Monday, May 18, 2015
Post-session hangover, just cleaning out the in-box…
Medal of Honor Awardee
White House press release… “On June 2, 2015, President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Army Sergeant William Shemin and to Army Private Henry Johnson for conspicuous gallantry during World War I.
Sergeant William Shemin will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions while serving as a member of Company G, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Division, American Expeditionary Forces. Sergeant Shemin distinguished himself during combat operations in the vicinity of the Vesle River, Bazoches, France, on August 7-9, 1918....
Ms. Elsie Shemin-Roth of Webster Grove, Missouri, will join the President at the White House to accept the Medal of Honor on her father’s behalf…
What’s the Point?
From Politico’s Shift newsletter last week: MIZZOU REPUBLICAN ON RIGHT-TO-WORK: WHAT'S THE POINT?: Republicans in the Missouri House yesterday passed a right-to-work bill yesterday but failed to whip a sufficient number of votes to defeat a veto from Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, St. Louis Public Radio's Jo Mannies reports. The futile vote left at least one
Republican wondering why so much of the House's last legislative week was spent advancing a bill guaranteed to die on the governor's desk. "This symbolic gesture has killed all of our bills,'' said state Rep. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington. "Does this make any sense?"
Making the misfire even farther off target, John Diehl’s sexting resignation deprives those wishing to override of yet another vote.
Missouri Right to Life Blame PQ Timing
From Steve Rupp, President of Missouri Right to Life: “Missouri Right to Life (MRL) is profoundly disappointed that the Missouri Senate has failed to approve an important public safety measure to ensure the annual inspection of abortion facilities. HB 190, introduced by Rep. Kathy Swan (R-Cape Girardeau), would have ensured annual inspections for licensed abortion facilities. It would have ensured that an inspection would not be "optional" for any Department of Health official, bureaucracy, or state executive to forego this much-needed requirement…
In the final week of the legislative session, on Tuesday, all efforts to pass legislation in the Senate stalled due to the procedural move to call for the previous question on right to work. While we know that other issues are important to Missourians, there was no need to call for the PQ on Tuesday when there were other extremely important issues still on the calendar needing passage by the Republican majority. The PQ could have been called on Friday…”
Bertelson to Dept. Social Service
According to the Missouri Accountability Portal, Christine Bertelson is no longer in the governor’s office. She is now “special asst profession” in the Department of Social Servcies.
Diehl’s Dollars
Here we go again? John Diehl’s campaign account has $230K in it as of the last quarterly report. It’s become a bit of a tradition for speakers to accumulate some donor dollars and then dole it out slowly over time to candidates and causes of their choosing after their tenure. Steve Tilley’s account now sits at $675K; Tim Jones’s is at $860K.
Diehl had previously pledged everything he raised would be shared with the House Republican Caucus and that he was swearing off higher office.
Bill of the Session
One lobbyist jokingly referred to this Truly Agreed and Finally Passed bill (Rep. Genise Montecillo sponsored HB 501) as Diehl’s legacy. It was summarized as “requires course materials relating to sexual education to contain information regarding sexual predators, online predators, and the consequences of inappropriate text messaging.” It mandates that a school’s course on human sexuality “Teach pupils about the consequences, both personal and legal, of inappropriate text messaging, even among friends.”
Swearingen to Harley?
According to LinkedIn, former Rep and current lobbyist Jay Swearingen is now a salesman at Worth Harley-Davidson.
Later this Week
Everybody’s favorite… Grades for Legislators. Feel free to call/email/or text (314-255-5210) your thoughts on who exceeded expectations or who had a disappointing session…
More Changes at Noranda
Charles Skoda, a hallway presence for Noranda over the past few years, will be leaving the aluminum giant at the end of the month. Skoda was Senior Vice President of Strategic Operations.
Licensing Gone Mad
Governing Magazine has a column on the impact over licensing can have…
“Morris M. Kleiner of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, a national authority on this topic, tells us that economic studies have shown that there are far more occupations that require licensing in which employment is reduced and costs to consumers are increased than cases where quality and safety are provably improved.
What’s more, licensing requirements limit the mobility of skilled workers into a state. Why move if you’re going to have to take hundreds of hours of classes to get the license necessary to ply your trade? If someone has been a florist in a state where there’s no requirement for a license to sell flowers, why should he or she consider moving to a state where it could take months before getting the documentation necessary to peddle petunias again?” See it here.
eMailbag: On MOScout Poll
Reader: “People just hate politicians…”
eMailbag: On Hanaway’s Media Consultant Hire
“They look hand-picked by Roe to me, so I wonder if there will really be a change in direction and message.”
Help Wanted
Gardner Capital seeks Associate General Counsel. “Under direction from a Principal and/or Director of LIHTC Development at Gardner Capital Development, Inc., the Associate General Counsel will support LIHTC development efforts by performing underwriting, economic analysis, risk management, and transaction analysis of affordable housing markets.” See it here.
Lobbyists Registrations
David Kirby added Lewis Rice.
Brian Grace, Rodney Boyd, and Kelvin Simmons added Zenefits.
Kathryn Gamble added MO Coalition of Children’s Agencies, MO Association for Career and Technical Education, MO Ralroad Association, City of Kansas City, MO Association of County Development Disability Services, and Independent Colleges and Universities of Missouri.
$5K+ Contributions
MO Insurance Coalition PAC - $15,000 from RightChoice.
Missourians for John Brunner - $5,200 from Carl Tiedt.
Bradshaw for Missouri - $5,500 from The Simon Law Firm P.C.
Bradshaw for Missouri - $5,005 from Holman Schiavone LLC.