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Hourly Updates: Senate Budget

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

House Bill 12 –Statewide elected officials, the Judiciary, Office of the State Public Defender, and General Assembly

  • The Senate continues debating Sifton’s bill seeking to get back the money for Voter ID that Rep. Peter Merideth had worked to get. The Senate quickly agrees to adopt the amendment with a voice vote.
  • Sen. Dan Brown renews his motion to adopt HB 12. The Senate votes it through with a final vote of 29-1.

House Bill 12 –Real Property Leases and Related Services

  • “It’s not one of the really exciting bills, which I’m thankful for at this point,” Sen. Dan Brown says. Brown’s colleagues thank him for his work on the budget, Brown extends thanks to everyone for their work in getting the budget work done.
  • The Senate approves the bill with a final vote of 30-0.
  • All of the budget bills have officially been passed by the Senate.

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

House Bill 11 –Department of Social Services

  • The Senate votes on Schaaf’s amendment to HB 11 at the beginning of the 6 p.m. hour. The amendment fails by a vote of 10-22.
    Voting Breakdown
    In Favor: Dixon, Eigel, Emery, Holsman, Hoskins, Kraus, Libla, Romine, Schaaf, and Silvey
    Opposed: Brown, Cunningham, Curls, Hegeman, Hummel, Kehoe, Koenig, Munzlinger, Nasheed, Onder, Richard, Riddle, Rizzo, Rowden, Sater, Schatz, Schupp, Sifton, Wallingford, Walsh, Wasson, and Wieland
  • Minutes later, the Senate votes to pass HB 11 with a final vote of 19-13.

House Bill 12 –Statewide elected officials, the Judiciary, Office of the State Public Defender, and General Assembly

  • The Senate discusses finding flexibility for clerks in the bill, but real discussion comes about with the debate on funding the new Voter ID requirements. Sen. Scott Sifton is concerned about the funding that had been agreed to in the House, which he says he does not see in the Senate version. He files an amendment to put back in the $1.5 million that the House had added.
  • “The idea here is to simply make our version correspond to the House’s,” Sifton said. “The House went through a lot of trouble to put it in, and given the importance of this to the voting rights of Missourians… I’d like to be doubly certain.”
  • Sen. Dan Brown says the Secretary of State did not feel they needed that money, but says he will accept the amendment.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

House Bill 11 –Department of Social Services

  • The Senate continues debate on to HB 11.
  • “What happens to the 500,000 who have already enrolled?” Sen. Caleb Rowden asks, urging senators to consider the real-world impact. “This is some of our most vulnerable citizens, and we throw them into mass chaos.”
  • “On this managed care expansion, I believe we failed the people of Missouri… because we failed the process,” Sen. Bob Dixon said, urging the Senate to “do it the right way”.
  • “Is that really the outcome that we want?” Dixon asked. “Is it so important that we get it done that do we do it the wrong way?… I am afraid we are headed down the wrong road.” Dixon says he will support the amendment.

NOTE: While the Senate continued debating managed care on HB 11, the House took up the votes on the returned House Budget Bills, refusing to adopt HBs 2-10, sending them to conference between the two chambers.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

House Bill 11 –Department of Social Services

  • The Senate continues debate on to HB 11. Sen. Schaaf continues discussing managed care on the floor.
  • Sen. Libla turns discussion on the floor toward ethics, Schaaf talks of donations former Gov. Jay Nixon received from managed care companies
  • Sen. Bill Eigel also discusses ethics, says it would create a lot of goodwill with the Senate if the Twitter ads against Schaaf stopped.
  • Schaaf tells Libla that “we shouldn’t be legislating with the budget, and that’s what we’re doing here.”
  • Schaaf says that the plan to add 250,000 people to the state’s managed care system of health insurance is unconstitutional and illegal.
    “Right now they have doctors who are willing to take care of them,” Schaaf said. “If this appropriation isn’t made, they can go back to it. There might be a day or two where they’re in limbo.”
  • Sen. Brown points out that currently there are 500,000 people already on managed care in Missouri.
    “I have no complaints from patients or doctors,” Brown said. “If we do it statewide, that will make it 750,000.”


3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

House Bill 10 –Department of Mental Health, Board of Public Buildings, and Department of Health and Senior Services

  • The Senate votes down Sen. Sifton’s amendment on personal care assistance with a close vote of 15-16.
  • Sen. Schaaf files the third amendment in regards to personal care services. Schaaf’s amendment, SA 6, would make the Consumer Directed Services Personal Care reimbursement rate equal to the Basic Personal Care rate reimbursed under the In-Home Agency Model. Schaaf says it would serve to level the playing field between the two. The chamber votes it down with a vote of 14-18.
  • The Senate, after taking up HB 10 Wednesday morning, finally votes the bill through with a majority vote of 24-7.

House Bill 11 –Department of Social Services

  • The Senate moves on to HB 11, which deals with funding for the Department of Social Services.
  • Schaaf begins filing amendments on managed care expansion, questioning whether it will really save the state any money.


2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

House Bill 10 –Department of Mental Health, Board of Public Buildings, and Department of Health and Senior Services

  • The Senate returns from recess at 2:40 p.m.
  • Sen. Schupp resumes discussing the 4th amendment on HB 10, saying the money will not be used for abortion. She urges the body of men to support women, it fails by a voice vote.
  • Sen. Scott Sifton files an amendment that would increase the caps on consumer-directed personal care assistance services from 60 percent to 75 percent and would raise the flexibility from 15 percent to 25 percent.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

House Bill 10 –Department of Mental Health, Board of Public Buildings, and Department of Health and Senior Services

  • The Senate continues debating Sen. Schaaf’s amendment on consumer-directed nursing home services, would give $36 million.
  • Put to a vote, Schaaf’s amendment falls just short with a vote of 15-17.
  • Sen. Scott Sifton takes a moment to speak, saying that the people of his district have had more working for them than just himself, and encouraged other senators to work with their successors. Sifton is the successor of former Republican Senator Jim Lembke.
  • Schupp rises once again to put forward an amendment seeking to fix budget language she says blocks money to women’s healthcare, i.e. Medicaid reimbursement for abortion providers. Schupp says the funds will not go toward abortions and says that to characterize it as subsidizing abortions is “absolutely misleading.” It fails with a voice vote.
  • Sen. Brown asks for the bill to be placed on the informal calendar, Sen. Mike Kehoe moves to recess until 2 p.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

House Bill 10 –Department of Mental Health, Board of Public Buildings, and Department of Health and Senior Services

  • The Senate continues debating Sen. Schupp’s amendment on the Public Placement Fund.
  • Sen. Scott Sifton says that losing the placement fund hurts his district, and says fully funding the foundation formula helps, but not as much as the cut to the placement funds would hurt.
  • Schupp says that putting it in HB 10 will serve as a backstop if they cannot conference the funding back into HB 2.
  • Sen Schupp has discussed the amendment with Sens. Sater, Brown, Sifton, and Hoskins. Sen. Rob Schaaf rises to inquire of Schupp and says that if they don’t get the right number, they’ll start pulling other senators to discuss it further.
  • Schupp requests five members to stand for a roll call, she does not get it.
  • Schaaf tries for a roll call again after members rush to the chamber, five senators stand.
  • Schupp’s amendment fails by a vote of 12-20.
  • Sen. Schaaf files another amendment in regards to the monthly Medicaid cost of nursing care, Sen. Brown asks body to vote no on it.

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

House Bill 10 –Department of Mental Health, Board of Public Buildings, and Department of Health and Senior Services

  • The Senate returns to session Wednesday morning at 10:44 a.m.
  • Senate takes up HB 10, which deals with spending for state health service agencies at 10:52 a.m.
  • Sen. Jill Schupp rises with an amendment to try and get funding back for the Public Placement Fund, which helps school districts that take in out-of-district court-placed kids.
    “Yesterday, when we funded the foundation formula in HB 2, what we did, in essence, was wipe out the money in the placement fund for these kids in the amount of $7 million,” she said. “We believe there’s a place to put this back in with HB 10… We did this with general revenue, rather than lottery funds.”
  • Sen. Dan Brown says what they’re actually doing is taking the language out of HB 2, where it clearly belongs. “I think I’ve got a better chance of going to conference and trying to supplant general revenue for HB 2 than in HB 10.”

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

House Bill 9 – Department of Corrections

  • Moving on to HB 9, which appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Department of Corrections
  • Sen. Rob Schaaf asks to be recused from all votes on HB 9, which is granted.
  • Within minutes – and with no amendments – the Senate passes the bill with a final vote of 31-1 (Wieland opposing) at 8:07 p.m.
  • The Senate moves for adjournment.

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

House Bill 6 – Agriculture, Natural Resources and Conservation

  • Chappelle-Nadal files the same amendment but changes the monetary amount to $3 million in order to try again. The body agrees to that amendment’s adoption with a voice vote.
  • Senate votes 32-1 to advance HB 6.

House Bill 7 – Economic Development, Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration, and Labor and Industrial Relations

  • The Senate moves onto HB 7 at 7:25 p.m. HB 7 concerns funding for the departments of Economic Development, Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration, and Labor and Industrial Relations.
  • Sen. Gina Walsh asks Sen. Brown to talk about the cuts to the number of inspectors in the Dept. of Labor. The House version allows for eleven, while the Senate version then calls for one. Walsh points out that would leave one inspector to enforce child labor laws, prevailing wage, minimum wage, and more. Brown said that is something that can be discussed in conference, and he expects Walsh to be on that conference committee.
  • The Senate passes HB 7 with a final vote of 28-4. Hummel, Schupp, Sifton and Walsh all oppose.

House Bill 7 – Dept. of Public Safety

  • The chamber takes up HB 8, which addresses funding for the Department of Public Safety at 7:56 p.m. The Senate passed the bill with a unanimous 33-0 vote at 8:01 p.m.

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

House Bill 6 – Agriculture, Natural Resources and Conservation

  • The Senate returned from recess at 6:40 p.m., taking up HB 6 for debate.
  • Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal files an amendment in regards to the DNR budget. Her proposal would add $12.5 million for a buyout program for homes located near a radioactive dump in St. Louis County. A voice vote seems to pass, so opponents call for a standing division. The chamber ties at 16-16, so Lt. Gov. Mike Parson breaks the tie with a ‘no’ vote, the amendment is defeated.

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

House Bill 4 – Dept. of Revenue and MoDOT

  • The Senate votes on HB 4 right at the 5 p.m. hour, which passes with a final vote of 32-1.
  • The Senate takes up HB 5, which relates to the funding for the Office of Administration, Department of Transportation, and Department of Public Safety.
  • No amendments were introduced on HB 5, and it was passed with a final vote of 30-3.
  • Sen. Kehoe then moves to recess until 6:30 p.m.

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

House Bill 2 – Elementary and Secondary Education

  • The Senate continues working on HB 2, having passed an amendment to match the House’s fully funded formula.
  • Sen. Dan Brown renews his motion for the adoption of HB 2.
  • Sen. Jason Holsman points out that fully funding the formula means less money for the supplemental budget. “I don’t want it to be lost on us that we’re getting ready to vote to fully fund in both chambers,” Holsman said, calling it a historic moment.
  • HB 2 passes by a vote of 32-1, with only Sen. Jill Schupp voting in opposition.

House Bill 3 –Department of Higher Education

  • Senate moves onto HB 3, debating higher education. Sen. Brown closed, after which Sen. Jill Schupp attempted to put forward an amendment. The Lt. Gov. ruled that since the senator had already been prompted to close, meaning Schupp’s amendment came too late.
  • Schaaf invokes Rule 80, saying he would like to interrogate Sen. Dan Brown, forcing each senator to pull out their rule books. Rule 80 allows for a senator to interrogate the sponsor of the bill in such an event. After a few minutes, Sen. Brown refuses the interrogation, leading to the reading of the bill and a vote.
  • HB 3 passes with a final vote of 30-3. The Senate will head to conference to work out differences with the House.
  • The Senate now moves on to HB 4, which looks to the Department of Revenue and MoDOT.

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

House Bill 2 – Elementary and Secondary Education

  • Senate continues the debate over fully funding the foundation formula.
  • “All you want is a vote to tell the people whether or not they will fully fund the foundation formula,” Sen. Rob Schaaf says to Sen. Gary Romine.
  • “We’ve got a chance to do it, let’s do it,” Romine says.
  • Sen. Jeannie Riddle questions Romine on where the proposed $45 million in funding would come from, to which Romine says they’d have to go to conference on. She says Romine is playing a game and ends her inquiry.
  • Senate votes on Romine’s amendment, it passes with a vote of 18-14.
  • Senate approves $45 million in additional funding for K-12 schools on a 19-14 vote.Senators in favor: Chappelle-Nadal, Curls, Dixon, Eigel, Holzmann, Hoskins, Hummel, Koenig, Kraus, Lila, Nasheed, Rizzo, Romine, Rowden, Schaaf, Schupp, Sifton, Silvey and Walsh

    Senators in opposition: Brown, Cunningham, Emery, Hegeman, Kehoe, Munzlinger, Onder, Richard, Riddle, Sater, Schatz, Wallingford, Watson, and Wieland.

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

House Bill 2 – Elementary and Secondary Education

  • Senate returned from recess shortly after 2 p.m.
  • Sen. Romine withdrew his amendment when other senators began stacking amendments on it.
  • Romine puts forward more substitute amendments in order to fully fund the formula, asks for a roll call vote.
  • Sen. Brown rises to speak against the amendment, once again referencing issues of funds. He also says that if there’s no room for negotiation in funds, then “you put the money in the hands of the governor”. Brown says he has had no schools call and ask him to fully fund the formula, and asks Senate to vote ‘no’ on the amendment. No vote was taken as of 3 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

House Bill 1 and 2 – Public Debt & Elementary and Secondary Education

The Senate took up the budget Tuesday morning after Sen. Rob Schaaf objected to a motion from Majority Floor Leader Mike Kehoe to take up a different House Bill.

The first bill, HB 1, concerns the state’s public debt, and the senators passed the bill, identical to that of the House version, with relative ease.

HB 2, which concerns funding for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, proved to be a more rocky start, as the issue of fully funding the education foundation formula. Sen. Gary Romine filed an amendment to do just that, which the Appropriations chair, Sen. Dan Brown, opposed, saying that they simply did not have the funding to do so.

The debate continued until afternoon, recessing for lunch until 2 p.m.