April 17, 2009

The Missouri General Assembly focused on spending federal stimulus monies in House bills 17, 18 and 19.

The funds will be used for state projects primarily finishing out state university projects that were promised in the MOHELA program. The funds have run short for the building projects.

Additional funding is designed to be used only for one time state building projects. There is no provision for on-going programs.

The House version includes $753 million for state Buildings and $167 million for grants through the departments. The spending is approximately 82% for buildings and 18% for departments to grant.

In discussions with Senator Nodler the Appropriations Chair it is apparent that the Senate will have a vastly different take on the stimulus funds including reserves and “shoring up” the state budget.

No doubt intense negotiations will occur in conference. The budget must be completed by May 8th at 6:00pm.

News this week includes:

Senate Approves Coverage Expansion In Budget
The Missouri Senate has approved its version of the appropriations bill that calls for an expansion of coverage under the MO HealthNet program. The bill now returns to the House, which did not endorse funding for the expanded coverage. A committee of legislators from each chamber will negotiate to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The product of those negotiations must be approved by each chamber before Friday, May 8. If the appropriation in House Bill 11 is enacted and signed into law, it would authorize coverage of 34,800 parents in families with household incomes between 20 percent and 50 percent of the federal poverty level.

Senate- Government Accountability & Fiscal Oversight
 SJR 18   - Hearing conducted
Senator Cunningham presented this bill. This bill would allow the constitution to be amended to simplify the property tax system that is currently in place in Missouri. A representative of the Missouri National Education Association went on record as being opposed to this piece of legislation stating that this bill would make the property tax system not fair. A representative of the Missouri School Board Association went on record as being in opposition to this bill, stating that schools depend on the money that is generated from the current tax system. A representative of the Missouri Municipal League went on record as being in opposition to this bill stating that this new plan would not allow schools to generate enough revenue.

House Professional Registration
Several bills were heard Wednesday in the House Professional Registration Committee. Those included:

SB 237- (Nurse Licensure Compact) The committee had heard the bill previously. MHA, Nursing Homes, MONA and others were in favor.

This act creates a multistate nursing licensure compact for registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses. This compact allows licensed registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses to practice nursing in states which participate in the nurse licensure compact.

The bill was voted DO PASS.

SB 406- Prescribing for P.A.s (Senator Scott) voted DO PASS. (Also contained in the omnibus HB 945)

P.A.s, APNs, Board of Nursing, Board of Healing Arts, FQHC’s were all in favor.

HB 536 (Dixon) Prescribing for psychologists, passed 8-5, Wasson will probably not move the bill.

The committee also rolled the omnibus HB 945 into SB 296. Link to HB 945: http://house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills091/bilsum/commit/sHB945C.htm

Next Week
Only four weeks remain in the 2009 legislative session. As usual this time of year major legislation has not yet been dealt with by the General Assembly. Undoubtedly, things will loosen up as we get closer to the end.

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