JEFFERSON CITY—With more than a week to spare, the Legislature on Thursday passed a $23.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2011, sending all 13 regular budget bills to the governor’s desk.
Following the House’s gradual completion of the budget, the Senate passed most of the budget bills on Wednesday evening and finished the final three bills (HBs 2011–2013) on Thursday afternoon before adjourning for the week. The budget will take effect on July 1 pending the governor’s signature.
The Legislature cut more than $450 million from the governor’s original budget proposal in light of an unprecedented decline in revenue, but continued to sustain current funding levels for the K–12 education foundation formula, one of lawmakers’ perennial priorities. It also maintained an agreement with the state’s colleges and universities to limit the cuts to higher education in exchange for a tuition freeze.
Most of the savings came from streamlining state departments, including eliminating more than 1,000 government jobs and items such as equipment, travel and expenses.
To view a list of the appropriations bills for FY 2011 and the funding totals for each, click here .
Watch a video clip of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) discussing the budget.
Rebooting Government
A proposal to consolidate the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE) received final Senate approval this week. Senate Joint Resolution 45 joined companion bill SJR 44 —which was passed by the Senate last week—in moving to the House for its consideration. The measure defines the powers, duties and framework of the proposed new State Board of Education, whose primary purpose is to promote the development of a seamless and efficient system of education.
Both measures are sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph), and are part of the Senate’s “Rebooting Government” initiative to increase government efficiency while reducing costs. If the resolutions are passed by the Legislature, they will be placed before the voters in an upcoming general election. If approved by voters, the changes would take effect July 1, 2011.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Shields discussing SJR 45.
Transportation Bill Adopted by Senate
A sweeping transportation bill, HB 2111 , was adopted by the Senate this week, and needs one more “yes” vote before moving back to the House for final approval. Some of the main provisions in the bill include:
- Banning the use of red-light traffic cameras in Missouri.
- Banning texting while driving for all ages (under current law only those 21 and younger are prohibited from texting while driving).
- Issuing only one license plate to motorists beginning on Aug. 28, 2010, unless the registered owner is eligible to receive a second plate.
In addition, Sen. Timothy Green (D-St. Louis) successfully added an amendment that would prohibit local governments from using photo radar speed detection to catch speeding drivers.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Green discussing his amendment.
Truly Agreed and Finally Passed
Several bills are close to the end of the legislative process after receiving final approval from lawmakers this week. These measures now await the governor’s signature. The governor has 15 days to act on a bill if it is sent to him during the legislative session, and 45 days if the Legislature has adjourned or has recessed for a 30-day period.
One such bill is SB 984 , sponsored by Sen. Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis). Under current law, it is a Class B misdemeanor for any gaming licensee to exchange tokens, chips or any other form of gambling credit for anything of value other than as a wager on gambling games or an exchange of money. This bill would allow gaming licensees to exchange tokens, chips, or other forms of gambling credit for payment of food or beverages on excursion gambling boats as well.
In addition, SB 984 would make it a Class B misdemeanor for a gaming licensee to exchange gambling credit for anything of value other than what is allowed by law.
Other bills sent to the governor this week include:
- House Bill 1898 , handled in the Senate by Sen. Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles), establishes the Women's Heart Health Program to provide heart disease risk screenings to certain uninsured and under-insured women.
- Senate Bill 928 , sponsored by Sen. Brad Lager (R-Savannah), prevents the state from charging sales tax on items that are resold to government entities.
- House Bill 2081 , which specifies that a pregnant woman may use deadly force if she reasonably believes it is necessary to protect her unborn child against death or injury.
Signed by the Governor
House Bill 1498 , handled in the Senate by Sen. Lembke, received the governor’s signature this week. To ensure claims payments are made to doctors, hospitals and other health care providers more quickly, the measure requires Missouri health insurance companies to either pay or deny claims within 45 days of receipt or pay a daily penalty to the health care provider of 1 percent of the outstanding claim.
Passed by the Senate, Sent to the House
The Senate gave final approval this week to SB 1007 , sponsored by Sen. Dempsey, which would amend various requirements for public assistance programs administered by the state in an effort to save money, particularly with MO HealthNet.
First-Round Senate Approval
The Senate gave initial approval this week to SB 969 , a bill relating to school attendance. The measure allows a school district to offer, by majority vote of the school board, two start dates for kindergarten. One date would occur on the district’s normal starting date for kindergarten and the other would occur approximately halfway through the year. Under the bill, a district that adopts a second start date for kindergarten students would not lose eligibility to receive state aid—regardless of the timing or number of days of actual pupil attendance. Also, school districts would be required to give parents a choice regarding their child’s kindergarten start date.
In addition, a child who begins kindergarten on the second start date in the school year could potentially be promoted to first grade the next school year if the student's teacher and principal find that the student is adequately prepared. However, the student's parent or guardian may request that the student remain in kindergarten for an additional year.
Another portion of the bill only applies to the St. Louis City or Kansas City school districts, and would require—beginning in the 2011–2012 school year—any parent who chooses to send his or her child to a public, private, parochial or parish school to do so at age six.
House Bills Approved by Senate
House Bill 1848 , handled in the Senate by Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City), was approved by the Senate and sent back to the House this week. The bill would create the Joint Interim Committee on Urban Farming, which would be charged with studying and making recommendations regarding the impact of urban farm cooperatives, vertical farming and sustainable living communities in the state. The committee would hold meetings in at least three urban areas to seek public input and then submit its findings to the governor and General Assembly by December 31, 2010.
Senate Bills Passed by House Committees
A handful of Senate bills were approved by their respective House committees this week, making them eligible to be taken up for debate on the House floor. Some of these bills include:
- Senate Bill 618 , which requires health carriers to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders under certain conditions.
- Senate Bill 887 , sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), makes spice cannabinoids, commonly known as "spice" or "K2," Schedule I controlled substances.
- Senate Bill 940 , sponsored by Sen. David Pearce (R-Warrensburg), relaxes the state’s regulations on bingo.
The Missouri Senate will reconvene at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 3. The Second Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly runs through Friday, May 14, 2010.
This legislative update is written on a weekly basis. 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 district, or listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens. For more legislative news, please visit the Senate Newsroom . There you will find various audio and video programs and other services, such as:
- Missouri Legislative Update (MLU) – A video program produced periodically throughout the year that provides an overview of the news in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives. The program features news interviews with lawmakers and stories on issues concerning Missourians.
- Capital Dialogue – Missourinet's Bob Priddy hosts this monthly half-hour roundtable program bringing legislators together from the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives from different political parties to discuss their positions on specific issues and legislation.
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