MOScout Daily Update: Who Didn't Sign Budget Conference Reports - Bad Moon Vote? - House Sends MMJ Letter to DHSS and more...
Driving the Day: Bad News
· This morning we’ll get the April unemployment number. Economists are guestimating it exploded to 16%-ish. Sometimes bad news is good news if it’s not worse news. So we’ll see…
· Axios this morning has a chart of state revenue declines, calling it an “economic death spiral.” Missouri is near the top/bottom. See it here. Yes, it’s bad. But probably not that bad. Remember, there’s probably a pretty big chuck of the drop that’s just been deferred until July because we moved our tax deadline. And in theory, folks who are getting a refund filed as usual while folks who owe will wait until the summer.
Budget Day
The Budget conference committee met yesterday and hammered out their compromises, clearing the way for both chambers to pass the budget today.
Here are the folks who didn’t sign the conference committee reports…
HB 2004 (Revenue and MODoT) – Rep. Peter Merideth didn’t sign.
HB 2006 (Ag, DNR, Conservation) – Reps. Tommie Pierson and Kip Kendrick, and Sen. Mike Cunningham didn’t sign.
HB 2008 (Public safety) – Rep. Deb Lavender didn’t sign.
And
The controversial pull-tab expansion in HB 2004 was eliminated in conference. “[D]elivery of no more than 500 video pull tab machines with a maximum of six machines per location in fraternal organizations only.”
Senate 29: Bad Moon Vote?
Rep. Mike Moon was one of only four No votes in the House yesterday on SB 676. It’s an omnibus taxation bill. Moon made have found on of the provisions offensive, or perhaps thinks it’s an unconstitutional bill due to Hammerschmidt. But one observer noted it had components that are likely popular with his constituents: “it had tax relief for victims of terrorism in it… [and] I wonder how taxing stimulus payments is going to play in the 29th Senatorial District?”
What It Means
Over the course of his career, Moon has had no problem being one of the few No votes when proposals violate one of his principles.
This means his primary opponent, David Cole, will have a lot of fodder for attack pieces. Assuming that Cole has enough money to exploit this, it’s a huge advantage.
House MMJ Investigation Continues
Kansas City Star reports on the continuing House investigation into the implementation of the state’s medical marijuana program. See it here.
The Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight on Thursday sent a letter to the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) demanding it turn over a trove of records documenting interactions with industry insiders and detailing how key decisions were made… In a letter to DHSS Thursday signed by every member of the committee — six Republicans and three Democrats — state Rep. Robert Ross wrote that the records request stemmed from “too many unanswered questions” by DHSS officials during a series of public hearings earlier this year…
Along with the records request, Ross also provided the committee with a copy of a whistle-blower complaint he received in March from someone purporting to be a DHSS employee. The unsigned letter accuses DHSS officials of lying to legislators during public testimony earlier this year and questions the qualifications and salaries of those running the program. “Marijuana has been a cluster from day one,” the letter says…
Running Statewide Via Virtual Town Halls
I seem to get these announcements mostly from Democrats running statewide. It’s a tough situation. Compared to their Republican counterparts, they’re behind on cash and their behind on name ID, and the coronavirus has forced them into virtual campaigning.
Launching her statewide campaign for Missouri Lieutenant Governor, Alissia Canady will host a town hall to introduce herself to Missourians and take questions from members of the public. This spring, Canady – a former Kansas City Councilwoman and Jackson County Assistant Prosecutor who has committed more than a decade to fighting for working families – announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor. To promote social distancing and protect Missourians from COVID-19 transmission, the town hall will be held via livestream with Q&A submitted by attendees. Canady will be introduced by her mother, Regina Canady, and deliver remarks prior to taking live questions from attendees….
And
Amplifying this effect is the increasing partisan tilt the reopening has been taking. Because the virus has hit the denser populations of the urban areas harder where more Democratic voters live, the Democratic politicians have generally been less enthusiastic to embrace the reopenings.
You see the partisan skew in the legislature where nearly all Democrats wear masks and Republicans are seemingly 50-50 on the practice.
This means that Democratic candidates are less likely to get out and press the flesh for quite some time. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has resumed his campaign, and Governor Mike Parson conducts his tour without a mask.
Task Force Recommends Licensure
Moving against this session’s current of deregulating professional licensing, the Joint Task Force on Radiologic Technologist Licensure reported that it recommends licensure of individuals to perform radiation therapy and individuals to perform radiologic imaging.
New Committees
Colby Murphy formed a candidate committee (Citizens for Colby Murphy) to run for House 10 as a Democrat.
Eric Holmes formed a candidate committee (Friends for Eric Holmes) to run for House 14 as a Republican.
Sheoni Givens formed a candidate committee (Sheoni Givens for Missouri) to run for House 22 as a Democrat.
Lisa Rees formed a candidate committee (Committee to Elect Lisa Rees) to run for House 103 as a Democrat.
Citizen Engaged PAC was formed. Its treasurer is Linda Yeager.
Lobbyists Registrations
Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, and Jake Silverman added Beleaf Company.
Salvatore Panettiere added University of Missouri-Kansas City Trustees.
Doug Stone added Springfield Plaza CID.
$5K+ Contributions
Taxpayer Unlimited Inc - $13,169 from Public Safety Concern.
NKC Schools Community Committee - $10,000 from McCownGordon Construction.
CL PAC - $10,000 from Greg Johnston.
Ryan Johnson for Cass County - $10,000 from Ryan Johnson.
MO PORK-PAC - $7,855 from Dean Rehmeier.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Tom Dempsey, and Jeanie Lauer.