MOScout Daily Update: Final Week - DHSS Shakes Fist at MOCANN - O'Laughlin on Dampf - Fetal Personhood and more...
Which Senate?
After last week’s volatile sessions, which Senate will we get today?
On the one hand, Friday saw a “functioning” Senate, and I’m told that there’s no lingering debts to the stand-off resolution. “Everything that was part of last week’s deal was completed last week.”
On the other hand, there’s been a simmering rift between the Regular Republicans and the former Conservative Caucus all session. And with the stakes raised ever higher in the final week, one assumes the pressure adds to the potential for a blow-up.
Exclusive: Feisty Pre-Hearing Exchange
The Department of Health and Senior Services is shaking their fists ahead of this morning’s 11AM Joint Committee on Administrative Rules hearing. On the agenda is a proposed rule for the Division of Cannabis Regulation.
Ms. Schappe:
Thank you for forwarding the communication you received from MOCANN on Sunday afternoon, which we became aware of just before 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening. Unfortunately, we have not been afforded the courtesy of receiving this document from MOCANN.
Our staff has spent the weekend preparing responses to the document you kindly provided the Department on Friday, which MOCANN yet again did not provide us. It is impossible for the Department to find all of the changes to the original 30 page document, which is now 45 pages, and adequately respond to the numerous and detailed “Legal Authority” sections which have been added, prior to the 11:00 a.m. hearing tomorrow morning. This action by MOCANN can only be described as an ambush and disingenuous tactic, with the obvious attempt to misinform the Committee without providing the Department an opportunity to put forward an adequate legal response. This is particularly egregious as the Department has already identified many errors and even bald misstatements of fact in the Friday letter that are clearly intended to mislead the Committee and take advantage of the short amount of time remaining for the Committee to deliberate prior to the end of this Session.
The Department will be prepared tomorrow to discuss the basis for every word of the rules in question, which have notably previously been shared with MOCANN, but cannot be prepared to respond to strained legal arguments at this late hour. If the Committee wishes to allow the second document to be discussed and evaluated during the Committee hearing, we respectfully request the hearing to be delayed until later in the week, so that we can provide an unbiased response for the Committee’s consideration.
Respectfully,
Paula F. Nickelson, Acting Director
Farm Land Compromise
The conference committee report on the bill to ban foreign ownership of farm land is out. See it here.
There’s some language change, but the essentials appear to remain intact to my eyes. That means there’s still the carve out for non-farm land ownership, including Ag-related industries like plant and animal science research.
· We’ll see if Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft roars against this version, as he did the last version, and if that impacts Republican support.
House Watch
A couple Senate bills on the Third Read calendar to watch…
· SB 92 – This is Sen. Denny Hoskins’ rural economic development bill. Some think it could be the lever the House uses to try to move sports betting. We’ll see…
· SB 133 – Sen. Mike Moon tax cut bill. It includes the “circuit-breaker” which has support from both the left and right.
IP Reform??
Will we get initiative petition reform? Of the remaining controversial priorities, the Hallway Index gave it the best chance to move forward.
A bunch of reasonable folks on the conference committee: Reps. Mike Henderson, Rick Francis, Bill Falkner, Robert Sauls, and Steve Butz; Sens. Sandy Crawford, Andrew Koenig, Mike Cierpiot, Doug Beck, and Lauren Arthur.
House Voting Bloc
As we enter the final week, there’s a group of eight House Republicans who have voted the same on every third read vote this year… Reps. Brad Christ, Kurtis Gregory, Dave Griffith, Barry Hovis, Jim Kalberloh, Jeff Knight, Travis Smith, and Greg Sharpe.
O’Laughlin on Dampf
Senate Floor Leader Cindy O’Laughlin muses about her chief of staff Drew Dampf in a recent Facebook post: I think he doesn’t want to be close to me all day but he’s scared to NOT be near me for fear of what might happen. When I get tired and grouchy and he is ”advising” me I sometimes remind him I don’t need that much advice. Realistically speaking I do not think in a “political” way and since Drew has worked in the capitol for about 10 years he knows some of the pitfalls that I would normally charge right through. And sometimes do. It’s a good thing I have Drew and I know it. On the other hand I don’t like being “managed” and am not used to someone the age of my youngest son telling me what I need to do. So each week we both are probably just praying we get to the end of the week and we’re both still alive. Truthfully I am amazed at Drew’s historical knowledge and his ability to advise or fill me in on all the back stories on people in the capitol. As I said he’s the best in the building and I am very fortunate to have him.
Fetal Personhood
KFF News reports on the changing post-Dobbs legal landscape…
· Kaitlyn Anderson was six months pregnant when a driver killed her and a Missouri Department of Transportation colleague in 2021 while they were doing roadwork near St. Louis. Her fetus also died.
· Although Anderson’s family tried to sue the department on her behalf, workers’ compensation laws in Missouri and elsewhere shield employers from wrongful death lawsuits when an employee dies on the job. So the case was also filed on behalf of the 25-year-old woman’s unborn child, a son named Jaxx. This was possible because Missouri law defines life — and legal rights — as beginning at conception.
· Around the country, state personhood definitions have often been restrained by laws protecting the right to abortions, according to Pregnancy Justice acting executive director Dana Sussman, because together they create an inherent inconsistency: How could a fetus be a person if abortion is legal? But now that abortion rights are no longer federally protected, personhood definitions could expand throughout state law.
Pro-Hinman PAC
Putting People First PAC was formed. It’s in support of Rep. Dave Hinman. The treasurer is Melissa Largent. See the paperwork here.
Gubby Appts
Governor Mike Parson appointed Amy R. Ashelford as Associate Circuit Judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Dennis Eckold.
eMailbag: on Landfill Coverage
On Brattin: Why is joining his former colleagues in the House by also stopping a garbage proposal for his constituents, anything other than a masterful win, and why is this all about the lobbyist's prowess on both sides? This is like the beginning of a new episode of Ozark.
$5K+ Contributions
Rizzo For The City - $9,000 from Henry Rizzo.
Lobbyists Registrations
Ron Berry added Robbins Law Firm.
Jason Frank added Garver, LLC.
John Bardgett and Erika Leonard deleted Super Start Preschool & Infant Care.
Ashley Lawson deleted Missouri Prosper.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Tom Dempsey and Jeanie Lauer.