MOScout Daily Update: Gov To Streamline ECE - Schatz Agenda - O'Laughlin Eyes Caps on Hospitals - Schmitt Backs TX Lawsuit - Renaming Columbus Day? and more...

Gov to Streamline Early Childhood

Word is circulating that Governor Mike Parson is planning to boost the profile of early childhood services by consolidating initiatives from across state government into a new office. 

According to initial plans, the yet-to-be-named structure will be located in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  It will house child care and home visitation programs currently in various departments under a single roof – all aimed at providing early childhood services without the fragmentation and duplication of the current sprawling structure.

The governor’s team has not finalized the plan but expect more details early next year.

The Latest COVID Liability Bill

Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer’s SB 51 appears to be the latest version of the COVID liability bill. See it here.

With Sen. Ed Emery termed out, Luetkemeyer will likely take up the mantle for COVID liability.  It was rumored that Luetkemeyer had planned to introduce this bill as a substitute for Emery’s during special session.  That contributed to the governor’s office, seeing the possibility for a big fight, getting cold feet. 

One would expect that this bill will be referred to the Judiciary Committee which Luetkemeyer chairs.

The Schatz Agenda

The leaders of the chambers file very few bills.  For example, neither Speaker Rob Vescovo nor House Floor Leader Dean Plocher have pre-filed bills. 

Senate Pro Tem Dave Schatz has four bills pre-filed.

·         Two deal with a gas tax hike (a statutory change, and a constitutional amendment).  Springfield News Leader looks at the politics behind a gas tax increase here.

·         Another concerns his long-time crusade to shut down illegal “gray” gaming machines. See it here.

·         And the fourth would create a regulatory framework for licensing mechanical contractors.  See it here.  That’s raised concerns from conservatives before who general eschew more regulations.  But the Senate did endorse a voluntary licensing framework for roofers back in 2018 when Sen. Mike Cierpiot added it to HB 1719 which subsequently passed out of the Senate.

O’Laughlin Eyes Medicaid Reform

In a recent op/ed (see it here), Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin looks ahead to Medicaid expansion with concern for its impact on the budget.  She writes that she expects to see a big push to reform Medicaid to deal with its costs.  Among her ideas…

·         [C]apping the reimbursements hospitals receive for Medicaid patients; this will also help level the playing field for reimbursements to hospitals in urban versus rural areas. Currently, some hospitals are paid triple the amount of reimbursement in an urban hospital versus a rural one.

·         [I]mplement pro-market reforms that encourage competition and choice in the health care market.

·         I would also like to see a measure of responsibility for costs incurred assigned to the Medicaid population. Just as other consumers have responsibility for their choices, so should Medicaid recipients learn that everything has a cost. Better choices lead to cost savings.

Vaccine Pushback?

Rep. Suzie Pollock has filed a few bills to limit the ability of schools and day cares to deny admission based on whether someone is vaccinated according to their policies.

·         HB 35 and HB 37 limit institutions ability to decide which vaccinations can be required. 

·         While HB 34 states that “for any case referred to the county medical examiner, coroner, physician, or local registrar under subsection 6 of this section to determine and certify the cause of death of any child under four years of age, the certificate of death form shall include a request for information regarding the date and type of the decedent's last immunization…”

And

Missouri Independent writes about a recent Appeals Court decision backing a charter school for barring a child without immunizations who didn’t follow the proper procedure to claim a religious exemption.  See it here.

Schmitt Backs Texas Lawsuit To Overturn Election

Annnnnd he’s back!  Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s alter ego, Mr. Pander, returns to AG’s office, announcing on Twitter that he “will help lead the effort in support of Texas’ #SCOTUS filing today.  Missouri is in the fight.”

·         This will, no doubt, be popular with the Republican base.  As “chicken fry,” a Twitter follower of Schmitt’s, writes: “You are an American hero. Thank you! You will be remember as a fighter in one of the hardest fights for freedom since the Civil War. Keep the good fight.”

Sherod Eyes Next Act

Michelle Sherod, who lost the over the summer to Sen-elect Steven Roberts in the Senate 5 Democratic primary, has filed to run for alderwoman in St. Louis City’s 17th Ward.  The incumbent, Joe Roddy, isn’t running for re-election.

Goodbye Columbus

From Sen-elect Angela Walton Mosley’s pre-filed SB 271… [changes] the second Monday in October from "Columbus Day" to "Native Americans' Day".

Lobbyists Registrations

Craig Steven Johnson added Missouri Broadband Providers.

Nancy Giddens and Shannon Cooper added T-Mobile USA Inc., and deleted Sprint.

Sonette Magnus deleted Outworx Group.

$5K+ Contributions

Together KC - $25,000 from Shook Hardy & Bacon.

Together KC - $25,000 from H&R Block.

Together KC - $15,000 from HNTB Corporation.

Dem Leg Camp Com Missouri-Out of State Committee - $175,000 from Dem Leg Camp Com. Dem Leg Camp Com Missouri-Out of State Committee - $10,000 from Dem Leg Camp Com.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Jeff Smith, Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland, and Blake Lawrence.