MOScout Daily Update: Ho-Hum First Day - Senate 10 Talk - Hoskins Derangement Syndrome? - Chamber Agenda and more…
A surprisingly uneventful first day of session… Speaker Jon Patterson declined to give a big address, and Senate Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin kept her speech to broad, vague platitudes devoid of policy specifics.
· What It Means: In the absence of detailed priorities from the legislative leaders, the governor’s State of the State speech on Tuesday will provide the Republican supermajority’s agenda this session.
Senate 10 Heats Up
Capitol denizens are operating under the assumption that Sen. Travis Fitzwater will be tapped to lead the Missouri Technology Corporation.
As a result, they’re sizing up the under-the-radar race to replace him. Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins is viewed as the favorite.
· His ascension to House leadership shows he can navigate the capitol culture.
· His legislation eliminating the state income tax on capital gains was one of last session’s big achievements.
· His annual “mouse race” fundraiser Tuesday night at the HB Strategies office was “packed.”
Also likely to run: Rep. Doyle Justus, and perhaps Judge Mike Carter (who ran and narrowly lost in 2022).
And, be smart: The sprawling district, which starts in Mid-MO and makes its way to the eastern state border and down to St. Charles, will bring out more candidates in the coming months.
Chamber Agenda
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce says that it’s focused on legislation in four “critical” areas. Here are the specific bills they’re backing…
CHILD CARE – The Missouri Chamber remains committed to passing this legislation because child care is not just a working parents’ issue; it’s an economic issue.
· HB 2409 – Rep. Brenda Shields
LEGAL REFORM – Legal climate reform must be a top priority for Missouri lawmakers.
· HB 1842 – Rep. Sherri Gallick
· SB 907 – Sen. Brad Hudson
HEALTH CARE – A healthier workforce is a stronger workforce – yet for many small businesses and entrepreneurs, access to affordable health coverage remains out of reach.
· HB 2596 – Rep. Peggy McGaugh
· SB 1464 – Sen. Dandy Crawford
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – Manufacturing is a critical piece of the Missouri economy.
· HB 2214 – Rep. Louis Riggs
· HB 2654 – Rep. Jeff Knight
· SB 1443 – Sen. Jamie Burger
Stadium Deal Talk
KSNT reports that Kansas is no longer pursuing the Royals. The Chiefs are enough apparently.
· Royals are represented by David Frantze, Caroline Hoover, and Jewell Patek.
But meanwhile, ShowMe Institute’s Patrick Tuohey says he thinks there’s a chance that the Chiefs deal falls apart. Listen to his reasoning here. “Why was this announcement made before those municipalities had made their decision? Why wasn’t all of this buttoned down so that you and I wouldn’t be talking about this two weeks after the announcement? And that tells me that this deal, and maybe it was the Chiefs themselves, didn’t have all the things lined up that they thought would be lined up. If this deal, in order to pencil out, needs municipal buy-in, you should have gotten those commitments before you went in front of the cameras…”
· Chiefs are represented by Rich AuBuchon.
Hoskins Derangement Syndrome?
Kurt Erickson reports that Democratic Rep. Will Jobe “introduced a long-shot bid Wednesday to impeach Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins over his alleged ‘obstruction’ of an effort to allow voters to weigh in on a congressional district gerrymandering plan.”
· House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee's Summit, said he was aware of Jobe’s legislation, but had not studied it…
Hoskins retorted, on Twitter, that the impeachment resolution was proof of a “mutated” Trump Derangement Syndrome… Hoskins Derangement Syndrome.
Audit Coming of STL Police Board?
Two new entries on the State Auditor’s list of audits in process…
· St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners
· State Purchasing Cards
Help Wanted
Shelter Insurance seeks Government Relations Counsel. Assist the Vice President of External Relations in the development and formulation of the Companies' official position on legislative and regulatory matters, and act as the Companies' representative to effectively communicate its corporate philosophy to legislative and regulatory bodies. Monitor legislative, regulatory, and political matters that may affect the Companies' operations. Research and draft legislative and regulatory language as needed. Foster strategic relationships with, and serve as Companies' liaison to, legislative and regulatory bodies, the insurance industry in general, and to its trades and guaranty associations in particular… $90,002 - $131,331 minimum starting pay. See the posting here.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $35,000 from Centene Management Company LLC.
NEMO Leadership PAC (pro-O’Laughlin) - $15,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Fairfax, VA).
Tony PAC (pro-Luetkemeyer) - $15,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
Rural Roots PAC (pro-Diehl) - $10,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
The Wonderdog PAC (pro-Kurtis Gregory) - $15,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
Great Northwest PAC (pro-Rusty Black) - $7,500 from MOCANNTRADE PAC.
Great Northwest PAC - $7,500 from Missouri Senior PAC.
Great Northwest PAC - $7,500 from Missouri Growth PAC.
Conservative Justice for Missouri PAC - $25,000 from RAI Services Company (Winston Salem, NC).
Conservative Justice for Missouri PAC - $25,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).
Hahn DeBoef PAC - $20,000 from Leo Tech PAC (Austin, TX).
MPS PAC - $5,100 from St. Louis County Police Association PAC.
Lobbyist Registrations
Michael Hurley added Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Patricia Jensen and Chris Mattix added Grandview Road III LLC, and BB63 LLC.
Holly Rehder added Midwest Sterilization Corporation.
Maranda Rae Burke added Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives.
Ashley Lawson added Sand Tech USA.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Mike Cunningham, Justin Hicks, and Janson Thomas.