MOScout Daily Update: SDS Off Chopping Block? - Solar Ban Advances - Nurrenbern Calls Ed Committee “A Joke” - Sheriff Takes on Dorr and more…
Chappell Vows to Save SDS
Yesterday, Rep. Darin Chappell vowed to do his “dead level best” to keep the Self-Directed Supports (SDS) funding at its current level, saying that will be his “recommendation to the budget chair who then makes the ultimate decision.”
These cuts have drawn a huge backlash. Legislators have described getting “1,000 emails” on the subject.
But…
He also offered a sober warning about the future: “We are looking at a $2 billion shortfall over the next two years.”
That means if we were going to be adults at all, we need to cut a billion dollars from the bottom line this year. And then next year come back and do another billion dollars. The second billion dollars is harder than the first because once we've removed all the fat, now we're cutting into muscle. So in my perspective, we really ought to do about $1.3 to $1.4 billion this year.
In other words, even if the program survives without cuts this year, the following year could be worse.
Nurrenbern Blasts Education Committee
It was a contentious Senate Education Committee dealing with Sen. Joe Nicola’s SB 1085 which would prohibit school staff from “any counseling of a minor student at school that affirms such student's self-identification as a biological sex other than such student's actual biological sex.”
Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern unloaded, calling the committee an “absolute joke.”
Solar Moratorium Gets Committee Approval – With Concerns
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin’s SB 849, the solar moratorium, 6-3, but members expressed serious concerns.
· Chair Mike Cierpiot: I'm gonna vote for it today, but this moratorium part, I think, has got a problem that we're gonna have to deal with on the floor…
· Sen. Kurtis Gregory: I would echo those sentiments on the moratorium part. That does give me a lot of pause when we talk about rights of landowners… However, on the flip side of that, it being a Wild West and different counties treating things differently, I do think it needs a long further hard look…
· Sen. Mike Henderson: I'm kinda like Senator Gregory… I think a moratorium is probably too far, but people had some great testimony on both sides of this, and a lot of families are being affected.
Douglas County Sheriff Calls Out Doerr
Sheriff Chris Degase, posting on Facebook, has harsh words for Aaron Dorr of the Missouri Firearms Coalition. See it here.
· The Missouri Firearms Coalition has one thing in mind: that is, instill fear into their members so that people will give money to the Missouri Firearms Coalition and Aaron Dorr.
· False claims by Mr. Dorr are only to justify his existence… Aaron Dorr tells his members that bills he believes hurt the Second Amendment are gaining traction in Missouri, then he quickly asks for money to help fight an issue that clearly doesn’t exist.
· Aaron Dorr is getting rich off of fear-mongering the people…
· Dorr is only thinking of his wallet and how to scam you out of money.
Cuts Coming to Conservation?
In the Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday, there was this interesting exchange full of corporate-speak for “layoff coming”…
· Sen. Sandy Crawford: Are you getting ready to make some reductions in staff? I kind of heard a rumbling about that potential.
· Jason Summers, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation: Yeah, we're in the process of balancing personnel services with other expenditures… we've been having the discussions about what rightsizing the agency to ensure that our personnel services are in alignment. It's premature to say what those reductions will look like, but we'll be working with the Commission…
Higher Ed: Gov Seeks Appt Flexibility
The House Higher Education Committee heard Rep. Chris Brown’s HB 2896 which would loosen the geographic requirements for university Boards of Governors. It applies to Harris-Stowe State College, Northwest Missouri State University, Missouri State University, Missouri Southern State University, University of Central Missouri, Southeast Missouri State University, Truman State University, Lincoln University of Missouri, and State Technical College of Missouri.
· Brown: I have permission to say this has come from the governor's office… the governor's office has so many appointments that… it is just overwhelming… So what they're trying to do is simply open this up where more people would be eligible… making it hopefully a little bit of an easier process for the governor…
Brown Would Allow State Marketplaces
More than a dozen years after voters approved Prop E, Sen. Justin Brown’s SB 848 would repeal the statute. Prop E was passed in 2012 with 61% of the vote. It was in response to Obamacare. The Affordable Care Act encouraged states to create their own health insurance exchanges. Republican lawmakers opposed the ACA and wanted to prevent the governor from implementing it unilaterally.
· But the times they have a-changed…
$5K+ Contributions
Stop the Ban - $25,000 from American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, Inc.
Maryland Heights Firefighter Election Fund - $15,587 from Maryland Heights Firefighters.
Friends of Tim Whitney - $20,000 from Citizens United to Back the Blue.
Heartland Prosperity - $12,000 from Block and Company Realtors, Inc.
Heartland Prosperity - $10,000 from Streets of West Pryor (Overland Park, KS).
Save Missouri Hemp PAC - $7,500 from DC Brands (Jersey City, NJ).
Best Start for Kids STL - $10,000 from Child Care Aware of Missouri.
KC Forward Progress $20,000 from Shook Hardy Bacon.
KC Forward Progress - $50,000 from JE Dunn.
KC Forward Progress - $35,000 from Commerce Bank.
Lobbyist Registrations
Ron Hicks added Slaphappy Hemp.
Dan Houx added Missouri State High School Activities Association.
Trevor Jones added Geronimo Power, LLC.
Jake Silverman added J&J Ventures Gaming LLC.
Andrew Wood added TechNet.
David Sweeney added 7 Brew; and deleted Ashbritt, Inc.
Brenda Mobley deleted Organon LLC.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Rep. Eric Woods, Amy Blunt, Elad Gross, Doug Richey, Steve Brown and Don Wells.