House Interim Committee on Citizens and Legislators Working Group on Medicaid Eligibility and Reform
Chair: Rep. Noel Torpey
On traveling: “It was very educational. We had citizens as well, and that was a different dynamic, and we were able to hear a lot of input by traveling around the state so much.”
On results: “When legislation comes in December or January from Rep. Jay Barnes’ committee, I imagine we’ll be calling those citizen members of the committee for input. It’s always good to travel and get different perspectives.”
Schedule: July 10: Independence, July 24: Springfield, July 31: Columbia, Aug. 7: Kennet, Aug. 14: St. Louis
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House Interim Committee on Education
Chair: Rep. Steve Cookson
On traveling: “I think as far as my committee goes, we’ve been able to bring Jefferson City out to metropolitan areas, to rural areas, to different corners of the state we’re traveling, just to give concerned citizens an opportunity to come and give us their thoughts and issues on how to fix what is facing our state.”
On results: “I can’t speak for a whole committee yet, but it is very likely that there will be recommendations about transfers and about certain issues with accreditation, and I’d like to see, ideally, those recommendations turn into legislation. That’s something the committee will have to discuss as we keep traveling.”
Schedule: Sept. 23: St. Charles Community College & STLCC, Sept. 24: SEMO State University & Three Rivers CC, Sept. 25: College of the Ozarks & MO Sothern State University, Oct. 21: Hannibal-LaGrange, Oct. 22: Northwest MO State & University of Missouri KC, Oct. 23: University of Central Missouri & Mizzou
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House Interim Committee on Cause and Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the Elk and White Tail Deer Population
Chair: Rep. Sandy Crawford
On traveling: “Well it allowed us to go to the part of Missouri where we saw the outbreak of the disease, but it also gave those of us from different parts of the state a chance to see certain places that maybe they hadn’t seen. And we also were able to provide a place where everyone’s opinions were heard.”
On results: “I don’t want to speak for the committee in general, [but] one of the big issues is the deer breeders fall under both the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Conservation, so there is some confusion about some of those regulations. I think one of the things in our report will be to try to make that more clear: which department has a say over these breeders.”
Schedule: Aug. 19: Buffalo, Oct. 10: Three Rivers Community College
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House Issue Development Standing Committee on Missouri Ports
Chair: Rep. Paul Wieland
On traveling: “We learned that all the ports around the state have their own unique identity and their own goals. There are no two ports that are the same. They all have different needs. One thing doesn’t fit them all.”
On results: “We’re trying to come up with a report for the Speaker. That’s actually what we are working on right now, getting with members and discussing what we observed and what we think is most important. But we’re working on having those discussions right now.”
Schedule: July 30: Jefferson County, New Bourbon Regional and City of St. Louis port authorities, July 31: Pemiscot County and New Madrid port authorities, Aug. 27: Port Authority of KC, Aug. 28: St. Joseph Port Authority
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Senate Interim Committee on Capital Improvement and Assessment and Planning
Chair: Sen. David Pearce
On traveling: “We have to physically visit some of these places where the need might be. You go to say a boy’s youth home and you physically walk the hallways, and that is just so much more meaningful and valuable than a line item on a 40-page budget report.”
On results: “We’ll have a report with our recommendations in terms of what projects we think are most critical, and then some funding mechanisms as well. One thing I’ve been thinking about is a funding mechanism we passed a few years ago where state dollars will match private donations for these kinds of bonding projects.”
Schedule: Aug. 26: UMSL & Missouri State School for the Blind in St. Louis, Sept. 10: Fulton State Hospital, Oct. 9: University of Missouri Kansas City & Northwest Regional Youth Center in Kansas City
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Joint Interim Committee on St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area Governance and Taxation
Chair: Rep. Sue Allen
On traveling: “It deals with St. Louis County and people involved. We wanted public testimony and obviously the best way to do that was just to meet in St. Louis to give people the chance to make it.”
On results: “Right now the next step is listening to entities that might propose how a study of this will be performed. The next step is to acquire an entity to perform an independent and unbiased study. I have communicated to Speaker and Pro Tem that we are behind schedule, we didn’t get Senate appointees until august. It’s an important issue, we’ll move as carefully we can forward.”
Schedule: Aug. 28, Sept. 23 and Oct. 28 at the St. Louis County Council Chamber
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House Interim Committee on Downsizing State Government
Chair: Rep. Paul Curtman
On traveling: “We traveled around because that’s the best way we can make government available and accessible to people who ordinarily can’t make it out to the committee process process during the regular legislative session. Usually people only come to the legislative session after bill is filed speak for or against it. We want to give people a chance to be a little more proactive and help shape things.”
On results: “We’ve got a report filed right now. It talks about everything we picked up from the committee, all the testimony and some of the media coverage. But the work isn’t over. We’re hoping to plan for some information hearings at the beginning of session, sometime in January. And it’s possible maybe we could want to file some legislation after that. We want to pinpoint some of the waste fraud and abuse and if necessary introduce legislation to address it. We haven’t made any recommendations yet, but that’s because we don’t feel like the work is done just yet.”
Schedule: July 16: St. Louis County Council Chambers, Cape Girardeau Public Library and Three Rivers Community College, July 17: The Library Center in Springfield & Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce & Harry Truman Library and Museum in Independence, July 18: East Hills Library in St. Joseph and Reynolds Alumni Center in Columbia
Collin Reischman was the Managing Editor for The Missouri Times, and a graduate of Webster University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.
