MOScout Daily Update: FRA Impasse - Wayfair Gets Closer - SAPA Passes Senate - Rooting for HB 850 - Mask Off! and more...
Less than 12 hours left, good luck out there…
1 Day Left… Kinda
Here we are at the end again. Every session is basically the same; it’s only the surprises that change…
One of the many surprises still playing out is this game of chicken with the FRA tax. It happens to some extent every session, but never to this degree.
The Senate had a long night. After spending hours working through SAPA and other pieces of legislation, it returned to the vexing FRA issue.
Sens. Bob Onder and Paul Wieland successfully held the line that their anti-abortion language should be attached to the tax renewal. And the will of the body appears to be on their side – albeit very narrowly.
Around 4AM the Senate recessed, to return at 10AM. Recessing rather than adjourning means when they come back in this morning, it’ll still technically be in Thursday’s session (hence no Senate Journal has been produced yet).
This doesn’t elongate the legislative session. The clock continues to tick its way to a 6PM put-your-pencils-down deadline. But it can give a little extra procedural “time” if the rules dictate.
Parson Says Sorry, No $$$ for MedEx
Press release: “Although I was never in support of MO HealthNet expansion, I always said that I would uphold the ballot amendment if it passed. The majority of Missouri voters supported it, and we included funds for the expansion in our budget proposal,” Governor Mike Parson said. “However, without a revenue source or funding authority from the General Assembly, we are unable to proceed with the expansion at this time and must withdraw our State Plan Amendments to ensure Missouri’s existing MO HealthNet program remains solvent.”
Minority Leader Crystal Quade: “By backtracking on implementation of Medicaid expansion, Governor Parson is breaking his promise to the people of this state and violating his oath to uphold the Missouri Constitution… Medicaid expansion will still happen as the constitution requires, but because of the governor’s dishonorable action, it will take a court order to do it.”
Next
The assumption is that someone among the expanded population will apply for Medicaid, be rejected, and sue to send the matter to the courts.
Wayfair Gets Closer
The Senate passed the conference committee report on SB 153, one of the two Wayfair vehicles in play, moving the bill closer still to the finish line.
Sensing victory on this thorny issue was finally at hand, one lobbyist stopped me in the hallways to tell me that of course Sen. Andrew Koenig gets huge props for his enduring hard work on the issue – but don’t forget to give three cheers for his staffer, Daniel Wilhelm who “busted his ass” working the issue.
Driving the Day: Mask off
The CDC changed its guidance yesterday, saying that fully vaccinated individuals could resume their daily routines without wearing facemasks.
It appears that the urban areas – where compliance to these guidelines has been highest – were poised to change their local directives accordingly.
FYI
· 41% of Missourians over the age of 18 are now fully vaccinated. See it here.
· Demand for vaccinations continues to decline. On the April 11 high Missouri’s 7-day average of vaccination doses given was over 54,000. Today that 7-day average is below 19,000. See it here.
· Hospitals reported 811 Missourians currently hospitalized due to COVID. See it here.
Senate Passes SAPA
The Senate took up and passed SAPA (Second Amendment Protection Act). It was a big priority for conservatives. Sen. Eric Burlison handled the bill, Rep. Jered Taylor’s HB 85.
Sen. Lauren Arthur offered an amendment to curtail the gun rights of those involved in situations of domestic abuse. That amendment was rejected.
One would expect this will be finally passed by the House today.
Wiemann Eigel Election Bill
Rep. John Wiemann’s HB 850 to which Sen. Bill Eigel threw in language to make statewide primary elections include a run-off was passed by the Senate and heads back to the House. It’s a long shot with only one day left.
Why political junkies should cheer for this bill? It has the greatest potential to create a free-for-all US Senate primary.
· One lobbyist says, “A lot of congresspersons who want to run want this.”
· And if all those congresspeople leap at the Senate brass ring, it creates open congressional seats for state senators to run for.
MMJ Provision Cut
MO Indy reports that “an effort by lawmakers to require disclosure of ownership information for businesses granted medical marijuana licenses was derailed on Thursday, when state regulators suggested a possible gubernatorial veto.”
· It’s sponsor, Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, said DHSS’ decision to deem ownership records confidential has caused problems in providing oversight of the program. He pointed to recent analysis by The Independent and The Missourian of the 192 dispensary licenses issued by the state that found several instances where a single entity was connected to more than five dispensary licenses. The state constitution prohibits the state from issuing more than five dispensary licenses to any entity under substantially common control, ownership or management.
· Sen. Eric Burlison, a Republican from Battlefield and the bill’s sponsor, called the medical marijuana amendment an “awesome idea. I think it’s awesome.” However, he said opposition from the department puts the entire bill in jeopardy.
· Alex Tuttle, a lobbyist for DHSS, said if the bill were to pass with the medical marijuana amendment still attached, the department may recommend Gov. Mike Parson veto it. The threat of a veto proved persuasive, as several members of the conference committee expressed apprehension about the idea of the amendment sinking the entire bill.
TAFPed
Yesterday’s Truly Agreed and Finally Passed bills…
Sen. Bill White’s SB 44, dealing with water infrastructure.
Sen. Lincoln Hough’s SB 45, dealing with firefighters get cancer.
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer’s SB 53, hodge-podge crime bill.
Sen. Eric Burlison’s SCR 4, calling for constitutional convention.
Rep. Hannah Kelly’s HB 432, dealing with parental rights.
Rep. Rudy Veit’s HB 557, dealing with children protections.
Rep. Michael O’Donnell’s HB 734, dealing with utility securitization.
Lobbyists Registrations
Sam Beffa added Fischer & Frichtel Custom Homes LLC.
Dave Tierney added Bayer US LLC.
Shawn Rhoads added Advantage Capital Partners.
Scott Swain deleted Advantage Capital Partners.
$5K+Contributions
Meggie Biesenthal for Judge - $10,000 from Meggie Biesenthal.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to (Saturday) to John Wiemann, and Angie Schulte.
Sunday: Deanna Hemphill, and Jackie Buschjost.
MOScout Schedule
With the end of session, I’m taking the weekend off. No Weekender or Sunday 6. I’ll be sleeping in and watching some 13U baseball this weekend. See you Monday!