Senator Ron Richard’s Legislative Column for the Week of May 2

Richard Column

Legislature Sends Voter ID Bill to Governor; Overrides Veto of School Funding Fix

It was another busy week in the Missouri Legislature, as state lawmakers gave their final approval to common-sense voter ID legislation and also voted to override the governor’s veto of a bill that will save the K-12 foundation formula.

Bringing greater integrity and fairness to Missouri’s public elections — the cornerstone of our democratic process — is something state lawmakers have been diligently working to accomplish for the last 10 years. I’m very pleased to say that Missouri legislators were able to reach a compromise this week, and we have now sent a solid voter ID bill to the governor for his consideration.

House Bill 1631 requires voters to provide a valid photo ID at the polls. Examples of valid IDs include a non-expired Missouri driver’s license or non-expired military license. If a voter does not have a valid ID, that person can still vote by signing a statement, under penalty of perjury, attesting they are who they claim to be. If no statement is signed, the voter can still vote provisionally. Under HB 1631, if a voter does not possess a valid ID, the state and all fee offices will be required to provide a free ID as well as any underlying documents necessary to obtain it.

Facts show voter ID laws are intended to protect voters from dishonest tactics used by people looking for an advantage at the expense of our fundamental right. House Bill 1631 will help prevent in-person voter fraud by improving security at the polls, ensuring Missouri voices are heard and giving our citizens confidence in the election process. The measure will not go into effect unless Missouri voters also approve House Joint Resolution 53, a constitutional amendment requiring a photo ID at the polls. If passed, the joint resolution would make Missouri the 17th state to require photo identification to vote.

The Legislature also voted this week to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 586, a bipartisan measure that will help save the state’s public education funding formula. Very simply, SB 586 reinstates the 5 percent cap on current operating expenses that was removed in 2009.

The cap was removed based on projections of approximately $75 million annually in new gaming revenue; however, due to the economic downturn around the same time, that extra money never materialized. Unfortunately, the formula continued to grow at such an accelerated rate that the state will never be able to fully fund it. Today, we are looking at a gap in school funding of more than $500 million.

This one change of reinstating the cap will take fully funding the formula from an unrealistic goal to an attainable goal within the next few years, preserving the formula for the foreseeable future. Most importantly, it will give Missouri school districts the predictability they need to effectively plan their budgets and provide a quality education to our students. Senate Bill 586 will take effect on July 1.

In other education news, I’m happy to share with residents of the 32nd District that Missouri Southern State University is set to receive $6.7 million in funding for repairs and renovations, including science laboratory renovations, to Reynolds Hall. A portion of the money ($1.5 million) will require local matching funds to be provided in order to be eligible for state funds, while $5.2 million will come from the Board of Public Buildings Bond Proceeds Fund. The MSSU funding can be found in House Bill 2017, which was sent to the governor on Thursday.

The Senate has given its approval this week to an omnibus crime bill: Senate Bill 663. One of the bill’s numerous provisions deals with citizens’ rights to defend themselves. Under current state law, individuals who are not engaged in unlawful activity may use deadly force to defend themselves from a serious or fatal injury; however, the right only applies to private property, a vehicle or other dwelling owned by the individual.

Under SB 663, individuals not engaged in unlawful activity could also use deadly force to protect themselves in public areas as well as private property. No lawful citizen’s Second Amendment right should stop at their doorstep; we should have the right to defend ourselves and our families wherever we may be at the time a dangerous threat presents itself. Senate Bill 663 is currently waiting to be taken up on the House floor.

Finally, this week the Senate considered a handful of bills relating to investor-owned utilities. One of those measures, House Bill 2689, would modernize the regulatory process for electrical corporations in Missouri to more closely align the interests of the electric utilities and the customers they serve. Through performance-based ratemaking, the bill incentivizes electric companies to run their businesses more effectively, while the rate stabilization mechanisms will make electrical rates more predictable and affordable.

House Bill 2689 also has an economic development component in that it encourages the electric utilities to make greater investments in their aging infrastructure grids; the tasks of maintaining and modernizing our grids will directly contribute to job creation, while the overall investment in our infrastructure will make Missouri a more appealing state to the business community.

Contact Me

I always appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-2173. You may write to me at Senator Ron Richard, Missouri Senate, State Capitol, 201 W. Capitol Ave., Rm. 326, Jefferson City, MO 65101; e-mail me at ron.richard@senate.mo.gov or visit me on the Web at www.senate.mo.gov/Richard.