The Capitol Report | May 24th, 2018

Several Bills Now Set to Become Law

Last week marked the end of a very productive legislative session. The regular session came to a close with the General Assembly having Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed (TAFP) more than 145 bills. These bills are now set to become law upon the governor’s signature. The bills approved this year cover a variety of topics including making real improvements for the people of Missouri by lowering taxes for working families, cutting bureaucratic red tape, providing expanded educational opportunities to young people, supporting the state’s veterans, and protecting victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse. Starting this week, and for the next several weeks, I will share these bills with you, along with updates concerning the special session.

HB 1246 – Requires the Department of Public Safety to develop human trafficking hotline posters

HB 1250 – Establishes the Missouri Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which allows fiduciaries to access electronic records of the account holder

HB 1252 – Changes the law regarding low-dose mammography screening by adding digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis to the definition of low-dose mammography screening and beginning January 1, 2019, requires reimbursement rates to accurately reflect the resource costs specific to each modality

HB 1268 – Allows the Missouri Dental Board to issue dental faculty permits to individuals who are employed by accredited dental schools, colleges, or programs in Missouri

HB 1286 – Modifies provisions of law relating to the detonation of explosives and actions for private nuisances brought against certain permit holders by increasing the authorized fee for explosives use from $2 to $7.5 per ton

Shortly after the regular session concluded on the evening of Friday, May 18, members returned to the House Chamber to officially convene a special session. The legislature called itself back to consider the findings and recommendations of the House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight. On Tuesday, May 22, the committee took up and passed a resolution that would create the procedural framework for the session. The resolution incorporates some of the suggestions put forward by the governor’s attorneys. It does not include the proposed timeline. The resolution will now move to the House floor for discussion and approval.

In the meantime, the investigative committee will continue to meet to review testimony and documents. The committee will also take testimony from other parties who have been subpoenaed to appear before the committee. The committee will continue to meet until it is ready to put forth its recommendations for the full House of Representatives to consider.

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at
573-751-1688 or email me at:
jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

Special Session Begins

The bulk of the work that will take place in the special session for the first few weeks will occur in the committee, which continues its efforts to conduct a fair, thorough, and timely investigation. Attorneys from the governor’s office previously met with the committee to suggest certain rules for the special session process. They also put forward a suggested timeline for how the special session should progress.

On Tuesday, May 22, the committee took up and passed a resolution that would create the procedural framework for the session. The resolution incorporates some of the suggestions put forward by the governor’s attorneys. It does not include the proposed timeline. The resolution will now move to the House floor for discussion and approval.

2018 Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed Bills

HB 1246 – Requires the Department of Public Safety to develop human trafficking hotline posters.

HB 1246 requires various establishments, specified in the bill, to display a poster that provides information regarding human trafficking, including what it is and what resources victims have for getting help, in a conspicuous place near the entrance of the establishment, starting March 1, 2019. Any establishment required to display the poster that fails to do so will be subject to the penalty provisions of this bill.

HB 1250 – Establishes the Missouri Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which allows fiduciaries to access electronic records of the account holder.

This bill specifies how a health savings account may be created. Currently, a trustee of a trust consisting of trust property having a total value less than $100,000 may, after notice to qualified beneficiaries, terminate the trust if the trustee concludes that the value of the trust property is insufficient to justify the cost of administration. The bill increases the dollar amount to less than $250,000.

HB 1252 – Changes the law regarding low-dose mammography screening

This bill adds digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis to the definition of low-dose mammography screening and beginning January 1, 2019, requires reimbursement rates to accurately reflect the resource costs specific to each modality, including any increased resource cost of breast tomosynthesis. Currently, insurance coverage is required for mammograms every two years for women age 40 to 49, unless a physician recommends more frequently and a mammogram every year for women age 50 and over. This bill modifies coverage for mammograms to every year for women age 40 and over.

HB 1268 – Allows the Missouri Dental Board to issue dental faculty permits to individuals who are employed by accredited dental schools, colleges, or programs in Missouri.

HB 1268 creates a dental faculty permit system to be implemented and enforced by the Missouri Dental Board. The bill authorizes the holder of a dental faculty permit to practice dentistry without a Missouri license but only within the course of teaching as part of an accredited dental school program. The holder of a dental faculty permit will not be able to receive any fee or compensation for the practice of dentistry except salary or benefits received as part of his or her employment with the Missouri dental school, college, or program.

HB 1286 – Modifies provisions of law relating to the detonation of explosives and actions for private nuisances brought against certain permit holders.

Currently, the authorized fee for explosives use cannot exceed $2 per ton. This bill increases the limit to $7.50 per ton. However, the fee established by rule cannot exceed the cost of administering the Missouri Blasting Safety Act. The bill clarifies that the fee does not apply to any person, company, or entity regulated by the Department of Natural Resources under the Surface Coal Mining Law and 10 CSR 40-3.160 (Section 319.318, RSMo).

Unclaimed Property

Missouri State Treasurer Eric Schmitt has informed my office that he currently holds $1,608,637.46 in unclaimed property belonging to approximately 16,697 account owners within the 120th District. This money is sitting in holding awaiting the rightful owners to come forward.

Therefore, I encourage you to search for and claim your property free of charge at: www.ShowMeMoney.com

Banks, businesses, and insurance companies turn over Unclaimed Property to the Treasurer after accounts have been inactive and owners cannot be successfully contacted for a statutorily defined period of time, generally five years.

I am committed to serve the constituents of the 120th District, so please feel free to contact my office anytime at 573-751-1688. Your District 120 Capitol Office is 201 W Capitol Ave, Rm 415-B, Jefferson City, MO 65101. If you wish to unsubscribe from this report, please email Dylan Bryant at dylan.bryant@house.mo.gov

The Capitol Report | May 18th, 2018

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General Assembly Concludes Successful Session

The members of the Missouri House and Senate finished up a productive legislative session Friday evening as they gave final approval to several important measures. The regular session came to a close with the General Assembly giving final passage to more than 145 bills. The number represents an increase from the previous session when the legislature pushed 76 bills across the legislative finish line. The bills approved this year make substantive improvements for the people of Missouri by lowering taxes for working families, cutting bureaucratic red tape, providing expanded educational opportunities to young people, supporting the state’s veterans, and protecting victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse.

In addition to the policy initiatives adopted by the General Assembly, one of the biggest accomplishments of the 2018 session is a fiscally responsible state spending plan that makes a record level of investment in K-12 education. The spending plan approved by lawmakers fully funds the Foundation Formula for two consecutive years for the first time in state history. The spending plan also reverses cuts to higher education proposed by the governor. The restored funding is part of an agreement with the state’s colleges and universities that will keep tuition increases in check so that higher education remains affordable for Missouri families.

The fiscally responsible $28.3 billion spending plan approved by the legislature also holds welfare spending in check, and includes a budget reserve of $100 million to allow for emergency spending needs. Additionally, the budget approved by the House and Senate increases the level of transparency and accountability for the use of taxpayer dollars. The budget plan breaks down spending for the state’s legal expense fund, and improves transparency for spending within the state’s conservation department, as well for dollars allocated to home-delivered meals.

Therefore, I encourage you to search for and claim your property free of charge at: www.ShowMeMoney.com

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at
573-751-1688 or email me at:
jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

General Assembly Concludes Successful Session

Fiscally Responsible State Spending Plan with a Record Investment in Education

2018 Legislative Accomplishments

Working Family Tax Relief (HB 2540) – Missouri families will keep more of their paychecks under a tax cut approved by the General Assembly this session. The bill will provide Missourians with the largest single year income tax cut in the state’s history. The bill reduces the existing individual income tax rate from 5.9 percent to 5.5 percent. Additional triggers based upon revenue growth in the state will eventually lower the individual tax income rate to 5.1 percent, putting Missouri among the top states for lowest state income taxes.
Corporate Tax Reform (SB 884) – In an effort to make Missouri even more attractive to job creators, the legislature has approved a bill that will make Missouri’s corporate income tax the second lowest in the nation. The legislation will lower the corporate income tax rate from 6.25 percent to 4 percent in 2020. The bill is designed to be revenue neutral by closing loopholes in the current corporate tax structure. The legislation will also require all corporations to use a single-sales factor income allocation method, which will encourage investment and job creation in the state. The measure is meant to update the state’s outdated and complex corporate income tax code, and to create the best environment to drive economic development in Missouri.
Uniform Small Wireless Deployment Act (HB 1991) – The House and Senate worked together this session to approve legislation meant to bring Missouri’s wireless technology into the 21^st The bill will allow “small cell” facilities to be deployed statewide so that the next generation of wireless technology can deliver faster and more efficient service. The legislation is designed to balance the needs of municipalities to manage the right-of-way in their communities with the need for wireless carriers to deploy this new technology. The bill is expected to create more than 20,000 jobs and attract $2 billion in capital investment leading to nearly $4 billion in economic growth over the next few years.
Grid Modernization and Rate Stabilization (SB 564) – The General Assembly has approved legislation that is meant to update the state’s utility infrastructure and ensure any benefits Missouri’s electric utilities have received from the federal tax cut are refunded to customers in the form of rate cuts within 90 days of the bill being signed into law. For Ameren Missouri customers, that equates approximately $133 million in savings, which will result in a 4.8 percent cut in electric rates. Because utility rates for Missourians have increased at a rate four times faster than the national average, the bill will implement customer-friendly rate caps and create stability for the future costs of electricity. The bill will allow the state’s biggest electricity companies to make improvements to their infrastructure with the more consistent rate increases. The legislation will lead to more than $1 billion in new investment and 3,000 new jobs in Missouri.
Expanding Rural Broadband (HB 1880) – Legislation approved during the 2018 session declares that the General Assembly believes expanding and accelerating access to high-speed broadband communications services is in the best interests of citizens. In recognition of this capital intensive deployment, the General Assembly encourages rural electric cooperatives to enter into agreements or contracts with certain entities set forth in this act. Such agreements may provide for the non-exclusive use of rural electric cooperative infrastructure and easements for the deployment of such services. The bill also modifies provisions relating to broadband communications services provided by rural electric cooperatives. Currently, rural electric cooperatives have certain powers, including the power to construct electric transmission and distribution lines or systems. Under the bill, such “electric transmission and distribution lines or systems” would be defined to include copper and fiber optic cable, facilities, as well as technology that carries light signals and data beyond that necessary for the transmission and distribution of electricity.
Rural Broadband Development (HB 1872) – The General Assembly approved a bill this year to help expand broadband internet service throughout the state. The bill establishes a program to award grants to applicants who seek to expand access to broadband internet service in unserved and underserved areas of the state. The program will be administered by the department of economic development. The legislation is meant to address the 61 percent of rural Missourians, representing more than one million individuals, who do not have access to reliable broadband services.
Preventing Overregulation (HB 1500) – A bill approved in 2018 will ensure government engages in the licensing and regulation of occupations and professions only when it is necessary to protect the welfare of the public. If the need exists, the regulation adopted by the state would need to be the least restrictive type of occupational regulation consistent with the public interest to be protected. The bill would also establish a heightened level of review with specific criteria for all legislation that would seek to license an occupation or profession for the first time or to substantially expand the scope of a current professional license.
Funding Road and Bridge Projects and Supporting the Highway Patrol (HB 1460) – Under legislation approved this session, voters will have the opportunity to decide if the state’s tax on fuel should be increased to provide a dedicated funding source for the state highway patrol, which will free up funding for Missouri’s roads and bridges. If approved by voters in November, the measure would gradually phase in a fuel tax increase of up to 10 cents per gallon by raising the tax by 2.5 cents a year for four years beginning July 2019. The bill is expected to raise at least $288 million annually for the State Road Fund to provide funding of Missouri state law enforcement, and $123 million annually to local governments for road construction and maintenance.
Fighting Human Trafficking (HB 1246) – Legislation approved by the General Assembly addresses the growing problem of human trafficking. The state is currently ranked 20th in reported human trafficking cases according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. Lawmakers built on past efforts to address the trafficking problem by passing legislation that will make Missourians better aware of the resources available to assist victims of trafficking. The bill requires the Department of Public Safety to develop a poster to promote the use of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. The posters will be displayed at common areas where human trafficking can occur such as hotels or motels that have been cited for prostitution, and train and bus stations.
Treatment Courts (HB 2562) – The Missouri General Assembly gave final approval to a bill meant to improve the quality and consistency of treatment courts throughout Missouri. The bill will establish treatment court divisions, which include, but are not limited to, Adult Treatment Court, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Court, Family Treatment Court, Juvenile Treatment Court, and Veterans Treatment Court. The legislation will give local courts the authority and flexibility to set their own policies for treatment courts. The bill specifies that the Treatment Courts Coordinating Commission will establish standards and practices for the treatment courts.
Developing Missouri’s Workforce (HB 1465) – The legislature approved a measure this year to help ensure Missouri’s system of higher education is working to meet the state’s workforce and education needs. The bill will give institutions greater flexibility to offer degrees that meet the needs of their local communities and businesses. The legislation will in effect allow community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees in certain programs. The bill is meant to address the lack of skilled workers in certain fields in various parts of the state. It allows a community college to apply to the Coordinating Board of Higher Education to offer a four-year degree in a field that is underemployed. Community colleges will need to meet several standards in order to be approved and will need to show there are no other available options like collaborating with a four-year university.
STEM Career Awareness (SBs 894 & 921) – Legislation approved this year requires the state Department of Economic Development to establish the STEM Career Awareness Program to increase awareness of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for students in grades six through eight. The program will involve online-based curriculum that would raise awareness of more than eighty different careers and technologies, and would be organized around the concept of solving societal or human-centered problems. The bill will require the department to have the program in place by the 2019-20 school year. The bill also requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a high school graduation policy that allows a student to fulfill a unit of academic credit with a district-approved computer science course for any math, science, or practical arts unit required for high school graduation.
Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program (HB 1606 and SBs 603, 576 & 898) – Missouri students will soon have expanded access to the courses they need to further their education. The Missouri General Assembly approved legislation this session that would create the Missouri Course Access Program to expand the state’s virtual school offerings to all K-12 students. The bill expands the existing Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MOVIP), which was established in 2007 to offer online courses to public, private, and home-school students. The program allows students to take advanced courses that are not currently offered by their local school districts. The bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to review the online courses to ensure they meet state standards.
Government Worker Protection Act (HB 1413) – A piece of legislation approved by the General Assembly will provide additional protections to government workers and make public unions more accountable. The bill would not apply to police officers, firefighters, corrections workers and other public emergency personnel. One part of the bill commonly referred to as “paycheck protection” would give workers the freedom to decide whether they want to opt in each year to pay dues and support political activity. The bill would also ensure public union members have a say in who represents them by requiring efficient and cost-effective elections every three years. The bill would also limit contracts to three years and require public unions to meet the same financial transparency standards as private sector unions.
Prevailing Wage Reform (HBs 1729, 1621 & 1436) – The legislature approved legislation that would reform the state’s prevailing wage law to ensure taxpayers are getting better value when their tax dollars are spent on public works projects. The bill modifies the prevailing wage hourly rate so that if fewer than 1,000 hours are reported, workers will be paid the public works minimum wage, which is based on the actual county average wage for all workers reported by the Department of Labor. If more than 1,000 hours are reported, the workers will be paid the prevailing wage rate, which will be a weighted average wage. The bill will also exempt projects under $75,000 from the prevailing wage law. The legislation is meant to save colleges, schools, counties, and cities millions and stimulate more building by making taxpayer dollars go further.
Supporting Veterans (SB 573) – A wide-ranging piece of legislation approved by the General Assembly will provide additional support to members of the National Guard and the state’s veterans. The bill will allow members of the National Guard or reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States to deduct their military income from their Missouri adjusted gross income to determine their Missouri taxable income. The bill will also allow private nonpublic employers to grant preference to a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran with a service-connected disability, or a surviving spouse of a deceased veteran, when hiring and promoting employees. The goal of the change is to make it clear that private businesses can give preferential hiring treatment to veterans in the same way that both the state and federal government do. Another provision of the bill will require all state buildings to display the POW/MIA flag. Other provisions of the bill will allow veteran-owned businesses to participate in the Missouri Linked Deposit Program; extend the period of assistance in the Show-Me Heroes Program from one year to five years following discharge; establish the Veterans’ Bill of Rights; and establish the Missouri Military Community Reinvestment Program Act to assist military communities in supporting and sustaining their installations.
Benevolent Tax Credits (HBs 1288, 1377 & 2050) –The legislature gave approval this session to legislation that will continue and expand support for pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes in Missouri. The bill would extend the sunset for tax credits that help encourage investment in these programs that benefit many of Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens. The legislation will extend the sunset for both credits to 2024 and increase the maximum amount of each credit that is available annually. Currently there are $2.5 million in credits available each year for pregnancy resource centers, and $2.5 million in credits each year for maternity homes. The bill will increase the cap on each credit to $3.5 million annually. The legislation also reauthorizes the Donated Food tax credit until 2026 and expands the credit to include food or cash donated to local soup kitchens or homeless shelters. Additionally, it would create a Diaper Bank tax credit that authorizes a tax credit in the amount of fifty percent of a contribution to a diaper bank. The bill also extends the Champion for Children Tax Credit for child advocacy centers until 2025, and creates a tax credit for taxpayers who make a contribution to organizations that provide funding for the unmet health, hunger, and hygiene needs of children in school.

Unclaimed Property

Therefore, I encourage you to search for and claim your property free of charge at: www.ShowMeMoney.com

The Capitol Report | May 11th, 2018

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State Budget Now Complete

The members of the House and Senate this week gave final approval to a state spending plan that will make a record investment in K-12 public education. The $28.3 billion state operating budget approved by the General Assembly will fully fund the school foundation formula for the second consecutive year. Additionally, the plan keeps funding stable for Missouri’s institutions of higher learning, which will minimize potential tuition increases for students.

The budget as it left the House achieved full funding for K-12 public schools with a $99 million funding increase. The Senate then reduced that number by approximately $50 million, but bumped up funding for school transportation by $25 million. The final version includes the $99 million increase to achieve full funding, which also includes $50 million in new funding for early childhood education. The final spending plan also boosts transportation funding by $10 million.

The governor had recommended a cut of $68 million for higher education funding in his budget proposal. The spending plan approved by the General Assembly restores this cut in conjunction with a pledge by the state’s universities and colleges to raise tuition by no more than 1 percent. Only Missouri Southern State University is exempted from the agreement. Schools must hold to that pledge as long as they receive the funds allotted for them in the budget. If for some reason the funds would be withheld, the schools would be allowed to increase tuition by the rate of inflation. The agreement is a reflection of the commitment of lawmakers to hold down the cost of higher education for students and families.

The final version of the fiscally responsible spending plan is based on a sensible consensus revenue estimate that will avoid shortfalls that could force the governor to withhold funds. This year’s budget plan enforces fiscal discipline by holding welfare spending in check. It also includes a budget reserve of $100 million to allow for emergency spending needs. Additionally, the budget plan does not include a plan endorsed by the governor to borrow $250 million to expedite tax refunds.

The budget approved by the General Assembly also has a strong commitment to transparency. In addition to eliminating all “E”s, which represent open-ended spending limits on funds, the spending plan improves transparency in several other key areas. The budget plan breaks down spending for the state’s legal expense fund, which previously had no system in place to track how dollars are spent to pay for settlements and judgments against state agencies. In addition, the spending plan improves transparency for spending within the state’s conservation department, and for dollars allocated to home-delivered meals. The budget also makes a $34-million fund in the Department of Corrections transparent and accountable for the first time.

In total, the $28.3 billion spending plan is approximately $632 million smaller than the plan proposed by the governor. The budget would utilize roughly $9.43 billion in state general revenue dollars, which is approximately $481 million less than the governor called for in his budget proposal.

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at 573-751-1688 or email me at:
jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

House and Senate Give Final Approval to State Operating Budget (HBs 2001-2013)

Other highlights of the FY 2019 Budget include:

Education

Continued state support for several of Missouri’s cooperative higher education programs, including the Cooperative Medical School Program with MU and Missouri State; the Cooperative Dental Program with UMKC and Missouri Southern; the Pharmacy Doctorate Program with UMKC and MSU; and the Cooperative Engineering Program with Missouri S&T and Missouri State.
Funding increases recommended by the governor for the state’s scholarship programs, which include a $2 million increase for Access Missouri, $3.5 million in additional funds for the A+ Scholarship Program; and an additional $1 million for Bright Flight.
$2 million increase in funding towards two-year colleges for the Missouri SkillUP Program that provides free job training and employment opportunities for low-income Missourians.
$2 million one-time boost in funding for Missouri Southern State University and $750,000 one-time boost in funding for Harris-Stowe State University.
$300,000 in new funding for school safety grants.
$250,000 to a new Kindergarten through 3^rd Grade reading assessment program for dyslexia diagnoses.

Social Programs

$1.8 million increase in funding for the state’s independent living centers, which help people with disabilities to increase their independence and their opportunity to participate in day-to-day life within their communities.
$4 million in state support for Missouri’s Access to Recovery program and peer support, which helps individuals and families struggling with substance use disorders and provides the tools needed for long-term recovery.
$5 million in new money to provide community-based services that will allow those battling substance abuse to receive appropriate treatment as an alternative to prison.
$1 million increase for the state’s drug treatment courts to partially restore an FY18 cut.
$500,000 for a pilot project to extend MO HealthNet benefits to pregnant women who are receiving substance abuse treatment within 60 days of giving birth for a full year.
$487,000 to increase state support for juvenile advocacy officers under the public defender system.
$72 million increase for nursing home reimbursements, an additional $1 million for developmental disability rebasing, and a 1.5% rate increase for all other Medicaid providers.

Community and Economic Issues

$8.5 million increase in funding for the First Steps Program that provides services to families with children, birth to three years of age, with disabilities or developmental delays.
$400,000 restoration of proposed cuts to the Missouri National Guard to prevent the closure of several armories.
$4 million in funding to make good on the state’s commitment to the Biodiesel Producer Incentive Fund.
A 1% pay increase for state employees starting January 1^st, 2019. (Does not include legislators).
$374,000 for a physician prescription monitoring program to curb opioid abuse.
$7.25 million allocated to reduce air pollution control activities from the state’s settlement with Volkswagen.
$3 million to initiate a water resource and reservoir fund for communities with water shortage issues to access.
$4.75 million increase over the governor’s recommendation for tourism funding and grants ($14.75 million total).
$65 million in federal funds for emergency preparedness through the Community Development Block Grants program.

Missouri Celebrates Truman Day

While the legislature continued to work on the state holiday of Truman Day, House members did pause to pay tribute to one of Missouri’s greatest citizens, and the only president to hail from the Show-Me State. The holiday is meant to observe the May 8 birthday of Harry S. Truman and to honor Truman for his distinguished public service.

Truman was born in Lamar, Missouri on May 8, 1884. As he grew up, he lived in Harrisonville, Belton, Grandview, and Independence. Truman served with the Missouri National Guard from 1909 until 1911. During World War I, he was sent to France, where he became an officer and then a battery commander.

Truman went on to become one of three judges of the Jackson County Court. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1934 and served in the body for 10 years. During his time in the Senate, he served as the chairman of the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, which was also known as the Truman Committee.

Truman was selected as the candidate for vice-president to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Who won his fourth term as President of the United States on November 7, 1944. He took office January 20, 1945. On April 12 of the same year, Roosevelt passed away as the result of a massive stroke and Truman became president.

Truman was president for two terms until January 20, 1953. During the first six months of his first term, Truman announced the surrender of the Germans, ended World War II after dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and signed the charter establishing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). His time in office also saw the conflict between mainland China and Taiwan; the Korean War; the First Indochina War; and the rise of the Soviet Union as a nuclear power.

After his presidency, Truman returned to live in Independence, where he founded the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum.

Veterans Will Receive Free Dental Care at Nearly 450 Aspen Dental Practices

Thousands of veterans will receive free dental care on Saturday, June 9th, when dentists and their teams from nearly 450 Aspen Dental-branded practices in 37 states open their doors for Aspen Dental’s National Day of Service.

Interested veterans should call 1-844-AspenHMM (1-844-277-3646) to find a participating practice in their community and schedule an appointment in advance – space is limited and appointments are filling up fast!

The Capitol Report | May 3rd, 2018

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New Bills Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed

This week, several bills were Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed (TAFP) by the House and Senate. Some of those bills included HB 1880, which declares the intent of the General Assembly to facilitate and encourage development of fiber optic infrastructure by rural electric cooperatives and HB 2015, which would appropriate $10 million for the department’s Community Development Block Grant Program.

Other TAFP bills included HB 2034, which would define industrial hemp and illegal industrial hemp, exempt industrial hemp from the Comprehensive Drug Control Act, and create an industrial hemp agricultural pilot program to be implemented by the Department of Agriculture to study the growth, cultivation, processing, feeding, and marketing of industrial hemp. Another bill, HB 1744, would modify the A+ Schools Program by removing the requirement that the student’s attendance at a public high school in the state be the three years immediately prior to graduation.

Also, through an amendment with the language of my HB 1679, the recently passed A+ bill will also prohibit public institutions of higher education from requiring students to purchase a meal plan when a student presents medical documentation of a food allergy or sensitivity, or a medical dietary issue.

In other news, House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight released the second report of its findings regarding the conduct of Governor Greitens. The new report to the House of Representatives focused on the governor’s use of a charity’s donor list to raise money for his campaign.

House Speaker Todd Richardson stated, “We have remained committed to the process of meticulously gathering the facts of all of the governor’s actions, not rushing to judgement, and letting those facts speak for themselves. The committee’s second report is another step in the process of that thorough review.”

The second report is a result of the committee’s continued charge to gather all the facts surrounding the governor’s conduct. The report can be found on the Missouri House website at www.house.mo.gov

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at 573-751-1688 or email me at:
jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

Bill to Cut Red Tape Receives Final Approval (HB 1500)

The Missouri House and Senate have given final approval to legislation aimed at decreasing regulation of Missouri businesses. The House this week approved the bill that started off as a measure to ease regulations on hair braiders, but saw the Senate add language that would make the state proceed cautiously when considering regulations on new professions.

Under current Missouri law, anyone engaging in hair braiding for compensation must undergo 1,500 hours of training to obtain a cosmetology license. However, as the bill’s sponsor has noted, the training does not cover hair braiding. The sponsor said the current regulation is overly burdensome on people who often learn braiding as a practice handed down by family through generations.

Critics of an earlier version of the bill said they were concerned hair braiders whose training was not extensive enough could pose health risks, including that they would not be able to recognize diseases involving the scalp and could spread those conditions. The bill now requires that a hair braider watch a four-hour video on health and safety.

The Senate added language from another House Bill that aims to discourage unnecessary state regulation of businesses. The bill also lays out what considerations must be made before a regulation is imposed. Specifically it says the state will not impose a substantial burden on an individual’s pursuit of his or her occupation or profession unless there is a reasonable interest for the state to protect the general welfare.

House Investigative Committee Releases Second Report

On May 2 the House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight released the second report of its findings regarding the conduct of Governor Greitens. The new report to the House of Representatives focused on the governor’s use of a charity’s donor list to raise money for his campaign.

The report, which received unanimous approval of the committee, found:

There is compelling evidence that the governor directed his personal assistant at the Mission Continues to share the list with his political operation after he left The Mission Continues;
The governor’s personal assistant said in sending the list that “there was no confusion” the list would be used for “political fundraising…for the political campaign;”
The governor used the list knowing he was not authorized to use it for his campaign; and
After the fact, the governor knowingly falsified an ethics report regarding the transfer of the list, with his staff recruiting someone to take responsibility for the actions of others.

Committee Chairman Jay Barnes said, “The report shows the governor took advantage of a charity that works hard to take care of our veterans. The committee found that the Mission Continues was the true owner of the fundraising list and its property was taken without permission and used inappropriately for political gain.”

The second report is a result of the committee’s continued charge to gather all the facts surrounding the governor’s conduct. On April 11, the committee issued its first report that detailed its findings regarding the allegations of misconduct surrounding the governor’s admitted affair. The committee deemed credible the individual involved and her testimony of the events that took place.

The second report as well as the first report can be found on the Missouri House website at www.house.mo.gov

House Sends Bill to Senate to Increase Sentencing Flexibility (HB 1739)

This week the House sent legislation to the Senate that would give judges more flexibility in sentencing by easing Missouri’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws.

The bill would allow judges to issue sentences below the mandatory minimums except in crimes that involved the use, attempted use, or threat of physical force, or certain non-consensual sex crimes against a minor. A case would need a “substantial and compelling” reason the minimum sentence would be unjust to the defendant or would not be needed to protect the public.

The sponsor of the bill said it represents an important change because Missouri is on course to need two new prisons that would cost the state more than $485 million over the next five years.

As the sponsor said, “We don’t have the money to build those prisons and there’s no end in sight to this trend. If we don’t change the way we treat folks – better distinguish those that we’re mad at as opposed to those we’re afraid of, as they say, we’re just going to continue on this trajectory and our incarceration rate is going to continue to climb.”

The sponsor also noted that other states where mandatory minimum sentencing laws have been eased have seen crime rates decline rather than increase. He said nothing about the bill prevents a judge from handing down a sentence that follows those minimum sentencing laws.

Legislative projections show the bill would save the state more than $3 million a year by the time it is fully implemented in Fiscal Year 2023, by decreasing the number of people incarcerated in state prisons. The projections do not account for what the state would save if it does not have to build and maintain two new prisons.

Missouri Capitol Goes Blue to Support Law Enforcement

During the month of May the dome of the Missouri State Capitol will be illuminated in blue in support of Missouri law enforcement officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. The dome was illuminated with blue lighting starting on May 1 and the tribute to law enforcement will continue all month. The blue lighting for the Capitol was made possible by an energy-efficient lighting upgrade project led by the Missouri Office Administration.

It is during the month of May that the state and nation participate in tributes and recognitions of fallen officers and their survivors. The month includes National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day. In Missouri, the state’s fallen heroes are honored with a candlelight vigil and the Law Enforcement Memorial Service.

Veterans Will Receive Free Dental Care at Nearly 450 Aspen Dental Practices

Capitol Visits

I enjoyed speaking this week with visitors from Cuba Manor and the St. James Living Center. Pictured above is the following staff from the St. James Living Center: Administrator Justin Atkisson, Director of Nursing Kerrie Galloway, Assistant Director of Nursing Daniele Wheeler, and Social Services Director Kara Neugebauer.

The Capitol Report | April 26th, 2018

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Veteran Homes Receive New Grants

Earlier this week, it was announced that the Missouri Veterans Commission has secured a total of over $25 million from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for construction projects and improvements at the veterans homes in Cape Girardeau, St. James, and St. Louis. These grants will accelerate improvements already underway with the Missouri Veterans Home system. Construction projects are currently ongoing with exclusively state funds at homes in Cape Girardeau, Mexico, St. Louis, and Warrensburg.

Also, the House and Senate took major steps this week toward the completion of the Fiscal Year 2019 state operating budget. Both chambers must reach an agreement on the spending plan by May 11. The House sent its version of the budget to the Senate at the end of March. The Senate then approved its version of the budget and sent it to the House this week. On Thursday, the House approved motions to send the majority of the appropriations bills to conference committees where lead negotiators from both sides will meet to iron out differences between the two chambers.

As the bills head to conference, one of the primary differences each side will work through concerns funding for K-12 education. The version of the budget approved by the House provided full funding for the school foundation formula. The House plan boosted funding for the formula by $98.9 million. The Senate’s version of the spending plan reduces that funding by $50 million and redirects some of the savings to other areas of the budgets. The Senate plan would instead increase K-12 transportation funding by $25 million, as well as provide additional funding for nursing home services.

Once the Senate agrees to meet in conference with the House, members will work through their differences to reach a compromise version of the budget that can receive final approval from both chambers.

Last week, the House approved an important piece of legislation that would provide additional support to members of the National Guard and the state’s veterans. While the bill started as an expansion of the military income tax deduction, House members added a few amendments that expanded the scope of the bill.

One of the amendments added to the bill would allow veteran-owned small businesses to participate in the Missouri Linked Deposit Program. It would also require eligible lending institutions to give priority to veteran-owned small businesses when considering which eligible small businesses should receive reduced-rate loans. The change is meant to provide veterans with an opportunity to start their own business and contribute to the state’s economy.

The numerous changes made by the House were then sent back to the Senate, which promptly moved to agree to all of the changes and give the bill final passage. With the Senate’s approval, the bill now awaits the signatures of both the House Speaker and the Senate President Pro Tem before moving to the governor for his consideration.

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at 573-751-1688 or email me at: jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

House Approves Legislation to Improve Well-Being of Foster Care Children (HCB 11)

This week the House approved a wide-ranging bill meant to make life better for children who are in, and who leave, foster care in the state.

House Speaker Todd Richardson in January created the Special Committee to Improve the Care and Well-Being of Young People, to focus on improving the state’s child welfare system. The Department of Social Services is responsible for nearly 13,000 children this year.

The legislation approved by the House is a combination of provisions originally found in 11 separate bills. Several of the things in the bill are fixes that could have significant, positive impacts on foster children who have been described as “falling through the cracks.”

One portion of the bill would enable investigations of abuse of children in foster care in Missouri when it happens outside of the state. Current law prevents Missouri Social Services workers from investigating reports of abuse of children in foster care in Missouri if it doesn’t happen in Missouri, and prevents them from communicating with counterparts in other states about abuse or potential abuse. The sponsor of the provision said it would remove those barriers and fix what he called a “bureaucratic technicality.”

Another portion of HCB 11 would update background checks on foster families so that the Children’s Division would know immediately if a foster parent is charged with a crime that would disqualify him or her from being a foster parent. Current law only allows checks every two years. The bill would allow the Department of Social Services to utilize the RAPBACK program. Use of the program would provide a faster update if a foster care parent or someone who resides in the home has been charged with a crime. The sponsor of the provision said it’s important to make sure that foster children are in the safest environment possible.

Among several other provisions, the legislation would also expand assessment and treatment services for children in foster care. It would require such services for all children in foster care – currently it is required only for those under the age of ten – and would require that those services be completed in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ periodicity schedule. Currently children are screened every two years. The goal with the provision is to ensure that children in foster care receive more appropriate care and comprehensive screenings that will in turn save the state money by catching medical conditions earlier and aiding in preventative care.

The bill now heads to the Senate for discussion.

House Works for Compromise with Senate on State Operating Budget

The House and Senate took major steps this week toward the completion of the Fiscal Year 2019 state operating budget. Both chambers must reach an agreement on the spending plan by May 11. The House sent its version of the budget to the Senate at the end of March. The Senate then approved its version of the budget and sent it to the House this week. On Thursday, the House approved motions to send the majority of the appropriations bills to conference committees where lead negotiators from both sides will meet to iron out differences between the two chambers.

General Assembly Gives Final Approval to Legislation to Support Veterans (SB 573)

Last week the House approved an important piece of legislation that would provide additional support to members of the National Guard and the state’s veterans. While the bill started as an expansion of the military income tax deduction, House members added several amendments during floor debate that greatly expanded the scope of the bill.

The original intent of the legislation was to allow members of the National Guard or reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States to deduct their military income from their Missouri adjusted gross income to determine their Missouri taxable income. Supporters said the expansion shows support for members of the National Guard and for the military installations and operations in the state.

One of the amendments added on the House floor would allow private nonpublic employers to grant preference to a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran with a service-connected disability, or a surviving spouse of a deceased veteran, when hiring and promoting employees. The goal of the change is to make it clear that private businesses can give preferential hiring treatment to veterans in the same way that both the state and federal government do. This will make things easier for businesses that want to give a hiring preference to veterans but are worried about violating employment laws. The bill would not require private businesses to do anything, and would simply clarify that they can legally give a preference to veterans should they want to.

Another amendment added on the House floor would require all state buildings to display the POW/MIA flag. The act would also require the Board of Public Buildings to reach out to local veterans organizations to obtain a donated flag if a state building does not possess a flag. Supporters say the change is an inexpensive and easy way for the state to show its appreciation for those who fought for freedom and remind citizens that they cannot forget the service members who are prisoners of war or missing in action.

Also added to the bill was an amendment that would allow veteran-owned small businesses to participate in the Missouri Linked Deposit Program. It would also require eligible lending institutions to give priority to veteran-owned small businesses when considering which eligible small businesses should receive reduced-rate loans. The change is meant to provide veterans with an opportunity to start their own business and contribute to the state’s economy.

Other changes made in the House would extend the period of assistance in the Show-Me Heroes Program from one year to five years following discharge; establish the Veterans’ Bill of Rights; and establish the Missouri Military Community Reinvestment Program Act to assist military communities in supporting and sustaining their installations.

Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed Bills

SB 593 would require insurers to provide the Director of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration with a Corporate Governance Annual Disclosure (CGAD). The summary would contain an insurer or insurance group’s corporate governance structure, policies, and practices so that the director can gain an understanding of the corporate governance framework. Supporters say that the bill is a model act from the NAIC and will make reporting consistent across the board and is needed for company accreditation in this state. They say the bill is needed to be compliant with the act.

SB 594 would exempt certain lines and endorsements of commercial insurance from requirements to file rates, rate plans, modifications, and manuals with the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration, and specifies that filings for other commercial lines and endorsements shall be filed for informational purposes within 10 days of their use. Supporters say the policies are larger premium, highly complex commercial insurance policies and the regulations need to be updated and modernized.

Bills Headed to the Senate

HB 2017 would appropriate money for capital improvement and other purposes for several departments of state government.

HB 2018 would appropriate money for purposes for several departments and offices of state government; for projects involving the maintenance, repair, replacement, and improvement of state buildings and facilities.

HB 1999 would enable water corporations with more than 8,000 Missouri customers to apply to the Public Service Commission for an interim rate change outside of a general rate proceeding to ensure that revenue requirements are met. The bill would also require water corporations with more than 1,000 Missouri customers to develop a qualification process for the competitive bidding of contractors seeking construction contracts for distribution system projects. Supporters say the bill would enable water companies to be more flexible in their rate making by pursuing rate decoupling, while maintaining Public Service Commission oversight. They say annual true-up review of water rates will support infrastructure development and deployment.

HB 1289 would modify provisions for ballot initiatives and referendums. It would require an initial $500 filing fee for each referendum petition sample sheet with an additional $10 fee for each page over a 10 page limit. It would also authorize the Secretary of State’s office and the office of the Attorney General to reject petitions on the basis of noncompliance with the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of Missouri. Supporters say Missouri is one of the few states that allow initiative petitions and we have to get them under control. They say the bill is trying to stop frivolous petitions.

HCB 16 would change the laws relating to agriculture. Some of the provisions in the bill would change the property tax assessment value of reliever airports to equal the value such land has for agricultural or horticultural use and exempts reliever airports from the allocation of classifications when the property has multiple uses; prohibit the State Tax Commission from promulgating a rule that increases agricultural land productive values more than 2% over the current values in effect prior to the rule promulgation or 8% above the lowest value in effect in any of the 10 years prior to the rule promulgation; and prohibit any political subdivision from adopting or enforcing any ordinance, rule, or regulation relating to the labeling cultivation, or other use of seed or fertilizers.

HCB 14 would designate highway names for portions of several highways in Missouri. It would designate the portion of U.S. Highway 63 from March Road in Adair County continuing north to State Highway Y in Schuyler County as the “Bluegrass Queen Rhonda Vincent Highway;” the portion of State Highway 45 Spur from State Highway 45 continuing north to State Highway 92 in Platte County as the “Deputy Edward Culver Memorial Highway;” the portion of State Highway 30 from State Highway 21 continuing east to State Highway P in St. Louis County as the “Officer Blake Snyder Memorial Highway;” the portion of Interstate 44 from State Highway 360 west to State Highway PP in Greene County as the “Captain Aaron J. Eidem Memorial Highway;” the portion of State Highway P from Dove Nest Lane continuing east to State Highway M in St. Charles County as the “Waylon Jennings Memorial Highway;” the portion of U.S. Highway 61 from State Highway Z continuing south to Grant City Drive in Scott County as the “Otto Lee Porter Highway;” the portion of U.S. Highway 61 from County Road 428 continuing south to State Highway Z in Scott County as the “Elnora Timmons Porter Highway;” a portion of Interstate 70 in Boone County as the “Highway Patrol Sgt. Benjamin Booth Memorial Highway;” a portion of Interstate 70 in Boone County as the “Sheriff Roger I. Wilson Memorial Highway;” and a portion of State Highway 42 in Maries County and the city of Vienna as the “PFC Ralph A. Branson, Jr. Memorial Highway.”

HCR 96 would designate May as “Move Over and Slow Down Awareness Month.” The awareness month would encourage the citizens of this state to remember the “Move Over or Slow Down” law when approaching a Missouri State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement vehicles, emergency vehicles, and Department of Transportation and Department of Public Safety emergency response or motorist assist vehicles when displaying emergency lights or flashing amber and white lights and parked or stopped on the side of the road.

Capitol Visit

I enjoyed visiting with Jaclyn Brown and my cousin Lesley Deason who were at the Capitol this week with the Missouri Head Start Association. Head Start is a national child development program for children from birth to age 5, which provides services to promote academic, social and emotional development, as well as providing social, health and nutrition services for income-eligible families.

The Capitol Report | April 19th, 2018

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Governor Update & Bills Sent Back to Senate

After the release of a report made by the House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight, and with new information that Attorney General Josh Hawley has evidence to support another felony charge on an unrelated matter, the members of the House leadership team this week called for the governor to step down.

House Speaker Todd Richardson, House Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, and House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo issued the following joint statement calling for the governor’s resignation:

“At the outset of this process, we said the governor needed to be forthright and accountable for his actions. After thoughtful consideration of the findings in the House committee’s report and today’s news that the attorney general has evidence to support another felony charge, we believe the governor needs to take responsibility for his actions.

Leaders at all levels of government are entrusted with an incredible responsibility to the Missourians we represent. When leaders lose the ability to effectively lead our state, the right thing to do is step aside. In our view, the time has come for the governor to resign.”

In other news, the House reviewed several Senate bills and sent them back with changes to the Senate this week.

SB 623 would change the law so that any surplus proceeds from a foreclosure sale of real estate are first distributed to any recorded lien holders prior to being distributed to the owner. If after three years any funds have not been distributed such funds would become a permanent school fund for the county. Supporters say the bill would fix an issue where tax sale proceeds are improperly distributed to the wrong party. Currently, the owner of a home could improperly receive the proceeds of a tax sale, instead of the proceeds going to the lien holder on the home.

SB 569 would specify that when a directed trust, as defined in the bill, grants investment decisions to a person or advisory or investment committee then the trustee shall not be liable for any loss resulting from the investment decisions made. Supporters say making Missouri trust companies more competitive keeps jobs in the state and currently Missouri is losing jobs to other states that have passed similar legislation.

SB 573 would allow members of the National Guard or reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States to deduct such military income from his or her Missouri adjusted gross income to determine such taxpayer’s Missouri taxable income. The percentage of such income that may be deducted would be phased in between tax years 2020 and 2024 in 20 percent increments. Supporters say the current deductions do not apply to activated National Guardsmen serving within the state. This bill would provide an extra benefit and show support for the military installations and operations in the state when the federal government is looking at reducing or expanding military missions.

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at 573-751-1688 or email me at: jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

Members of House Leadership Call for the Resignation of Governor Greitens

House Speaker Todd Richardson, House Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, and House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo issued the following joint statement calling for the governor’s resignation:

House Leadership was joined by Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, who also called for the governor to resign. The governor responded by saying he will not resign his position. Legislative leaders will wait for the investigative committee to complete its work. The House Speaker has said the legislature should call itself back for a special session to consider any recommendations the committee has for action against the governor. The Speaker has said his goal is for the legislature to remain focused specifically on the tasks Missourians count on its lawmakers to complete.

House Gives Final Approval to Tax Reform and Infrastructure Act (HB 2540)

The House this week sent the Senate a comprehensive tax reform and infrastructure plan that would lower the state’s personal and corporate income tax rates and transform Missouri’s tax system to the most competitive in the nation, while also making substantive reforms to generate much-needed funding to repair and improve Missouri’s aging transportation infrastructure.

The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Elijah Haahr, said he has four goals he wants to accomplish with the legislation:

To make Missouri one of the top 10 most competitive states in income tax;
To make Missouri one of the top 10 most competitive states in business tax;
To develop a long-term, sustainable solution to funding our infrastructure; and
To accomplish these things in a fiscally responsible way.

The sponsor told his colleagues the bill accomplishes his goals while adding, “Our goal in this is to provide a better tax policy framework for the state of Missouri going forward. This is not a one-year problem or a two-year problem. It is a ten, fifty, and a hundred-year problem. We’re trying to create a system that can be sustainable for 21^st century Missouri.”

In an effort to ease the tax burden on Missouri families, the bill would reduce the state’s highest personal income tax rate from 5.9 percent to 5.0 percent. The change would place Missouri in the top 10 states for lowest personal income tax. The bill would also help Missouri’s business climate by cutting the corporate income tax from 6.25 percent to 5.0 percent. This reduction would also put Missouri in the top 10 states for the lowest corporate income tax.

Additionally, the bill would generate much-needed revenues for the state’s roads and bridges. It would put Missouri in line with many other states by indexing vehicle user fees to the cost of inflation. The state’s current vehicle license and registration fees were put in statute in 1984, and have not changed in more than 30 years. The tax reform bill would update fees from their 1984 value to present day value. The increase is a key component to the effort to generate nearly $2 billion in additional funding for transportation infrastructure over the next decade. The idea was recommended by both the 21st Century Missouri Transportation System Task Force and the House Policy Development Caucus.

Additionally, to maintain financial stability to the state tax code, the bill would make a number of other reforms including:

Joining the Streamlined Sales Tax agreement so that Missouri collects sales tax on online purchases so that Missouri brick and mortar businesses are on equal footing with online competitors;
Phasing out the federal income tax deduction on state returns for individuals and corporations with over $150,000 in income;
Reducing waste in state government by consolidating maintenance between certain government agencies;
Eliminating deductions and closing loopholes; and
Implementing other necessary reforms that would eliminate government inefficiencies.

The reforms are critical components to keep the bill fiscally responsible and as close to revenue neutral as possible.

A committee amendment added on the House floor would delay implementation of many of the provisions of the bill by a year. Legislators said their goal with the change is to accommodate the current Fiscal Year 2019 budget plan the House and Senate are working to pass.

The Senate, which has sent its own version of tax reform legislation to the House, will now have the remaining weeks of session to act on the bill.

House Bills Moving to the Senate

HB 1261 would require all state and local licensing boards or entities to waive, for a two-year period, any fees charged to obtain or renew occupational licenses for military families and low-income individuals who request such a waiver.

HB 2286 would change the definition of “local log truck” and “local log truck tractor” to allow the trucks to pull a trailer that has up to three axles.

HB 2360 would add several professions, including air ambulance pilots, air ambulance registered professional nurses, air ambulance registered respiratory therapists, uniformed employees of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and specified emergency medical technicians, and their children and spouses, to the list of those eligible to receive a public safety officer or employee survivor grant from the Coordinating Board for Higher Education within the Department of Higher Education.

HB 2117 states that the administration of eye drops to a newborn infant would not be required if a parent or legal guardian objects to the treatment because it is against the religious beliefs of the parent or guardian.

HB 1591 would modify provisions relating to the operation of watercraft. The bill is aimed at reducing damage to residential docks and enhancing water safety.

HB 1264 would modify the definition of a “passenger car” from a motor vehicle designed to carry 10 persons or less to a motor vehicle designed to carry 15 persons or less. The bill would modify the law to allow evidence of the failure to use a properly adjusted seatbelt to be used for any purpose, including assessment of comparative fault and evidence of failure to mitigate damages, in a products liability action involving a passenger car.

HB 1249 would allow a court to order credit for time served when an individual has been held in custody for a show cause order pertaining to any matter related to a minor traffic violation. The bill would further require any summons, notice to appear, or citation for a minor traffic violation to include the date and time a defendant is to appear in court when the defendant is first provided the summons, notice to appear, or citation.

HB 2129 would require that beginning in school year 2019-20 students in public or charter high schools shall receive 30 minutes of instruction providing information on decisions about organ, eye, and tissue donation before graduation.

HB 1611 would provide that a person who is injured by a product has 10 years after the sale or lease of the product to bring a suit for damages.

HB 2119 would provide that punitive damages shall not be awarded except upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant intentionally caused harm or acted with a deliberate and flagrant disregard for the safety of others.

HB 2140 would allow state offices, departments, boards, commissions, bureaus, political subdivisions, agencies, and other institutions to purchase supplies under a cooperative purchasing agreement from certain authorized General Services Administration vendors without regard to competitive bid limits.

HB 2336 would specify that a child taken into the custody of the state or a child under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall not be reunited with a parent or placed in a home in which a parent or any person residing in the home has been found guilty of sexual trafficking of a child in the first degree.

HBs 2523 & 2524 would modify provisions of the sunshine law and create the transparency division within the attorney general’s office to monitor sunshine law violations by state agencies.

HB 1542 would prohibit a pharmacy benefits manager from charging a copayment for a prescription or pharmacy service that exceeds the amount retained by the pharmacy from all payment sources for filling that prescription or providing that service. It would also prohibit a pharmacy benefits manager from prohibiting a pharmacy from informing a person of the difference between his or her co-payment and the amount he or she would pay if a health benefit plan was not used to cover the cost.

HB 1915 would increase the penalty provisions for knowingly violating the law relating to the no-call list.

HB 2155 would allow wholesalers to employ persons 18 years of age to unload delivery vehicles and transfer liquor into retail premises with supervision.

Senate Bills Sent Back to the Senate with Changes

SB 623 would change statute so that any surplus proceeds from a foreclosure sale of real estate are first distributed to any recorded lien holders prior to being distributed to the owner. If after three years any funds have not been distributed such funds would become a permanent school fund for the county. Supporters say the bill would fix an issue where tax sale proceeds are improperly distributed to the wrong party. Currently, the owner of a home could improperly receive the proceeds of a tax sale, instead of the proceeds going to the lien holder on the home.

The Capitol Report | April 12th, 2018

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Report Released & The Opioid Crisis

On March 1, the Missouri House of Representatives gave bipartisan support to a resolution that outlined the powers of a special investigative committee formed by the House Speaker to investigate the facts surrounding alleged misconduct by Governor Greitens.

During the last several weeks, the committee conducted a thorough investigation of the facts. The committee’s membership included lawyers, retired law enforcement officers, and other members with diverse professional backgrounds, from different parts of the state. Their job was not to make their own conclusions but to hear testimony and make a judgement about the credibility of that testimony. After weeks of hearings and testimony, the committee finally released its findings on Wednesday, April 11. The committee’s findings are now available online on the Missouri House of Representatives website homepage located at http://www.house.mo.gov

In other news, the Missouri House voted on HB 2105 this week to take more steps toward fighting opioid addiction with a focus on shifting the response to addiction from law enforcement and incarceration to treatment availability.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Keith Frederick, said, “That’s the thing that’s lacking so much now, is we don’t have enough health care providers to provide access to what’s called, ‘medication-assisted therapy.’ It is basically using medications like buprenorphine and Suboxone that get rid of the craving for narcotics and it allows people to get back to a useful, functional, rewarding life, but they need the medication on an ongoing basis and for that we need healthcare providers to help provide access to that sort of treatment, and we don’t have enough of those now.”

The main provision of the bill would create the “Improved Access to Treatment for Opioid Addictions” Program (IATOA). It would use assistant physicians – a position created by legislation passed in 2014 – to work in a collaborative way with licensed doctors to provide addiction treatment throughout the state. The assistant physicians would be supported by the ECHO program (Extension for Community Healthcare Options) – a program that uses videoconferencing to connect experts with providers statewide to help providers offer specialized care. The sponsor said the program would be among the first of its kind in the nation, and other states are already taking note of it and considering how to create their own.

If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns, please call my office at 573-751-1688 or email me at: jason.chipman@house.mo.gov

You may read in more detail about what is happening at your State Capitol below.

As always, I will work diligently for you as your State Representative.

-Jason

House Investigative Committee Releases Report

During the last several weeks, the committee conducted a fair, thorough, and timely investigation of the facts. The committee’s membership included lawyers, retired law enforcement officers, and other members with diverse professional backgrounds, from different parts of the state. Their job was not to make their own conclusions but to hear testimony and make a judgement about the credibility of that testimony. After weeks of hearings and testimony, the committee finally released its findings on Wednesday, April 11.

The committee’s findings are now available online on the Missouri House of Representatives website homepage located at http://www.house.mo.gov. The link to the committee’s findings is on the front page of the website under “Special Investigative Committee on Oversight.” The link leads to a page where the committee’s report, transcripts, and exhibits are available in PDF format. Before reading any of the provided material, please be aware the report contains content of a sensitive and sexual nature. The House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight has kept descriptions of an adult nature and coarse language in order to provide an unfiltered record of witness testimony. In some cases, the identities of witnesses and sensitive information have been redacted from the record to protect privacy.

Following the release of the report, House Speaker Todd Richardson and members of House Leadership met with the media to provide reactions to the report’s content. The Speaker said, “the testimony outlined in the report is beyond disturbing.” The Speaker then noted that the Special Investigative Committee on Oversight will continue its work to gather additional information that comes to light. The committee will also expand its mission to provide members a recommendation of any and all appropriate discipline of the Governor.

As the Speaker told the press, “The power given to the Missouri General Assembly to take disciplinary action or remove elected officials from office is one of the most serious and consequential powers the Constitution grants the legislature. We will not take that responsibility lightly, nor will we act rashly, however, we will not shrink from it.”

As the Speaker concluded his comments he said his goal is for the General Assembly to remain focused on the tasks that Missourians sent legislators to Jefferson City to complete. To that end, he said he and members of House and Senate leadership have begun the process of calling a special session for full consideration of any recommendations by the committee.

House Approves Legislation to Create New Approaches to Fight Opioid Addiction (HB 2105)

The Missouri House has voted to take more steps toward fighting opioid addiction with a focus on shifting the response to addiction from law enforcement and incarceration to treatment availability.

As the sponsor said, “That’s the thing that’s lacking so much now, is we don’t have enough health care providers to provide access to what’s called, ‘medication-assisted therapy.’ It is basically using medications like buprenorphine and Suboxone that get rid of the craving for narcotics and it allows people to get back to a useful, functional, rewarding life, but they need the medication on an ongoing basis and for that we need healthcare providers to help provide access to that sort of treatment, and we don’t have enough of those now.”

Another of the bill’s main provisions would limit the amount of an opioid drug that could be prescribed to someone for acute pain to a seven-day supply. The provision is meant to keep people from becoming addicted while not limiting such drugs to those who rely on them for long-term pain management. The sponsor said, “The idea is to prevent people like the high school athlete who has a knee injury and the doc gives him 150 Percocet or whatever – it’s to nip that in the bud; prevent new people from getting addicted, but while acknowledging that there are people in our state that have chronic pain and they’re getting along pretty well.”

The bill would also create the Prescription Abuse Registry – a registry a person could voluntarily add himself or herself to – for individuals who have struggled with addiction. The registry would do no more than notify doctors who choose to check it that those on the list have had a substance abuse problem. A person could petition to be removed from the list five years after adding her or his name to it.

Other provisions in the bill would create a drug take-back program for disposal of unused prescriptions, and bar the Department of Corrections from preventing offenders from receiving medication-assisted treatment for substance abuse or dependence.

The bill would also discontinue patient satisfaction scores of doctors, to the extent allowed by federal law. The sponsor said the change would keep doctors from being given low scores by patients with addiction issues to whom they refused to prescribe opioids. The sponsor said such false, punitive low scoring can hurt doctors’ reputations, and hurt them financially.

The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.

House Approves Legislation to Save State Dollars and Improve Access to Birth Control (HB 1499)

The members of the House gave bipartisan approval this week to a measure aimed at increasing women’s access to birth control while saving the state money. The legislation would allow health care providers to use a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) for a patient other than the one to whom it was initially prescribed.

When a woman in Missouri chooses to have a LARC implanted her doctor must order that device and the woman must return for another office visit to have it implanted. If the woman changes her mind before the second visit and doesn’t want the device, Missouri law doesn’t allow it to be used for another patient. It must be returned to its manufacturer and often it is destroyed.

The bill’s sponsor said because Medicaid pays for those devices, the passage of his bill would save the state money. He said, “The State of Missouri currently wastes hundreds of thousands of dollars every year as well as very expensive devices every year, and this bill will allow those devices to be reassigned which will save taxpayer money and will help to save women time and money with extra doctor’s visits.”

The sponsor noted that in Fiscal Year 2017 about 1,800 LARCs were “abandoned” by patients in Missouri. Approximately 1,000 of those could have been used for other patients and that would have saved Missouri about $220,000.

The bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Bills Headed to the Senate

HBs 2337 & 2272 would modify the fee requirements for every individual or entity making a filing with the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration. Supporters say the bill is necessary to keep the Department of Insurance funded. In 2014 we had a fund balance of $14 million and the General Assembly swept over $12 million of this revenue to use for different projects. Insurance receives no General Revenue and is funded by these fees. The insurance industry agrees that these fees need to be increased so that the department can continue regulating the industry.

HB 1296 would establish “Toby’s Law,” which requires any person who has pled guilty to or been found guilty of driving while intoxicated to complete a victim impact program approved by the court. Supporters say a program like this could keep people from continuing to drink and drive and it could even encourage some people to get sober. Most counties already have a program like this and most judges already require it, but this bill would require all counties to have this type of program.

HB 2255 would modify provisions relating to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative. Supporters say the bill would benefit students interested in a career in STEM subjects.

HB 2231 would remove the requirement that land surveyors submit letters of reference in order to be licensed. Supporters say the letters of reference don’t currently serve any purpose because the board does not deny applicants based on the content of these letters.

HB 1419 would require certain health care professionals to complete two hours of suicide prevention training as a condition of licensure. Supporters say many suicide victims see a physician in the month before their death, but many health care professionals do not have the training necessary to recognize or treat suicidal patients.

HB 1275 would establish the “Allan Purdy Work-Study Program” to be administered by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. Supporters say the bill would promote workforce development while providing financial aid. They say work-study is a missing piece of Missouri’s available financial aid program, and this bill would help fill that gap.

HB 1629 would provide that a doctoral degree from programs accredited or provisionally accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System are acceptable for licensure as a psychologist if the program meets certain requirements. Supporters say the bill would allow the state to license psychologists who have gone to schools accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). There are currently 35 programs across the country that are recognized by PCSAS but until states recognize PCSAS for licensure purposes those programs also have to be accredited by the American Psychological Association. Supporters say the PCSAS is an accepted accreditation program within the industry and there is no reason for the state not to recognize it.

HB 1252 would add digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis to the definition of low-dose mammography screening and require reimbursement rates to accurately reflect the resource costs. Supporters say these mammograms are 3-D and are much more accurate and have less false readings. They say these will save money because of not having to re-do a mammogram.

HB 2562 would establish treatment court divisions, which would include, but not be limited to, Adult Treatment Court, Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Court, Family Treatment Court, Juvenile Treatment Court, and Veterans Treatment Court. Supporters say that treatment court is successful, and there is an indication that similar courts for other issues could be successful, too. They say the local courts can and should set their own policies for these types of courts, but the legislation establishes best practices for them. The intention is to help advance the ball toward institutionalizing the concept of treatment court.

SB 592 now heads back to the Senate after the House made changes to the bill. The legislation would modify the state’s election laws. Supporters say the bill is a product of consensus and would provide many necessary changes that would make the operations of local election authorities and the Office of the Secretary of State more efficient, allowing them to provide better service to the public. The bill would also make the absentee voting process easier by extending mail time. Many of the changes in the bill have been vetted in prior years and much of the bill consists of fixes to minor problems and technical changes.

HCR 59 would designate the month of August as “Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month” in Missouri. The legislation would encourage and recommend that people of the state of Missouri observe Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month through activities which will specifically address the need to increase awareness of organ donation by all ethnic groups and the need for organ donors. Such activities could include prayer breakfasts, health walks, and donor drives.

HCR 69 would urge the President of the United States to authorize a state funeral when the last of the World War II Medal of Honor Recipient dies.

HCR 73 would recognize the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at the College of the Ozarks campus in Point Lookout, Missouri, as the official Gold Star Families Memorial Monument of Missouri. It would also urge the Missouri Department of Transportation to prepare and establish appropriate highway signage to recognize the location and directions to the Missouri Gold Star Families Memorial Monument and the Missouri Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The signage would be paid for by the College of the Ozarks.

HCR 70 would declare youth violence as a public health epidemic and support the establishment of statewide trauma-informed education. It would also designate June 7 of each year as “Christopher Harris Day” in Missouri to remember children in St. Louis and throughout the state of Missouri lost to violence.
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