MOScout Daily Update: Session Preview - Trent on Voting "Loophole" - STL EcoDevo Contracts and more....

Next Session Preview
We’re weeks away from the new legislative session. With few exceptions, it looks like the coming session will be dominated by many of the same issues as previous session. On most of these topics the battle lines remain the same and calculus has not changed significantly.
Big Issues
• CLEANER – Likely the first big issue to hit Senate floor. This is the number one priority for many Republican
• Abortion and Guns – These two central GOP issues have been mostly exhausted after years of consistent effort from the Republican supermajority. There’s little left for them to do now.
• Tort Reform – This will get another push again this year. It’s a top priority for MOChamber.
Tough Sledding
• Charter schools / ESA – The school reform vs school establishment war has been a routine feature of every session of the past decade. It’s hard to see any real substantial piece of legislation passing in this arena this year.
• Video lottery / Sports betting - The so-called “gray machines” have received more attention in the media since last session, and that could move the needle a bit.
• PDMP – Look for this to come up earlier in the Senate, but few see any real chance for a compromise.
Chance for Progress
• Internet sales tax – One legislator says that “only Missouri and Florida have sales tax and no Wayfair fix.” Sen. Andrew Koenig is the key to this issue and he’s the sort of senator that will works well with a variety of folks.
• Parson Crime Plan – Although any semblance of gun control is a non-starter with Republicans, changing residency rules for St. Louis cops and extra money for Highway Patrol to help is possible.

Post: Gov’s Office Limited Outreach on Crime Plan
Post Dispatch reports that “[t]he chairman of the House committee most likely charged with vetting the plan says no one from the governor’s office contacted him before the broad outlines of an anti-violence proposal were announced last month. And, said Rep. Kenneth Wilson, R-Smithville, no one has contacted him about the blueprint since…”
MOScouter: We’ve gone from Parson in August coming out in favor background checks and red flags to having him not even bother talking with legislators about gun safety measures. For a former legislator, this is political malpractice, at best. This also is misleading the mayors… But let’s be real, he’s still worried about Eric Greitens in a primary….

Trent Files ‘Citizens Only’ Resolution
From the press release: State Representative Curtis Trent today filed an amendment to protect the integrity of elections in Missouri by fixing a loophole in the state’s constitution. HJR 75 would place on the state ballot a three-word fix to the state’s constitution, stating only a U.S. citizen can vote in Missouri. Rep. Trent said Missouri’s constitution should make absolutely clear that U.S. citizenship is required to vote. His constitutional amendment strikes the word ‘all’ citizens and replaces it with ‘only’ to read that only a citizen can vote in Missouri elections.
Rep. Trent noted that San Francisco, Chicago, Montpelier, Vermont, and eleven cities in Maryland currently allow non-U.S. citizens to legally vote in their elections. More efforts are underway in other states to give non-citizens the right to vote.
This is similar to an initiative petition filed by Charles Hurth in July. (see it here). It seems nonsensical because, as KCStar’s Jason Hancock tweeted yesterday, citizenship is already a requirement for voting.
From when I wrote about this back in July….
• A lawyer explains… “The current is written in the affirmative (citizens have the right to vote). The proposed language is written as a restriction (By saying ‘only’ citizens can vote, you’re also impliedly saying noncitizens can’t vote).” Apparently, this is an issue. See this NPR article about non-citizens voting in a local school board election in San Francisco.
• Washington Post reports…. A network of out-of-state political consultants, secret donors and activists with close ties to President Trump is behind an effort to change the Florida constitution to explicitly state that only citizens may vote in elections, a measure that would amplify the issue of immigration in the 2020 battleground state… The exact legal effect the amendment would have remains unclear. While federal law explicitly bars noncitizen voting, the language in the Florida constitution — like that of many states — says that “every” citizen who is 18 may vote. The proposed amendment would change the language to say “only” a citizen may vote.

STL EcoDev Group Pick Lobbyists
Post Dispatch reports…
• The board of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership voted Wednesday to approve a one-year, $90,000 contract with law firm Polsinelli to represent the partnership in Missouri’s capital. It was one of 10 proposals, and the low bidder among the top four firms brought in for interviews, Partnership staff said.
• Also Wednesday, the Partnership board approved a one-year, $108,000 contract with a partnership made up of law firm Armstrong Teasdale’s lobbying arm, AT Governmental Services, and Cassidy & Associates for federal lobbying services.

KS To Ban Vaping at Public Schools
KCStar reports that the “Kansas State Board of Education voted Tuesday to encourage public school districts to ban vaping — including not just students and staff but any visitors at any school activity. The policy, approved unanimously, calls for prohibiting students and staff from using, possessing or promoting any tobacco products, including vape pens, while they’re on school property, in school vehicles or at activities. In addition, parents, volunteers, contractors and vendors also would be banned from using any tobacco products and e-cigarettes ‘in any district facility, in school vehicles, at school-sponsored activities, programs or events, and on school owned property at all times.’”

Help Wanted
The Alzheimer’s Association seeks Manager, Public Policy. “The Public Policy Manager directs and manages state advocacy efforts in Missouri including the Ambassador Program for Congressional Advocacy. The position will work from the central Missouri area. The Manager will promote the mission of the organization by building and mobilizing grassroots advocacy, interacting with policy makers, committees, and coalitions, and communicating the Association's issues and public policy priorities. This position works in partnership with the Director of Public Policy as an advisor for public policy planning and advocacy implementation efforts in Missouri.” See it here.

$5K+ Contributions
Committee for Liberty - $25,000 from CL PAC.

Lobbyists Registrations
Lisa Christie added Arrow Oil & Gas LLC; and deleted Donald Hermann on behalf of Cryptic River Management, and Missouri Eating Disorders Association.
Mark Habbas deleted Agrisoft.
Gamble & Schlemeier deleted National Restaurant Association.
Mandy Elizabeth Scott deleted Ernst & Young LLP.
Cathleen Anne Flournoy terminated her registration. She had represented Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, MO.

Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Noel Torpey, Chris Girouard, Celeste Rueter, and Sal Martinez.