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Dottie for Missouri

5 days ago

State Operating Budget Signed into Law (HBs 1-13)

Gov. Parson this week signed into law a balanced state budget that contains record funding for elementary and secondary education. Without issuing any line item vetoes, the governor signed the 13 appropriations bills that make up the $29.7 billion spending plan that provides funding to the state’s departments and programs.

In signing the budget, Gov. Parson said, “We are proud of the General Assembly and their efforts with the fiscal year 2020 budget. They have created a fiscally-responsible, balanced budget that will move Missouri forward.”

The budget bills that were approved in May by the General Assembly provide full funding to the school foundation formula for the third consecutive year. The FY 2020 budget provides an increase of $61 million to bring the total funding for the formula to $3.94 billion, which is the highest level in state history. The education budget also includes a $5 million increase for a total of $108 million in funding for transportation expenses for local school districts. Additionally, the budget includes a $3 million increase for the Parents as Teachers program. In total, funding for pre-K-12 education is increased by $116 million in the spending plan that was signed into law.

As he signed the budget bills, the governor emphasized the importance of meeting the state’s infrastructure needs without raising taxes. The governor highlighted the following budget items:

$351.0 million for replacement and repair of bridges, including $50.0 million one-time General Revenue and $301.0 million from bonding, contingent upon the award of the federal INFRA Grant.
$50.0 million for a transportation cost-share program with local communities.
$10.8 million State Road Fund for maintenance repairs due to flooding.
$5.0 million State Road Fund for construction due to flooding.
$6.4 million for port capital improvement projects.
$5.0 million for grants to provide broadband access to under-served areas pursuant to HB 1872 (2018).
$10 million for the Multipurpose Water Resource Program, including the planning, design, construction, or renovation of public water supplies, flood control storage, drought, mitigation, and public water supply treatment or transmission facilities.

The governor also highlighted several funding items in the budget that will create and improve Missouri's workforce development programs. Funding priorities emphasized by the governor include:

$18.9 million for the MO Excels Workforce Initiative, which develops and expands employer-driven education, training programs, and initiatives to substantially increase educational attainment.
$10.0 million Lottery Proceeds Fund to support the Fast-Track Workforce Incentive Grant Program.
$61.4 million to fully fund the education foundation formula.
$5.0 million for transportation funding for schools.
$10.4 million for the Missouri One Start Program to provide new and expanding industry training programs and basic industry retraining programs.

With the bills now signed into law, they will take effect when the new fiscal year begins July 1.

Bill to End Missouri-Kansas Economic Border War Signed into Law (SB 182)

Also this week, Gov. Parson signed legislation meant to put an end to the economic border war between the states of Missouri and Kansas.

As he signed the bill, the governor said, “We want to work together with our peers in Kansas to support the growth of the entire Kansas City region. Incentivizing companies to move a few miles doesn’t result in new jobs for the citizens of Kansas or Missouri, and it takes state resources away from other priorities that would result in true growth for the state.”

According to research done by the Hall Family Foundation, an estimated 10,000 jobs moved between Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas and Jackson County in Missouri over the last decade. The estimated incentive cost to move these jobs between the two states is $330 million.

The bill passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor will prohibit the issuance of economic development incentives to companies moving from Kansas to certain counties in Missouri. The legislation will only take effect if Kansas implements a reciprocal agreement. If it is fully implemented, it will impact companies moving between Johnson, Miami, and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties in Missouri.

Gov. Parson Signs Bill to Ensure Access to Federal Rap Back Program (HB 694)

The governor recently signed into law a piece of legislation meant to ensure the state will continue to benefit from access to the federal Rap Back Program. Rap Back is a real-time monitoring system for criminal history that allows entities that are enrolled to receive ongoing status notifications of new arrests, both in Missouri and in other states, once employees’ fingerprints are in the system.

The members of the General Assembly passed HB 1350 during the 2018 legislative session to allow the Missouri State Highway Patrol to submit fingerprint-based record checks to the national Rap Back Program. The legislation passed this year will ensure the state can continue to participate in the program. The bill simply provides separate authority for public and private entities to use Rap Back.

Missouri needed to make the change because the FBI has stated the existing language does not meet its standards. Right now, Missouri is still participating in the Rap Back Program because of a grace period that lasts until August 2019.

The sponsor of the bill said the legislation is incredibly important for health care providers, child care providers and schools who want to have updated criminal background information on their employees. She said by making the change, the state will continue to have access to a program that helps protect Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens.

The legislation also contains a provision that will extend the court surcharges in all criminal cases that are deposited into the DNA Profiling Analysis Fund. The fund plays a critical role in keeping the state crime lab operational. The fund is set to expire in August 2019. With passage of the bill, the expiration date would be extended to 2029.

Legislation Signed into Law to Address Feral Hog Problem in Missouri (HB 655)

Gov. Parson also recently signed legislation into law that will help landowners deal with the feral hog problem that plagues many areas of the state. The legislation will clarify that land owners can bring in agents to eradicate hogs on their property.

Feral hogs are an invasive, non-native, destructive species in Missouri. Their rooting and wallowing cause soil erosion, reduce water quality, and damage agricultural crops and hay fields, as well as destroy sensitive natural areas such as glades, fens and springs. According to the Department of Conservation, a single group of 10 hogs can destroy 10 to 20 acres in one night.

Last year, the Department of Conservation and the USDA killed over 9,000 hogs through trapping. However, hogs are “prolific breeders” capable of maintaining a 166 percent yearly population growth rate. Despite the fact many hogs are trapped, snared or hunted, many more are born each year.

To help landowners combat the numerous problems associated with feral hogs, the legislature passed the bill to define the term "landowner's agent" for the purposes of who may take, attempt to take, or kill a feral hog with the use of an artificial light. Because the hogs are active at night, that is when they are most effectively hunted. However, farmers and landowners often do not have the time to hunt the creatures during the evening hours. Many times landowners bring others in to combat the damage the hogs cause. The legislation that is now set to become law will allow landowners to have more options to stop the nuisance created by feral hogs. ...

Dottie for Missouri

2 weeks ago

This is Bobbie, she owns and operates a very cool upscale boutique, Eclectic Trading Company in Pacific MO along historic Route 66. My daughter and I stopped by and were there a good hour, I’m not a shopper but she has so many interesting items that we couldn’t leave. Plus she is a doll and very hospitable... it’s a must visit in District 110. Please stop by and check it out. ...

Dottie for Missouri

2 weeks ago

Charles Glenn nails it! Amazing National Anthem! Wow. #LGB ...