MOScout Daily Update: JP Handing Out Fewer Goodies - O’Laughlin on SBOE - Senate Committee Schedule - Fordyce to DC and more…

Quick Friday update…

More House Chairs

House Speaker Jon Patterson added four Special Committees to the Standing Committees…

·       Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs – Rep. Tricia Byrnes, Chair.

·       Special Committee on Rural Issues – Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, Chair.

·       Special Committee on Tax Reform – Rep. Jeff Coleman, Chair.

·       Special Committee on Tourism – Rep. Brian Seitz, Chair.

And he announced the Budget Subcommittee chairs…

·       Subcommittee on Appropriations – Agriculture, Conservation, Natural Resources, and Economic Development – Rep. Darin Chappell, Chair.

·       Subcommittee on Appropriations – Education – Rep. Bishop Davidson, Chair.

·       Subcommittee on Appropriations – General Administration – Rep. John Voss, Chair.

·       Subcommittee on Appropriations – Health, Mental Health, and Social Services – Rep. Wendy Hausman, Chair.

·       Subcommittee on Appropriations – Public Safety, Corrections, Transportation, and Revenue- Rep. Donnie Brown, Chair.

What It Means

Last session there were 17 special committees.  JP could add more as session goes along, but this is another significant reduction.

Shrinking House Budget Committee

It also looks like the House Budget Committee will shrink from its previous huge size of 37 members, down to 30.  Like the chairmanships, spots on hot committees are also prizes that the speaker can hand out to his caucus members. JP is handing out fewer goodies.

·       Here are the freshmen Republicans that landed a spotted on the coveted Budget Committee: Reps. John Martin, Mike Steinmeyer, Jeff Vernetti, Christopher Warwick, and Colin Wellenkamp.

O’Laughlin on SBOE

On Facebook, Senate Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin dings the State Board of Education for not backing member Kerry Casey’s call to move the St. Louis Public Schools to provisionally accredited status last meeting.

This has long been needing to happen but for some reason hasn’t. Kerry was the only board member who voted for this. !! I am astonished at this outcome. The SLPS system is in a state of total meltdown. The last superintendent has been removed due to all kinds of impropriety which is being further investigated. Many classes are taught by subs, bussing has been an issue and the outcomes are literally the worst you can imagine. If the Missouri State Board of Education cannot muster the will to hold the system even SLIGHTLY accountable we need new members…

Senate Hearings Start Tuesday

Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin referred the first 90-ish bills and the Senate is ready to start their committee hearings.  Here’s the committee schedule…

Fordyce to Trump Adminstration

Donald Trump announced Richard Fordyce as the next United States Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation at the Department of Agriculture.

Richard is a proud fourth generation soy, corn, and beef cattle farmer, who served as the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency at USDA during my First Term, and was formerly Missouri’s Director of Agriculture.

 He will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Agriculture Nominee, Brooke Rollins, to ensure that our incredible American Farmers and Ranchers have the support they need to feed our Great Nation, and the World.

Onder to Join HFC?

Punchbowl News reports that “First-term House Republicans who won their seats with the help of the House Freedom Caucus’ political arm aren’t making any promises they’ll join the group now that they’re in office.” 

Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.), who was also backed by the House Freedom Fund, said he isn’t sure yet whether he wants to join the group, though he did appear on the HFC podcast earlier this month along with Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska). “I haven’t decided that yet,” Onder said. “It’s a matter of how we can best advance the Trump conservative agenda.”

Campbell to Simmons Bank

As previously reported, Clayton Campbell stepped down from the role of Deputy Treasurer. Campbell’s now at the Springfield, MO office of Simmons Bank’s Private Wealth Management division.

·       Though returning to the private sector, I bet Campbell will continue closely observing events in Jefferson City and across Missouri.

$5K+ Contributions

Missouri Realtors PAC Inc - $100,000 from Kenneth S Schneider Rev Trust IMA.

ASA Midwest PAC - $6,882 from American Subcontractors Assoc. - Midwest Counsel.

House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $5,001 from Riggs for Missouri.

Cement Mason Local Union #518 PAC - $10,000 from OPCMIA Political Action Committee.

Lobbyist Registrations

Chris Cline added Missouri Farm Bureau.  

Erin Schrimpf added J & J Ventures.     

Austin David Walker added The Boeing Company.

Garrett Webb added Missouri Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.

Jerry Hobbs and Rowland Frederick Howard added Missouri Valley Youth Services.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Governor Mike Kehoe, and Sen. Jill Carter.

Saturday: Shawn Rhoads, Robert Knodell, Carl Bearden, and Bill Lant.

Sunday: Scott Faughn, Michael Butler, and Michele Kratky.

MOScout Schedule

I’m off for the long MLK weekend.  No Legislature on Monday.  I’ll be back in your in-box on Tuesday.