Monday, June 5, 2017
PDMP Special?
It’s already baked into the Jeff City psyche that there will be a special session sometime this month dealing with pro-life issues. But here’s an additional rumor: the governor’s office is plotting for special session in the following months as well.
If this is the case, it will start to look like simple theatrics unless there is real urgency to the reason or the call.
I wonder if the prescription drug monitoring program would fit that criteria. (It clearly has the ancillary benefit of being another jab at the governor’s nemesis, Sen. Rob Schaaf.)
The new COO, Drew Erdmann tweeted an interesting article about the opioid epidemic. See the tweet here.
From the link: [A] data base of hospital patient records, that Dr. Jick ran, and still runs, found the following: of 11,800 patients given narcotic painkillers while in hospital, only four developed an addiction to those drugs. Remember this was data taken from the 1960s and 1970s, a time when narcotic painkillers were rigorously controlled, and never given to patients to take home with them. So it stands to reason that patients, under such strict controls and administered the drugs only in hospital, would rarely develop addictions… They simply didn’t have access to large supplies of narcotics, and especially drugs to take home with them, as patients routinely do today. Hence they didn’t run much risk of addiction. (The whole thing, btw, helped change my mind about what ignites a scourge of addiction, which I now believe is not demand, but supply. Supply first sparks demand.)..
It was also used, of course, by pharmaceutical companies – especially Purdue Pharma, manufacturer of OxyContin – as proof that their drugs no longer caused addiction when they were used to treat pain. The company used the statistic that “less than 1 percent” of all patients administered opiate painkillers drugs – especially OxyContin – grew addicted to it. This was not true nor supported by any science. It was not supported by Porter & Jick, which was making an entirely different observation. Yet the letter was used to convince a generation of doctors that science now knew new things about narcotic painkillers and one was that they were “virtually nonaddictive” when used to treat pain….
As I wrote last week Ohio sued several drug companies for “conducting marketing campaigns that misled doctors and patients about the danger of addiction and overdose…”
Not all companies were named in the suit. For example, Mallinckrodt which has been a supporter of the PDMP here in Missouri, escaped being sued.
This issue isn’t going away, and it’s interesting to see the state’s COO taking an interest, and perhaps hints that the administration is looking at what they can do next.
Baker to Recovery Coordinator
Patrick Baker who was chief of staff to Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson (and a Senate staffer before that) was named Missouri’s Flood Recovery Coordinator by Governor Eric Greitens “to help ensure State agencies work seamlessly, across departmental lines, to assist Missourians recover from the disaster and rebuild stronger.” See the release here.
Catching Up on the Weekend
Missouri Community College Association’s Rob Dixon was appointed as the new Director of Economic Development.
The press release: Throughout his career, Rob Dixon has transformed economic and workforce development organizations. He started in economic development at the local level in the City of Hollister. His success in Hollister allowed him to quickly rise to lead economic development in the City of Springfield. Dixon's most recent success has been in workforce development, where he successfully coordinated major policy changes on behalf of Missouri's 12 community colleges….
Rumor Du Jour….
Talk is heating up again that Sen. Bob Onder may be a candidate for Congress when Congresswoman Ann Wagner finally announces her Senate run...
Follow-Up on Senate 34 Poll
MOScouters say that Tony Luetkemeyer would be the early favorite against Rep. Nick Marshall if the Republicans primary is a one-on-one as I polled it.
Reader #1: The governor's numbers and Marshall's lack of a base are good news for Luetkemeyer. I hear [he] will have a significant fundraising lead out of the gate...
Reader #2: Luetkemeyer is going to run away from Marshall in the money race. He's the favorite.
But
Some think you might see former Rep. Sheila Solon jump in. She represented Blue Springs until losing a primary in which her opponent was funded by David Humphreys. Now she’s apparently moved up to St. Joe. Her campaign committee has $49,000 in it, and was amended in April to say that she’s seeking a “statewide office” in 2018.
Judge Bits
Governor Eric Greitens named Bruce Hilton to the circuit judge vacancy in St. Louis County created by the retirement of Judge Barbara W. Wallace. The other panelists were Matthew Hearne and Mary E. Ott.
Willie Epps Jr. was selected as the Missouri Western U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Central Division based in Jefferson City. See it here. Tipster: Epps was house hunting in Columbia last over the weekend…
For the vacancies on the Jackson County Circuit Court created by the appointment of the W. Brent Powell to the Supreme Court of Missouri and the retirement of Robert M. Schieber, here are the 22 applicants: Cory L. Atkins, Ardie A. Bland, Bert S. Braud, Randell G. Collins, Bryan O. Covinsky, P. Benjamin Cox, Jo Leigh Fischer, Michael J. Hunt, Justin J. Kalwei, Marilyn B. Keller, Scottie S. Kleypas, Elizabeth S. (Betsy) Lynch, Jalilah Otto, Martina L. Peterson, Janette K. Rodecap, Kyndra James Stockdale, Frederick G. Thompson IV, Christopher B. Turney, Eric E. Vernon, Brian D. Webb, R. Travis Willingham, and George E. Wolf.
Help Wanted
Department of Natural Resources seeks Public Information Administrator. “Salary Range:
$44,352 - $50,112… Manages media relations for state park system and advises individual state parks and historic sites on media policy; Acts as spokesperson for Missouri State Parks; Reviews and approves all online and printed content before distribution; Writes speaking points and creates presentations…” See the ad here.
Sierra Club seeks Organizing Representative. “Builds grassroots power, by leading the implementation of organizing campaigns that will increase the number of people involved, leaders trained, and engagement of people with influence to achieve our conservation goals; Plans, organizes and coordinates the activities of staff and volunteers in carrying out the organizing activities for assigned campaign or program. Develops organizing strategies and priorities for assigned campaign or program. The Organizing Representative is responsible for recruiting, engaging, and motivating large numbers of new people to take repeated action which will further Sierra Club’s targeted campaign or program goals…” See the ad here.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jeff Rainford added STL Aviation Group LLC.
Richard McIntosh, Zach Brunnert, Franc Flotron, and David McCracken deleted American Board for Certification of Teach Excellence Inc.
Richard McIntosh, Zach Brunnert, David McCracken, and Bill Stouffer deleted Goff Public for Polaris Industries.
Richard McIntosh, Zach Brunnert, and Shantel Smith deleted Adobe Systems Incorporated.
Michael Noblett and Bill Ratliff deleted Missouri Bankers Association.
Kenneth Sears deleted Missouri State Troopers Association.
Cheryl Schrader deleted Missouri University of Science & Technology.
$5K+ Contributions
New Approach PAC - $100,000 from Phil Harvey.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to Colleen Coble.