JEFFERSON CITY — Several Senate Committees held hearings on Wednesday, Sept. 7, to consider measures introduced during the First Extraordinary Session of the 96th General Assembly. Many of those measures were approved by their respective committees, receiving the panels’ approval to move on to the full Senate for debate.
The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, heard testimony on SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield. Her legislation, which would lay out specific requirements for school district policies regarding teacher/employee-student communications, was overwhelmingly approved by committee members.
Two measures, sponsored by Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, also received committee approval Wednesday. The Senate Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee, chaired by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, considered SB 7 and SB 8.
Senate Bill 7 would establish the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, also known as MOSIRA. Included in the legislation are the responsibilities and powers of the board members who make up the panel that is charged with overseeing MOSIRA.
Also sponsored by Sen. Mayer, SB 8 would make changes to various Missouri tax credit programs based on recommendations made by the Missouri Tax Credit Review Commission. More specifically, the legislation would:
- Create tax credits to attract sporting events to Missouri.
- Establish the Aerotropolis Trade Incentive and Tax Credit Act to create an international cargo hub at the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
- Authorize state and local sales and use tax exemptions for new and expanding data centers in the state.
- Establish the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA), which would provide funding for incentives to attract science and innovation companies to Missouri.
- Create the Compete Missouri Program, which would provide tax incentives for job creation, job retention and capital investment, and establish the Compete Missouri Job Training Program.
In addition, SB 8 would make changes to certain tax credit programs in Missouri, some of which include the Special Needs Adoption Tax Credits, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Historic Preservation Tax Credits and Brownfield Remediation Tax Credits. The legislation would also sunset provisions for certain tax credit programs and repeal other tax credit programs all together.
Both SB 7 and SB 8 have now moved to the full Senate, where they are slated for debate early next week.
For more information about the Missouri Senate and the First Extraordinary Session of the 96th General Assembly, including a list of Senate and House bills and daily action on special session legislation, visit www.senate.mo.gov. To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or email newsroom@senate.mo.gov.
-END- |
