Monday February 10, 2014
Hanaway Announces?
Catherine Hanaway announced her intention to run for governor over the weekend.
Republican Party State Committeeman Gary Harris & Committeewoman Sara R. Walsh tweeted “Catherine Hanaway announces run 4 Governor in 2016 @ Moniteau Co Republican Club's Lincoln Day dinner 2nite pic.twitter.com/DBGIs0pCkk”
Missouri Times put up a story on it. Read it here.
The question that echoed around over the weekend was: did she mean to?
“Am I the only one who thinks it is weird for Hanaway to officially announce her candidacy at Moniteau County Lincoln Day? Has she been out of the political world for so long that she is out of tune with today's politics? Does she know with social media the entire state knew about her announcement within 15 minutes? I don't have any issues with her but I think she just created more questions than she answered.”
“This was a BUSH LEAGUE move to accidentally slip it out at a county Lincoln Day dinner and shows she is either rusty or undisciplined. Seriously, I know the last time she ran for statewide office was before the dawn of social media, but this shows she isn't ready for prime time.”
Conspiracy Theory…
Is this all just a ploy to juice up what would have been a lackluster Lincoln Days at the end of the month?
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: <rjlabounty@gmail.com>
>> Date: Sun, Feb 9, 2014 at 12:32 PM
>> Subject: Friends of John Brunner/Brunner for Governor
>> To:
>>
>>
>> A group of patriotic and concerned Missourians statewide are planning to host a
hospitality suite at Statewide Lincoln Days in Springfield on Feb. 21 and 22,
2014 for John Brunner. We hope you will join in support of this great and
important cause! Here are the details:
>>
>> "Friends of John Brunner / Brunner for Gov.!"
>>
>> We’re going to serve simple refreshments & drinks - maybe cheese & meat trays
with crackers, cookies and wine & beer - and demonstrate lots of support for John
Brunner. We'll be supporting and encouraging John to run for Governor so that,
if he hasn't made the decision yet, he'll be convinced of the huge amount of
grassroots support that is out there and make a positive decision to run, while
convincing The Party at the same time! If he does decide to run before Lincoln
Days, then we'll turn the event into a "Grassroots Kickoff of Support for Brunner
for Governor"! More details follow…
>> Very best,
>> Randy LaBounty
Koster Non-Fundraising Letter
Attorney General Chris Koster meanwhile is tearing up the fundraising scene while sending out non-fundraising email blasts to prime the pump for his eventual grassroots ask…
> From: Attorney General Chris Koster <info@chriskoster.com>
> Subject: Ongoing
> Date: February 6, 2014 9:32:05 AM CST
> Dear
>
> January was largely consumed with ongoing work on existing and important cases.
>
> Walgreens: My investigation of significant mispricing activities at Walgreen's stores across Missouri continues. My office's goal is to ensure that Missouri customers are not being duped by false pricing on Walgreen's sale items. I'll keep you informed of our progress.
>
> Bridgeton Landfill: We have continued our work on the underground fire/smoldering at the Bridgeton Landfill in St. Louis County. In January, we successfully obtained the carbon monoxide data that local fire officials had been demanding from the landfill operator for several months. The simple principle here is that the safety of firemen and of the entire Bridgeton community must remain at the top of everyone's priority list.
>
> California Egg case: Finally, my office filed a case of national significance against the State of California for illegally encroaching into Missouri's agricultural industry. California has passed a law that cuts off access to California's egg markets in a way that, I believe, violates the U.S. Constitution. While the California courts may not agree with me, I believe that the U.S. Supreme Court will. Although the case appears on its face to be about Missouri's agricultural producers, it is actually intended to protect Missouri manufacturers across a wide variety of industries. Stay tuned.
>
>
> And, I was grateful to be able to spend a day out in the cold with friends. I have to admit I am a pretty lousy shot, but I guess I got lucky a few times.
>
>
> Hope you are well. I look forward to catching up soon.
>
> Chris Koster
> Attorney General
Lager Telecom Bills Pass Senate
Sen. Brad Lager’s five bills (SB 649 – SB 653) to reenact the telecom bill which a court threw out on Hammerschmidt grounds passed the Senate last week. And while the telecom lobbyists are presumably happy with the fast movement on the bills, other fret. Not about the bills, but about the appeal.
If the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn the lower court’s interpretation of Hammerschmidt, they fear a wholesale change in the way the legislature does business.
Hammerschmidt is short-hand for a precedent in Missouri that bills must contain a single subject matter. It prevents the legislature from attaching something unrelated to a bill that moving, and putting legislators in a position for voting for a bill with two totally different subject matters – say telecom regulations and abortions.
But this interpretation defined the principal much more narrowly. All of these were subjects addressed by the Senate’s Commerce Committee and dealing with utility regulations. Still the court found that they were different enough to violate Hammerschmidt. If the ruling holds, it is clearly the end of omnibus bills. And it may mean instead of 1,000 bills filed, legislators will have to start the session with 5,000 bills filed…
After SB 518
Last week, Sen. David Sater’s SB 518, which would have expanded managed care in Missouri met, with resistance. Two implications come from that debate.
First, the managed care fight will now shift to Sen. Gary Romine’s bill. Generally, providers have been hostile to managed care (“Too much time on the phone, reimbursements are terrible”), but it’s said that Romine’s version is apparently more palatable to several provider groups. We will see how Sen. Rob Schaaf who led the opposition to Sater’s bill reacts. He may want some concessions before it leaves the Senate.
Second, despite the hiring of Kit Bond, the defeat of the amendment for Medicaid expansion sent an unmistakable message. That’s why one observer – without a dog in the fight – thinks the vote was a mistake. “There is no path back from perdition after a 23-9 drubbing on the Senate floor. Why take the vote? What a brutal result for its proponents after so much time, work, and money over the past 3 years.”
Bluebird Network Lawsuit
The Daily Columbia Tribune has an article about a law suit filed by a former employee against Bluebird Network. Read it here. The article is of interest to some in the media world
Pull Quote: “Martin Schell, a former vice president of Bluebird Network, accuses Bluebird, which in 2010 received $45 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to build a 1,000-mile broadband network across northern Missouri, of misleading the federal government to win the grant. The lawsuit accuses Bluebird of anti-competitive practices, allowing people allegedly barred from participating in the grant to direct company operations, obtaining a smaller-than-required in-kind contribution from the state of Missouri and terminating Schell for bringing his concerns to management's attention… Bluebird was originally formed in 2009 as Bluebird Media by local real estate magnate Otto Maly; lobbyist and former director of legislative affairs for Gov. Mel Carnahan Greg Johnston; and brothers Chris and Tatum Martin, who own entities affiliated with tower and telecommunications construction and engineering firm GlenMartin.”
Schlereth in House 103
Kyle Schlereth filed a campaign committee to run in Hosue 103 as a Republican. He ran against termed incumbent Rep. Doug Funderburk in 2012 as a write-in candidate. 75 people wrote him in, scoring him .5% of the vote while the incumbent took the other 95.5%.
Schelerth joins Alexander McArthy, an alderman in the city of Cottleville, and John Wiemann, a Dardenne Township committeeman in the Republican primary. Wiemann is the favorite.
Hearings Ahead
Hearings of Interest - House
Monday
Government Oversight and Accountability Committee, Noon in Hearing Room 7
Testimony from the Director of the Department of Corrections.
Workforce Development and Workplace Safety Committee, Noon in Hearing Room 5
HB 1153 – Rep. Sharon Pace’s bill to prohibit the use of credit history as a hiring criteria.
Rules Committee, 2:30 in Hearing Room 6
Voting out HJR 72 (Rep. Todd Richardson’s resolution on governor’s power to withhold), HCR 18 (Rep. Jay Houghton’s resolution asking Department of Justice to investigate propane price spike), HCS HB 1307 &1313 (Rep. Kevin Elmer’s bill to increase the “wait period” for abortions from 24 hours to 72 hours), HB 1430 (Speaker Tim Jones’ conscience exemption for medical providers), as well as other bills.
Special Standing Committee on Small Business Committee, Upon Adjournment in North Gallery
Voting out a few Kansas border war bills.
Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee, Upon Adjournment in Hearing Room 6
HB 1334 – Rep. Jay Barnes’ revenge porn bill.
HB 1561 – Chairman Dave Hinson appears to be taking up the changes to the sex offender registry that Governor Jay Nixon vetoed last session.
HB 1598 – Rep. Noel Torpey’s bill “specifies that if a sexual offense is committed against a person who is developmentally disabled, the criminality of conduct will be based on the victim's developmental age and not the actual age of the victim.”
Tuesday
Elections Committee, 8:15am in Hearing Room 5
HB 1073 – Rep. Tony Dugger’s voter ID bill.
HJR 47 – Rep. Stanley Cox’s constitutional amendment for voter ID.
Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities Committee, Noon in Hearing Room 1
HB 1589 “specifies that certain felons must be eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits” is notable because Senate 22 rivals Reps. Paul Wieland and Jeff Roorda are teaming up to pass it. Wieland is the sponsor and Roorda the co-sponsor.
Transportation Committee, Noon in Hearing Room 7
Voting out HJR 68 (the 1% sales tax for roads), and HB 1215 (upping the speed limit from 70 to 75).
Economic Development Committee, 5pm in Hearing Room 7
HB 1500 – This year’s aerotropolis bill.
Ways and Means Committee, 5pm in Hearing Room 1
HB 1269 – Rep. Paul Curtman would eliminate the graduated income tax and impose a flat tax of 6%.
Hearings of Interest - Senate
Tuesday
Seniors, Families and Pensions Committee, 8am in SCR 1
SB 720 – Sen. Jolie Justus would “add new requirements for state-funded child care providers.
Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee, 1pm in SCR 1
SB 741 – Chairman Scott Rupp’s bll “authorizes gaming establishment to provide lines of credit.”
SB 531 – Sen. Jamilah Nasheed’s bill ups the minimum wage.
General Laws Committee, 3pm in SCR 1
SB 554 – Sen. Mike Cunningham’s bill “requires state agencies, public schools and colleges, and political subdivisions to use the traditional names of holidays.”
Sen. Jamilah Nasheed has a couple of gun bills.
Wednesday
Education Committee, 3pm in Senate Lounge
SB 616 is Sen. Jamilah Nasheed’s far-ranging education bill including “personalized learning plans for certain students, addressing student promotion, and requiring letter grades for public schools.”
Fundraising Calendar
Today’s fundraising events from Mary Scruggs’ indispensable events calendar:
MTIA Legislative Reception & Dinner – Jefferson City Country Club – 6-8 p.m.
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians for Safe Transportation and New Jobs Inc - $7,093 from Site Advancement Foundation.
Missourians for Safe Transportation and New Jobs Inc - $50,000 from Kiewit Insurance Co.
MO Republican Party - $25,000 from Hunter Engineering Company.
Missourians for Koster - $35,000 from Ironworkers Political Education Fund.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $5,005 from Missourians for Tim Jones.
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Gate Way Group website:
Mark J Bruns, Gary Burton, Jim Foley, and Chris Liese added Cognosante.
Scott Marrs added Multistate Associates Inc on behalf of Liftough Inc.
George L Oestreich added Mercer Inc.
Noah Reandeau added Zebra Technologies Corporation.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Tom Hurst (48), and lobbyist Brian Grace (33).