies provisions relating to expenditures of local governments

Available Senate Amendments

Amendment Status Date Offered
0195S.04F 4/27/2021 – Withdrawn 4/27/2021 – SS for SCS S offered (Crawford)–(0195S.04F)
0195S04.12S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 1 to SS for SCS S offered (Onder)–(0195S04.12S)
0195S04.13S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 1 to SA 1 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Rowden)–(0195S04.13S)
0195S04.10S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 2 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (O’Laughlin)–(0195S04.10S)
0195S04.17S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 3 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Hegeman)–(0195S04.17S)
0195S04.06S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 4 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (White)–(0195S04.06S)
0195S04.23S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 5 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Schatz)–(0195S04.23S)
0195S04.03S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 6 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Schupp)–(0195S04.03S)
0195S04.01S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 7 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Brattin)–(0195S04.01S)
0195S04.11S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 8 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Cierpiot)–(0195S04.11S)
0195S04.08S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 9 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Luetkemeyer)–(0195S04.08S)
0195S04.29S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 10 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (May)–(0195S04.29S)
0195S04.25S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 11 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Roberts)–(0195S04.25S)
0195S04.27S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 12 to SS for SCS S offered (Moon)–(0195S04.27S)
0195S04.36S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 1 to SA 12 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Onder)–(0195S04.36S)
0195S04.28S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 13 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Brown)–(0195S04.28S)
0195S04.37S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 14 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Razer)–(0195S04.37S)
0195S04.22S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 15 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Bernskoetter)–(0195S04.22S)
0195S04.21S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 16 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Burlison)–(0195S04.21S)
0195S04.35S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 17 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Luetkemeyer)–(0195S04.35S)
0195S04.14S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 18 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Eigel)–(0195S04.14S)
0195S04.32S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 19 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Eigel)–(0195S04.32S)
0195S04.15S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 20 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Wieland)–(0195S04.15S)
0195S04.26S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 21 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Rowden)–(0195S04.26S)
0195S04.31S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 22 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Schatz)–(0195S04.31S)
0195S04.41S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 23 to SS for SCS S offered (May)–(0195S04.41S)
0195S04.43S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 1 to SA 23 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Riddle)–(0195S04.43S)
0195S04.42S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 24 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Luetkemeyer)–(0195S04.42S)
0195S04.20S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 25 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Wieland)–(0195S04.20S)
0195S04.39S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 26 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Hough)–(0195S04.39S)
0195S04.44S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 27 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Roberts)–(0195S04.44S)
0195S04.45S 4/27/2021 – Moot 4/27/2021 – SA 28 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Brattin)–(0195S04.45S)
0195S.06F 4/27/2021 – Adopted, as amended 4/27/2021 – SS#2 for SCS S offered (Crawford)–(0195S.06F)
0195S06.01S 4/27/2021 – Adopted 4/27/2021 – SA 1 to SS#2 for SCS S offered & adopted (Wieland)–(0195S06.01S)

As HB 271 now appears on the House side:

HB 271
Establishes the “Missouri Local Government Expenditure Database”
Sponsor: Wiemann, John (103)
Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2021
LR Number: 0195S.03C
Last Action: 04/27/2021 – Placed on Informal Calendar – SA1 to SA 1, SA 1 as amended, SA 2, SA 3, SA 4, SA 5, SA 6, SA 7, SA 8, SA 9, SA 10, SA 11, SA 1 to SA 12, SA 12 as amended, SA 13, SA 14, SA 15, SA 16, SA 17, SA 18, SA 19, SA 20, SA 21, SA 22, SA 1 to SA 23, SA 23 as amended, SA 24, SA 25, SA 26, SA 27 and SA 28, pending
Bill String: SCS HCS HB 271
Next House Hearing: Hearing not scheduled
Calendar: Bill currently not on a House calendar
[….]

If enough legislators have a vested interest in an ornament or two on the tree the likelihood of the bill passing, as amended, increases.

The original bill summary (as introduced):

HB 271 — LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE DATABASE
SPONSOR: Wiemann

This bill establishes the “Missouri Local Government Expenditure Database”, to be maintained by the Office of Administration. For each fiscal year beginning after December 31, 2022, the database must include extensive information about a given municipality’s or county’s expenditures and the vendors to whom payments were made. The database must be accessible by the public without charge and have multiple ways to search and filter the information. A municipality or county may voluntarily participate in the database, or may be required to participate if a petition process used by its residents is used to require participation as specified in the bill. A link to the database on a municipal or county website is required.

The Office of Administration may stipulate a format for information and will provide a template for municipalities and counties to use in sending information. Other duties and responsibilities of the Office of Administration regarding the database are detailed in the bill. Financial reimbursement to municipalities and counties for costs associated with the database is authorized.

This bill is the same as HB 1933 (2020).

Transparency, you say? How ironic.

It’s in their nature

30 Tuesday Mar 2021

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House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade [2019 file photo].

Today:

Minority Leader Crystal Quade released the following statement on House Republicans’ decision to defund Medicaid and deny health care coverage for Missouri’s most vulnerable:

“By defunding Medicaid, House Republicans have chosen to torpedo Missouri’s economy and sow chaos in our health care system. They have chosen to refuse billions in federal funding to create of a tremendous number of jobs, revive struggling rural hospitals and make for a healthier state. They have chosen to inflict heavy collateral damage on Missouri and its people to keep fighting a partisan battle they already have lost.

“The debate over Medicaid expansion ended when voters locked it into the state constitution. The debate now is whether House Republicans respect the rule of law. Today they proved they do not.”

It’s in their nature.

Previously:

Aspirational, but not achievable during our lifetimes… (March 26, 2021)

Exactly this (March 27, 2021)

Aspirational, but not achievable during our lifetimes…

26 Friday Mar 2021

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Today – on a vehicle in west central Missouri:

“Treat People With Kindness”

Yesterday – from a member of the right wingnut majority in the Missouri General Assembly:

Sara Walsh [r], State Representative
Today, I voted NO on Medicaid expansion (HB 20). The bill failed 20 to 9. This is a MASSIVE expansion of welfare. HB 20 is a $1.8 BILLION dollar bill in Fiscal Year 2022 alone. We MUST make wise decisions today so we don’t leave a nightmare for future generations of Missourians once Federal funds dry up. It is not the will of the people to bankrupt the state, ultimately drastically increase taxes (once Federal funds dry up) or to put able-bodied adults at the front of the line ahead of individuals with disabilities, seniors and children. House Budget Chair Cody Smith plans on filing HB 21 tomorrow, which the House Budget Committee will take up the week after next. It will include some of the funding in HB 20 to help the most vulnerable Missourians.

A few of the comments:

So the will of the people of MO means nothing to you…got it! Why do Republicans hate democracy so much these days???

So, you and 19 other “representatives” voted against what the majority of Missourians wanted?
And…you think that you should be proud of that? You’re giving out misinformation to strike fear in the people who don’t actually understand how the funding works to garner support. It’s dishonest…but I’m not surprised.

Sara, you can pout and pander to your “all govt. is bad, down with all govt.” base all you want. Medicaid expansion is part of the MO constitution as of last August whether you vote to fund it or not. You are wasting everyone’s time and will eventually, no doubt, waste a courtroom’s time with this obstinance.

Your rationale is false and misleading, both about the finances and about the will of the people. The Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) and the Brown School of Public Health at WashU studied this extensively, and showed huge financial benefits in both the near term ($38 million saved in Year 1) and in the long term (up to $1 billion per year by Year 5).
Second, we the people already voted for Medicaid expansion in August 2020.
DO. YOUR. JOB.

Oh awesome. Voters say one thing but clearly you know better.

It’s amazing how thick headed your part is in this state. I guarantee you vote for the next TAX CUT proposed by your party but then complain about the cost of things?
You and your entire political party make me want to vomit.
“It is not the will of the people to bankrupt the state”
And yet just a little over a year ago the Missouri GOP (your people) wanted to give Boeing a TWO BILLION DOLLAR TAX BREAK to bring 191 jobs here that would have never in a million years made up for that loss of income. That’s MORE than the amount you have listed here and your party was completely fine with throwing that money away. Until the GOP of this state stop giving away money left and right to the rich like Rex Sinquefield you have no room to complain or whine about the cost of things which are LESS than the cost of things your party will pass without blinking an eye. That last quarter billion dollar tax break was paid for by jacking DMV fees happen to remember that giveaway?
If we are so broke we can’t take care of our own people there should never again be the word TAX CUT mentioned in the Missouri Senate. For any reason. EVER.

You are an idiot. You just turned down $1.5 billion in Federal money that could have ensured healthy lives for your constituents. The state loses a ton of tax revenue and increases their welfare expenses every time a person becomes disabled, and thousands of people each year become disabled because they don’t have access to preventative medicine or therapy. Expanding Medicare is a short-term expense that creates long-term benefits, like any other infrastructure investment.
Or do you not see human beings as valuable enough to invest in?
Don’t EVER try to call yourself “pro-life” after you voted this way.

Republicans have decided to go full fascist on us. We voted to clean up our elections. The next election the Republicans put forth a misleading bill to overthrow the will of the people. We voted for Medical Marijuana. Republicans opposed it, then when it passed they have slow walked it and used the process to reward their friends with licenses to grow, distribute, and sell at dispensaries. This is now under investigation. They lost an election and they tried to take over by violent insurrection. We voted to expand medicaid. Now Republicans are blocking us from getting it, once again. Maybe we should drop your pay to minimum wage rate and take away any benefits such as healthcare. You have no problem with others having no insurance or a living wage. What a useless, unqualified, piece of human waste. Typical Republican and a racist to boot. You actually said that voters in urban and suburban neighborhoods should not count. Now since you realize you can’t win a majority of votes in an election you are pursuing drastic voter suppression efforts here in Missouri and throughout the country in red states. I don’t consider you an American. You are anti American and a Fascist. I hope you like the cesspool you lay in.

Way to ignore the voters’ will. You are a disgrace. Crawl back to the backwoods.

Apparently, for Sara Walsh (r), the Missouri Constitution is aspirational, just not in our lifetimes.

IV Section 36(c). MO HealthNet expansion — eligibility — state plan amendments — maximization of federal participation — limitation on burdens or restrictions. — 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, beginning July 1, 2021, individuals nineteen years of age or older and under sixty-five years of age who qualify for MO HealthNet services under 42 U.S.C. Section 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(VIII) and as set forth in 42 C.F.R. 435.119, and who have income at or below one hundred thirty-three percent of the federal poverty level plus five percent of the applicable family size as determined under 42 U.S.C. Section 1396a(e)(14) and as set forth in 42 C.F.R. 435.603, shall be eligible for medical assistance under MO HealthNet and shall receive coverage for the health benefits service package.

  2. For purposes of this section “health benefits service package” shall mean benefits covered by the MO HealthNet program as determined by the department of social services to meet the benchmark or benchmark-equivalent coverage requirement under 42 U.S.C. Section 1396a(k)(1) and any implementing regulations.

  3. No later than March 1, 2021, the Department of Social Services and the MO HealthNet Division shall submit all state plan amendments necessary to implement this section to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

  4. The Department of Social Services and the MO HealthNet Division shall take all actions necessary to maximize federal financial participation in funding medical assistance pursuant to this section.

  5. No greater or additional burdens or restrictions on eligibility or enrollment standards, methodologies, or practices shall be imposed on persons eligible for MO HealthNet services pursuant to this section than on any other population eligible for medical assistance.

  6. All references to federal or state statutes, regulations or rules in this section shall be to the version of those statutes, regulations or rules that existed on January 1, 2019.

(Adopted August 4, 2020)

Sara Walsh (r) [2018 file photo].

How inconvenient.

Does that make other parts of the Missouri Constitution optional, too? Just asking.