MOScout Daily Update: Senate Rules Change - Thomas Adds $250K - Texas Omen? - Domino Effect From Senate 10 and more…

Senate Rules Change

To break the impasse of Democrats filibustering gubernatorial appointees, the Senate passed a Rules change to require a PQ to have 18 signatures.  As I wrote last week when rumors of the deal circulated…

·       On the one hand, it doesn’t seem like a tough deal for GOPers to take: it doesn’t change the threshold for a PQ at all. 

·       However, as one Senate-side source observes, “Getting to 15 or 16 has usually been pretty easy, the last couple are hard, and you always get a few who won’t sign it but will vote for it.”

The change also included a provision that Senate bills with House amendments and conference committee reports “lie on the table” for a legislative day before being taken up for final passage.  That could impact the final week of session when there’s a time crunch to get items passed.

·       One Republican marveled: Congrats to the minority floor leader in all but name, Stephen Webber. He managed to change the rules promising nothing but letting go of *some* gubernatorial appointees. A master class.

Senate 6: Thomas Adds $250K

Former Rep. Lisa Thomas anted $250,000 into her Senate 6 committee.  That makes a statement that she’s all-in.  Obviously, the field is not set, but as it stands Thomas has a few advantages in this race.  She’s the only woman of the four candidates and she’s the only candidate with a geographic base outside the Jefferson City area. 

·       Though in fairness, the reason the all the other candidates are from Cole County is because that’s where the votes are.

Solar Ban Future

Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin’s solar ban bill had a packed hearing yesterday.

One observer describes the landscape: there are free market conservatives who believe in property rights on the right.  And environmental activists who love solar energy on the left.  That leaves O’Laughlin as “in the middle” without a true base of support for an outright ban.

Unable to jam it through the Senate, they see this ending with a deal which would include exempting solar installations below a certain threshold.

·       Interestingly, Axios this morning reports that “Trump pollster” Fabrizio, Lee & Associates says a majority of Americans back “utility-scale solar (large plants that generate electricity fed directly into the grid)…  The share in favor soars to 70% if the panels are made in domestic factories, using U.S. materials, and have no ties to China.”  Read it here.

Mulling the Texas Special

New York Times reports on the recent Democratic upset in Texas: A Democrat prevailed — by 14 percentage points — in a special election runoff for a State Senate district President Trump had carried by 17 points in 2024. The stunning result had Democrats across the country giddy about the possibility of a blue wave this fall.

If it is a harbinger of a “blue wave,” the most likely places that would be impacted in Missouri…

·       Senate 8: Sen. Mike Cierpiot is termed.  It’s likely Speaker Jon Patterson will face Rep. Keri Ingle.  Patterson has amassed an enormous war chest and continues to raise money.  His voting record contains moderate streaks, but he’ll be easy to tie to the Republican supermajority chamber he’s been leading.

·       Senate 30: Sen. Lincoln Hough termed. Rep. Melanie Stinnett versus Rep. Betsy Fogle was already going to be close, but if the environment puts the wind at Fogle’s back, this is clearly the Democrats’ best chance for a Senate pick-up.

·       And, it would make the House Republican Campaign Committee’s life hard as there would be at least a half-dozen purple or light blue suburban districts under GOP control to defend.

Fitzwater Domino Effect

With filing opening in less than three weeks, it’s possible we have some big shake-ups coming.  And each move has potential domino effects. 

The one that’s foremost in the minds of some capitol denizens: speculation that Sen. Travis Fitzwater won’t be running for a second term.

If that happens, there’s a scrum of potential candidates, one of whom is Rep. Chad Perkins.

And if Perkins jumps into the Senate 10 race, that would open up the speaker pro tem position.

Folks are already gaming this out and thinking who might run for that leadership spot. 

·       Names I’m hearing: Wendy Hausman, Tara Peters, and Dean Van Schoiack.

People on the Move

·       Crystal Quade was named Director of the Downtown Springfield Association.  See the Springfield News-Leader story here.

·       Igor Shalai joined the staff of Sen. Nick Schroer.  Shalai was previously a legislative assistant in the House.

·       One-time congressional candidate Brock Olivo is now the Dolphins’ Assistant Special Teams Coordinator.

MEC: Don’t Get High in the Park

Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee this morning (8AM) will hear Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman’s SB 1187 to regulate the use of marijuana in public places.

As used in this section, a "public space" shall be a publicly maintained property or facility, including, but not limited to, a street, alley, highway, park, building, facility, or any other physical asset owned, leased, or controlled by this state or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

New IPs

Jasmine Miller filed an initiative petition to add a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” to the state constitution.  See the filing here.

The Government shall not restrict the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of that parent’s child, unless such restriction is justified by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.

New Committees

Sunshine PAC was formed.  It’s in support of Rep. Mark Boyko.  See the filing here.

$5K+ Contributions

American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $10,000 from Geico (Washington, DC).

Dr Lisa Thomas 4 Senate - $250,000 from Lisa Thomas.

Best Start for Kids STL - $25,000 from Elizabeth Mannen Berges and Jim Berges.

KC Forward Progress - $10,000 from Westport Sterling LLC.

KC Forward Progress - $10,000 from Kansas City Chiefs Football Club.

Put Missouri First - $21,612 from Republican National Committee (Washington, DC).

MFR PAC - $50,000 from Flora Farms LLC.

Lobbyist Registrations

Andrew Arnold added Special School District of St. Louis County.          

Madison Bader added Bunge North America, Inc.  

Ron Berry added clients of Strategic Capitol Consulting (Citizens for Smart Growth in St. Charles County, Osage Beach Development Group LLC, Intrinsic Development, Discovery Development, Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation, Intelinair Inc, BRB Missouri LLC, Access Group Capital LLC, GF Saint Mary, G.J. Grewe Brokerage & Development, Boardwalk Office Suites LLC, First State Community Bank); and deleted Conte Enterprise Holdings LLC.

Zach Brunnert added RAYUS Radiology.  

David Olsen added Alzheimer's Association.

Cheryl Marten deleted Organon LLC.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthdays to Danny Pfeifer, Heather Grote, and Diane Franklin.