MOScout Daily Update: Waiting on CRE - O'Donnell Files Charter Bill - Will MO Tackle Tech Policy? - Choinka Promoted and more...
December Revenues Slip
December state tax receipts fell about 1.5% compared to December 2018, driven by lower sales tax receipts and higher refunds.
This brings the fiscal year to date number to +5.15% compared to last year.
And Waiting on CRE
Folks are starting to ask about the consensus revenue estimate for next year; there’s been no announcement, leading to speculation that the 2nd floor and the 3rd floor are having trouble hammering out a compromise. The legislature and the governor’s office usually agree on that number so their budgets are based on the same assumption.
O’Donnell Steps Up As School Choice Leader
Rep. Michael O’Donnell pre-filed what looks to be “the charter bill” for the 2020 session - HB 1917 The language appears to be very similar to last year’s charter bill just with some paragraphs rearranged. Basically the bill authorizes charters in counties with a charter form of government (Jackson, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis) and cities with populations greater than 30,000 and changes performance definitions.
O’Donnell lives in unincorporated St. Louis County (South County), and has public school bonafides. He attended Lindbergh H.S. & UMSL and has a kid at Oakville H.S. and one at Missouri State. His background also suggests he can handle a school choice battle (he currently serves as an U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer and saw two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan).
Axios: States Tackle Tech Policy
From yesterday’s Axios (see it here)…
The tech industry's most consequential policy fights in 2020 will play out in the states, not Washington… Momentum on a range of tech issues, from governing online privacy to regulating the gig economy, has stalled in D.C. as impeachment and election campaigns consume attention. State leaders and legislators are stepping in to fill the void.
"It’s really interesting to see the metamorphosis of states going from being the bench players to being lead hitters. It’s because Congress and the federal government can’t be relied upon to protect consumers." — Gigi Sohn, former FCC adviser and now a distinguished fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy…
These are the policy fights that have shifted to the states…
· California's landmark consumer privacy law takes effect this month, while other state legislatures are considering their own privacy efforts amid a stalled attempt in Congress on a bipartisan national law. (Though some on Capitol Hill are still hoping for a breakthrough.) Industry watchers expect to see privacy legislation come up in New York, Washington and Illinois in 2020…
· New Jersey recently fined Uber for allegedly misclassifying drivers as independent contractors and not employees…
· Legislatures in some states such as Tennessee and Arizona have passed laws placing restrictions on popular short-term-rental sites like Airbnb and HomeAway…
And
Some trade groups are beefing up their state operations.
· BSA | The Software Alliance, which counts Microsoft and IBM among its members, is launching its first state program in 2020, said Craig Albright, vice president of legislative strategy for the group.
· The Internet Association, which represents tech companies like Facebook and Google, opened a new office in Illinois in 2019. The group's state operations include offices in California, New York and Washington.
· TechNet, another trade group, has executive directors strategically located in state capitals, and last year added more staff in California and the Southwest.
The MO Angle
Senator Josh Hawley has been a leader in DC’s efforts to rein in Big Tech. In Missouri, the ones who might take up that type of role are Reps. Justin Hill, Jason Chipman and Nick Schroer.
One possible target: universities tracking student behavior.
Washington Post reported that SpotterEDU allows colleges to constantly track the whereabouts students via their cellphones. “Students today have so many distractions,” said Tami Chievous, an associate athletic director at the University of Missouri, where advisers text some freshmen athletes if they don’t show up within five minutes of class. “We have to make sure they’re doing the right thing.”
It hits all the right buttons – a distain for liberal universities, a vigilance on privacy issues, plus the populist skepticism toward new technologies.
Parson Waffles on Gray Machines
Post Dispatch reports that “at the same time investigators in his own administration are working to stamp out the spread of unregulated and untaxed slot machines in Missouri, Gov. Mike Parson said he’s not convinced the terminals are illegal. Rather, the former Polk County sheriff said he is monitoring a Platte County court case that could provide legal guidance to the state’s prosecutors on what constitutes a game of chance versus a game of skill.
‘We first need to clarify what machines constitute gambling and what machines are video games,’ Parson told the Post-Dispatch in response to written questions. The governor’s stance could have an effect on this year's legislative session, in which lawmakers are proposing to either ban slot machines or legalize them in order to capture tax revenue and impose regulations aimed at safeguarding players from unsavory practices…”
Eigel Bits
· The pro-Bill Eigel PAC, BILL PAC, received $75K from Rex Sinquefeld just before the end of the year.
· On wildcard to watch is Eigel’s SJR 44. It states that “No county or other political subdivision shall be authorized to levy or collect a tax on tangible personal property.” And while that frightens the parks and libraries and schools that depend on the tax, anything’s possible in an anti-tax state like Missouri.
· Former Conservative Caucus staffer Jim Lembke writes on Facebook that he will be returning to the capitol, “Next week I will begin my 18th year in our state Capitol. I am excited to continue my work with the senate’s Conservative Caucus. Although much of our work is defense, defending your freedoms and liberty. More times than not, we are also influencing policy.” And predicts that the Republican primaries will “bring re-enforcements. The number of constitutional conservatives will be growing in the Missouri senate.”
Gross Touts Donors
Press release from Democratic AG candidate Elad Gross… “With donations still coming in, we are proud to announce that we have again broken our own record for most donations to a Missouri Attorney General campaign in a quarter. Last quarter, we received over 835 donations, breaking our previous record of 689. That is 9 times the number of donations received by Senator Josh Hawley at this point in his campaign in 2015 for Attorney General, and more than double the field of Democratic candidates for the position in 2015. Our median donation remains at $20…”
People on the Move
· Kate Hangley, previously with House Appropriations, has joined Hahn O’Daniel as their non-lobbyist Budget Specialist.
· Former Rep. Margo McNeil is running for Hazelwood School Board (April election).
· Matt Choinka was named State Treasure Scott Fitzpatrick’s new Senior Policy Advisor. He is replacing David Pearce who left to work for UCM.
$5K+ Contributions
Believe in Life and Liberty - BILL PAC - $75,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
Michelle Sherod for St. Louis - $10,000 from Michelle Sherod.
Uniting Missouri PAC - $32,000 from Alkin Co.
Uniting Missouri PAC - $25,000 from AT&T.
MO Republican Party - $16,000 from Growth and Opportunity PAC.
American Dream PAC - $25,000 from Rudolph Farber.
American Dream PAC - $100,000 from Herzog Contracting Corp.
Growth and Opportunity PAC - $10,000 from Ameren Missouri.
Hurlbert for Missouri - $10,000 from Josh Hurlbert.
UFCW Active Ballot Club-Missouri Federal Committee - $35,000 from United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Active Ballot Club.
Truth in Campaigns - $10,000 from Carpenters Help in the Political Process.
Lobbyists Registrations
Cara Alexander, Rodney Gray, Joan Gummels and Susan Henderson Moore added St. Louis Economic Development Partnership.
Kathryn Harness added National Council State Boards of Nursing.
Jean Dean, Julie Perry, Marti Smith, and Jessica Fujan added National Nurses United and California Nurses Association.
Alexandra McGerigle added Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA).
David Winton and Jessica Petrie added American Heart Association.
Shawn Rhoads and Casey Wasser added Anthem, Inc. and Its Affiliates.
Benjamin John Travlos added Missouri Corn Growers Association.
Heath Clarkston, Kurt Schaefer, and Doug Nelson deleted Vets First Choice.
Gary Elmestad deleted St. Charles County.
Greg Johnston deleted Dominium, and Lyfesystems, Inc.
Brian Wahby deleted STL Aviation Group LLC.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to DaRon McGee.
Saturday: Rep. Dottie Bailey, Rob Schaaf, and Adam McBride.
Sunday: Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, Emilee Lakin, Joe Adams, and Sara Lampe.
MOScout Schedule
The last weekend of slacking before session. No Weekender. See you Monday!