This Week’s Legislative Column from Sen. Mike Cunningham

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Legislation Moving Forward to the Floor

Hello from the Capitol at the end of another exciting week. I have a lot of legislative updates for you, as several important bills from me – and my fellow senators – are currently moving through committee hearings and headed toward discussions on the Senate floor. I have always found the legislative process to be incredibly exciting, and it makes me very happy to see the support and discussion my proposed bills have received this week.

My first bill I would like to update you on is Senate Bill 613, which establishes a program to permit volunteer fire associations to apply to the State Fire Marshall’s Office for grants to fund insurance premiums for their firefighters. How wonderful would it be if the brave men and women who risk their lives to ensure our safety could receive insurance for the volunteer work they do? Fire control and underwater recovery response workers should not be taken for granted, as they provide a life-saving service that impacts our communities simply because they want to make your city, your town or your neighborhood safer. Senate Bill 613 was heard Tuesday, Jan. 26 in the Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee, and has so far received a lot of support. I am hopeful it will move out of committee and onto the Senate floor for a full discussion this coming week.

I had another piece of legislation that received hearings this week, SB 682, where it was voted out of committee and moved to the Senate floor on Thursday. Senate Bill 682 deals with public notice requirements when the commissioner of the Office of Administration is looking to buy land on behalf of a state department. My bill would require the commissioner’s office to provide a public notice on its website, display it in certain relevant newspapers and hold public hearings in the counties that would be affected by the property purchase. I’m confident that my bill, which seeks to make the process of government property purchases more transparent to the public, will be received positively in the Senate and continue to move forward. This bill will make sure that no shady land grabs – like the ordeal in Oregon County  – happen in our state without the public being made aware.

This week, Senate Concurrent Resolutions 51 and 52 were combined and passed through the Senate. This resolution has moved to the House where it will be heard, alongside its companion piece, House Concurrent Resolution 58. These resolutions will protect farmers and ranch owners by preventing a five percent tax increase on the agricultural industry proposed by the State Tax Commission (STC), as well as improving the standards the STC uses to value farm and ranch land.

Because I represent such an agriculturally active part of the state, I feel the residents of the 33rd District have a real right to know about how these resolutions will work to protect the future of Missouri’s number one industry. Currently, the STC guidelines for valuing land does not take into account damages caused by flooding or weather – a problem that has taken a large toll on our state’s farmers in the past few months. The resolutions would force the STC to evaluate a property’s worth based on its potential for agricultural productivity every two years when it is assessed by the commission. As for the proposed tax hike on farmers, SCRs 51 and 52 would block any attempt to levy a five percent raise for farmers that could damage growth in the industry and prevent market expansion.

Agriculture is the number one industry in Missouri, and our farmers and ranch workers deserve to have a steady and equitable future. These are the folks who work hard to put food on our families’ tables and in our local grocery stores. Your state Legislature will continue to work hard to fight for farmers’ financial wellbeing and continued growth in the industry.

Finally, I would like to leave you with a highlight of Sen. Romine’s telehealth bill, SB 621, which establishes a statewide home “telemonitoring” program for the remote monitoring of data that relates to a patient’s health. Sen. Romine’s new bill would allow patients across the state to transfer important medical information, digital files, pictures and any other data related to their care to a consulting provider from the comfort of their home. This bill makes it easier for patients to receive certain health care services more quickly, without requiring them to visit a professional in person. This bill will help push Missouri’s medical and elderly care to the forefront of innovation and will help usher our state’s health services into a new era of effectiveness.

As always, I appreciate it when groups from around Missouri and from our community back home come to visit me at the Capitol. If you would like to arrange a time to come and visit me in Jefferson City, or if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact my Capitol office at (573) 751-1882.