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Lathrop GPM Consulting LLC
314 East High Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
+1 573.469.4172
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Week 6: Filibusters Mark Week for Missouri Senate |
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Shortly after midnight Wednesday morning, Feb. 9, the Senate ended a 31-hour filibuster without resolving the U.S. Congressional redistricting map that’s needed for this year’s state elections.
The filibuster was started by the Senate’s Conservative Caucus, a handful of Republicans, who are opposed to the redistricting map delivered to the Senate by the House of Representatives. The map likely would maintain a seat split of 6 Republicans and 2 Democrats from Missouri in Congress. The caucus instead has sought a 7-1 split.
During the 31-hour filibuster tying up the Senate which began Monday, Feb. 7, at about 5 p.m., senators read articles and song lyrics and other materials, even tales shared about Jim The Wonder Dog, an amazing canine whose home was in Marshall. During the filibuster, quorum calls were requested every 30 to 60 minutes, calling senators to return to the near vacant chamber to hear senators’ offerings.
The Senate returned to session at noon on Wednesday. Sen. Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis), who renewed the filibuster on Wednesday, has named the redistricting map “the Shaul Map, the 2117 Map, the Pelosi Map, the Sellout Map.” House Bill 2117, sponsored by Rep. Dan Shaul (R-Imperial), is the bill that includes the redistricting map passed by the House of Representatives. The Senate adjourned Wednesday about 7:00 p.m.
Nearly a dozen Senate committee hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday were canceled due to the filibuster. The Senate held a few committee hearings on Thursday morning but is continuing floor session into Friday this week.
HOUSE MOVES SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET BILL TO SENATE
House Bill 3014 (Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage) is a supplemental budget bill with $4.8 billion of new funding for the current Fiscal Year 2022, if approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Mike Parson. HB 3014 was third read and passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 114-11 (with 25 present) on Thursday, Feb. 10. New funding in the bill includes $92 million for state employee wage increases (the Governor had recommended $98 million), additional funding for Medicaid to ensure enough funds to run the program and extend coverage to new eligible citizens, and some $2 billion in ESSER III for schools through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. $4.3 billion of the bill’s funding is from federal funds. Legislators and the Governor had hoped to have the bill make its way through the House and Senate by early February. However, recent snow, illnesses of some legislators, and other issues have slowed the process.
INITIATIVE PETITION LEGISLATION ADVANCES TO SENATE
House Joint Resolution 79 (Henderson, R-Bonne Terre) is a proposed state constitutional amendment that if approved by voters would require a two-thirds supermajority vote for passage of an amendment to the state’s Constitution. On Feb. 10, the full House of Representatives third read and passed HJR 79 by a vote of 98-53, and moved the bill to the Senate. HJR 79 requires initiative petition signatures to place a measure on the ballot as a constitutional amendment to be collected in each of Missouri’s eight U.S. Congressional districts using a percentage requirement of 10 percent. Statutes may be placed on the ballot using the current percentage requirement of 5 percent. (Currently, a constitutional amendment may be placed on the ballot by initiative petitions signed by 8 percent of legal voters in six of Missouri’s eight Congressional districts, and the ballot issue currently would take effect if a simple majority of votes cast approves the issue.) A floor amendment to the bill would require the Secretary of State to administer public forums in each Congressional district at least 15 days before the measure is voted on a statewide ballot to give members of the public an opportunity to review and comment on the initiative petition. HJR 79 also has a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2023, if approved by voters.
VACCINE MANDATES
House Bill 1641 (Coleman, R-Grain Valley) states that an employer that requires an employee to undergo or provide proof of receiving a vaccination against any disease as a condition of employment or continued employment shall exempt an employee who in writing claims a religious or conscientious objection, provides evidence of acquired immunity to the disease, or provides a written statement from a physician that the vaccination is medically contraindicated for the employee. This bill makes an employer liable for damages or injury arising from the required vaccination. During an executive session of the House Judiciary Committee on February 9 substitute language was adopted to remove conscientious objection provisions from the bill. Once modified, the committee passed the bill by a 9-2 vote.
House Bill 2093 (Wiemann, R-O’Fallon) prohibits any employer from implementing a vaccination program ordered by any government entity. During an executive session in the House Judiciary Committee on February 9, language was modified to ensure only government agencies and entities are prohibited from implementing vaccine programs and removed the sunset. Once modified, the committee passed the bill by a 7-4 vote.
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House Bill 2126 (Francis, R-Perryville) reauthorizes the "Meat Processing Facility Investment Tax Credit Act" until December 31, 2028, and limits the eligibility to taxpayers who own a meat processing facility in this state and employ a combined total of fewer than 500 individuals in all meat processing facilities owned by the individual or entity. Additionally, this bill removes a shared cap of $2 million with the Qualified Beef Tax Credit Act, and allows the Meat Processing Facility Investment Tax Credit Act to have an individual cap of $2 million, annually. Hearing held February 10 in the House Rural Community Development Committee.
Testifying in favor were the Director of the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA), Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Soybean Association, and the Missouri Pork Producers Association. No one testified in opposition or for informational purposes only.
House Bill 2204 (Knight, R-Lebanon) Currently, if an animal owner is charged with animal abuse or neglect is found innocent, all costs with their case including animal boarding and care must be paid for by the owner before they can have their animals returned. The bill modifies multiple provisions relating to the confiscation of animal by specifying if an animal owner is innocent, the confiscating agency is liable for costs. Hearing held February 8 in the House Agriculture Policy Committee. Missouri Alliance for Freedom, Missouri Pet Breeders Association, Missouri Cattlemen's Association, Missouri Veterinary Medical Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, Protect the Harvest and Missouri Pork Association provided supporting testimony. The Missouri Alliance for Animal Welfare Association provided opposing testimony and informed committee members the bill complicates statutes already in place and places an undue burden on municipalities.
House Joint Resolution 70 (Davidson, R-Republic) Upon voter approval, this proposed Constitutional amendment requires Constitutional amendments submitted by initiative petition to be approved by a majority of registered voters. Registered voters are defined in terms of persons allowed to vote at the most recent general, municipal, or primary election preceding the amendment vote. The House-Rules-Administrative Oversight Committee held an executive session on February 9 where HJR 70 was voted do pass by a vote of 7-5.
HJRs VOTED ‘DO PASS’ BY ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
The House Elections and Elected Officials Committee voted “do pass” on the following four proposed state Constitutional amendments to amend the initiative petition process in Missouri. If approved by the House and the Senate, such amendments would require a majority vote later this year on a statewide ballot.
House Joint Resolution 91 (J. Eggleston, R-Maysville). The committee voted HCS HJR 91 “do pass” on a vote of 9-4. Upon voter approval, this proposed Constitutional amendment would require the sponsor(s) of initiative petitions proposing Constitutional amendments or laws to collect signatures in each of Missouri’s eight Congressional districts. After collecting signatures, hearings in the General Assembly would be held on the initiative petition proposal. If placed on the statewide ballot, a two-thirds majority vote of the people is required for approval of the proposed amendment. An amendment: The House Committee Substitute specifies that the Constitutional phrase "legal voter" is defined as an individual who is a citizen of the United States, a resident of Missouri, and who is properly registered to vote, and the resolution has a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.
House Joint Resolution 65 (Hardy Billington, R-Poplar Bluff). The committee voted HCS HJR 65 “do pass” on a vote of 7-6. Upon voter approval, this proposed Constitutional amendment requires that signatures of the legal voters for either amendments (eight percent) or statutory law changes (five percent) shall be collected in each of the eight Congressional districts in the state. Currently, initiative petitions shall be signed by legal voters in only six of the Congressional districts in the state. The House Committee Substitute has a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.
House Joint Resolution 74 and House Joint Resolution 85 (Ed Lewis, R-Moberly). HCS for HJR 74 was voted “do pass” on a vote of 6-5. HCS HJR 74 would require that initiative measures be approved by two-thirds of the votes cast on the proposal. HCS for HJR 85 was voted “do pass” on a vote of 7-5. HCS HJR 85 would require that initiative petitions for proposed amendments to the Constitution be signed by 10 percent of legal voters in each of the eight Congressional districts and that initiative petitions proposing laws be signed by five percent of such voters. Both House Committee Substitutes have a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.
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House-Workforce Development
02/14/2022 12:30 PM
Committee Hearing, HR 1
HB2564 Riggs, Louis - Establishes the Twenty-First Century Technology Innovation Task Force
HB2583 Riggs, Louis - Establishes the Missouri Technology Task Force
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House-Budget
02/15/2022 8:15 AM
Committee Hearing, HR 3
Budget presentations from the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations and the Department of Public Safety.
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House-Agriculture Policy
02/15/2022 9:00 AM
Committee Hearing, HR 1
Executive Session:
HB2204 Knight, Jeff - Modifies provisions relating to the confiscation of animals
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House-Local Government
02/17/2022 8:00 AM
Committee Hearing, HR 7
Executive Session:
HB1588 Haden, Kent - Prohibits villages, towns, and cities from regulating dogs in a breed-specific manner
HB1657 Hicks, Ron - Prohibits villages, towns, and cities from regulating dogs in a breed-specific manner
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Lathrop GPM Consulting LLC
314 E. High Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101
T: +1 573.469.4172
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