MOScout Daily Update: PDMP This Week? - Cornovirus Committee Hearing - Dems' Sanders Suburbs Problem and more....

Driving the Day

The House’s new Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention will hold its inaugural hearing today at 1:30PM.  Chaired by Rep. Jonathan Patterson, they’ll be hearing testimony from Dr. Randall Williams, Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services regarding Coronavirus….

PDMP Week in the Senate?

Plans can always change, but the talk it the hallways is that this is the week that the Senate tackles the prescription drug monitoring program.

The Conservative Caucus has previously drawn a line in the sand concerning the legislation.

But…

·         With the majority of the state already operating under St. Louis County’s expansive program, the argument is made that doing nothing hasn’t stopped it, but rather simply yielded the issue to others.

·         And the CC is backing PDMP champion Holly Rehder in her state senate run. Perhaps coming to a compromise is not out of the question?

Sanders a Problem for Dems’ Suburb Play?

Statewide races want a top of the ticket that can energize base voters and help with Democratic turnout.  But those looking at legislative races have a different need from the party’s standard bearer.  Turnout in the safe districts isn’t important to them. They need appeal to the swing districts.  In Missouri, the urban areas are dominated by Democrats and the rural areas are likewise under Republican control.  That means suburbs now the battleground.

The New York Times writes about suburban women being “wary” of Bernie Sanders.  See it here.

In the Trump era, the suburbs have been Democrats’ surprising superpower. A revolt by college-educated voters, largely women, in suburbs from Virginia Beach to Oklahoma City, from Houston to Southern California, delivered the House majority to Democrats in 2018. Driven by anxiety over guns, health care and the environment, and recoiling from President Trump’s caustic leadership, suburban voters are widely seen as a critical bloc for any Democratic victory in 2020.

But there are some early signs that the rise of Senator Bernie Sanders, by far the most liberal Democratic front-runner since George McGovern in 1972, is causing stress with the party’s suburban coalition and especially its core of college-educated white women and older voters, many of whom are politically moderate…

Once More with Feeling

Governing Magazine reports on the “losing gamble” of tax incentives.  See it here.

Perhaps there’s no government policy or program that's as widely reviled, yet universally pursued, as tax incentives.

Study after study demonstrates that when states and cities give out tax breaks to companies looking to relocate or expand, they typically get very limited bang for their bucks, if any. Yet such incentives remain central to development strategies in most jurisdictions.

A study published last summer found that three-quarters of local economic development dollars are devoted to tax incentives, with the amount spent on them tripling since the 1990s.

Long’s Final Run?

From last week’s filing, one reader asks if Congressman Billy Long’s self-imposed term limit pledge is still good?  As Jack Cardetti tweeted: Good pic of @auctnr1 filing for his last term in Congress. His main campaign pledge in 2010 was to only serve for six terms as proof he wasn’t a career politician.

Ag Hearts Biodiesel Mandate

Last week a coalition of convenience stores and truck stops declared their opposition to SB 568 and HB 1858.  This week the agriculture groups are announcing their support, setting a battle over the legislation.

Biodiesel is made in Missouri, from soybeans grown by Missouri farmers, and reduces feed prices for Missouri livestock producers. It doesn’t raise fuel prices for consumers either.

It’s win-win for Missouri. The opposition is out of state oil companies – profiting from Missourians.

Missouri agriculture has said so many times that we’re done with out of state special interests telling Missourians what do to – that’s exactly what the oil companies are doing in opposing this legislation.

Opponents say they support consumer-focused and market-driven biodiesel incentive policies that would not drive up the cost of diesel fuel in Missouri. Our members are huge users of diesel fuel, and they want to see the lowest-cost option when filling up too.

Retail fuel prices ensure profits for the retailers and oil companies. Biodiesel doesn’t threaten their margins.

Those out of state oil companies have been profiting from blending – and selling – biodiesel for years. Their opposition to this legislation is an effort to profit off the back of Missouri agriculture and family farmers….

Missouri agriculture stands together in supporting the future that puts Missouri first. We, representing Missouri’s farmers and ranchers, pledge our full support to biodiesel in Missouri and urge lawmakers to pass this legislation that truly brightens our future: Senate Bill 568 and House Bill 1858.

We appreciate your support,

Missouri Soybean Association Missouri Pork Association

Missouri Corn Growers Association Missouri Farmers Care

Missouri Farm Bureau Missouri Agribusiness Association

Missouri Cattlemen’s Association

New Committees

Bernie Mowinski formed an exemption committee to run for House 124 as a Republican.  That means he won’t raise or spend more than $500. Mowinski is one of four Republicans running to replace termed Rep. Rocky Miller.

Concerned Citizens of Cedar County was formed.  It’s a PAC.  Its treasurer is Brandon Cahill.

Lobbyist Registrations

Michael Bowman added Jeffersonian Project d/b/a ALEC Action.

Zack Brown added Sam Licklider.

Jane Dueker added MCTA – The Missouri Internet & Television Association.

Franc Flotron added Capsa Labs; and deleted Tuva Interactive.

Jeffrey Altmann added Noble Health.

Rodney Hubbard added Cresco Labs.

William Soloman deleted Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City.

Trent Watson deleted American Diabetes Association.

$5K+ Contributions

Change STL PAC - $250,000 from Carpenters Help in the Political Process (CHIPP).

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Rob Monsees and Titus Bond.