MOScout Daily Update: Slow MO Vaccinations - Will There Be a SOTS? - Price Ejected From Dem Caucus - PHE Adds $169M to Budget - EVs in STL and more...

Scrutiny Of Vaccine Distribution

Two widely shared reports over the weekend brought scrutiny to the state’s vaccine rollout.  It should be noted that while there may be real communication issues – folks knowing how and where to sign up – there’s also a big underlying problem: lack of supply from the federal government.

·         Post-Dispatch reports: “Missouri is not vaccinating residents quickly enough to reach widespread immunity by this summer, key regional health officials said. Even if the vaccination rate tripled, it’s not clear that enough Missourians want to be inoculated to markedly slow the pandemic. The vaccines are expected to ease Missouri’s infection rates. But experts generally now say the virus will spread, in lower numbers, for years to come…”

·         NYTimes reports on how quickly states are vaccinating their populations.  According to CDC numbers Missouri is dead last (50th) among states. 

What It Means

·         While there’s reporting lag in the data the CDC reported, it’s hard to spin your way out of a last-place ranking.

·         The criticism of the slow vaccine rollout may overshadow Governor Mike Parson’s State of the State address which was expected to focus on efforts to restart the economy and workforce development. 

·         Vaccine distribution must be job number one right now.

Driving the Day: Will There Be a SOTS?

Speaking of State of the State… will it even happen?  And in what form?  It’s scheduled for Wednesday at 3PM, and normally takes place before a joint session.

·         But one building denizen points out that the governor has “not been invited to give a State of the State Address?  The Floor Leader [Dean Plocher] has yet to offer the House Resolution.”

·         Word is that his staff has been hit hard by the House outbreak, and it’s unknown whether we’ll see a resolution for the SOTS when the House convenes today at 4PM.

·         On the other side of the building, we’ll see to what extent the positive test from Sen. Andrew Koenig has other senators isolating after close contact with him.  That could seriously deplete their ranks for this week.

Dems Expel Price From Caucus

In a Sunday evening press release, House Dems announced they’d voted to expel Rep. Wiley Price from their caucus. “Rep. Price’s removal from the House Democratic Caucus is necessary to hold him accountable for his actions, uphold the integrity of the Ethics Committee’s findings against him and further reinforce that retaliation against employees will be met with serious consequences.”

·         There’s no indication that this rebuke will move Price to resign his seat, though at this point that would obviously be in the best interests of his constituents.  He will not serve on any committees.

·         In past sessions, an exiled Democrat might find themselves wooed by an opportunistic Republican speaker, willing to give them an assignment or advance a piece of legislation in return for a vote.  The chances of Speaker Rob Vescovo employing that tactic are 0%.  Vescovo won’t be playing footsie with Price.

·         According to House Rules, Price will retain an office and a parking space.  Though one veteran observer noted that the rules do “not say where the office or parking space shall be.”

·         I heard from a few folks who view this as a make-good attempt by Dems after blowback from their vote to not expel Price from the body.  “If you are expelling him from the Caucus yet continue to allow him to serve, you are only disenfranchising his constituents and gaining nothing in return. This was a screw up by the House Dems and they are trying to walk it back…”

Good Budget News

Former Rep. Kip Kendrick flagged this tweet from Politico which reports that the federal government is extending the “Public Health Emergency” which increased the share of Medicaid that they would pay by 6.2%.

According to former Rep. Deb Lavender this will add $169 million in federal payments to the MO Medicaid budget each quarter.

EV Readiness Policy Passes in St. Louis City

On Friday, the City of St. Louis officially passed legislation (by a vote of 29-0) to ensure EV Readiness policies are fully incorporated into new and/or substantially remodeled residential, multi-family, and commercial projects.  Not only will Board Bills 161, 162, and 181 call for EV ready infrastructure, in multi-family and commercial construction projects with off-street parking of a certain size, charge ports will actually be required. It is believed this legislation is the first of its kind in Missouri. While at first glance, you may think this is just a 'left wing' policy in Missouri's most liberal city. Think again. Looking ahead just two to three years, this type of requirement will be the norm, and the faster munis adapt, the more prepared they will be which will save millions of dollars in retrofits. If you don't believe it, wait for the Super Bowl commercials in just a few weeks – you will find a number of new electric vehicles coming into the market faster than expected. It's real. It's here. Charge up!

Razer Introduces YouTube Channel

Sen. Greg Razer has started a Youtube Channel.  He says he’ll be putting up “reports” there as session unfolds.  His first video outlines the legislation he’s filed. See it here.

eMailbag: Hodge Podge

This staff story is incredible.  Fascinating to witness in real time younger Dems arrive at the realization we conservatives knew all along: #MeToo*

*Some Conditions May Apply

You have to look at this as a two-part question. Of course, the party that holds the Presidency almost always does worse in an off-year election cycle. But Biden himself is a likable older white traditional male, the kind of demographic that plays well in Missouri. He won’t have the same down ballot effect that Obama had on Republican turnout, for obvious reasons.

Wow, righteous anger at Sen. Koenig because…he got COVID, announced it,  and is quarantining.  Yeah, that must be wrong because…WAIT…there is nothing wrong with that.

Help Wanted

Archdiocese of St. Louis seeks Executive Director, Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation.  “Reporting to TTEF’s Board of Directors chairperson, the Executive Director (ED) has strategic and operational responsibility for TTEF’s staff, programs, resource development, vision, and execution of its mission. The ED will be an enthusiastic champion of the mission of TTEF, conveying the relevance and importance of its cause to stakeholders. Likewise, the ED will bring leverage to deepen relationships with current supporters and develop their own connections within the education based nonprofit space to further TTEF’s mission. The ED will have a distinguished track record of strong leadership and achievement in business, government or non-profit management, with particular strengths in communications, resource development, strategic planning, and general management…”  See the ad here.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jeremy LaFaver added Empower Missouri (formerly Mo Association For Social Welfare), and American Clean Power Association; and deleted American Wind Energy Association.

Emma Leigh Shankland added Empower Missouri.

$5K+ Contributions

Friends of Randy Minchew - $10,000 from Richard Miller.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Mark Rhoads, Jack Oliver, Gracia Backer, Michael Corcoran, and Carol Howard.