Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer’s Legislative Column for March 9, 2020

Moving Bills Through Committee

Another week has passed in the 2020 legislative session and we continue to hear bills in committee and take action in the Senate chamber. This week two bills I sponsored received hearings in committee.

Senate Bill 857 establishes The Pretrial Witness Protection Services Fund. Administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety, the fund would cover costs of providing housing and security for witnesses of crime and their immediate families. As I presented this legislation to the Senate Judiciary Committee, I was joined by police chiefs and mayors from several of Missouri’s largest cities, who testified in support.

I believe one of the greatest challenges prosecutors face is convincing witnesses to come forward and testify at trial when they literally fear for their lives. The committee heard testimony about witnesses who were threatened – or in some cases, even killed – to prevent cooperation with prosecutors. Similar to the federal witness relocation program, SB 857 would provide officials the means to protect witnesses, so they are more willing to assist in the prosecution of violent offenders.

The governor called for the creation of a witness protection program during his State of the State Address and this legislation is a priority for leaders of Missouri’s metropolitan areas. If we’re going to combat violent crime in our state, we need this tool to reassure witnesses and protect them from retribution.

Also this week, I presented Senate Joint Resolution 60 to the Health and Pensions Committee. If passed by the Legislature, this measure would appear on the ballot and voters will be asked to approve several constitutional changes, all relating to health care coverage in Missouri.

Senate Joint Resolution 60 enshrines coverage for pre-existing conditions. Although federal law already requires insurers to cover pre-existing conditions, there is a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that puts that protection in jeopardy. This measure ensures that Missourians will never be denied coverage due to a pre-existing medical condition.

The resolution also stipulates that state spending on Medicaid must always be approved by the Legislature. Depending on the outcome of an initiative expected to appear on the November ballot, the Department of Health and Senior Services could be required to provide Medicaid coverage to thousands of Missourians who are not currently eligible. Without SJR 60, a voter-mandated expansion of Medicaid would tie the Legislature’s hands and force it to spend money Missouri doesn’t have.

During his State of the State Address, the governor expressed concern that expanding Medicaid would wreck the state budget and require tax increases or result in massive cuts in other state programs. Medicaid already consumes one-third of Missouri’s budget. There simply isn’t enough revenue coming in to pay for more coverage. Other states that expanded Medicaid have been forced to cut critical programs like roads and bridges or K-12 education. We don’t want that to happen here.

Finally, SJR 60 imposes a work requirement for Medicaid eligibility. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, one out of every seven Missourians receives Medicaid benefits. If we expand the program, perhaps as many as a quarter million more people would qualify, including many single adults with no dependents. In my opinion, many of those people are able-bodied and capable of holding down a job. They should do so.

Although my resolution encourages people to find a job, it maintains protections for those who can’t reasonably work. It exempts the disabled, pregnant women and single parents with young children at home – in fact, it credits caregivers for the work they’re already doing providing for children, the elderly and the disabled. We must offer protections for the most vulnerable members of our population, but it makes no sense to create incentives for people to stay unemployed at a time when employers are looking for workers.

It is my great honor to represent the citizens of Platte and Buchanan counties in the Missouri Senate. Please contact my office at (573) 751-2183, or visit www.senate.mo.gov/mem34.