Sen. Barbara Anne Washington’s Legislative Column for Oct. 14, 2022

Week of Oct. 14, 2022

Urban Farm Tax Credit Signed into Law

I’m pleased to announce the urban farm tax credit legislation I championed this session was included in a package of agricultural incentives passed by the Legislature during the extra legislative session and signed into law by the governor on Oct. 5. The new law allows a taxpayer to claim a credit against their state income tax equal to 50% of eligible expenses for establishing or improving an urban farm. Eligible farms must be located in an urban area and produce products solely for sale to the public. This credit will hopefully encourage more Kansas City residents to organize a community-run garden or start a small farming operation. Our community is riddled with food deserts, but I believe this new law is a step in the right direction toward providing more healthy food options for the residents of our city.

Judge Dismisses Voter ID Challenge

On Oct. 12, a Cole County judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging Missouri’s new photo voter identification mandate after ruling the plaintiffs lack the legal standing to bring this issue before the court. Although an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court is expected, voters will be required to produce a government-issued photo ID in order to cast a ballot in the Nov. 8 General Election unless the court intervenes before Election Day.

The Missouri Supreme Court has struck down two previous photo voter ID laws for unconstitutionally interfering with voting rights, but the judge didn’t reach the same conclusion in the current case. Instead, he determined the two individual voters named as plaintiffs failed to demonstrate they are harmed by the law since both have government-issued photo IDs to use to vote in the upcoming election. The judge also said the main plaintiffs, the Missouri chapters of the League of Women Voters and the NAACP, likewise lack standing since the alleged harm their members would suffer is too speculative.

The General Assembly enacted the photo ID requirement in August when House Bill 1878 took effect. Since then, both of these Missouri chapters have filed a second suit, challenging that certain provisions of the law violate free speech by placing tighter restrictions on voter registration drives and banning individuals from encouraging or assisting others to cast an absentee ballot.

Missouri Government Struggles with Job Vacancies

Roughly 14 percent of authorized state government jobs remained vacant this summer as Missouri struggled to hire workers in a highly competitive labor market. In an Oct. 5 news conference, the governor pledged to increase state worker pay again next year, but whether it will be enough to compete with the private sector or if our state’s budget can withstand the extra expenditure after lowering income tax rates remains to be seen.

According to an Oct. 6 article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, state agencies had more than 7,500 job openings out of an authorized workforce of 53,903 fulltime employees in July. These vacancies still exist after two across-the-board pay increases took effect earlier this year; a 2 percent bump in January and another 5.5 percent hike in March. The Legislature also authorized a $15 an hour minimum wage for state government jobs as part of an effort to stem the growing exodus of state workers.

Missouri’s average pay for state employees has consistently ranked among the lowest in the nation. While this year’s salary increases are an improvement, I believe the additional compensation may not be enough to compete with the costs of record inflation or the pay offered by the private sector.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Special License Plate

During the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 189, which I was proud to sponsor. This legislation creates a special license plate for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Anyone interested in supporting this Kansas City gem can apply for the license plate by following these steps:

1. Make a $10 donation to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
   • Donations can be made directly to the museum or by sending the museum a check upon submitting your application. Be sure to get a receipt for your contribution.
2. Complete the 1716 form to apply for the specialty license plate. This form can be found at dor.mo.gov/motor-vehicle/plates/personalized-specialty.html.
   • When completing the form, select “other” and fill in that you are applying for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum plate.
3. Send your application, along with your $10 museum donation (or the receipt for your donation), and your $15 standard plate application fee to the museum at 1616 E. 18th St., KCMO 64108.

As of April 9, 2021, anyone age 5 and up is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Please contact your local pharmacy or health care provider for information on how best to receive one of the available vaccines. For more information about the vaccine in Missouri, please visit covidvaccine.mo.gov.

University Health is now providing Pfizer, Moderna and J & J booster shots for COVID-19. The CDC approved a booster shot for any adult who received their first two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago, or for any adult who received a single dose of the J & J vaccine at least two months ago. If you are eligible, you can schedule an appointment by calling 816-404-CARE or walk in to University Health (2211 Charlotte St., KCMO 64108) or University Health Lakewood Medical Center (7900 Lee’s Summit Road, KCMO 64139). The COVID-19 vaccine is available for children ages 5-12 at these two locations as well. Patients may make an appointment with their child’s provider at the Med/Ped’s clinic at UHTMC or the Family Medicine Clinic at UHLMC. Additional vaccine information, including free transportation info, is available at www.universityhealthkc.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine/.

The Jackson County Health Department also has numerous vaccine and testing clinics available. For more information, please visit jacohd.org.

The Center for COVID Recovery is open to treat patients who experience long-term effects from the virus. For more information, visit universityhealthkc.org/covid-19/center-for-covid-recovery; please share this information with anyone who continues to struggle after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Thank you for your vote of confidence to serve the people of the 9th District in the Missouri Senate. In an effort to keep you up-to-date with my legislation or other proposed measures, please feel free to visit my website at senate.mo.gov/Washington. I appreciate your active interest in your community and encourage your participation in the legislative process. Should you need assistance with state matters, please feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-3158.

Senator Washington’s Sponsored Legislation for 2022