MOScout Daily Update: Transgender Next Week in Senate? - Gross in 2024? - Shawan in 2024? - Chhikara for Malek and more...

Quick Friday update…

1 Week Until Spring Break

We’re nearing the end of the first half of this legislative session.  Spring Break is the traditional divider – even when it doesn’t fall exactly at the halfway point.

Senate Pro Tem Caleb Rowden referred another 70 bills to committees yesterday, and the body passed the expansion of Medicaid benefits for postpartum care.  The House passed the bill dealing with foreign ownership of Missouri land.

Next week…

·       The House will presumably pass the St. Louis police takeover bill.

·       The Senate is said to be prepping to tackle transgender issues.  I think leadership would very much like to put that divisive issue behind it, and give everyone a week off to cool down.

Then when we return it’s an eight-week print to the finish…

Gross Hints at 2024 Run

In a 30-sec web video, Elad Gross emerges from under his car as the caption reads “First oil change of the 2024 journey.”

Gross ran for attorney general in 2020, losing in the Democratic primary (55%-44%) to Rich Finneran. 

·       My bet would be on another AG run.

Shawan Eyes 2024?

Former Rep. Jeff Shawan unveiled his website for his run for the Ozark Border Electric Cooperative Board of Directors.  It used the same slogan (Actions Speak Louder) from his unsuccessful 2020 state senate bid. 

·       One politico suggests this is the opening scene of Act II: “Folks should expect to see him on a couple ballots in the next couple years.”

Chhikara for Malek

According to the Missouri Accountability Portal, Karan “Kern” Chhikara is the new Director of Communications for State Treasurer Vivek Malek.

Poll on Election Reforms

Secure Democracy released a polling memo looking at possible election reforms in Missouri.  See the memo here.

Key findings from the poll of Missouri voters include:

·       72 percent of Missouri voters support being able to fix minor mistakes on one's ballot, such as a missing signature or date, to ensure their vote is counted.

·       84 percent of Missouri voters support allowing voters to track their absentee ballot.

·       Missouri voters support allowing local election officials to process ballots when their office receives them by a 4:1 margin… Current rules bar local election officials from processing absentee ballots until five days before Election Day.

·       A majority (58 percent) of Missouri voters support restoring voting eligibility to those convicted of a felony upon their release from incarceration.

eMailbag: Senate 15

One Dem wonders if Senate 15 is winnable in 2024 and worth going after… “Ask the two St. Louis area legislative candidates who lost by a combined 300 votes if we should dump millions into SD-15 to lose by 8 again. We Dems love shiny objects!”

Lobbyists Registrations

Jon Hensley and Zach Pollock added United Gaming LLC.            

Scott Swain added Safer St. Louis, LLC. 

Maeve Gardner added Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.   

George Oestreich deleted Genoa, A QOL Healthcare Company.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Jason Groce, Heath Clarkston, Maria Walden, and John Hancock.