MOScout Daily Update: JP’s Committee Conundrum - Gregory Castle Approved - Hawley Shakes Fist at Johnson - Hatfield’s Hat Trick and more…
Patterson’s Coming Committee Conundrum
Soon after Speaker-designate Jon Patterson formally wins the speakership next month, he’ll start down the unenviable path of making people unhappy. The first stop on this journey is assigning committee chairmanships.
Committees in the House increased under Speaker Dean Plocher as he made use of forming new “special” committees, designed specifically to help shepherd select legislation, and/or curry favor with certain members.
In total there were a mind-boggling 75 committees. If you strip out the Joint Committees and the Interim Committees, there were still 55 House committees last session. (Those 55 committees produced 11 Truly Agreed and Finally Passed bills, aside from budget bills).
More committee means scheduling conflicts. It’s tough for lobbyists – and impossible for your average engaged citizen who doesn’t have a “team” – to attend and keep track of all these committees.
The benefit of lots of committees is… lots of chairmanships to dole out.
· For many years there was a Rules Committee. Then for various reasons – giving the speaker more latitude in determining a bill’s path, and easing the load of that choke-point committee – a second Rules Committee was added. Last year, there were 3 Rules Committees.
For Patterson, the natural impulse would likely be to combine some committees and make the structure less sprawling. But how far can he go in that direction without a backlash because it reduces the number of legislators who gain the honor of being a chairman?
By my count there are 48 Republicans who will be in the junior and senior class. Take out the speaker, floor leader and pro tem, and you’re down to 45 GOPers who probably think they’re entitled to the joy of banging a gavel.
This doesn’t include the sophomores who have demonstrated that they probably should be leading in some policy areas where they have expertise.
What will JP do? We’ll see.
And
In terms of re-rationalizing the bloated House structures, is it time to slim down the unwieldy House Budget Committee? Last session it had 37 members. That’s approaching a quarter of the 163-member body being on one – albeit powerful – committee.
Kehoe and MHP Appt
In addition to the other cabinet position I’ve written about over the last few days, one reader notes that Governor-elect Mike Kehoe “also has the prerogative to name a new Highway Patrol Superintendent. Although the highway patrol falls under the Department of Public Safety, some governors (Jay Nixon) made the colonel a de-facto cabinet member (though Mike Parson did not).”
Gregory “Castle” Moves Forward
Jefferson City Tribune reports that “following a heated dispute earlier this month, the Jefferson City Council unanimously and quickly approved two contracts related to development in the East Capitol Avenue neighborhood.”
· St. Louis politician David Gregory and his wife, Paige, own PG & Co. The development team plans to build two residential structures on the now-vacant lots. Gregory's initial designs depicted a castle-like structure made of stone. PG & Co. submitted new designs with minor modifications to the exterior; the new drawings show only one turret instead of two and a simpler front facade.
· Stacy Landwehr, president of the Historic City of Jefferson, posted to HCJ's Facebook page she endorses both development projects. Her post noted the turrets in PG & Co's design was a "common architectural style" when most of the houses in the neighborhood were built…
PBMs in Trump Crosshairs?
Bloomberg reports that Donald Trump indicated he sees pharmacy benefit managers as “middlemen” to be squeezed out of the healthcare food chain.
· Post-Dispatch’s Joe Holleman notes that it’s an issue which unites both ends of the political spectrum as seen by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley teaming up.
Sen. Travis Fitzwater’s SB 47 seeks to regulate PBMs. Fitzwater’s pop, Ron, is the president of the Missouri Pharmacy Association.
Hawley Howls At Johnson
Senator Josh Hawley angrily tweeted at House Speaker Mike Johnson for not including RECA expansion which would include funding for Missouri’s sites.
.@SpeakerJohnson personally killed a bipartisan, bicameral expansion + spending cap RECA deal. It was him alone…
· Hawley has vowed to block the spending measure without it.
Hatfield, Schafer Honored
Missouri Lawyers Media has named the “attorneys who fought to keep abortion rights on the ballot named Lawyers of the Year.” See it here.
Abortion rights have become one of the defining issues of the decade, and since the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade in 2022, the matter has bounced between the courts and the ballot box as states work to define what this means… As one of the most important legal battles in the state this year, Missouri Lawyers Media has named the attorneys who helped successfully retain the amendment on the ballot as the attorneys of the year. This team included Tori Schafer from the ACLU of Missouri, Chris Grant from Schuchat, Cook & Werner and Charles Hatfield with Stinson…
· Hatfield hype-man / proud son, Thomas Hatfield, notes it’s Chuck’s third Lawyer of the Year award.
New PACs
Darlene Green PAC was formed. Green is running for re-election (she’s occupied the office since 1995!) and being challenged by Rep. Donna Baringer.
North Missouri PAC was formed. It’s in support of Jeremy Clevenger who’s running for House 7 (Peggy McGaugh termed) in 2026.
Lobbyist Registrations
Nancy Giddens and Shannon Cooper added JAG Missouri, Inc.
Liz Henderson added St. Louis Shakespeare Festival.
Jerry Hobbs, and Rowland Frederick Howard added Strategic Workforce Development.
Heidi Lucas added Missouri Association of Rural Health Clinics.
Will Marrs and Kelli Richardson added The Arc of the Ozarks.
David Winton, Jessica Petrie, and Matt Thompson added Children's Permanency Partnership, and Missouri Soybean Association.
Bill Sczepanski added Team Select Home Care.
Alex Tuttle added Children's Permanency Partnership.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Mike Grote, Merri Berry, Derrick Good, Kevin Elmer, and Dennis Fowler.