Legislative Column for May 24, 2019
The Missouri General Assembly finished its work for 2019 on May 17. We’ll come back briefly in September for the annual veto session but, otherwise, legislative activity is done for the year. We passed 95 separate pieces of legislation. Quite a few other proposals that started out with their own bill numbers in January were approved as amendments to other pieces of legislation in the final weeks.
All of these measures will be sent to the governor and he can either sign them into law or veto them. Although some folks at the coffee shop might tease me that the best thing we did all session was adjourn, we really did pass a number of worthwhile measures that will benefit Missourians. Here are a few of the major topics we tackled this year:
Abortion – Easily the most controversial legislation passed this year was House Bill 126, “The Heartbeat Bill.” Separate provisions of HB 126 outlaw abortion after eight weeks, 14 weeks, 18 weeks and 20 weeks of fetal development. The bill is drafted so that if one or more of these thresholds is overturned in court, the rest will stand. The bill also prohibits selective abortions due to race or gender or because the child has been diagnosed with Down syndrome. The bill does allow exceptions in cases of medical emergencies.
Higher Education – Missouri’s public colleges and universities received a 12 percent increase in funding for next year. Missouri State University, with campuses in Springfield and West Plains, received a $10 million increase. In recent years, MSU’s enrollment has climbed while its funding remained relatively constant. Consequently, the school received less state money, per student, than other Missouri universities. The $10 million adjustment approved this year will help level the playing field.
Transportation – The Legislature authorized a modified version of the governor’s plan to accelerate bridge repairs. The plan allows $301 million from bonds and $50 million from general revenue to fund repairs or replacement of 250 deficient bridges throughout the state. Six of those bridges are located within the 33rd Senatorial District. The entire plan is contingent on Missouri receiving a federal grant to replace a critical span across the Missouri River along Interstate 70.
Economic Development – Senate Bill 68 combines several programs intended to attract new businesses to Missouri and help existing employers grow. An expanded Missouri Works program offers tax incentives for employers who add or retain jobs. The One Start program will help employers train employees. The Fast Track program provides tuition assistance for adult Missourians, age 25 or older, to continue their education.
Agriculture – Senate Bill 391 prevents local authorities from imposing restrictions on large animal feeding operations. Senate Bill 83 was amended to include the “Save the Family Farm Act,” which should make it easier for families to distribute inherited land. My Senate Bill 133 originally allowed the Department of Agriculture to assess smaller fines for minor violations of Missouri’s egg laws. It passed with an amendment that allows industrial hemp production to move forward in Missouri.
Motor Vehicles – Adult motorcyclists will no longer be required to wear a helmet, as long as they can prove they carry medical insurance. New vehicles will be exempt from bi-annual safety inspections for 10 years, raising the current five-year exemption. Legislation passed this year makes a number of changes to vehicle registration and licensing requirements, and raises fees in some cases. There are also a number of new specialty license plates available.
Criminal Justice – Senate Bill 1 allows additional non-violent offenses to be expunged from a person’s criminal record. House Bill 243 lets victims of domestic violence break their lease if they need to move for reasons of personal safety. House Bill 192 provides for parole boards to deviate from mandatory sentencing requirements for non-violent offenders. The bill also prohibits incarcerating offenders solely for failure to pay fines.
Seniors – Senate Bill 101 establishes a statewide hearing aid distribution system. Among the many health care-related provisions of Senate Bill 514 is a measure that removes the dual-eligibility requirements for the Missouri RX prescription drug benefit plan. Although there is no additional funding for the program this year, the statute change should provide assistance to Medicare recipients with high drug costs in the future.
This is just a sampling of the many issues the Missouri Legislature addressed in 2019. I’ll provide more information about some of these measures in the weeks to come. I’ll also brief you on legislation that I sponsored.
It is my great honor to represent the citizens of the 33rd Senatorial District. Although legislative activity has ended in Jefferson City for 2019, I remain your senator throughout the year. If there’s anything that I can do to assist you, please feel free to contact my Capitol office at (573) 751-1882.