missouri-politics « WordPress.com Tag Feed

Schweich to Audit Kansas City Suburban School Disttict

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:51:12 +0000

Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich says his office is launching an audit of the Kansas City suburb and school district in Grandview, Missouri.
A group of 1,500 valid petitioners asked for the probe.
According to spokesman in Schweich’s office the petition was started after some patrons of the district raised question about school bond money.
Developing.

House Passes Plan to Have Missouri Sheriffs Handle All Concealed Weapons Permit Apps

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:56:42 +0000

photo15

(AP) The Missouri House has passed a bill that would allow county sheriffs to issue concealed weapons permits instead of the Revenue Department.
Missouri sheriffs already have the responsibility of receiving concealed-carry applications, reviewing applicants’ backgrounds and issuing paper permits. But under current law, recipients take the paper permits to a local licensing office overseen by the Department of Revenue to receive a photo ID card noting their concealed-carry status.
Republican lawmakers want to allow sheriffs to print the permits after learning the Revenue Department compiled a list of concealed weapons permit holders to share with a federal agent at the Social Security Administration.
The measure passed 123-34 Monday. It would also allow designated school personnel to carry concealed weapons in schools buildings. It now heads to the Senate.

Hartzler Warns Army, Don't Run Out on Ft. Leonard Wood

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:53:21 +0000

Western Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler says potential troop cutbacks at the Army base at Ft. Leonard Wood could cost the post more than 40% of its troop strength.
Hartzler is joining the opposition to the cuts. Both Missouri senators, Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill wrote the Army recently to try to save the staffing at Ft. Leonard Wood.
The Army is considering reducing the size of its force, said Hartzler by about 70,000 troops.
Under one version of the plan, Ft. Leonard Wood could lose nearly 4,000 troops.
The Missouri lawmakers said the troop reductions would disrupt the fort’s coordinated training programs that are grouped at Ft. Leonard Wood.
Soldiers returning from overseas assignments to Ft. Leonard Wood are often used at the post to train other soldiers who are about to go on similar assignments.
Hartzler also worries the troop reductions and consolidations could hurt the counties surrounding the southern Missouri military post.
“In addition to the proposed reduction potentially harming military readiness and family well-being, the cuts at Fort Leonard Wood would disproportionately impact Pulaski, Laclede, and other counties with civilians employed at the Fort,” continued Hartzler. “The economic impact to this part of our state, with the loss of 41 percent of the Fort Leonard Wood permanent party, would be devastating.”
Kansas’ largest military base, Ft. Riley is also facing the possibility of troop reductions because of the military reduction plans.

Federal Investigator to Testify This Week on CCP Info Scanning Probe

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:50:03 +0000

photo15

(AP) — A federal investigator with the Social Security Administration plans to testify before a Missouri Senate committee looking into the disclosure of a list of concealed gun permit holders.
The Social Security Administration confirmed Monday that Special Agent Keith Schilb of the inspector general’s office will appear Wednesday before the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senate had issued a subpoena Friday seeking his testimony.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol acknowledged recently that it had twice obtained a list of Missouri concealed gun permit holders and provided it to the Social Security Administration for a potential investigation into fraudulent claims for disability benefits. But the patrol said federal investigators were unable to read the computer disk of information and so destroyed it.
Some Republican lawmakers contend the shared information violated privacy rights.

Blunt & McCaskill Push to Save Army Programs at Ft. Leonard Wood, Ft. Riley, Kan. Could Ben Involved, Too

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:27:05 +0000

(AP) — Missouri’s two U.S. senators want the Pentagon to reconsider a proposed troop realignment that could reduce the number of soldiers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in south-central Missouri by nearly 4,000.
The Army base at Ft. Riley Kansas, Kansas is one of several other military installations that could lose troops as well.
Republican Sen. Roy Blunt and Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, wrote a joint letter Monday to U.S. Army Secretary John McHugh saying they’re concerned about possible plans to reconfigure brigade combat teams at the Pulaski County installation. Both are on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
A preliminary report by the Army’s Environmental Command includes a possible force reduction of 3,900 of the more than 27,000 troops at Fort Leonard Wood. The proposal is part of a larger Army plan that could reduce the total number of enlisted soldiers by 80,000 in 2020.
The force reduction plan targets Fort Leonard Wood’s Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, part of a broad military training program that includes a school for military police.
Blunt and McCaskill pointed out that linking training units with their operational counterparts cuts down on the frequent transfers that can weaken military families. They also urged McHugh to keep in mind the Army’s “conscious effort” during the 2005 base realignments to keep training schools near larger installations.
The Army is holding a public meeting on the proposal at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fort Leonard Wood’s Abrams Theater. Similar sessions are planned at the 20 other installations targeted for realignment.

KC Rep. Ellington helps Revive Teacher Tenure Bill

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:23:04 +0000

Ellington

(AP) — A measure that would impose stricter evaluations for Missouri teachers based on student achievement advanced from a legislative panel Monday, days after the House speaker removed two of his Republican colleagues for blocking the bill.
The legislation would require school districts to implement an evaluation system for teachers and administrators that would be used as the basis for employment decisions. School personnel would be classified on a four-part scale ranging from highly effective to ineffective and evaluations would be conducted at least annually.
The bill now goes to the House floor for consideration.
For the committee to pass a defeated measure, legislative rules require a member who voted “no” to ask for the bill to be reconsidered at the panel’s next scheduled hearing. Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, made that request during Monday’s hearing. He said he agreed to make the motion after receiving assurances from House Republican leadership that he could offer amendments that would loosen some of the bill’s requirements and keep intact certain teacher tenure protections.
“This is way of seeing what type of job they are doing. In my opinion, that is no different than any other job,” Ellington said.
Ellington said he wants to remove a provision that would require teachers to be fired if they received negative evaluations for three consecutive years. He said he believes his amendment will pass because enough Republicans have also expressed concerns about that part. A similar teacher evaluation bill was defeated in the House two weeks ago 102-55, with more than half of the chamber’s Republicans opposing the measure.
He also wants to keep the so-called last-in first-out protection that requires school districts to lay off teachers with less seniority during budget crunches under current law. The bill would eliminate that seniority protection.
Reps. Denny Hoskins, of Warrensburg, and Jeff Messenger, of Republic, had joined with Democrats to block the bill.
But last week, House Speaker Tim Jones ousted Hoskins and Messenger from the House Fiscal Review Committee. Jones said the two Republicans had policy objections to the teacher evaluation measure not fiscal concerns, which he said ran counter to the panel’s purpose. He appointed two other Republicans – Reps. Kathy Swan, of Cape Girardeau, and Sony Anderson, of Springfield – to the panel, and they voted to advance the measure Monday.

Nixon Considering Bill that Would Block Sale of NKC Hospital

kmbc9blogz — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:56:46 +0000

Missouri Govenor Jay Nixon says he has not had time yet to look at whether or not he’ll sign a bill that would prevent the sale of the North Kansas City Hospital.
The measure, intorduced by Repubvlican Senator Ryan Silvey and Democrat Jay Swearingen passed the legislature Thursday.
The measure was combined with some other issues in a larger bill. It passed both the House and Senate easily, with veto-proof majorities.
” I think it’s in a bill with a lot of things it. It’s just that.I have not had a chance to look at that,. We’ll give it a robust review. I’ll be glad to answer questions once I understand it,” Nixon said while in the kansas City suburb of Riverside Friday morning.
The Hospital Board of Trustee and the city of North kansas City are in court.
The city says it has the right to sell the hopspital. At the same time, however, it says it has no plans to do that.
The Hopsital Board of Trustees says they’ve been told by the city that is the city’s intention.
The matter is the center of a lawsuit between City Hall and the hospital.

Judge to determine if lakefront property owners’ action against Ameren can move forward - lakeexpo.com:

americanspring2011 — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:25:15 +0000

http://m.lakeexpo.com/news/lake_news/article_c9a19b42-aae6-11e2-90f8-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=jqm

Senate Moves to End Air Traffic Controller Problems, KCI Starts to Feel the Pinch, Too

kmbc9blogz — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:01:39 +0000

KCI Airport

Area senators Roy Blunt of Missouri and Jerry Moran of Kansas joined Senate Republican leaders Thursday in blasting the Obama Administration over flight delays due to furloughed air traffic controllers.
Thursday, with unusual speed, the senate approved shifting $253 million to provide the money to avoid air traffic controller sequester-forced furloughs.
About 15,000 controllers were looking at one unpaid day of leave every two weeks because of the sequester cuts.
Through the course of the week, the number of flight delays as commercial airports grew because there were not enough controllers on duty to handle the traffic.
The problems were worst at the nation’s largest airports, but the delays started to trickle down to medium-sized airports like KCI in Kansas City.
At one point Thursday six of the scheduled 22 flight departures scheduled for between 10am and Noon Thursday were posted as being delayed, a high number without weather problems.
Missouri Senator Roy Blunt accused the FAA and the Obama Administration of “intentional mismanagement” of the problem.
Kansas’ Jerry Moran said “the White House played a dangerous game by using flight delays and the closing of control towers as political strategy.”
The House, and the remaining members who are around before they leave for a scheduled vacation, are expected to take up the bill on Friday.

Jones Dumps Two Republicans From Committee After Voting With Dems on KC School Take Over Bill

kmbc9blogz — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:03:58 +0000

(AP) AFTER – Two Missouri House Republicans have been removed from a committee after they joined with Democrats to block a top education priority of the chamber’s Republican speaker.

Speaker Tim Jones dismissed Reps. Denny Hoskins, of Warrensburg, and Jeff Messenger, of Republic, from the House Fiscal Review Committee on Thursday. Hoskins and Messenger voted earlier Thursday against a bill requiring school districts to develop teacher evaluation systems centered on student achievement.

The Kansas CityStar reports the bill also includes a measure to provide an immediate take over of the Kansas City school district.

Jones says he removed his fellow Republicans because the purpose of the committee is to evaluate the fiscal impact of legislation, not policy concerns. Hoskins says he objected to measure because it would take some control away from local school boards.

The committee met later Thursday to make another attempt at passing the bill, but it failed again.

Guns at School And Open Carry Changes Advance in Missouri

kmbc9blogz — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:51:26 +0000

(AP) – A Missouri Senate committee has endorsed a House bill allowing designated school personnel to carry concealed weapons in school buildings.

The legislation advanced by the committee Wednesday also allows firearms less than 16 inches long to be openly carried by concealed weapons permit holders throughout the state.

The bill has other provisions, including a declaration that federal gun laws are unenforceable in Missouri and that anyone who publishes information about gun owners could be charged with a misdemeanor.

But the committee removed a House-passed provision to increase the prison sentences of convicted felons who use a firearm in another crime.

license bureau blues

penroseonpolitics — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 23:40:49 +0000

St Clair EEZ's and Chamber of Commerce

americanspring2011 — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:26:04 +0000

http://m.emissourian.com/local_news/communities/saint_clair/article_23b79ab6-ac39-11e2-8aa7-001a4bcf887a.html

With Eye to Kansas 'Border War', Missouri House Passes Tax Reform Bill, But Without Veto-Proof Numbers

kmbc9blogz — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:45:43 +0000

(AP) — Envious of income tax cuts in neighboring states, Missouri’s Republican-led House voted Wednesday to slice income taxes for individuals and businesses while imposing a higher sales tax that would fund schools and roads.
The legislation would mark the most significant change to Missouri’s tax code in at least a couple of decades. But Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon has voiced opposition to similar versions, citing the potential to shift the tax burden away from corporations and the affluent onto those who can least afford the higher sales tax.
The House passed the legislation by a 90-68 vote, though some members of the Republican supermajority defected to join Democrats in opposition.
19 Republicans voted against the legislation, leaving it far shy of the 109 votes that would be needed to override a potential gubernatorial veto.
The bill now must go back to the Senate, because the House made changes to a version passed last month in the other chamber.
Republican supporters in both chambers have touted the tax changes as an important counter-move in an ongoing battle for businesses among Missouri and its neighboring states such as Kansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Kansas passed an income tax cut last year.
Missouri’s GOP lawmakers asserted that the state hasn’t cut its individual income tax rates since 1921.
“We have to do something, or our state is going to lose out,” said Rep. Andrew Koenig, R-St. Louis County, who handled the bill.
Legislative researchers project the House plan would eventually reduce state revenues by $438 million annually. The Missouri Budget Project, a St. Louis-based nonprofit that has run ads against the proposed tax changes, estimates that the bill could eventually reduce state revenues by almost $1 billion annually.
Democrats suggested the proposed tax changes would bust the state’s budget.
“We’re being really irresponsible here,” said Rep. Jon Carpenter, D-Kansas City.
Under the House plan, the top individual income tax rate of 6 percent would be cut by two-thirds of a percentage point over five years, so long as state revenues continue to rise by $100 million annually. The corporate income tax would be gradually reduced by three-quarters of a percentage point. And a new 50 percent deduction would be phased in for business income reported on individual income tax returns.
To partially offset that lost revenue, the legislation would gradually increase the state sales tax by three-fifths of a cent, with most of those revenues earmarked to schools and a smaller portion dedicated to state roads and construction of a new mental hospital. Like the income tax cuts, the sales tax increase would take effect only if state revenues continue to rise by at least $100 million annually.
The various tax changes would start in 2014 and be fully implemented in 2018.

Missouri Lawmakers Tell Feds, Hands Off Our Gun Laws', Democrat Doubt Constitutionality

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:36:43 +0000

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri House passed legislation Wednesday that would make it a felony for U.S. authorities to enforce federal firearm laws in Missouri, despite concerns that the measure likely is unconstitutional.

The legislation would make it a felony punishable by up to four years in prison for federal agents who try to enforce any federal laws or regulations relating to firearms and ammunition owned by Missouri residents.

Democrats said the legislation likely violates the U.S. Constitution, which gives supremacy to federal laws over state laws.

It’s “pretty blatantly unconstitutional,” said Rep. Stacy Newman, D-St. Louis, and “a total waste of our time.”

But Republicans pressed forward anyway, asserting that President Barack Obama’s gun policies and proposals infringe on the Second Amendment. The measure includes an emergency clause, which means it would take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature – in the unlikely event it also passes the Senate and is agreed to by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

“We wanted the strongest possible language,” said Rep. Casey Guernsey, R-Bethany, the sponsor of the legislation. “We don’t want to have further gun control enforceable in the state of Missouri.”

The legislation also states that private gun sales in Missouri involving people who are not licensed dealers shall be exempt from national instant criminal background checks. It also would lower the age to get a concealed gun permit in Missouri to 19 instead of the current minimum of 21.

Missouri Social Services Moves Away from Plan to Shoft Poeople from Medicaid to Disability

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:32:03 +0000

(AP) – In a letter to House Republicans Tuesday the Missouri Department of Social Services backed down on its efforts to move people from welfare programs onto disability payments funded by the federal government.

Department director Alan Freeman wrote that the contract with Boston-based Public Consulting Group will now only shift people in the state’s Medicaid population who have disabilities and serious medical conditions.

Republicans raised concerns about the original contract and the House Government Oversight and Accountability Committee conducted a hearing on it Monday. Republicans objected to the original program because they said it would move people from a welfare which requires active job seeking to disability payments where working reduces monthly benefits.

Moving people from Medicaid onto disability payments could still save the state $28 million annually, because the state shares Medicaid’s health care cost but the federal government pays for Medicare coverage

Missouri Senate Effort to Gut Driver's License Bureau Budget Misses the Mark, Other Programs Cut Instead

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:56:02 +0000

(AP) — Missouri senators trying to target budget cuts at the agency that issues driver’s licenses may have instead blocked funding for the registration of boats and mobile homes. And other Senate cuts could cancel funding for police training and the collection of child support, the state budget director said Tuesday.
A day after the Senate passed a budget plan packed with attention-grabbing cuts, an analysis of those cuts conducted by the state budget chief at the request of The Associated Press indicates that some reductions may have missed their intended mark while others could have unintended consequences.
The most prominent among the Senate’s cuts is the elimination of the entire $3.5 million allotment and 37 full-time employee positions for the Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division. Republican senators said their intent was to hold some leverage over licensing officials as they seek additional information about the way the agency gathers, retains and distributes information about people who apply for driver’s licenses.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer told colleagues during debate that, if the proposed cut ultimately became law, “they will not be able to issue any driver’s licenses.”
But Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s budget director, Linda Luebbering, said Tuesday that the cut would not actually hit the budget line that finances driver’s licenses. Instead, she said, it would prevent the processing of titles and registrations for boats, ATVs and manufactured homes. Luebbering said the cut also could prevent the state from issuing licenses to dealers and manufacturers of motor vehicles and boats.
She said funding for the issuance of driver’s licenses actually is located in a separate budget line labeled for “collecting highway related fees and taxes,” which the Senate left untouched at $22.9 million.
“That’s news to me, and that is not how they have ever explained the budget to us,” Schaefer, R-Columbia, said when told about the state budget director’s analysis.
In the coming weeks, Schaefer and a select group of senators will meet with a similar delegation of House members to negotiate a final version of Missouri’s 2014 budget. Schaefer said the confusion about the cuts highlights senators’ concerns that they have not been given specific information from executive branch officials about what actually is funded by particular budget allotments.
“It is incumbent on them to come in and explain to us what’s in these (budget) lines,” Schaefer said. He added later: “We not going to just blindly appropriate things without seeing clearly what’s in it.”

House Passes Measure Shifting Concealed Weaspons Permit Process to Sheriffs, Eliminates DOR's Role

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:52:25 +0000

(AP) — Legislation that would remove the Missouri Revenue Department from the process of printing licenses to carry concealed weapons was given first-round approval Tuesday by the Republican-controlled House concerned about new driver’s license procedures.
The Revenue Department began a new process last December that requires local license office clerks to scan documents, such as birth certificates and concealed weapons permits, into a state computer system. That process has angered Republicans who say it is an invasion of privacy. Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon announced earlier this month that the Revenue Department would stop scanning the weapons permits.
But the measure sponsored by Rep. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, would leave the Revenue Department out of the concealed weapons process despite the governor’s announcement. It would give county sheriffs the responsibility for printing a special card for concealed weapons permit holders.
Missouri’s sheriffs already have the responsibility of receiving concealed-carry applications, reviewing applicants’ backgrounds and issuing paper permits. But recipients currently take the paper permits to a local license office overseen by the Department of Revenue to receive a photo ID card noting their concealed-carry endorsement.
The Missouri Sheriff’s Association said it is willing to take over the responsibility for printing permits if the Legislature provides some funding. The Senate answered that request and passed a budget bill Monday night that would give $2 million to a sheriffs’ task force to fund grants to issue the licenses.

McCaskill Cites Akin in Fundraiser for SC Democrat

kmbc9blogz — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:47:55 +0000

(AP) – Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill is citing former opponent Todd Akin in a new fundraising plea for a Democratic congressional candidate in South Carolina.

McCaskill sent a fundraising email Tuesday on behalf of Elizabeth Colbert Busch, who faces former Republican Gov. Mark Sanford in a special U.S. House election in South Carolina.

Sanford recently lost the support of the National Republican Congressional Committee after a family court complaint alleging he trespassed at his ex-wife’s house by watching the Super Bowl with his son.

In her email, McCaskill notes that national Republicans also publicly dropped support for then-Congressman Akin last year after he remarked that women’s bodies have ways of avoiding pregnancy from what he called "legitimate rape." But McCaskill notes that some Republicans eventually did fund his campaign for U.S. Senate.

Jackson Co to Expand Concealed Permit Application Hours as Requests Surge

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:14:00 +0000

The Jackson County Sheriff’s office, which serves a large portion of Kansas City, Missouri, is expanding its hours to handle concealed weapons permit (CCP) applications because of a surge of requests.

“We’re seeing a spike”, said Jackson County Sheriff Mike Sharp.

His department says they have processed 53% more application than at the same time a year ago.

To accomodate the surge, Sharp says his CCP office will stay open later two nights a week and will start accepting appoints to come in and get an application or renew a permit.

The same appears to be true in neighboring Clay County, which also services are large portion of Kansas City, north of the Missouri River.

The Clay County Sheriff’s office reports a 50% increase from the same time a year ago.

Marcia Powell was at the Show me Shooter’s range Tuesday.

She said she got her concealed weapons permit in January.

Powell says she fears the Obama Administration could try to restrict access to guns.

She also says she feels safer with a gun.

“I’m armed, I’m protected. I feel safe when I’m out. And, I know how to shoot my gun,” she said.

Tuesday, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office CCP department was full. Sharp says it’s like that most days. The Department records show they’re handling an average of more than 41 cases each business day.

Mark Pocok was there Tuesday renewing his permit.

He agrees with those who say they feel safer if they have a weapon.

“Probably for protection. Some folks have to work in bad parts of town. Criminals got guns,” he said.

The situation is much the same in suburban Kansas City on the Kansas side.

Heavily populated Johnson County Kansas’ Sheriff’s Department says they’ve already processed more than two thirds of all of the concealed weapons permits they received in 2012.

It appears Missouri’s concealed weapons process may be headed for changes.

In light of the controversy over whether or not Missouri’s Department of Revenue (DOR) improperly shared private CCP application data, some Republican lawmakers are pushing to remove the DOR and the state’s license bureaus from the CCP process altogether.
Tuesday, the Missouri House passed a bill giving Missouri Sheriffs control over the entire CCP application process.

Until the controversy! Missouri driver’s license operations would often endorse a CCP holder’s driver’s license with an advisory on the license the individual is authorized to carry a conceal weapon.

Jackson County Sheriff Sharp agrees with removing the DOR from the process.

“There is no need for you, to come here, have your fingerprints taken, then have to go to another location to pick up your ID card,” Sharp said.

The new Jackson County Sheriff Dept. CCP hours are:

Monday 8:30 am-7:30 (renewals only 8:30-12:00pm)

Tuesday: 8:30am-3:30pm

Wednesday: 8:30am-3:30 pm

Thursday: 8:30 am-7:30 pm (renewals only8:30 am-12:00 pm)

Friday: 8:30 am-3:30 pm

Akin Does St. Louis TV Interview This Week

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:20:34 +0000

Akin

(Hat tip to JohnCombest.com
KSDK TV in St. Louis has nabbed a Spring sweeps piece with former Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin. It is believed to be Akin’s first interview since his defeat last November to Democrat Claire McCaskill.
The interview will be broadcast Thursday night on KSDK’s 10pm newscast.
According to St. Louis’ Riverfront Times’, a promotional tease of the report has Akin saying, “”I believe the party will either stand on principled positions, or it’s going to be replaced by some other party.”

Senate Budget Plan Threatens to Shut Down Missouri Driver's License Bureaus Over DOR Scanning Dispute

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:08:16 +0000

(AP) — Missouri residents could be unable to get driver’s licenses if a funding cut passed Monday by the Missouri Senate were to ultimately become law.
The elimination of funding for Missouri’s driver’s license bureau was perhaps the most dramatic proposal in a Senate budget plan chock full of reductions intended to grab the attention of executive branch officials accused by some senators of being uncooperative or less than forthcoming when describing how they spend state money.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer, the architect of many of those message-sending cuts, said he was seeking leverage over state officials as he leads a Senate delegation that will meet with House members in the coming weeks to negotiate a final version of the 2014 budget. But other senators wondered about the effect if the proposed cuts actually become law.
If the entire $3.5 million allotment for the Motor Vehicle and Driver Licensing Division ultimately is eliminated: “They will not be able to issue any driver’s licenses,” Schaefer, R-Columbia, acknowledged.
Other funding cuts in the Senate budget plan target the administration in the Department of Revenue, which oversees the licensing bureau, the Department of Public Safety and the computer section of the state Office of Administration – all of which have drawn Republican ire for their roles in collecting and distributing information about concealed gun permit holders.
Republican lawmakers have asserted that people’s privacy rights have been violated by a new Department of Revenue policy intended to cut down on fraud in which licensing clerks have made electronic copies of people’s personal documents such as birth certificates and concealed gun permits. Nixon recently ordered an end to the copying of concealed permits, but that has not quelled Republican frustrations.
As part of an inquiry into the new licensing procedures by the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Missouri State Highway Patrol recently said it had twice obtained a list of people holding concealed gun permits and provided the information to a disability fraud investigator in the U.S. Social Security Administration. The patrol got the comprehensive list with the help of the state’s computing division, which extracted data kept by the Department of Revenue as part of its responsibility for issuing photo identification cards to concealed gun permit holders.
The Social Security Administration has said it was unable to read the computer disks of information and so destroyed them.
Republican senators want to strip the Department of Revenue of the responsibility of producing concealed gun identification cards. The budget plan approved Monday includes $2 million for a sheriffs’ task force to instead oversee that duty.
The Senate budget plan also would eliminate all 37 full-time employee positions in the driver’s license division while also cutting $7 million from the Revenue Department’s administration, $9 million from the computer technology division and $20 million from the administration of the Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Highway Patrol.
“I’m pretty confident that this will get someone’s attention … and we’ll start getting those answers,” Schaefer said.

Nixon's Medicaid Expansion Loses Big Senate Vote

kmbc9blogz — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:01:37 +0000

Nixon

(AP) — Republican senators have made it clear that there will be no Medicaid expansion in Missouri this session.
The Republican-led Senate voted down a Democratic attempt Monday night to insert $890 million of federal funds into Missouri’s budget to expand Medicaid eligibility to an estimated 260,000 lower-income adults.
The vote was just the latest in a series of similar defeats in the Missouri Legislature for the Medicaid expansion backed by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and called for under President Barack Obama’s health care law.
But this vote carried a bit more weight. That’s because it ensured that neither the Senate nor the House version of the budget includes the Medicaid expansion. Under legislative rules, negotiators cannot insert money into the final budget that wasn’t in either chamber’s plan.

Nixon Will Tour Flood Zones Saturday

kmbc9blogz — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 13:13:18 +0000

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Gov. Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and activated the Missouri National Guard to aid flood-fighting efforts.

Nixon issued his emergency declaration Friday after strong storms earlier this week led to flooding.

The National Guard said about 50 soldiers and airmen are being sent to the Clarksville area to help local sandbagging efforts and build a retaining wall. Clarksville is located along the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Hannibal.

Nixon also activated the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan, which allows state agencies to better coordinate with local jurisdictions for emergency services.

Nixon Vetoes Sales Tax on Out of State Vehicle Sales

kmbc9blogz — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 18:52:04 +0000

(AP) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed legislation that sought to re-impose local sales taxes on vehicles bought from out-of-state dealers or through person-to-person sales.

Nixon’s veto Friday marks the second time in two years he has rejected the Legislature’s attempt to reverse the effect of a 2012 Supreme Court ruling.

The court ruled that local sales taxes can only be charged on vehicles bought from Missouri retailers. If cities and counties want to tax vehicles bought elsewhere, the court said they need to adopt local “use taxes.”

The legislation vetoed by Nixon sought to get around that ruling by tying local sales taxes to the titling of vehicles. Local voters would have had a chance to repeal the taxes by 2016.

Nixon said the repeal section was not drafted well.