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Feb. 13, 2023

On the Floor

Last week, the Senate passed several bills:

•          Senate Bills 3 & 69, which would establish the Regulatory Sandbox Act and the Regulatory Relief Office in the Missouri Department of Economic Development. This office will identify state laws or regulations that could potentially be waived or suspended for participating businesses during a two-year period in which the participating business demonstrates an innovative product offering to consumers;
•          Senate Bill 25 to exempt from state taxes any federal grant money used for providing or expanding broadband internet in our state;
•         Senate Bill 100, which would allow gold and silver to be accepted as legal tender;
•         Senate Bill 109 would expand the size of the Industrial Minerals Advisory Council and extends the sunset date on certain geologic resources fees from 2025 to 2030;
•          Senate Joint Resolution 3, if approved by voters, would prohibit the General Assembly from setting a state income tax rate exceeding 5.5%;
•          Senate Bill 111 would allow state employees to be paid once every two weeks; and
•          Senate Bill 116 would modify provisions relating to the disposition of the dead.

Additionally, the Senate gave first round approval to Senate Bills 4, 42 & 89 on Feb. 8. This legislation creates the “Parents’ Bill of Rights Act of 2023” and the Missouri Education Transparency and Accountability Portal to give residents access to each school district’s curriculum, textbooks, source material and syllabi. I also negotiated an additional $65 million for the Foundation Formula in this legislation, which funds our state’s public K-12 schools. The Senate adjourned session for the day immediately after perfecting the legislation.

Bills and Committees

Senator May’s Legislation:

On Feb. 7, I presented Senate Bill 34 to the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee. This legislation would allow school districts to offer elective social studies courses relating, but not limited to, the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament of the Bible and the New Testament of the Bible. These courses would focus on the historical, political and cultural impact, as well as the literary styles of these texts. This bill also requires that any course must follow applicable laws maintaining religious neutrality and not endorse, favor, promote or show hostility to any particular religion, nonreligious faith or religious perspective.

On Feb. 9, the Senate Government Accountability Committee passed my Senate Bill 35. This bill would give individuals who are behind on child support payments and lose their driver’s license or professional license as a result the opportunity to have an evidentiary hearing to determine if the suspension of the license should remain. The license suspension can further exacerbate the issue of the individual’s late child support payments, so this legislation provides an opportunity for the individual to submit evidence or cause for their missed payments.

Judiciary Committee:

On Feb. 6, the committee heard Senate Bill 118, which would change the detention period on arrest without a warrant to 48 hours if the individual is arrested for a criminal offense involving a dangerous felony or a deadly weapon. Senate Bill 215 also had a hearing. This legislation establishes provisions relating to alternative dispute resolutions.

I am proud to say my Senate Bill 120, which would establish post-traumatic stress disorder as an occupational disease for first responders, was added to Senate Bill 119 and voted do pass by the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Feb. 6.

Commerce Committee:

Senate Bill 140 would require the Public Service Commission to allow electrical corporations and gas corporations to recover workforce development investments. Senate Bill 152 modifies the definition of “video service” to prevent franchise fees from being collected for any video programming accessed via a service that enables users to access content over the internet, including streaming content.

Appropriations Committee:

The following departments and offices shared their funding requests for the FY ‘24 state operating budget:

•          Board of Fund Commissioners;
•          Office of Administration;
•          Employee Benefits;
•          Statewide Real Estate;
•          State Auditor;
•          Department of Labor & Industrial Relations;
•          Judiciary; and
•          Department of Conservation.

Other News

House approves bill allowing some felons to carry guns

The Missouri House of Representatives on Feb. 9 voted to advance House Bill 301 to allow the governor to appoint a special prosecutor for up to five years if the homicide rate in a circuit or prosecuting attorney’s jurisdiction exceeds a certain rate. Under current Missouri law, it is a crime for any convicted felon to purchase or possess firearms. This legislation would restore guns rights to non-violent felons, but possession of firearms would remain a criminal offense for those convicted of violent felonies. House Bill 301 now advances to the Senate.

Last week, the House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee considered six bills that would return control of the St. Louis City Police Department back to the Board of Police Commissioners. The department had been under state control for more than 150 years until 2012, when Missouri voters approved a ballot measure restoring local control.

House approves a nearly $627 million supplemental budget bill

The House of Representatives voted on Feb. 9 to grant first round approval to a nearly $627 million emergency supplemental appropriations bill for the FY 2023 state budget. The bill includes spending authority to provide state workers with an immediate 8.7% pay raise. The governor has asked lawmakers to quickly grant final passage to the bill so the raises can take effect March 1. He said the increase is necessary to offset high inflation and help stem a recent exodus of state workers to higher-paying private sector jobs that has left the state with about 7,000 open positions. A second vote is required to advance the bill to the Senate.

CONTACT INFORMATION

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.