Thursday, December 10, 2015
Rumorville: MCTA to Hire Blunt?
It’s said that the Missouri Cable Telecommunications Association (MCTA) is hiring Andy Blunt as its new executive director. The previous ED was Chuck Simino. If this rumor is true, it’s expected that Blunt would retain his lobbying business as well.
Pre-Files to Watch: Senate
I went through the list of pre-filed legislation, and tried to suss out which ones are most likely to dominate this session. Here’s the ones on the Senate side to watch. Tomorrow I’ll look at the House.
Sen. Dan Brown has been the carrier of all the important anti-labor legislation in recent years so his bills on that topic are ones to watch: SB 598 (prevailing wage), SB 599 (paycheck protection), SB 667 (right to work), SB 668 (collective bargaining).
Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal has said that the Bridgeton Landfill is going to be her top priority. She filed SB 600 to address the issue.
Sen. Bob Dixon chairs the Judiciary Committee and previously passed a massive overhaul of the criminal code has pre-filed SB 663 which would farther reform some criminal classifications on the books. And his SB 589, which would allow conceal carry on colleges and universities, will let both sides of the gun debate regurgitate their talking points.
Sen. Ed Emery’s SB 720 requires school bathroom to be single sex. Bathrooms are the current battleground over transgender rights and social conservatives.
Sen. Jason Holsman’s SB 693 is the latest in the continuing battle of the urban areas to hold nuisance property owners accountable.
Minority Leader Joe Keavney is carrying the non-discrimination bill again. The Dem’s gubernatorial nominee, Chris Koster, has made this issue part of his core platform, and public opinion continues to move toward expanding the protections. It’s SB 653.
Sen. Will Kraus is making Voter ID his top legislative priority and a talking-point for his campaign for secretary of state. See SJR20 here.
As chair of the transportation committee, Sen. Doug Libla’s bill to raise the gas tax, SB 623, is ripe for consideration, though in an election year that’s a tough vote for folks to make.
The chair of the Agriculture Committee, Sen. Brian Munzlinger’s SJR 19, which would change the composition of the Conservation Commission shows the tension that exists between the legislature and the Commission.
Sen. Jamilah Nasheed’s “ban the box” (SB 724) is back.
Sen. Bob Onder’s SB 644 could be the big pro-life bill of the session.
Sen. Mike Parson’s SB 593 sounds like an anti-federal overreach bill – perfect for campaigning on…
Will Sen. David Pearce give the transfer fix the old college try yet once again? SB 571 is the vehicle if he does.
Sen. Rob Schaaf’s SJR 17 is the anti-stadium bill.
Sen. Dave Schatz’ SB 788 would modify the controversial St. Louis County sales tax pool. This bill is probably just a starting point if there’s a compromise to be worked out. Which there might not be.
Sen. Eric Schmitt is offering follow-on legislation (SB 572) to his municipal reform bill of last year. And SB 574 is a new tax cut bill.
When the future Appropriation chair, Sen. Ryan Silvey, proposed a “global” cap on tax credit programs (SB 615), it’s worth watching.
Moon: Not That Kind of Camp…
“Welcome to the camp I guess you all know why we're here…”
Rep. Mike Moon sent a letter to all House members to clarify his proposal that Syrian refugees be held in camps.
Since the writing of my letter to Speaker Richardson urging the call of a special session, the interpretation of my mention that refugees should be placed in camps has been so far off base that even Lou Brock could have been picked off (and, it’s a fact that Brock was seldom thrown out)…
Following the tsunami that hit the Indian Ocean coast the day after Christmas in 2004, a doctor and I traveled to Sri Lanka to provide aid to the victims. Nearly every coastal region I visited had refugee camps. Most often, these were tent camps where homeless victims could sleep and recuperate. At time, we used these tents to set up our make-shift health clinic. It was at these camps the refugees received clothing, food, and, of course, much needed shelter.
My vision of refugee camps for Syrian refugees came from my firsthand experience with the Sri Lankan people… Like the Sri Lankan people, when it is safe to do so, the Syrian people will have the opportunity to return to their cities and towns. If they are relocated to another country, it is likely they will never return to their homeland.
For the record, a great amount of liberty has been taken to reach the conclusion that my use of the word camp is in any way connected to word internment. This matter could have been settled quickly, if only those who had an interest would have asked me.
No matter the names I am called, I will not be deterred from my desire to protect the safety of my family, Missourians, and the citizens of the United States.
Missourians For Renewable Energy
I mis-reported earlier this week that the new committee “Missourians for Renewable Energy” was a political action committee. In fact it is a campaign committee, formed to support a 2016 renewable energy ballot measure. See their paperwork here.
And see Brightery’s contribution to the committee below in the large contributions list.
McCaskill Contra Cruz
The press release from the McCaskill office:
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today challenged the extreme rhetoric of a Republican member of the Armed Services Committee at a hearing…
"Senator Cruz has said, 'We will utterly destroy ISIS. We will carpet-bomb them into oblivion. I don't know if sand can glow in the dark, but we're going to find out,'" said McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee… McCaskill continued, "If we did an indiscriminate carpet-bombing of a major area and killed thousands of women and children, would you assume that would have some impact on their ability to recruit misguided barbarians like this couple that took out more than a dozen innocent people last week? I would have to assume it would put their recruiting on steroids... And isn't the biggest danger to the homeland the ability of this extreme jihad viewpoint being transferred to Americans who then become radicalized and do what these people did in San Bernardino? Isn't that the biggestthreat to our homeland?"
Gen. Paul Selva, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded: "It's clear from ISIL's strategy that their objective is for us to engage in what they believe is an apocalyptic war with the West. And anything we do to feed that particular frame of thinking counters our national security, and we have to be very careful about how we prosecute a campaign that appears to be an indiscriminate attempt to attack ISIL and the population that surrounds it... What I would say categorically is the process you described as your hypothetical question is not the way that we apply force in combat. It isn't now nor will it ever be."
Bits
Raise Your Hand for Kids picked up the endorsement of Mayor Francis Slay as well as the Mayor’s Commission on Children.
A judge tells Uber and the Taxi Commission to work it out. See the St. Louis Business Journal article here.
Are fire districts the next battleground? Here’s a citizen review of the “fire storm” happening in the Lake St. Louis Fire District. He remarks Sen. Bob Onder and Rep. Justin Hill attending the contentious meeting. See it here.
Federal Filings
RGA Reinsurance Company Federal PAC’s December monthly filing showed receipts of $9,175, and $136,528 cash on-hand.
Lobbyists Registrations
Shanon Hawk and Jonathan Dalton added Cummins Inc.
Kyna Iman added National Council of State Boards of Nursing; and deleted Missouri Southern State University.
$5K+ Contributions
Hawley for Missouri - $15,000 from Charles Wall.
Eigel for Missouri - $10,000 from Rivertown Enterprises.
Missourians for Renewable Energy - $15,000 from Brightery LLC.
Greitens for Missouri - $15,000 from Dairy Farmers of America Inc.
Greitens for Missouri - $25,000 from Julian Robertson Jr.
Koster for Missouri - $6,600 from Robert Clark.
Greitens for Missouri - $25,000 from Anthony N Pritzker.
Committee to Elect Reed - $9,000 from David Steward.
Notes on Money
Julian Robertson is a famous hedge funder.
Congratulations
To Rep. Robert Cornejo and Kara Clark-Cornejo on the birth of Ruthie Ray Cornejo (7 lbs 5 oz and 19.5 inches).