MOScout Daily Update: O’Laughlin’s Solar Stop - Waymo to MO? - Form to See Legislators?! - Higher Revenues - New Dome Plan and more…
The O’Laughlin Agenda
After months of social media posts decrying the construction of solar projects in rural Missouri, Senate Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin filed a bill to pause all solar projects.
SB 849 stops solar projects until 2028. In the meantime, the Department of Natural Resources is tasked with creating a regulatory framework for the projects.
· And – O’Laughlin’s other filing is a resolution. SJR 67 would ask voters to approve a constitutional change which would make the Director of the Department of Transportation appointed by the governor. That position is currently hired by the Highways and Transportation Commission.
FYI
None of the other top legislative leaders – Speaker Jon Patterson, Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins, House Floor Leader Alex Riley, or Senate Floor Leader Tony Luetkemeyer – have filed any bills.
Scoop: Putting the MO in Waymo
Among the bills filed yesterday by Sen. Travis Fitzwater was SB 1050 to allow and regulate self-driving cars. In the House, Rep. Brandon Phelps filed HB 2069 to the same purpose.
Coming today: a big announcement in St. Louis from Waymo presumably saying that they’ll be coming to Missouri, pending legislative action.
With the vast majority of car accidents being the result of driver error, autonomous cars are expected to eliminate 90% of the accidents.
· Waymo is represented by Nexus Group (Rodney Boyd, Kate Casas, Brian Grace, and Kelvin Simmons) in Jefferson City.
Solution In Search Of A Problem?
Lobbyists are shaking their heads and shaking their fists at a memo outlining a procedure to call House members off the floor to talk.
· This is the dumbest and most bureaucratic idea you could think of. Zero chance this works. House members already complain that lobbyists ignore them and focus on the Senate, this doesn’t help.
· These are the ideas they come up with when they are sitting around during the interim with nothing to do.
I gotta say: this will make my job a lot more interesting. A sunshine-able paper trail of everyone who’s trying to talk to legislators – and WHY!!
More Talk on Possible Fitzwater Move
One MOScout says that if Sen. Travis Fitzwater does end up exiting the Senate to take a job, it will shake up the Senate Floor Leader race.
“If Fitz does leave, Brad Hudson should be a name to watch in the Floor Leader’s race.”
November Revenues Show Some Oomph
November delivers a strong increase in state tax receipts.
State Budget Director Dan Haug announced that net general revenue collections for November 2025 increased 16.2 percent compared to those for November 2024, from $931.7 million last year to $1.08 billion this year.
Net general revenue collections for 2026 fiscal year-to-date increased 4.3 percent compared to November 2024, from $4.84 billion last year to $5.05 billion this year.
· The unexpected spike should ease some budget concerns as we head into session next month.
Big Changes Coming To Dome?
St. Louis Business Journal’s Jacob Kirn reports that “leaders of the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority on Wednesday will propose a merger with tourism agency Explore St. Louis as part of a measure that also seeks new funding to manage the Dome at America's Center.
The board of the RSA, which owns the Dome, will call for changes to Missouri law that would enable the merger that would put the Dome and the America's Center convention complex under a single entity and board, with appointees made by the Missouri governor, St. Louis mayor and St. Louis County executive… The Explore St. Louis board is set to consider a similar resolution this week…”
· The St. Louis Regional Convention & Sports Authority is represented by Jewell Patek.
· The St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission is represented by Bardgett and Associates, HB Strategies, and Jonathan Dalton.
Rural Hospitals Losing $$$
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Missouri’s application for the Rural Health Transformation Program which lays out the state’s plan for use of the RHTP federal funds. See the application here. But I’ve been meaning to follow up because there was one stunning chart which shows the disparities between rural and nonrural health markers. There’s higher diabetes, obesity, and depression in rural areas. But what stunned me was that over half of rural hospitals are operating at a loss. That’s clearly unsustainable and makes this effort urgent.
Varga for House
Karissa Varga formed a committee to run for House 37 where Rep. Mark Sharp is exiting to run for City Council.
· Varga was recently honored as “Young Democrat of the Year.”
Capitol Improvements
The News Tribune reports “excavators began moving earth Monday on the west side of the Missouri Capitol… The southern portion of the Capitol's circle drive will close intermittently this month as crews work to install new plumbing for the Fountain of the Arts… the project has grown, although still in budget, to include expanding the circle drive sidewalk closest to the Capitol and installing a retaining wall along the hill next to the sidewalk.”
Dirty Corners
High Street Pub was cited for “bar floor corners dirty with debris and spills.” I say it just feels like home…
$5K+ Contributions
STLCO PAC (pro-Brian Williams) - $15,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
Real Action PAC - $15,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
Show Me Liberty PAC - $10,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
MoCannTrade PAC - $10,000 from Green Four Ventures, LLC.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $5,190 from Hruza for Missouri.
Lobbyist Registrations
Ginger Steinmetz added National Waste & Recycling Association.
Chris Liese, Jim Foley, Andy Foley, Tony Dugger, and Craig Redmon deleted CDPQ U.S. Inc.
Gamble & Schlemeier deleted Recidiviz.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday to Jill Ott.