Senators Spend Time in Various Legislative Committees

JEFFERSON CITY – Many lawmakers in the upper chamber focused their work on various legislative committees, which held their meetings at the State Capitol and across the Show-Me State during the month of October covering a variety of issues, including education, health care, capital improvements, and transportation, among other important topics.

Members of the Joint Committee on Education kicked off the month of October by hearing from various organizations regarding their ideas for long-term solutions for students residing in unaccredited districts.  State law requires an unaccredited school district to pay tuition for students transferring to an accredited school district and that receiving district must accept those students.  During the hearing, members discussed options for the Normandy School District, located near St. Louis.  This unaccredited district is sending a large number of students to neighboring schools.

Senator David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, serves as vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Education, which is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the progress of Missouri’s public schools and higher education institutions.  The panel also makes recommendations to the General Assembly for legislative action, among other duties.  Additional senators serving on the committee include Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City; Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis; Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington; Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington; Sen. Scott T. Rupp, R-Wentzville; and Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia.

The Senate Minute for Oct. 8 includes Sen. Nasheed and Sen. Rupp providing their thoughts on the school transfer issue.

As chairman of the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform, Sen. Romine focused much of his early October meeting on insurance benefit designs, managing utilization of health care services and heightening patients’ awareness of costs.  Testimony included recommendations for altering how health care services and products are utilized by customers, with the goals of improving the overall health of Missouri’s population, reducing cost of health care and enhancing consumer experience while receiving care.

The committee was established with the goal of reforming Medicaid by improving system efficiency, financial stability and delivery of health care.  The 10-member committee includes Sen. David Sater (vice chair), R-Cassville; Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla; Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff; Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph; Sen. Wayne Wallingford; R-Cape Girardeau; Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa; Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis; Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence; and Sen. Nasheed.

The Senate Minute for Oct. 15 features Sen. Romine and Sen. LeVota discussing states’ participation regarding health care insurance marketplaces under the federal Affordable Care Act.

A panel designed to study the needs of all state parks, mental health facilities, higher education facilities and other buildings across Missouri continued its work this month.  The latest meeting of the Senate Interim Committee on Capital Improvement Assessment and Planning, chaired by Sen. Pearce, was held at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Health Sciences Building.  Members of the committee, which include President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles; Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield; Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar; Sen. Wallingford; Sen. Shalonn “Kiki” Curls, D-Kansas City; and Sen. Keaveny, discussed unique ways to find matching funds to support health science facilities at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, which were built in the 1950s. 

Members then toured the Northwest Regional Youth Center, a state-run facility that is part of Missouri’s treatment-oriented approach toward juvenile offenders.  This building once was the home to an old elementary school and now houses young adults who utilize a program called “The Missouri Model,” rather than a traditional correctional model.  This model uses a therapeutic youth development approach focused on prevention and early intervention for young offenders in order to prepare them to return and contribute positively to their school, home and community.  On their tour, lawmakers learned how updates to the facility could benefit this program and ensure its continuation.

The Senate Minute for Oct. 22 highlights Sen. Pearce and Sen. Keaveny speaking about their work on the interim committee.

The Missouri Lead Industry Employment, Economic Development and Environmental Remediation Task Force also met outside of Jefferson City this month.  Committee members met at the Missouri University of Science and Technology’s Havener Center in Rolla to discuss how to use new technology to produce lead that is safe, cost-effective and continues to be considered a valuable metal that is utilized in numerous products.  During the meeting, the committee heard presentations about the history of lead mining in the Old Lead Belt of St. Francois County, how current lead mining operations are run in the Viburnum Trend, and the geology of these areas.  Committee members also learned about the natural occurrence of lead in southeast Missouri and the mineralization that took place in the region to produce the outcrop of the naturally occurring deposits. 

Professors from Missouri S&T with expertise in geology and the mining field attended the hearing, which also featured a presentation of the Department of Natural Resources’ draft of the Southeast Missouri Ozarks Regional Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment.  As members of the special committee — Sen. Romine (chair); Sen. Libla; Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City; several members of the House of Representations; and industry professionals — officials are looking at ways to encourage a healthy, lucrative lead industry in the Show-Me State that will boost economic development while finding resources to mitigate environmental issues caused by past lead extraction.

During the late October meeting of the Joint Interim Committee on St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Governance and Taxation at the St. Louis County Council Chamber in Clayton, members heard testimony from entities that are interested in conducting an independent study for the committee.  The study would include an examination of tax increment financing, the sales tax pool, and the St. Louis Boundary Commission.  House Concurrent Resolution 25, which created the joint interim committee, specifies that the study must be done at no cost to the state.

The 10-member panel includes Sen. John Lamping, R-Ladue; Sen. Nieves; Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale; Sen. Keaveny; Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors; and five members of the House of Representatives.  After the independent study is conducted, these members will review the study and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the taxation and governance issues facing the St. Louis MSA.  Committee members will then make recommendations on proposed legislation for the 2014 legislative session no later than Dec. 31, 2013.

The Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight met in late October at the State Capitol to discuss highway name and specialty plate applications.  During the meeting, committee members approved one Heroes Way application.  The Heroes Way Interstate Interchange Program was included in passed and signed legislation from 2009, which allows interstate interchanges to be designated for Missouri residents who were in the Armed Forces and were killed in actions on or after Sept. 11, 2001, in either Afghanistan or Iraq.  In 2011, the original law was expanded to include state highway interchanges.  Members also approved three Memorial Highway applications.  The Memorial Highway and Bridge Program permits these infrastructure features to be named after an individual (who has been deceased for two or more years), an event, place or organization. 

The joint committee is responsible for presenting a prioritized plan for all modes of transportation, discussing Department of Transportation efficiencies and expenditure of cost-savings within the department, presenting a status report on Department of Transportation revenues and expenditures, and implementing any actions deemed necessary by the committee, among other duties.  The panel includes seven members from the House of Representatives and six senators (one vacancy): Sen. Mike Kehoe (co-chairman), R-Jefferson City; Sen. Lamping; Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown; Sen. Wasson; Sen. Holsman; and Sen. McKenna. 

Just as it had started, the Joint Committee on Education concluded the month of October meetings with a hearing at the State Capitol.  Committee members heard an update from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on the outcomes of the 2012-13 pilot of the Educator Evaluation System, which focused on the formative development of teachers and leaders by improving the effective practice of instructors in the classroom and providing leadership in schools across the state.  More than 100 school districts throughout Missouri pilot-tested the system during the 2012-13 school year.  It was developed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in partnership with educators, school district officials, education organizations, and teacher education programs within Missouri’s public colleges and universities. 

To see a complete list of Senate committees, visit www.senate.mo.gov and click on the topical links featured under the Committees tab.  Next month’s Capitol Briefing will include additional committee meetings held at the State Capitol, as well as throughout the Show-Me State.

The Missouri Senate’s Capitol Briefing will be distributed and posted monthly throughout the interim.  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:

• Missouri Legislative Update – A video program produced throughout the legislative session and interim that provides an overview of news in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives.  The program features news interviews with lawmakers conducted by Missourinet’s Bob Priddy and stories on issues concerning Missourians.
• This Week in the Missouri Senate – A weekly, five-minute audio program that wraps up the week’s news in the Missouri Senate.  Programs are posted online every Friday in .mp3 format.
• The Senate Minute – A condensed, one-minute audio report of current Senate news.  Programs are posted in .mp3 format and are available through podcast.
• Daily Audio/Video Clips – Throughout the year, the Senate Newsroom posts broadcast-quality audio and video highlights from Senate committee hearings, floor debate, press conferences and other legislative events.  Please note: Clips linked to this Capitol Briefing are only available for the legislative week referenced in the publication.