Passing budget is first priority when lawmakers return this week

Seven weeks to go.

That's all the time Missouri lawmakers have to agree on a budget and send it to Gov. Jay Nixon by May 8, and to pass any other new laws or law changes by May 15.

The House has already passed the budget, and the Senate's Appropriations Committee is going through those bills to see what changes, if any, the Senate wants to make - before conference committee members from both houses negotiate a compromise version to send to the governor.

"When you look at the governor's budget and you look at the budget the House gave us, there's probably a substantial amount of money that's going to have to be cut out of that budget," because revenues aren't growing as well as needed, Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, said March 19, as lawmakers were leaving the Capitol for last week's legislative Spring Break.

"We do have to take a substantial amount of money out of this budget, to make it balance."

The Senate should begin debating the budget next week, Schaefer and Senate leaders said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, said he hopes there's more debate this week on his bill to redefine what is expert testimony in court cases.

"Tort reform is very important to Missourians and small businesses," Kehoe explained, acknowledging some Missourians complain the Legislature is too-focused on

business-friendly issues, and not focused enough on laws that help the average state resident.

"I would also argue that the average citizen benefits from a friendly business climate, because our state is all about jobs," Kehoe said. "And, when you talk about jobs and the economy, I think making a climate friendly so businesses can expand and grow and, you know, possibly relocate new businesses to this state - that means jobs for Missourians (and) options for Missouri families."

Kehoe also hopes lawmakers this year will pass a change to the unemployment laws, tying the number of weeks of unemployment that are available to the unemployment rate.

Nixon vetoed last year's version, and lawmakers didn't get enough votes to override it.

Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, agreed.

"That's a bill that we'll probably get to soon, after the break," Dempsey said. "What I've heard mentioned is that this proposal will save Missouri businesses about $102 million."

Dempsey also said the Senate likely will debate the House-passed "Right-to-Work" bill that would prohibit contracts requiring union memberships as a condition of employment.

Dempsey has said he's not sure the proposal is a good idea, but, he told reporters, "I've had a number of times when I've talked about my commitment that I made to my Senate Republican colleagues, that I would not be an obstacle.

"And, so, at some point - probably late in session - I'll put the bill on the calendar, where the majority leader will have the ability to take it up, when he thinks he's ready."

Historically, Democrats - and some Republicans - have opposed the idea.

Voters rejected a 1978 Right to Work ballot initiative.

Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, said, "We've got an ethics bill I think that's sponsored by Sen. Ron Richard (R-Joplin) - a Senate bill on the House calendar - that I think we'll go to sometime fairly soon after we come back from break, which I'm pleased with.

"I've got a Medicaid reform bill that will, likely, make the calendar the week we come back from break - and I expect we'll go to it very soon."

Rep. Caleb Jones, R-Columbia, sponsored a corporate income tax bill "for any business headquartered in Missouri that does business outside of the state - (that) they're being taxed the same outside of the state as they are in. I'm a little disappointed it's not as far (in the House) as I wanted it to be.

"But the Senate's already passed (a similar bill), so I feel very confident that we're going to be able to get it done - and brought up and passed in the next week or two after we get back."

In addition to the budget that's consumed much of his time, so far, Schaefer said, "Some of the bills that I tend to sponsor are a little bigger, so they're ones that take a little more discussion and debate, so they take more time. ...

"That state RICO bill that I have - which is similar to the federal law on Racketeering Influenced Criminal Organizations Act, which allows prosecutors and law enforcement to go after criminal activity as a network, as opposed to just individuals - I think that's really important.

"A lot of states have that law that helps them crack down on human trafficking, political corruption, drug trafficking. We need to get that passed - that's a priority."

Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, said, "Of huge concern is the jobs issue and our infrastructure issue - whether it's energy or water lines or sewer lines or our roads.

"That conversation comes up anywhere I go in my Senate district - what are we going to do about our roads and bridges?"

Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, is hopeful lawmakers will pass a bill "that would allow us to have farmer's markets around the state Capitol. I've heard other state capitols have done that and really been successful."