MOScout Daily Update: Deepfake by State - DCI Argues for Tort Reform - Rural MO Relies on Medicaid - Hanaway Hits VLTs and more…
Rural MO Depends on Medicaid
Washington University released a report on health insurance rates of Missouri’s rural population. Read it here.
People living in rural Missouri are more likely than those living in urban areas to be covered by public programs (including Medicaid), and less likely to be covered by private insurance (including employer sponsored health insurance). The most significant difference is in Medicaid
coverage; in Missouri 21.9% of rural residents are covered by Medicaid, compared to 16% in urban areas in 2024.
Why It Matters
Rep. Darin Chappell’s HJR 154 would remove the Medicaid expansion language from Missouri’s constitution.
DCI Pitches Tort Reform
The Department of Insurance released a report calling for tort reform. It argues that “lawsuit abuse” is driving higher insurance rates. Read the report here.
The report could have been more persuasive.
· It’s full of non-neutral sources which undermine the appearance of objective analysis.
· The report’s straight-line logic argument is contradicted by its own narrative. It bemoans huge product-liability verdicts, but then says the product-liability insurance market has not seen massive rate increases.
· It never examines the actual health of Missouri’s insurance industry. From what I can tell, insurers haven’t fled Missouri, and the active underwriters all reported billions in profits last year.
Why It Matters
The report may be touted as evidence as the legislature debates tort reform proposals.
Hanaway Continues VLT Enforcement
Press release: Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that her Office has filed two felony counts of first-degree promoting gambling as well as a civil action against a Greene County convenience store for housing 12 illegal slot machines and providing public access to unlicensed and unregulated games in direct violation of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
What It Means
On the one hand, as Hanaway starts filing charges, convenience store proprietors may decide it’s not worth the risk to keep VLTs.
On the other hand, they’re making money with the machines. Until enforcement is more widespread, they’ll probably continue to press their luck that the odds are in their favor.
More Capitol Street Parking Coming
Stephi Smith reports on more street parking coming to the Capitol… The Jefferson City Council voted 9-0 Monday to add street parking to West Main Street between the Capitol and Missouri Boulevard. Currently, that section of West Main Street is two lanes in each direction. The City Council voted to add around 30 parking spots to the road and reduce the street to one lane in each direction.
eMailbag
It seems to me that we are in the midst of an era about taxes that, for Missouri politicians, centers on the messaging rhythm of, “You think you know how to cut taxes? Pffft. Hold my beer. No tax is a good tax and I can cut them way better than you or anyone.”
What is lost in all the anti-tax chest-thumping is, as the Institute pointed out, is what the taxpayers get for their money… Have there been any utterances from a governor or legislator in the past 20-30 years about the value of state government? You know, something simple like, “Here’s how we spend your hard-earned money. Thank you for entrusting us with it.”
Ever since the Hancock Amendment, it’s been, “Taxes are bad, taxes are really bad, taxes are horribly bad. We don’t have a clue why we even have taxes.”
New Candidate Filings
House 112 – Dave Rekosh (D)
House 120 – Ray Bruno (D)
House 141 – Darrel (Mike) Swofford (D)
House 143 – Marsha Snodgrass (D)
$5K+ Contributions
Conservative Justice for Missouri PAC (pro-Hanaway) - $10,000 from Prime, Inc.
Lead the Way PAC (pro-Vogel) - $5,100 from Robert Brinkmann.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $5,100 from Missouri Dream PAC (pro-Phelps).
Republican Central Committee of St Louis County - $10,000 from Milton H Rudi.
Together KC - $10,000 from LSE Management LLC.
Together KC - $10,000 from Hoefer Welker.
Quad County Emergency Services PAC - $6,055 from Lincoln County Professional EMS Association.
Lobbyist Registrations
Matthew Griese added Activate Missouri.
Nick Sands deleted American Motorcyclist Association.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Mun Choi.