Thursday, December 29, 2016
Just a quick run-down today… and vote in the MOScout Readers’ 2016 Poll: Best Lobbyists here.
Richard Cool to Corp Income Tax Cut
State Senator and President Pro Temp of the Senate Ron Richard is looking forward to a busy session. He expects to pass right to work legislation. There's also discussion of lowering or eliminating corporate income taxes, but Richard isn't convinced. "I'm not sure of it, I don't want to end up like Kansas and make sure our revenue allow us to meet expectations on what we have to do to meet government obligations," Richard added. See it here.
Fraker for Country Club Set
Post-Dispatch reports… Rep. Lyndall Fraker, R-Marshfield, wants to offer a sales tax exemption on initiation fees or dues on private country clubs. “It’s just really hitting some of these clubs really hard,” Fraker said. See it here.
This looks like the sort of bill that gets quietly withdrawn….
Greitens Plans Thank You Tour
The email blast: We're just a few days away from the inauguration! Because of your effort and commitment, Missouri will soon have a Navy SEAL and an outsider as governor. Eric is hard at work preparing to change politics as usual and shake up the status quo. In the days leading up to the inauguration, he'll be traveling the state on a Thank You Tour, meeting with supporters and discussing his plan to fight for Missourians. We'd be honored to have you join the governor-elect as we begin to take Missouri in a new direction…
January 3rd – Kirksville, St. Joseph, Kansas City.
January 5th – Hannibal, Cape Girardeau.
January 6th – Joplin, Springfield.
January 7th – St. Louis.
New Criminal Code Taking Effect
The Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys reminds folks that the criminal code revision – the product of work by Jolie Justus, Bob Dixon, Stanley Cox and Chris Kelly – is set to take effect on January 1.
They note the major provisions include: the addition of a fifth felony class, allowing a more stair-stepped approach to punishment that starts with non-violent and first-time offenses, such as property crimes and simple drug possession offenses, and increases penalties for repeat and violent crimes such as assaults and sex offenses; the creation of four levels of felony child molestation; the addition of incest as an aggravator in child molestation cases, which increases the punishment; raising the range of punishment of causing a death in a drunk driving crash to include up to ten years in prison; and [the] classification of habitual DWI offenders as dangerous felonies – meaning they must serve 85% of their sentence.
STL Alderwomen Take on Reproductive Rights Agenda
St. Louis Public Radio reports: Alderman Megan-Ellyia Green… is the lead sponsor of a measure that would add pregnancy and "reproductive health decisions" — using birth control or having an abortion, for example — to the city's anti-discrimination ordinance. Employers would also be blocked from firing, demoting or cutting the pay of an employee based on a decision about her health… When the Board of Aldermen returns from its winter break, Alderman Christine Ingrassia, D-6th Ward, said she plans to introduce legislation that would establish a buffer zone around the entrance to the Planned Parenthood clinic on Forest Park Parkway. The language would be modeled both on a Colorado law that creates a floating buffer zone, and on a Massachusetts law that replaced an earlier version that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court… See it here.
eMailbag on Shoe Being Snookered
Oh please. Maxwell's and Shoemyer's endorsement of Greitens was never actually about supporting him, it was about saying f-you to Koster, showing him his actions have consequences. I think after Koster touted his Farm Bureau endorsements all over the state it was pretty clear no one else could actually be WORSE for sustainable ag.
New Tax Credits
$117,600 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to Boys & Girls Club of the Ozarks in Senate 29 / House 156.
$101,500 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to Fair Grove Senior Center in Senate 20 / House 137.
$95,389 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri Inc. in Senate 19 / House 45.
$42,253 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to St. Louis Area FoodBank Inc. in Senate 14 / House 70.
$31,768 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to Child Advocacy Center Inc in Senate 30 / House 132.
$16,450 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to St. James Caring Center in Senate 16 / House 120.
$16,000 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to St. Patrick Center in Senate 5 / House 78.
$12,992 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to St. Louis Crisis Nursery in Senate 24 / House 71.
$6,000 in Neighborhood Assistance credits to St. Louis Internship Program in Senate 5 / House 79.
$5K+ Contributions
United Food & Commercial Workers Local #655 Elect Political Action Fund - $6,269 from UFCW Local 655.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Julie Gibson.