JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's Republican-controlled House voted Tuesday to override the Democratic governor's veto of legislation that would reduce the weeks of available jobless benefits to one of the shortest periods in the nation.
The 109-53 vote met the bare minimum needed to override vetoes; a similar two-thirds majority vote is needed in the Senate for the measure to receive final approval.
Missouri already is one of seven states that offer less than the standard 26 weeks of benefits. The measure vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon would link the duration of jobless benefits to the state's unemployment rate, starting next January. The effect would be to cut the weeks of benefits available for laid-off workers from the current 20 to as few as 13, if the statewide unemployment rate remains below 6 percent.
The March unemployment rate for Missouri was 5.6 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. An unemployment rate of over 9 percent would be needed to receive 20 weeks of benefits.
Some Republican-controlled legislatures in recent years have pushed to cut the benefits available, arguing that workers would have a greater reason to find a new job more quickly. Republican state Rep. Jay Barnes of Jefferson City said people tend to search more aggressively for work when their benefits are about to run out.
"Incentives matter," Barnes told colleagues during Tuesday's debate.
Four other states already link the duration of benefits to the unemployment rate - Kansas, Florida, North Carolina and Georgia. Just two states have minimums lower than Missouri's proposed 13 weeks. Florida and North Carolina both allow benefits to drop to as few as 12 weeks if the state unemployment rate is below 5 percent. Florida's benefits currently stand at 14 weeks and North Carolina's at 15 weeks.
"We are really hurting those people that are down and out right now," said Democratic Rep. Margo McNeil, of the St. Louis suburb of Florissant. "We're going to vote to be the absolute stingiest state in the nation with this override. I mean, where is our humanity?"
Republicans have made the legislation a priority as a way to reduce costs for employers. A similar measure passed last year and also was vetoed, but lawmakers fell two votes short of an override in the House.
This year's bill is different in that it also makes it more difficult for employees who get severance pay when they lose their jobs to qualify for benefits. That's because it would require lump-sum severance payments to be pro-rated on a weekly basis, potentially delaying the clock for when people can begin receiving benefits.
Missouri provides up to $320 a week in unemployment benefits, calculated based on a person's previous income.
The legislation also would increase the amount the state could hold in its unemployment insurance trust fund. It would encourage a state board to consider alternative mechanisms besides borrowing from the federal government when that fund runs out of money.
Employers lose part of a federal tax credit when the state owes the federal government money for unemployment benefits. Missouri began borrowing from the federal government in 2009 and paid it off last year. Business groups say the changes would bring needed stability to the fund and help avoid additional fees in the future.
"At the end of the day, we can't just keep repeating this cycle of having to borrow money for unemployment," said bill sponsor Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Shell Knob.
Associated Press writer Summer Ballentine contributed to this report.
Unemployment bill is HB150.
Missouri House roll call vote on unemployment benefit cuts
The 109-53 roll call vote Tuesday by which the Missouri House overrode Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill that would cut the number of weeks a person could receive unemployment insurance benefits.
Voting "yes" were 109 Republicans.
Voting "no" were 44 Democrats, eight Republicans and one Independent.
REPUBLICANS VOTING YES
Justin Alferman, Washington
Sue Allen, Town and Country
Sonya Anderson, Springfield
Allen Andrews, Grant City
Kevin Austin, Springfield
Kurt Bahr, O'Fallon
Jay Barnes, Jefferson City
Chuck Basye, Rocheport
Nathan Beard, Sedalia
Mike Bernskoetter, Jefferson City
T.J. Berry, Kearney
Jack Bondon, Belton
Rick Brattin, Harrisonville
Cloria Brown, St. Louis County
Wanda Brown, Cole Camp
Eric Burlison, Springfield
Jason Chipman, St. James
Mike Cierpiot, Lee's Summit
Kathie Conway, St. Charles
Steve Cookson, Poplar Bluff
Robert Cornejo, St. Peters
Sandy Crawford, Buffalo
Gary Cross, Lee's Summit
Paul Curtman, Pacific
Charlie Davis, Webb City
Shamed Dogan, Ballwin
Dean Dohrman, La Monte
Tony Dugger, Hartville
J. Eggleston, Maysville
Kevin Engler, Farmington
Sue Entlicher, Bolivar
Scott Fitzpatrick, Shell Knob
Paul Fitzwater, Potosi
Travis Fitzwater, Holts Summit
Tom Flanigan, Carthage
Lyndall Fraker, Marshfield
Diane Franklin, Camdenton
Keith Frederick, Rolla
Don Gosen, Chesterfield
Elijah Haahr, Springfield
Marsha Haefner, Oakville
Jim Hansen, Frankford
Ron Hicks, St. Peters
Galen Higdon, St. Joseph
Justin Hill, Willard
Dave Hinson, St. Clair
Denny Hoskins, Warrensburg
Lincoln Hough, Springfield
Jay Houghton, Martinsburg
Tila Hubrecht, Dexter
Thomas Hurst, Meta
Delus Johnson, St. Joseph
Caleb Jones, Columbia
Jeffery Justus, Branson
Shelley Keeney, Marble Hill
Mike Kelley, Lamar
Nick King, Liberty
Andrew Koenig, Manchester
Glen Kolkmeyer, Wellington
Bart Korman, High Hill
Mike Lair, Chillicothe
Bill Lant, Pineville
Jeanie Lauer, Blue Springs
Mike Leara, St. Louis County
Donna Lichtenegger, Jackson
Warren Love, Osceola
Steve Lynch, Waynesville
Kirk Mathews, Pacific
John McCaherty, High Ridge
Andrew McDaniel, Deering
Joe Don McGaugh, Carrollton
Jeffrey Messenger, Republic
Rocky Miller, Osage Beach
Mike Moon, Ash Grove
Lynn Morris, Ozark
Dave Muntzel, Boonville
Jim Neely, Cameron
Mark Parkinson, St. Charles
Donna Pfautsch, Harrisonville
Don Phillips, Kimberling City
Randy Pietzman, Troy
Patricia Pike, Adrian
Craig Redmon, Canton
Holly Rehder, Sikeston
Bill Rieboldt, Neosho
Tim Remole, Excello
Shawn Rhoads, West Plains
Todd Richardson, Poplar Bluff
Shane Roden, Cedar Hill
Rebecca Roeber, Lee's Summit
Donald Rone, Portageville
Robert Ross, Yukon
Caleb Rowden, Columbia
Lyle Rowland, Cedarcreek
Dan Shaul, Imperial
Noel Shull, Kansas City
Lindell Shumake, Hannibal
Chrissy Sommer, St. Charles
Bryan Spencer, Wentzville
Kathy Swan, Cape Girardeau
Jered Taylor, Nixa
Rob Vescovo, Arnold
Nate Walker, Kirksville
Bill White, Joplin
John Wiemann, O'Fallon
Kenneth Wilson, Smithville
David Wood, Versailles
Anne Zerr, St. Charles
John Diehl, Town and Country
INDEPENDENTS VOTING NO
Keith English, Florissant
REPUBLICANS VOTING NO
Linda Black, Desloge
Kevin Corlew, Kansas City
Elaine Gannon, De Soto
Bill Kidd, Independence
Nick Marshall, Parkville
Jeff Pogue, Salem
Becky Ruth, Festus
Sheila Solon, Blue Springs
DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Joe Adams, University City
Ira Anders, Independence
Lauren Arthur, Kansas City
Bob Burns, Affton
Michael Butler, St. Louis
Jon Carpenter, Kansas City
Mike Colona, St. Louis
Pat Conway, St. Joseph
Courtney Curtis, Ferguson
Randy Dunn, Kansas City
Brandon Ellington, Kansas City
Kimberly Gardner, St. Louis
Alan Green, Florissant
Ben Harris, Hillsboro
Penny Hubbard, St. Louis
Jacob Hummel, St. Louis
Kip Kendrick, Columbia
Jeanne Kirkton, Webster Groves
Michele Kratky, St. Louis
Jeremy LaFaver, Kansas City
Deb Lavender, Kirkwood
Karla May, St. Louis
Gail McCann Beatty, Kansas City
Tracy McCreery, Olivette
Tom McDonald, Raytown
Kevin McManus, Kansas City
Margo McNeil, Hazelwood
Sue Meredith, St. Louis County
Bonnaye Mims, Kansas City
Gina Mitten, Richmond Heights
Genise Montecillo, St. Louis County
Judy Morgan, Kansas City
Stacey Newman, Richmond Heights
Mary Nichols, Maryland Heights
Charlie Norr, Springfield
Bill Otto, Maryland Heights
Sharon Pace, Northwoods
Joshua Peters, St. Louis
Tommie Pierson, Bellefontaine Neighbors
John Rizzo, Kansas City
Joe Runions, Grandview
Clem Smith, Velda Village Hills
Rochelle Walton Gray, Black Jack
Stephen Webber, Columbia
Link:
House: http://www.house.mo.gov