Senator Dempsey’s “Show-Me Health Coverage Plan” would provide health care coverage through the private insurance market to low-income working individuals.  The original bill coming out of the Senate was rather small in comparison to the recently distributed substitute bill being debated in the House’s Special Committee on Health Insurance.  Late last week, a nearly 200-page committee substitute was distributed that included 70 new sections of law changes relating to health care and health insurance, making the fate of SB 306 uncertain. 

In the hearing last week, the Missouri Hospital Association testified in favor of the legislation, while no one testified in opposition.  Several concerns were raised by committee members regarding the requirements for low-income working adults to be able to contribute to “Health Savings Accounts” as well as the provisions that these individuals would only be covered for up to 3 years.  The committee charged with modifying the bill will begin a working group on Monday at 1:00 p.m. to begin marking up the substitute and is scheduled to vote on whether to send it to the full House on Tuesday.  Partnership for Children supports the expansion of Medicaid to more low-income parents because of the likely positive effect it will have on the enrollment of those parents’ children in the SCHIP program.

The House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee has now created and voted out three omnibus education bills: SB 55 (Days), SB 79 (Wilson) and SB 291 (Shields). It is not clear which of the bills will actually be taken up, debated and voted on by the House. Many measures supported by Partnership for Children are included in one or more of the omnibus bills, but PFC will work in these last two weeks to make sure that our priority education measures are included on a bill that finally passes.

Currently, PFC’s legislative priorities for education are included on the following omnibus bills:

·   A voluntary, statewide Quality Rating System for child care programs (SB 291, SB 79)

·   Establishing a P-20 Council to coordinate education from pre-k through college (SB 291)

·   A Persistence to Graduation Fund to address drop-out prevention (SB 291)

·   A Foster Care Education Bill of Rights (SB 55, SB 79, SB 291)

·   Enhanced physical education requirements for Missouri’s youth (SB 55, SB 79, SB 291)

As of today, SB 55 and SB 291 are on the House calendar but have not been “noticed” for debate by Majority Floor Leader Steve Tilley. SB 79 has been referred to the Rules Committee but has not yet received a hearing in order to advance to the House floor.

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Tensions are high as this year’s legislative session is quickly coming to a close.  This was evident last week as the House considered bills to appropriate $2.2 billion in federal budget stabilization funding coming to Missouri that can be used nearly anywhere in the budget to replace general revenue. Numerous proposals have been considered this year including:

• Using the funding to fill holes in the FY ’10 and FY ’11 budgets as a result of declining state revenues.
• Using the funding for one-time capital projects throughout the state.
• Using the funding for a one-time $1 billion income tax cut.
• Using the funding for a down payment on a permanent income tax cut.
• Sending the money back with a note attached that says “thanks, but no thanks”.

Last week the House voted down a measure to appropriate more than $400 million for capital projects throughout the state (HB 22).  Opponents included many conservative members who opposed the spending on principal as well as many others who said the funding should be saved to help fill holes in next year’s state operating budget.  In the end, the two sides came together to defeat the measure.

Another contentious issue debated last week was the House Republican’s proposal to use federal budget stabilization funding for a $1 billion tax cut. The massive tax cut was tacked onto SB 71, an otherwise uncontroversial bill involving tax credits for developmental disability caregivers, in the House Committee on Tax Reform.  During floor debate, an amendment was offered by Rep. Bryan Pratt (R-Blue Springs), to make the tax cut permanent.  The amendment passed, as did the tax cut provision.  The legislation will now move back to the Senate where passage is seen as unlikely.

The House also passed another stimulus bill (HB 21) last Thursday by a vote of 120-22. HB 21 appropriates over $2 billion in federal stimulus funding for programs that were specifically targeted in the federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act. This includes funding for special education, school lunch, and child care. Since state lawmakers can only accept this funding or send it back, HB 21 is much less contentious than other proposed stimulus bills and will likely easily pass the Senate before the end of session. HB 21 includes $42 million for child care services over the next two years and could be used to temporarily expand child care assistance, increase quality improvement grants, or fund additional early childhood teacher scholarships. DSS is expected to hear public comment on this funding after the legislative session ends on May 15^th.