Volume 1, Issue 4 – The Week of Feb. 11, 2019
Discussing Issues That Affect Our State’s Most Vulnerable Citizens
The Senate’s Seniors, Families and Children Committee continues to consider some important pieces of legislation that have the potential to have a tremendous impact on Missouri families. This week, the committee heard testimony on a bill seeking to have the Department of Social Services implement work and community engagement requirements for certain people in the MO HealthNet program, our state’s Medicaid program. Senate Bill 76 requires individuals, ages 19 to 64, to complete at least 80 hours a month of some combination of work, volunteer or educational endeavors in order to remain on the program. Exemptions would apply to individuals with disabilities, those outside of the age range and under certain other circumstances.
I do not support this legislation. Part-time workers cannot afford health care, and if they are unable to meet the reporting requirements, they risk losing access to their only affordable health care option. Furthermore, the reporting requirements in this legislation place a hefty bureaucratic burden on the Department of Social Services, which already struggles with its current, limited resources. By placing yet another requirement on the Department without providing additional resources, I worry that Missourians will fall through the cracks and lose access to critical health care simply because of lost paperwork.
The committee also heard Senate Bill 101. This bill would have the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing establish a statewide hearing aid distribution program for certain low-income individuals. I really like and strongly support this legislation. Hearing loss can affect people at any age. Without the means to combat it, hearing loss can have a profound impact on a person’s life, including their ability to work or simply do day-to-day activities. I believe this legislation has the power to help low-income Missourians access critically-needed hearing aids. It is important to note, this bill is subject to appropriations, meaning money in the state’s budget would have to be allocated to fund this particular program.
Additionally, the Seniors, Families and Children Committee this week approved Senate Bill 78, which restores cuts to the Missouri Rx Plan, helping low-income Missourians cover prescription drug costs. I supported this bill, and I look forward to seeing it continue through the legislative process.
Lastly, the Senate’s Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee advanced proposals that I believe weaken the impeachment process. Senate Bill 9 and Senate Joint Resolution 2 remove language from the list of impeachable offenses, like “excessive drunkenness” and others. In my opinion, we should not be watering down the list of offenses that could result in impeachment. We must hold our elected officials accountable for their actions, and by weakening our impeachment standards, we are supporting bad actors and harming our constituents. I voted against this legislation, but it was approved by the committee and now heads to the Senate floor.
Thank you for your interest in the legislative process. I look forward to hearing from you on the issues that are important to you this legislative session. If there is anything my office can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3599.