MOScout Daily Update: MSIP6 Bomb - SAPA Tossed (But Not Dead Yet) - Latest Utility Fight - Bailey to RBC? - Al Watkins Watch and more...

MSIP6 Scores Fallout

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released the latest Annual Performance Report.  This was the first report based on a new scoring system, Missouri School Improvement Program 6.

MSIP6 gives much more weighting to academic performance, and academic improvement.  The impact of the change is a dramatic downward revaluation of many districts.

For example, this chart shows that previously 320 districts were classified “accredited with distinction.”  Under MSIP6, that category basically vanishes.  Only 4 districts could claim that status.  Under the MSIP5, 9 districts were unaccredited or provisionally accredited.  With MSIP6, that number balloons to 114 districts.

Another way of looking at it.  Instead of clustering most districts near the top categories, MSIP6 gives us something closer to a bell curve.

There’s some COVID hangover in student achievement for sure.  But it’s mostly that the State Board of Education with MSIP6 is putting forth a more rigorous standard, and thereby challenging schools to up their efforts in student achievement.

·       Despite the gnashing of teeth, these numbers won’t result in any change in accreditation status.  This is considered a pilot year.  Next year’s report won’t impact status either.  Instead, the first accreditation changes based on MSIP6 will be in two years when the 2024 report is released.

Rumorville: Bailey to RBC

A tipster says Attorney General Andrew Bailey will be making his case to top St. Louis executives. 

“Bailey is scheduled to speak at a Thursday breakfast meeting of the St. Louis Regional Business Council. Acutely aware of St. Louis’ issues with crime and public safety, the CEOs of the region's largest and most influential companies are hosting Bailey at a private session in Clayton. This means candid questions for the new Republican AG from top St. Louis executives about various proposals, including having the AG step in when the St. Louis Circuit Attorney allows cases of violent crime to languish.”

The Day Ahead

·       9AM Utilities Committee is expected to exec on Rep. Ed Lewis’ HB 992.  The bill would eliminate competitive bidding for construction of new transmission lines, instead giving those projects to the incumbents who claim they can do the jobs more efficiently. It’s supported by the big utilities, labor, and business groups, and opposed by a coalition of right-side free-market advocates and left-leaning environmental / consumer groups.

·       The Senate will resume debate on Sen. Mike Moon’s SB 49 dealing with gender transition procedures.  Senate leadership wants to come to resolution before the end of the week.

·       Sports betting and tax cuts are both on the House perfection calendar.  We’ll see if they debate those hot topics today.

Open Enrollment Inches Ahead

The House squeaked through a perfection vote on Rep. Brad Pollitt’s open enrollment bill.  An amendment limited the number of students who could transfer to 3%.  That, plus some arm twisting, pushed supporters to the magical 82 votes, and perfected the bill.

·       School choice advocates, acknowledged the tight vote count, but feel like they’re in okay shape for the third-read vote. Rep. Dirk Deaton missed the vote and will be in the Aye column.  Additionally, Reps. Mazzie Boyd and Holly Jones both voted present after running as school choice supporters.  They could be potential additional votes. (We’ll see).

·       Education groups liked the 3% amendment, but will still fight the bill fiercely if it sees floor time in the Senate.

SAPA Tossed

The Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) was ruled unconstitutional by a judge yesterday.

SAPA had been cheered by many Republicans as the ultimate 2A protection against federal overreach, but bemoaned by some law enforcement as debilitating.

·       Read the court decision here (courtesy of Missouri Independent’s Rebecca Rivas).

·       Post Dispatch reports that “Missouri’s Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey vowed to appeal.”

What It Means

One Republican sees this as another chance for Bailey to shine… “The judge’s ruling will be short lived in the Republican-dominated Eighth Circuit. The DOJ and Judge Brian Wimes just gave AG Bailey a gift.”

Aldridge Moves On

Yesterday Rep. Rasheen Aldridge successfully moved on to the April general election in his bid to join the St. Louis Board of Alderman.  He’ll face Ebony Washington, niece to lobbyist Rodney Hubbard.  Brandon Bosley, brother to Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, was eliminated.

Watkins Watch

Wall Street Journal has a long report about sexual assault allegations against “a prominent grandmaster” Alejandro Ramirez.  Read it here.

Those mentioned in the article include…

·       Rex Sinquefield, because of Ramirez’ involvement with “the powerful” St. Louis Chess Club.

·       St. Louis University, where Ramirez was chess coach.

·       Al Watkins, attorney for Ramirez.

“Superimposing today’s mores on erroneous recitals of acts of yesteryear is a recipe for disaster for both the accused and the accuser,” Mr. Ramirez’s attorney, Albert Watkins, said.

Interesting…

Missouri neighbor Oklahoma rejected recreational marijuana yesterday. And it wasn’t even close: 62% 38%.

·       Meanwhile MOCANN Trade says: Missouri’s nearly 200 marijuana dispensaries collectively generated $103 million in sales for February — and that’s with only a partial month of adult use sales, which began on Feb. 3.  By comparison, during January 2020, the first month of adult use sales in Illinois generated just $39.2 million in a state with twice the population of Missouri.

Gubby Appts

Governor Mike Parson made the follow appointments yesterday…

·       Jonas P. Arjes, and Jessica L. Craig to the Missouri Development Finance Board.

·       Brian Bender (reappointment) to the Safe Drinking Water Commission.

·       Margaret Bultas to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

·       Tom Oelrichs to the State Milk Board.

·       Michelle A. Wood (reappointed) to the Children’s Trust Fund Board.

·       Jan Zimmerman (reappointed) to the Missouri Gaming Commission.

Lobbyists Registrations

Andy Blunt and Jay Reichard added Securus Technologies, Inc.  

Brent Hemphill added Lotto.com Missouri LLC.

Catalyst added Common Goal Systems, Inc.                         

Candice Lozano added Gold Rush Gaming.

James Bowers deleted Heartland Apartment Association, Eric Holtze, ONGOAL, LLC d/b/a Sporting Kansas City a/k/a Sporting KC, Walterboro Real Estate Holdings LLC, Mid-American Title Loans LLC, Atrium Hospitality LP, Alex Moran, Oak Rose LLC, and Duren N. (Kevin) Sleyster.

$5K+ Contributions

MBA Capitol Region PAC - $6,212 from Wood & Huston Bank.

Quad County Emergency Services PAC - $30,000 from O’Fallon Professional Fire Fighters.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to David Steelman.