MOScout Daily Update: Shields Exits Senate 34 - More on PowerRankings - Rural Healthcare Consolidation - Ingle Gets Rule 98-ed and more…
Shields Exits Senate 34
Rep. Brenda Shields withdrew from the Senate 34 Republican primary. That leaves a three-way primary with Reps. Sean Pouche and Mike Jones, and Ryan Gerster.
What It Means
This leaves Gerster as the sole candidate from the north part of the district, an important geographic advantage in a Senate district which has often seen the vote divided between Buchanan County in the northern and Platte County in the south.
· Gerster is a veteran and runs a restaurant, First Ward House, in St. Joseph.
Feedback on PowerRankings
Readers weigh in on my initial Power Rankings of the House districts most likely to flip…
· You need to add HD 16 to your list. The party numbers are very close and Rep. Chris Brown hasn’t faced a serious challenger since his first race. He also hadn’t planned on running again and was focused on a KCMO council seat, but his pick to succeed him turned out to be a Dem and the party was afraid of losing an open race. Unlike the past two cycles the Dems have a competitive candidate.
· Surprised you have [House 133] second on your list. That district leans Republican and Democrats did a terrible job of recruiting there. House 100 and House 30 are far higher on my scorecard… also [House 132] is a TOUGH District to flip. I still think Rep. Jeremy Dean is the front runner. Again, surprised the Democrats didn’t recruit somebody to replace him. It’s a slam dunk seat in any other candidates’ hands.
Healthcare Consolidation in Rural MO
In the Senate Local Government Committee yesterday, HB 2600 was presented. It’s sponsored by Rep. Jeff Farnan and outlines the process for ambulance-district consolidation.
This is part of a large conversation about the increasing difficulty operating and delivering medical services to rural Missouri.
In testimony Philip Ray, Grundy County presiding commissioner, drew a comparison to hospital consolidation.
“Historically, many rural hospitals were governed by locally elected or appointed boards made up of people who lived in the community. When these hospitals faced financial collapse, similar to what EMS faces now, they're often folded into larger regional health systems. Consolidation was sold to rural Missourians as the only way to save your hospital. Regional efficiency, they were told, was the key to survival of rural health care. The local boards were typically dissolved or downgraded to an advisory role with no real power. And once they were gone, decision-making powers and the money went to corporate headquarters in a distant city… It wasn't long before these corporate systems started closing high-cost essential services like labor and delivery… if the history of rural hospital regionalization has taught Missouri anything, it is that once local governance is sacrificed for a centralized corporate model, the services that communities rely on are often the first to vanish.”
Muni Election Results
A few election results from last night that might be of interest…
· Former Rep. Deb Lavender and lobbyist Justin Arnold won seats on the Kirkwood City Council.
· Jaret Scharnhorst, chief of staff to Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, won his Lebanon City Council race.
· And Fox2 News reports on data center fallout in Festus: A controversial data center plan recently approved by the Festus City Council was a motivator for some voters heading to the polls on Tuesday. Gabe Cotton, a voter opposed to the data center plan, told FOX 2, “I think when the people in leadership are not listening, it shows that democracy is a solution to them ignoring their constituents.” The result was that four Festus councilmembers seeking reelection lost their races to challengers. Three of the four incumbents voted yes in March on the data center plan.
Senate Chugs Along
The Senate continues steady, if modest, progress.
· Yesterday they started debate on a controversial solar regulation bill. There’s tension between the desire for community input and property rights.
· And Sen. Jason Bean’s Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) oversight bill was perfected. Unlike the original version this compromise language doesn’t change the governing body of MSHSAA, but rather creates a gubernatorially-appointed oversight body to handle appeals and make recommendations.
Williams’ Bills Advance
Reps. Cecelie Williams and Jaclyn Zimmerman’s HB 3434 / HB 3460 / HB 2628 were combined and voted out of the House Crime and Public Safety Committee last night. The bills aim to help sexual assault victims, including the medical treatment they receive. Some pro-life legislators were concerned about the definition of “emergency contraception” and the ability of providers to invoke a religious exemption. But it satisfied the majority of Republicans and was voted out 11-4.
Rule 98
Yesterday Rep. Keri Ingle was point-of-ordered for legislating on the House floor without a jacket. See it here.
Rule 98. At all times when the House is seated, proper attire for gentlemen shall be business attire, including coat, tie, dress trousers, and dress shoes or boots. Proper attire for women shall be business attire, including jackets worn with dresses, skirts, or slacks, and dress shoes or boots. For the purposes of this rule, "jacket" shall include blazers, cardigans, and knit blazers. This rule shall apply to all members and staff on the floor of the House and lower gallery.
People on the Move
After five years with Liberty Utilities, Joelle Cannon is returning to the United States Senate. She will focus on fiscal oversight and federal spending fraud, working for U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
New Candidate Filings
House 2 – Casey Scott (D)
$5K+ Contributions
Taxpayers Unlimited, Inc. - $25,000 from Together KC.
Values First PAC (pro-Brynes) - $5,001 from Shield PAC LLC.
Missourians for Fair Governance - $300,000 from Missouri Association of REALTORS.
Lobbyist Registrations
Steven Tilley, Thomas Robbins, Chris Schoeman, and Caleb Rowden added Medea.
Paula Hopper added Mom's Meals.
Dean Plocher added MO PANS/PANDAS Coalition.
Cecil “Ken” McKinley Franklin added Missouri American Water.
Ray Bozarth deleted Missouri Credit Union Association.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Ron Leone, Mike Sutherland, PJ White, and Mike Thomson.