MOScout Daily Update: Coronovirus Reorders Session - Gov Announces 2nd MO Case - Dems Offer Aggressive Agenda and more...

Coronavirus Update

The Senate is now on break for two weeks, and the House is working to finish up its initial work on the budget.

The House Budget Committee will mark up the Budget on Sunday, and the full House will reconvene sometime mid-week or late next week to pass it.

Speaker Elijah Haahr reiterated the House’s commitment to fulfill their constitutional duty… AND, pass the FRA tax!  Yes, as much as they need to pass a budget, the legislature also needs to make sure there are enough funds.  The annual ritual of renewing the tax to draw down federal funds to sustain the state’s Medicaid program needs to happen at some point.

What It Means

We’re in a wait-and-see mode right now. But there are clearly some imagining that this legislative session will be truncated in some fashion. 

·         If things go full Italy here, one would expect legislative leaders with the second floor to decide what handful of priority bills need to get passed, and let everything else wait until 2021.

·         By contrast, the hopefully scenario is that the policies being enacted in the urban areas have their desired effect of minimizing the virus spread, while the diffuse population of the rural areas prevents any significant transmission throughout the state.  The legislature reconvenes after a few weeks and has a relatively normal session with fewer school buses and lobby days, and added precautions in place.

Second MO Case

The press release: Governor Mike Parson, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Springfield-Greene County Health Department Director Clay Goddard, and medical professionals announced the state’s second case to test presumptive positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The specimen, conducted by the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory, has been forwarded to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory.

This case is travel-related. The individual, whose age is in the twenties, is from Springfield and recently traveled back from Austria.

“As Governor, I have no greater responsibility than to keep all Missourians healthy and safe,” Governor Parson said. “I know there is growing concern across the state and the nation right now, but I want to assure you that we are taking all steps necessary to protect the people of our state.”

What It Means

That canned press release offers a much better quote from Parson than he gave on the fly to KMOX where he basically threw his hands in the air.  Listen to Governor Ho-Hum here.  “It’s not going to come down to the government to fix this…”

Dems Press For Aggressive Action

Channeling their patron saint Rahm Emanuel, Democrats are anxious to not waste this crisis. At their presser, Minority Leader Crystal Quade offered an aggressive agenda for how Missouri could fight the pandemic.  See it here.

·         Parson should declare state of emergency.

·         Funding to reimburse uninsured Missourians.

·         Additional funding for county health departments.

·         Mandatory paid sick leave for companies with 50+ employees (6-month sunset).

·         If schools close, additional resources for non-profits that provide food to kids.

·         Furloughing non-violent inmates.

·         Require insurance companies to cover testing.

·         Economic protection for hourly state employees.

·         Authorize DHSS to erect temporary hospitals and quarantine facilities, if needed.

·         Provide additional funding for mobile testing units.

·         Suspend rule changes to SNAP program.

·         Prohibit utilities services from being cut-off.

·         Prohibit evictions.

·         Cancel rate cuts for hospital reimbursements.

What It Means

This particular crisis seems tailor made for a Democratic activist agenda.  The Republicans’ usual toolbox of tax incentives and deregulation aren’t ill-fitted to give Missourians comfort that government is trying to minimize the virus’ impact. 

As a result, there’s a clear contrast between a dozen policy ideas from the House Minority Leader, and the Speaker pledging to do the bare constitutional minimum.

Planning Ahead

From Axios this morning… The U.S. has no national plan for how to ration care if intensive care units and ventilators are all in use. State leaders and hospitals would need to write down actual policies now to avoid making those decisions on the fly, like Italian officials have had to.

New Candidate Filings

Phyllis Hardwick filed to run in house 19 as a Democrat.  That creates a three-way primary with the obvious favorite being the incumbent, Rep. Ingrid Burnett.

Ron Fauss filed to run in House 53 as a Democrat.  Democrats will have a primary to decide who loses to the Republican in this seat, now held by termed Rep. Glen Kolkmeyer.

Allison Schoolcraft filed to run in House 131 as a Democrat.  There’s a Republican primary here to replace termed Rep. Sonya Anderson.

Sarah Semple filed to run in House 132 as a Republican.  She’ll face Minority Leader Crystal Quade.

Lobbyist Registrations

David Winton and Jessica Petrie added Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital.

Matthew Dennis Alsager deleted Cole County, and Franklin Apprenticeships.

Heath Clarkston, Doug Nelson, and Kurt Schaefer deleted Missouri Soybean Association.

Kathryn Harness deleted Ameresco Inc.

Salvatore Panettiere deleted Aligned.

$5K+ Contributions

POL PAC - $60,000 from Polsinelli.

Missourians for a New Approach - $20,000 from Swamp East Growers LLC.

Missouri AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education - $5,452 from Missouri State AFL-CIO.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Rep. Brad Hudson.