JEFFERSON CITY—The Missouri Senate yesterday held a work day dedicated solely to parsing through the hundreds of suggestions it has received via the Senate’s “Rebooting Government” initiative.
With the state’s budget situation requiring difficult decisions to be made by the Legislature, Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) recently launched the Rebooting Government initiative on the Senate website, which invites Missourians to share their ideas on how to rework state government.
Rather than holding regularly scheduled committee meetings, Sen. Shields announced last week that eight groups of four senators each would meet for most of the day on March 23 to review the suggestions submitted by Missourians on how to restructure and streamline state government in the midst of a budget shortfall. The working groups were asked to submit at least five ideas they agreed upon to be introduced in legislation or through the budget process, which they presented to the full Senate at the conclusion of the all-day meetings.
Click here to listen to the Senate Minute's report on the work day.
All working groups were open to the public. Group members and submitted recommendations included:
Agriculture/Outdoors/Department of Natural Resources
Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia (chairman)
Sen. Frank Barnitz, D-Lake Spring
Sen. Dan Clemens, R-Marshfield
Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence
Recommendations included requiring one- or two-week furloughs for state employees; combining certain boards and commissions; and reviewing agency program fees to identify ways to make the programs fully fee-funded instead of relying on general revenue.
Listen to an audio clip of Sen. Schaefer presenting the group's recommendations.
Courts/Legal/Department of Public Safety
Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Lee’s Summit (chairman)
Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon
Sen. Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City
Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter
Recommendations included reducing the state’s prison population by at least 2,000; creating a formalized diversion program; and updating the criminal fine schedule.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Bartle presenting the group's recommendations.
Education
Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg (chairman)
Sen. Rita Heard Days, D-St. Louis
Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin
Sen. Yvonne Wilson, D-Kansas City
Recommendations included consolidation of services for K-12 schools and higher education institutions; a merger of the Department of Higher Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and expansion of virtual schools.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Pearce presenting the group's recommendations.
General Government/Office of Administration
Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis (chairman)
Sen. Tim Green, D-St. Louis
Sen. Luann Ridgeway, R-Smithville
Sen. Carl Vogel, R-Jefferson City
Recommendations included shortening the legislative session; invoking a temporary moratorium on all state travel; and reforming the state’s merit system.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Lembke presenting the group's recommendations.
Retirement
Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau (chairman)
Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield
Sen. John Griesheimer, R-Washington
Sen. Joe Keaveny, D-St. Louis
Recommendations included evaluating the use of pension obligation bonds, as well as the following proposed retirement bills this session:
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SB 896 : Requires the MOSERS and MPERS boards to create a defined contribution retirement plan for certain employees and judges.
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SB 1048 : Modifies the retirement plans for certain state employees and judges.
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SB 1049 : Modifies the retirement plans for state employees and judges who start work for the first time on or after January 1, 2011.
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SB 1050 : Creates a company to manage investments for public retirement systems.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Crowell presenting the group's recommendations.
Social Programs
Sen. Scott T. Rupp, R-Wentzville (chairman)
Sen. Joan Bray, D-St. Louis
Sen. Norma Champion, R-Springfield
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale
Recommendations included reforming state habilitation centers; making each department assess the percentage of employees who can work from home; and containing the costs of Medicaid under SB 1007 .
Watch a video clip of Sen. Rupp presenting the group's recommendations.
Tax Structure
Sen. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles (chairman)
Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah
Sen. Chuck Purgason, R-Caulfield
Sen. Robin Wright-Jones, D- St. Louis
Recommendations included placing a global cap on tax credits; reviewing biodiesel and ethanol projects; and establishing an Interim Committee on Optimal Tax Policy.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Dempsey presenting the group's recommendations.
Transportation
Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Napton (chairman)
Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington
Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City
Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City
Recommendations included stopping the distribution of free state road maps; requiring only one license plate on vehicles instead of two; and consolidating the highway patrol with the water patrol.
Watch a video clip of Sen. Stouffer presenting the group's recommendations.
Click here for a complete listing of recommendations from the Senate's Rebooting Government work day.
Missourians may continue submitting their ideas by visiting the Senate’s website at www.senate.mo.gov and clicking on the Rebooting Government logo. Submissions may be anonymous, and ideas will continue to be accepted throughout the legislative session.
The Legislature is constitutionally required to submit a budget for fiscal year 2011—which runs July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011—to the governor by May 7. The Second Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly runs through May 14, 2010. For more information about the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov . To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or e-mail newsroom@senate.mo.gov .
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