MOScout Daily Update: Budget/DEI Day in Senate? - Schmitt Warns on Approval Voting - Senate Preps for PQ? - How the House Sees Things - Christ Ups Profile and more...

Senate Prepping for PQ?

Looking past today’s budget debate, one veteran of the building says that we’ll soon see the Senate prepping for worst-case scenario this session.

The expectation is that the Senate will soon “start clearing out House Bills in anticipation for if/when they need to PQ.”

·       Quick backgrounder for new subscribers, newbies to MO politics: “PQ” stands for previous question.”  It’s the procedural motion used in the Senate to close debate.  It’s a relatively rare event, requiring a written motion (signatures from senators) and 18 votes (a majority of the body).  It’s considered the nuclear option or at the very least a “traumatic event” after which the minority party will basically shut down the body by filibustering every motion – even simple ones like approving the Journal.

If Senate leadership feels like they must PQ to break a Democratic filibuster to pass a priority like IP reform, they have to accept that its possible no more bills will pass for the rest of session.

So by passing House bills ahead of the PQ, the House has the option, in those final days, to pick up and pass the Senate versions of those bills.

The House Mentality

Here’s the view from someone sympathetic to the House side of the House-Senate tensions… “Promises actually have to be kept for the House to ‘trust Senate leadership.’ There were at least seven priorities of Senate leadership discussed prior to session… The House has passed each of these priorities, but only ONE has passed the senate to date - a watered-down transgender bill that Jay Ashcroft has used to attack Republicans. Maybe it's time for Senate leadership to hold up their end of the bargain, fulfill long overdue promises made to House leadership to pass shared priorities early, and actually hold their members accountable who have created this broken and embarrassing process for them.”

Driving the Day: Senate Budget

The Senate is expected to debate their version of the budget today.  One potential flashpoint is the decision to remove the House’s DEI language.

We could see an amendment offered by a Republican senator – maybe even one considering a statewide run – to put folks on the record…

One Republican consultant warns that it could be a killer for folks…

·       State Treasurer Vivek Malek who has fewer than 609 Twitter followers had 30K views on his DEI oped.

·       Rep. Doug Richey had more than 25K views on a similar DEI tweet.

Senate Republicans should be pay attention…

Schmitt Warns of Approval Voting

Yesterday, Senator Eric Schmitt returned to Jefferson City for a spate of meetings with statewide officers, legislators, and University of Missouri System administrators.  He met with Governor Mike Parson, Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, and State Treasurer Vivek Malek as well as leaders from the University of Missouri System.

Schmitt also addressed both House and Senate Republicans where I’m told he spent less time on policy specifics, instead opting to stress the importance of his office’s constituent services operations and finding ways to work together.

He did speak on the dangers of approval voting and what that could mean for Missouri, according to a source inside the room.

·       Schmitt’s path to the Senate is somewhat historic, as it had been nearly two generations since someone who had previously served as a state senator to become a U.S. Senator.

Team Bailey Replies

The MoScout reader mentioned would have also found just as many tort reform advocates on Bailey's report as well, but unfortunately that wouldn't fit their narrative for their hit job on the new AG. At least 90% of Bailey's contributions are from Missouri, as opposed to his opponents contributions which are 80% from out of state and mostly from the east coast. Does anyone think that Ray Wagner, one of Missouri's strongest and most vocal advocates for tort reform over the last three decades, would have gone to work for Bailey as his first hire if the new AG didn't support pro-business policies?

Christ Hits Fox and Friends

Rep. Brad Christ made an early morning appearance on Fox & Friends today to discuss his bill to restore the state board of the St. Louis Police Department.

·       He will also be delivering a response to Mayor Tishaura Jones’ State of the City Address tonight. His response will publish on his social media and YouTube channel following the Mayor’s remarks.

Another Tragedy

One reader relates this tragic news…

Jessica Machetta, of Missourinet, KMOX and 20+ years ago, of the Senate Comms staff in Jeff City, called me last night from Denver, heartbroken: Her 20-year-old daughter, Macy Machetta, was shot to death Saturday night in Denver by her 23-year-old boyfriend, who then shot himself dead, outside the downtown Denver apartment she shared with the young man.

Jessica was contacted Sunday morning by Denver police and they informed her of the tragedy.

Jessica is with friends who are taking care of her for a few days.

Macy was a lovely young woman, and this is just heartbreaking. A lot of folks in Jeff City know Jessica.

Help Wanted

Trans Housing Initiative St Louis (THISTL) seeks Executive Director.  “We are a new, trans-led organization committed to tackling systemic injustices in housing and striving to end homelessness and housing instability for trans and gender-expansive adults in the St Louis metro region. We believe in a housing-first approach to homelessness and that queer liberation can only be achieved through solidarity across movements. As a young organization, THISTL will depend upon the Executive Director and our active and dedicated board of directors to establish and grow our vision into a sustainable nonprofit that can effectively serve our community.”  See the ad here.

$5K+ Contributions

MBA Truman Region PAC - $5,854 from Country Club Bank.

Lobbyists Registrations

Jonathon Dalton and Cassandra Allana Grewing added Alley Cat Allies.

Shanon Hawk, Jon Hensley, Jonathon Dalton, and Cassandra Allana Grewing added Missouri Port Authority Association, Inc.

Cesar Fernandez added FanDuel Group, Inc.

Jesse Goulding, Jennifer McDonald, Ava Mouton-Johnston added Institute For Justice.

Andy Blunt and Jay Reichard added My Missouri.

Connie Kacprowicz Ford added Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Reps. Ingrid Burnett and Ann Kelley.