MOScout Daily Update: Senate Budget Mark Up Begins - More House Omnibus Vehicles - State Issues RFQ for PPEs and more...
Senate Budget Mark Up Begins
The Senate will start to work through the budget this morning. See the worksheet for the budget here.
The schedule has the Senate Appropriations Committee meeting today and tomorrow in the Senate Chamber starting at 9:30AM.
GenLaws Approves CLEANER
The House General Laws Committee approved “CLEANER,” a reversal of the redistricting process known as CLEAN Missouri. The hearing room was mostly empty. This brings the epic showdown over redistricting one step closer to the ballot box.
More Omnibus Vehicles
The House added a few more omnibus vehicles to its list
· SB 570 – taxation – 108 pages.
· SB 587 – election officials – 85 pages.
Criticism Continues
The reversal from “everyone stay home” to “we’re going to pass truck-loads of legislation” continues to draw fist-shaking.
On Twitter
Former Post-Dispatch reporter Virginia Young tweets: The way #moleg is crafting laws in a #pandemic is on display as House education committee tries to jam every controversial education bill into one HCS. Many members say more time/answers needed….
Former Republican Budget Chair Carl Bearden tweets with a co-sign from former PSC Chair Kevin Gunn: Unfortunately, the #MOLEG is doing as I predicted, doing unnecessary, business as usual bills while discouraging the public from attending. The last weeks of session are always been most dangerous. Omnibus bills are terrible ways of legislating & will undoubtedly be challenged.
In My In-Box
Lobbyist #1 (Democrat-leaning): The degree of irresponsibility both safety-wise and process-wise is daunting.
Lobbyist #2: I’m a Republican, but this is embarrassing. We have a general assembly trying to cram an entire legislative session into 3 weeks. No vetting, no smart compromises, just load it all up. For a party that is supposed to be about small and good government- this is more about their own personal power and prestige.
Also
The House Ethics Committee meets again this morning. This always stirs up some chatter about speculation of possible legislators involved in sketchy behavior. There’s been a few of these committee meeting this year without any news. By the procedure of the House an outside investigator can be called to investigate and report findings to the committee. That can take time – especially during these times.
State Revenues
With April finally behind us, we’ll get final numbers on the collapse of tax revenues for the month soon.
It’s interesting to see that while individual income tax receipts have been walloped not unsurprisingly, sales tax receipts have been relatively stable. As of a few days ago they were only down about 1% compared with April 2019.
Perhaps one part of the explanation is in Amazon’s sales spike (revenues up 26%) during this crisis. Even without the Wayfair legislation, Missouri does net sales tax revenue from items that Amazon sells – though not its third-party sellers.
State Issues Emergency RFQ for PPE
Missouri has issued an emergency request for quotes for personal protective equipment. See it here.
As a result of the Federal Proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak and the Governor’s Executive Order 20-02 declaring a State of Emergency in response to COVID-19, this procurement is being conducted under emergency procurement authority in accordance with section 34.045 RSMo.
The State of Missouri intends to use Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for distribution to a variety of Missouri entities to provide immediate aid relief for the public good with the intent to benefit the state as a whole. Other state or federal funds may be used in the purchase of PPE.
Since it is unlikely a single vendor can satisfy the state’s significant unmet PPE needs as outlined on the pricing page included herein, the state will accept and place one-time purchase orders with multiple vendors whose product(s) meet the product specifications outlined herein, who have demonstrated reliability as a vendor, who can provide products in a reasonable timeframe, and who can provide the products at a reasonable price. The state will award ongoing purchase contracts to those multiple vendors who can commit to a continuous supply of acceptable product for the contract period…
New Committees
Bill Haas formed and exemption committee to run for Senate 5 as a Democrat.
Missouri Black Caucus PAC was formed. Its treasurer is Jon Johnson.
Lobbyists Registrations
Jonathan Dalton added Ashley Energy LLC.
John Bardgett, Mark Habbas, and Chris Roepe added Sangita Capital Partners.
Jacqueline Bardgett, John Bardgett, Mark Habbas, Erika Leonard, John Parris and Chris Roepe deleted Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), and PGA Tour Inc.
$5K+ Contributions
KCFOP PAC - $6,120 from Kansas City Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 99.
Page PAC - $10,000 from Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local Union No. 36.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Aaron Griesheimer, and Bubs Hohulin.