Monday, February 6, 2017
Greitens To Sign RTW
The press release: Governor Eric Greitens will hold ceremonial signings of Senate Bill 19, known as Right to Work, in Springfield and Poplar Bluff [this] morning. The Springfield signing will take place at an abandoned warehouse, a far too familiar sight for many towns across Missouri. Governor Greitens will also sign a copy of the bill in Poplar Bluff, just 30 minutes from the Arkansas border. The Governor will declare that Missouri is open for business and that this legislation is a key part of his fight for more jobs.
A final signing will take place at the capitol [this] evening.
MOScout Poll
The MOScout Weekly poll finds that Donald Trump’s approval rating is still positive in Missouri. 47% of likely 2018 voters (Remington’s partisan weighting for 2018 has 44% GOP and 35% Dems) approve of Trump’s job performance and 43% disapprove.
Trump won in November with 57% of the vote.
Meanwhile voters approve of Sen. Ryan Silvey’s SB37 which will give residents the option if they want a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or not.
And voters approve of Rep. Tom Hannegan’s HB779 which would allow local jurisdictions to add a fee on car rental to go to road maintenance.
See the full results here.
Greitens Praised for Elevating Women
Post-Dispatch columnist Tony Messenger praises Governor Eric Greitens for appointment women to positions of responsibility in his new administration.
@tonymess: In terms of elevating women to key positions, Gov. @EricGreitens is showing strong leadership. Major change from last administration.
Coming This Summer… Sen. Crawford
The press release: [T]he 28th District Republican Senate Committee gathered to choose a nominee to fill the district’s Senate seat, which was vacated by the election of Mike Parson to the office of Lieutenant Governor.
State Representative Sandy Crawford won the committee’s nomination and will now be the Republican Party’s candidate in the August special election.
When Steelman Wanted Inaugural Disclosure
One MOScout reader reacted to Governor Eric Greitens refusing to disclose the inaugural contributions with a memory of when his new OA Director, then-Sen. Sarah Steelman, and then-Rep. Jason Crowell thought it was important.
AP article from 2002….
Nearly a year after Gov. Bob Holden spent $1 million on his inaugural party, Republican lawmakers are trying to come up with a way to keep tabs on future spending for such galas. Even before the 2002 legislative session opened last week, two bills were filed to make future gubernatorial inaugural committees open their books to the public. Both measures would make donors' names and the amounts they contributed a public record. Both proposals also would require the committees to detail any outstanding debts… "I think the public has the right to know who is contributing to their public officials," said Sen. Sarah Steelman, R-Rolla. "It could be considered as trying to influence or gain access by contributing." Steelman has introduced a bill that would require any committee receiving money on behalf of an elected official file records with the Missouri Ethics Commission every six months…
ACA Repeal Bad for MO Budget?
Eddie Roth’s Office of Special Inquiries cites a study by the school of public health at George Washington University. They’ve done some rigorous analysis to figure how repeal Obamacare would impact the state economies. See it here.
They estimate that repealing Obamacare will cost over 15,ooo healthcare jobs in Missouri, and the total state job loss would be over 46,000.
Meanwhile
Senator Claire McCaskill dings Greitens on saying that Obamacare has hurt Missouri’s budget…
@clairecmc: 1)Gov Greitens is a politician. 2)He is totally making up that budget shortfall due to Obamacare. MO blocked Obamacare expansion.
eMailbag on Budget: Greitens’ Funding of PubDefs
On public defenders: Legislature added about $4 million last year. Governor Nixon had recommended no increase and withheld all but $1 million that the legislature gave. So even though it looks like a cut on paper, they will actually be getting more money and Greitens has certainly already treated them more favorably than did Nixon.
eMailbag on Greitens Cutting Disabled Benefits
There are no more "able-bodied" adults to cut out of the Medicaid program. Missouri has the lowest eligibility for non-disabled "able bodied" adults already, can't go any lower, was cut back in 2005. Most costs associated with Medicaid are in pharmacy and Aged, Blind Disabled (ABD) populations. These populations generally account for 70% of all Medicaid expenditures….
Help Wanted
House seeks Legislative Analyst-Attorney. “This non-partisan professional position is responsible for staffing House committees, analyzing and summarizing legislative proposals, drafting legislation, preparing legal and policy research and assisting Members of the House with lawmaking duties… Starting salary range for this position begins at $4,176 per month; however, actual starting salary is commensurate with applicable education and experience…” See it here.
In the 3rd Floor Rotunda
AT&T National Texting and Driving Simulator.
Lobbyists Registrations
Isaac Amon added Department of Corrections.
Reid Forrester added Missouri Department of Labor.
Leslie Farr II added Knights of Peter Claver Assembly 29, and Harting Consultaire LLC.
Holly Gogel added Missouri Century Foundation.
Jennifer Durham and James Durham deleted BNSF Railway Company.
Todd Hurt deleted Missouri Capitol Police.
Michael Kelley deleted JohN Bardgett & Associates Inc.
Doug Nelson deleted Office of Administration.
Jim Morris deleted Act Aspire LLC.
William Shoehigh deleted IGT and its affiliates.
$5K+ Contributions
SEIU Missouri State Council PAC - $10,000 from SEIU MO/KS State Council.
UAW Region 5 Midwest States Political Action Committee (PAC) (MO) - $6,000 from UAW Region 5 Exchange.