MOScout Daily Update: CLEANER To Senate Floor This Week - Pro-Jones PAC Formed - Stanley Cup in Rotunda Today - Greitens Talk and more...
CLEANER Coming
CLEANER… It’s expected to be one of the more contentious topics of session, and it will likely get it’s first run on the Senate floor this week.
This is the Republicans’ version to pre-empt the CLEAN Missouri redistricting plan. It was passed out of committee last week and is cued up for debate.
Sen. Dan Hegeman’s SJR 38 eliminates the $5 lobbyist gift limit for a total ban, lowers the campaign contribution limits for state senate candidates to $2,000, and most importantly re-prioritizes the redistricting criteria to downgrade “competitiveness.”
· This will be the first time that the new smaller Democratic Caucus may need to stand up for hours.
· I wouldn’t expect this to be a knock-down, drag-out fight, but it’ll be the first test run for this top Republican priority.
· I don’t think this is the showdown week, but when the showdown comes (filibuster and PQ) it will change the Senate dynamic and the trajectory of the session.
Pro-Jones PAC Formed
In the new committees (below) 314 Forward was formed. According to the paperwork filed, the PAC’s purpose is to support St. Louis City Treasurer Tishaura Jones.
Jones is widely expected to announce that she’s running for St. Louis City mayor. That election is in the spring of 2021. Jones narrowly lost to Mayor Lyda Krewson in 2017.
Driving the Day
On Monday, January 27, the Stanley Cup will be on public display in the State Capitol’s First Floor Rotunda from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m….
Meanwhile
The House Democratic Caucus will hold a news conference at 1PM in the House Lounge to discuss a package of legislation to expand and improve access to health care services…
Greitens Talk
There’s been a lot of talk (maybe too much talk, anyone?) about Eric Greitens making a comeback, and running for governor. See a Post-Dispatch article here. Here are some more bits:
· I’m told that some Republican state representatives have heard from the former governor. He’s reached out to them, presumably to take their temperature…
· Team Galloway gleefully used the proposition in a recent fundraising blast. Subject line: Greitens coming BACK?! Text: TAKE OUR 1 CLICK INSTANT POLL: Which Governor will go down as Missouri’s worst? Eric Greitens >> Mike Parson >>
· And one MOScouter noted that Rep. Jeff Shawan recently posted to Facebook criticizing the governor’s new valet parking. His take: “He called it his ‘I’ll park my own car pledge’. It looks like Rep Shawan is choosing sides early in the rumored return of Greiten’s for Governor.”
Bits
· Post Dispatch reports that “a federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Washington University by a former student who was expelled after three women complained of sexual or physical assault. The allegations were among those that sparked student protests and a rally in 2018 that prompted university officials to promise changes to the Title IX investigation process.” See it here.
· News-Leader reports on advocates upset that Hailey’s Law isn’t being implemented. See it here. “A key part of Hailey’s Law allowed law enforcement to add ‘clickable’ links to alerts so people could immediately access more information, like a photo of a missing child. Friday’s alert didn’t have one. A Twitter account run by supporters of Hailey's Law, including a Dent County deputy sheriff who created an app to help people look for missing children and Josh Schisler, a key advocate who shepherded the bill through the General Assembly, pounced. ‘Despite assurances from Missouri's Amber Alert oversight committee,’ the account said, ‘tonight's alert did not include any URL for the public to find information and updates.’ The account also blasted Gov. Mike Parson, saying he’d ‘failed to uphold the promise of HAILEY'S Law.’”
Court Bits
· The Sixteenth Circuit Judicial Commission announced the following applicants for the Division 11 circuit judge vacancy on the Jackson County Circuit Court: Jessica Agnelly, Adam L. Caine, P. Benjamin Cox, Arimeta R. DuPree, Ashley N. Garrett, Michael J. Hunt, Justin J. Kalwei, Susan E. Long, Elizabeth S. Lynch, Alicia C. O'Connell, Brady X. Twenter, and Jerri J. Zhang.
· The Appellate Judicial Commission announced the following applicants for the vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District: Ryan S. Asbridge, Merilee A. Crockett, Timothy J. Flook, Kenneth R. Garrett III, W. Ann Hansbrough, Douglas B. Harris, Shaun J. Mackelprang, Tracey Mason-White, Terrence M. Messonnier, Ryan A. Moehlman, Cheryl C. Nield, Jalilah Otto, and W. Douglas Thomson.
eMailbag: MRL Against MedEx
So it sounds like Missouri Right to Life, and I stress Life, is advocating that existing Medicaid coverage for pregnant women be eliminated too, which will increase maternal and infant deaths, and I stress deaths…
eMailbag on “Powerful” Speaker Vescovo
“Really curious how Todd Richardson, Elijah Haahr and Rod Jetton haven’t been powerful speakers… Rod ran the state for four years, Elijah has gone head to head with Rob Vescovo numerous times and won each time, and Todd fucking got rid of a sitting governor but Vescovo and Catherine Hanaway are/were more powerful?”
New IPs
Mark Parachini filed two more version of marijuana legalization. See them here and here.
New Committees
314 Forward was formed. It’s a PAC. Its treasurer is Kimberly Morton.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jeffrey Altmann added Contract Pharmacal Corporation; and deleted Missouri Roofers Association.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Sen. Jill Schupp, and Mary Scruggs.