MMJ Info Subject to FOIA?

Post-Dispatch wins a round in its attempt to wrest medical marijuana applications from state government’s cone of silence.  See it here.

Why It’s Important

One reason this information is important for public policy discussions is that there’s concern that “people of color — who have been disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs — do not have equitable access to the burgeoning cannabis industry.”  And this appears to be a well-founded concern based on other states’ experience – like Michigan.

MOScout Poll: Immigration

Survey conducted June 19 through June 20, 2019. 904 likely 2020 General Election voters participated in the survey. Survey weighted to match expected turnout demographics for the 2020 General Election. Margin of Error is +/-3.3%.

Q1: In your opinion, is illegal immigration a problem in Missouri?

Yes, it’s a serious problem: 43%

Yes, it’s a problem, but not serious: 18%

No, it’s not a problem: 29%

Not sure: 11%

Klahr Joins AG’s Office

James Klahr is joining the Attorney General’s office as Senior Counsel for Governmental Affairs. Klahr was previously the legislative liaison for Department of Public Safety, and before that he served as the executive director of the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Empower MO: Housing Out of Reach

Press release: In order to afford a modest, two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent in Missouri, full-time workers need to earn $16.00 per hour. This is Missouri’s 2019 Housing Wage, revealed in a national report released today…. The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 an hour without an increase since 2009, not keeping pace with the high cost of rental housing.

Money Watch: Steward for BILL PAC

St. Louis businessman David Steward sent another $75,000 to the PAC aligned with Sen. Bill Eigel.  Remember, the expectation is that this PAC, BILL PAC, will be using its funds to support Republican primary candidates who would likely join the Conservative Caucus.

Automatic Voter Registration

16 initiative petitions were filed by Mary Ann Sedey to bring automatic voter registration to Missouri…

The secretary of state shall establish a process to conduct automatic voter registrations based on driver’s license information and state issued nondriver’s license information.

The department of revenue shall, on at least a weekly basis, provide the secretary of state with a list of eligible citizens who have applied for, applied to renew, or changed the address related to a driver’s license or state issued nondriver’s license, are citizens of the United States, residents of Missouri, and meet the criteria to be eligible to vote in the State of Missouri.

Parson Trade Mission, Kehoe to Blues Rally

While Governor Mike Parson travels Europe on a trade mission, hitting France, Germany, and Switzerland over the course of the trip, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe got the duties to attend the Blues rally downtown and present them with a proclamation. 

“He looked so nervous… but he did a great job. Short and sweet… likely be the largest group he will ever speak in front of…”

MOScout Poll: Healthcare

Survey conducted June 12 through June 13, 2019. 986 likely 2020 General Election voters participated in the survey. Margin of Error is +/-3.2%. Totals do not always equal 100% due to rounding.

Q2: There is a proposal to expand Medicaid to cover adults making less than 133% of the federal poverty level. Do you approve or disapprove of this proposal?

Approve: 40%

Disapprove: 37%

Not sure: 23%

Q3: Some people believe that expanding Medicaid will cost the state millions of dollars each year. If that was the case, would you be willing to pay more taxes to support Medicaid expansion?

Yes: 28%

No: 60%

Not sure: 12%

Gloria… HB 677

On the heels of the Blues amazing run from last place to Stanley Cup Champions, I thought it might be worth looking at HB 677.  It provided state funds for tourist facilities in St. Louis and Kansas City.  In other words, money for stadiums.  That’s not a very popular concept, so what were the keys to pass it?

Supporters did three things to allay a conservative revolt in the House and a conservative filibuster in the Senate.  They advanced a message about the benefits to the state; they made concessions and accepted compromises; and they worked relationships.

Next Session: Time for Wayfair?

Reconfiguring the sales tax to include online purchases will likely be on next session’s agenda again.

This graph is so simple and yet transfixing.  It shows the incredibly consistent and steady march of e-commerce as a percentage of overall retail sales.

And this graph projects that the trend will continue.  “In 2017, e-commerce sales accounted for 9 percent of all retail sales in United States, this figure is expected to reach 12.4 percent in 2020.”

Ashcroft Rejects 3rd Referendum

·         Ashcroft has taken a leading role in the abortion war.  He could have simply said that the petitions were properly formatted, and left the constitutionality suits to opponents of the referendums.  Instead he took an active role to insert himself into the middle of the question and is grabbing the headlines. 

·         His actions have cast Attorney General Eric Schmitt into a supporting role of defending Ashcroft’s declarations.   And it leaves Governor Mike Parson to wrestle with whether to bureaucratically shutter the Planned Parenthood clinic.

·         Meanwhile the two GOP statewide who are most vulnerable to a primary challenge – Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe and Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick – haven’t found lines in the script yet to enter the drama.

Bush to Challenge Clay Again

Progressive Cori Bush, who made a high-profile progressive primary challenge to Congressman Lacy Clay in 2018, kicks off her 2020 campaign this Saturday.  See her website here. 

Clay beat Bush 56% to 36% in 2018.

Dems Names in 2020

• 17 months until November 2020, the Democratic slate will need to be firmed up this summer if they hope to compete on fundraising.

• When assessing candidates, Dems are haunted by 2016, and the difference between Hillary Clinton (losing by 19 points) and Jason Kander (losing by 3 points).  They’re looking for Kanders and scare to death of Clintons.  The base naturally gravitates toward the Clintonesque platform liberals that get killed in rural Missouri where they seem out of touch.  Far fewer candidates can finesse the ideological spectrum like Kander who used his military background to neuter a typical Republican strength (guns and A2).

Developments in the Ongoing Abortion Battle

·         In addition to his $1 million contribution to the campaign committee for a referendum on HB 126, David Humphreys also filed suit against Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft yesterday. The initial hearing will be Tuesday June 11.  Humphreys’ lawyers are Lowell Pearson and Brad Ketcher.

·         Humphreys’ statement: “We are requesting immediate relief from the Cole County Circuit Court to allow our petition to proceed, which will let Missouri voters decide this monumental public policy issue (HB126). Our campaign began to ensure women and underage minors who are the victims of rape and incest are protected. This is a significant step forward in the fight to protect those who have already been victimized by rape or incest. We are committed to that goal.”

Springfield’s JCity Agenda

Springfield News-Leader reports on Mayor Ken McClure’s annual address to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.  See it here.

·         [H]e said more needed to be done on paying for Ozarks Technical Community College, which has the lowest state funding per student in the state…

·         McClure also mentioned one of council's stated priorities — cracking down on short-term lending establishments like payday loan companies…

·         The mayor also urged the state legislature to take action on implementing a statewide prescription drug monitoring program aimed at cutting down on so-called "doctor shopping" for opioid painkillers, something that already exists in Greene County…

·         McClure said the state should also capitalize on a U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively allows states to tax online sales.

Beck Gets Head Start in Senate 1

In Senate 1, Rep. Doug Beck has started his campaign in earnest.  Senate 1 (Scott Sifton termed) is a district Dems need to defend in 2020, so Beck’s early start is helpful to them.

•           There’s a new PAC, DougPAC.

•           And Beck is already dialing for dollars…

Abortion Battle Widens

The abortion war ignited by HB 126 is no longer a Republican-Democratic battle, or a liberal-conservative battle.  This morning Missouri’s healthcare power-players are entering the fray…

• Healthcare is Missouri’s biggest industry. 

• These voices, together with Republican donor David Humphreys, are constructing a narrative the law that’s beyond simply conservative, and anti-medicine.

Brower Promoted

Erin Brower was promoted to Hallmark’s Government & Community Affairs Director.  She’s now responsible for developing and implementing the vision and strategy for Hallmark’s external touch points, including:  federal, state and local government relations; community relations and involvement; corporate philanthropy; and management of the company’s attractions – Hallmark Visitors Center and Kaleidoscope.

Senate’s Interim Committees

Senate Pro Tem Dave Schatz established three interim committees. 

·         These committees will hold hearings, collect testimony and act as working groups for issues potentially facing legislative action next session.  It gives the Senate a running start at issues of complexity.

·         Interesting to note the heavy representation from the Conservative Caucus.  They snagged the chair and vice-chair positions of the retirement system study committee; and comprise four of the eight members of the tax credit study committee.

Humphreys Forms Committee

Committee To Protect The Rights Of Victims Of Rape & Incest was formed. This is the Humphreys’ committee to support a referendum on HB 126, the abortion bill.  Humphreys issued a statement: I support the Committee’s referendum petition to overturn HB126. Abortion is very personal subject with complicated moral issues for all involved. With no consideration given to victims of rape and incest, this legislation’s impact reflects bad public policy with negative consequences for Missourians. As such, I support the Committee’s effort to protect women in the case of rape or incest.  

I invite other like-minded people to join in the Committee’s efforts and with financial and personal support of its signature gathering and campaign.