MOScout Daily Update: Supplemental, FRA Passed - No Quick 'On Switch' Seen - Reader Cheers for Eigel and more....

Legislature Passes Budget

St. Louis Public Radio’s Jaclyn Driscoll tweet hints that we may see this scene replay itself in the coming weeks… Sen. Pro Tem @DaveSchatz26  says this week was a "trial run" of what it may look like if legislators come back to the Capitol. FY 21 budget still needs to be approved. @GovParsonMO  hinted that there may need to be a special session called to get it done by June 30

The House engaged in some long-distance sniping as Democrats felt they’d earned a “told ya so,” and Republicans reacted defensively.

But despite the jabs, the legislature got the job done.

Fauci on New Normal

Wall Street Journal has an interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci in which he sketches out the next phase of fighting the virus – after it’s spread has been stopped.  Listen to it here.  He envisions restaurants initially at half capacity and measures like that occurring on a voluntary basis.

As I write yesterday, this suggests that the economic recovery won’t be as crisp as flipping ‘off switch’ back on.  Instead we may see lingering overhang.

·         A subdued economic rebound is presumably not good for the incumbent party.

·         And it will bedevil state budgeteers.

eMailbag on Eigel

I have not been a fan of Senator Bill Eigel. So I am going to do something I never thought I’d do - give him credit for doing the right thing on securing more federal relief money for nursing homes, particularly those taking Medicaid patients. The risk situation with COVID19 is bad enough for everyone, but it’s terrifying when it comes to this most vulnerable group, seniors already in skilled nursing care.

A relative is in skilled nursing care paid by Medicaid. The facility administrator told my family their overhead costs - for which the state provides only nominal adjustments - have skyrocketed. For example, some patient activities involving client movement are required by regulation to use two professional staffers. Social distancing and new outlays for personal protective gear, frequently changed, make this tough.

Governor Parson, trying to plug budget holes leaking like an old canoe, originally had ZERO designated for nursing homes.

Eigel, in whose home county of St. Charles we have seen a surge in nursing home deaths of both patients and staff, pushed his amendment to designate $125 million for nursing homes. The final bill heading to Parson has $90 million for nursing homes - a vast and sensible improvement. So kudos to Eigel, and it makes my throat hurt saying it out loud.

New Committees

Sarah Semple formed a candidate committee (Semple For State Assembly) to run for House 132 as a Republican.

$5K+Contributions

House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $10,000 from Friends of Rob Vescovo.

Midwest Region Laborers' Political League Education Fund - $6,215 from Laborers Supplemental Dues Fund.

Campaign for Clean Water STL - $10,000 from Anheuser-Busch Companies.

MO State Council of Machinists PAC - $25,000 from Machinist Non-Partisan Political League.

Health Care Issues Committee of the Missouri Hospital Association           SSM Health Care - St Louis 10101 Woodfield Lane St Louis MO 63132             4/8/2020          $11,550.00

Health Care Issues Committee of the Missouri Hospital Association - $55,027 from Mercy Accounts Payable Shared Services.

Missourians for Better Health Care - $10,000 from 417 PAC.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Casey Wasser, Judy Baker and Matt Lieberman.  

Friday: Eric Greitens.

Saturday: Dave Leipholtz, Matt Sain, Meghan McCann, Cara Alexander, Heidi Kolkmeyer, and Steve Roberts Sr.

Sunday: Courtney Curtis.

MOScout Schedule

Taking off for a long weekend.  IHME says that the United States’ will see the virus peak this weekend.  I’ll see you Monday.