MOScout Daily Update: “Right-sizing” the Budget - Clemens in Senate 14? - Reps Back Elam - No MEC Quorum - Ealy Off Committees and more…

Driving the Day (and Night)… It’s Mardi Gras.  Stuff yourself before Lent folks!  Also, President Donald Trump addresses Congress tonight, and St. Louis City holds its mayoral primary..

House Subcommittees Start “Right-Sizing Budgets”

House Budget Subcommittees continue meeting today.  It looks like they might follow the trend established yesterday of “right-sizing” state department budgets by cutting excess “lapse.” Lapse funds are appropriated by the legislature, but unspent by departments.  The thinking is that if the department doesn’t need the money, why are we putting it in the budget.  There can be several reasons for excessive appropriations, but House budgeteers have grown frustrated with big lapse funds occurring year after year.

·       Rep. Darin Chappell, chair of Subcommittee on Appropriations - Agriculture, Conservation, Natural Resources, and Economic Development, yesterday: I’m not trying to leave them broke I’m not trying to not trying to cut the legs out of anybody but when I see lapse over and over and over again and I just don’t get it the explanation as to why we must carry it. So I’m recommending that from line eight and nine from DNR, federal money and other funds, we reduce this budget by $280 million… I believe it is my job to draw attention to the fact that we’ve got laps all over this budget and the budget is by definition over appropriated by 25% across the state.

·       Rep. Donnie Brown, chair of Subcommittee on Appropriations - Public Safety, Corrections, Transportation, and Revenue, took a similar tack. All of these funds are lapse funds, funds that were not spent… [and] we didn't take all of it.  I think they’re still being a good position if it got to the point where they needed more funding obviously there's the supplemental route… You know we’ve kind of talked about right sizing this budget…

Bayer Not Backing Down

Even after last week when nine senators seemingly declared the pesticide labeling bill “dead on arrival,” the Bayer-backed Modern Ad Alliance, which includes several Missouri agricultural groups, is still pushing for the bill.

And with months left of session, that makes good sense.

Yesterday, they released a poll showing Missourians support their position.  See it here.

Missourians strongly oppose litigation that could limit farmers’ access to critical crop protection tools. 

·       96% of farmers and 69% of all Missourians, including 73% of Republicans and 67% of Democrats, oppose litigation that could limit access to crop protection products.

·       90% of farmers and 81% of all Missourians, including 82% of Republicans and 84% of Democrats, support science-based policies for crop protection tools.

Clemens for Senate 14?

Looks like Rep. Doug Clemens is prepping to enter the Senate 14 race.  A political action committee, Flower Fund PAC, was formed to support him.  See the filing here.

·       That 2026 race – Sen. Brian Williams is termed – is shaping up to be a free-for-all.  Rep. Raychel Proudie is running, as well as Shante Duncan (who is kicking off later this month), and Joe Palm.

Aune Replaces Ealy on Committees

Minority Leader Ashley Aune removed Rep. Anthony Ealy from his committees.  Ealy has been absent from legislative session for the past month or so.  I’m told he’s dealing with a personal health issue.  Here’s who is taking his place on his committees…

·       Conservation and Natural Resources Committee: Rep. Connie Steinmetz.

·       Economic Development Committee: Rep. Jeff Hales.

·       Judiciary Committee: Rep. Marlon Anderson.

·       Transportation Committee: Rep. Kemp Strickler.

Reps Back Elam

There are several state representatives listed on the host committee for St. Charels County Councilman Mike Elam’s kick-off next month.  Elam is running for St. Charels County Executive in what should be a hot race. 

Backing Elam… Reps. Dave Hinman, Wendy Hausman, Mark Matthiesen, Scott Miller, Chad Perkins, Terri Violet, Colin Wellenkamp, and Travis Wilson.

·       See the event listing here.

MEC: No Quorum = No Action

There’s no action on a Missouri Ethics Commission complaint against Rep. Michael Burton.

The Missouri Ethics Commission received a complaint filed against Michael Burton and Friends of Michael Burton. Missouri statutes require that an investigation be completed within 90 days of receipt and presented to the Commission for a determination of whether there are reasonable grounds of a violation or whether it should be dismissed. Section 105.957, RSMo. Missouri statute, Section 105.955.6, RSMo., requires at least four commission members are necessary for a quorum… Because there were not four Commissioners able to consider the investigation within the statutory timeframe, the Commission could take no action on this complaint.

·       It appears that only two of the six commission positions are filled.

And

Kurt Erickson notes in his article about the Department of Conservation cyberattack, that “Gov. Mike Kehoe has not filled any positions on the 13-member Missouri Cybersecurity Commission. The commission was formed in 2021 as part of an effort to identify risks and vulnerabilities facing state government in regard to computer hacking and other online attacks from within or outside the U.S. Former Gov. Mike Parson never appointed anyone to the board.”

New PACs

LOZ Missouri PAC was formed.  It’s in support of Rep. Jeff Vernetti. The treasurer is Amber Watson. See the filing here.

$5K+ Contributions

A Brighter Future for St Louis PAC (pro-Spencer) - $20,000 from A Brighter Future for St Louis PAC.

A Brighter Future for St Louis PAC - $20,000 from theLouPAC.

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

MBA Ozark Region PAC - $8,000 from Legacy Bank & Trust.

Lobbyist Registrations

Eapen Thampy added Agro-Shield; deleted Cultured Cultures, The HelpKC Reentry Program for Women, and Missouri Vacation Home Alliance.

Jeffrey Altmann added City Greens Market.

Aaron Baker and Fred Barnes added Missouri Health Plan Association.

Amy Blunt added University of Missouri System.

Rod Allen Mischke added Brightspeed.

Nexus Group deleted Humane World for Animals.

Gerard Grimaldi terminated his lobbying registration.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Dan Hegeman, Rochelle Gray, and Bill Ray.