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Veto Session Hourly Updates: The Senate

The Missouri Times will be bringing you hourly updates from both the House and Senate for veto session. Find below the hourly activity of the House and highlights of what has been said during discussion. Email Collin at collin@themissouritimes.com or tweet at him @Collin_MOTIMES with any questions.

 

1:00 pm

Announcements.

Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, with about 50 Ferguson residents looking on, took the floor at the top of the hour to discuss the ongoing conflicts in the region. Chappelle-Nadal spoke about Michael Brown, saying the young man who was shot and killed one month ago had “turned his life around” and had aspirations of a legitimate career. Chappelle-Nadal also told her fellow Senators that she was tear gassed and witnessed her constituents “being treated like 3rd class human beings.” Chappelle-Nadal spoke at great length, at times becoming very emotional recounting her experiences in Ferguson. Chappelle-Nadal spent much of the speech claiming Ferguson residents had their rights violated, and repeatedly called Gov. Jay Nixon a “coward” for his failure to help black Missourians.

“There is a distinct correlation with the level of education this community has and the way people responded,” she said.

Senate Bill 662: The underlying bill requires the Department of Revenue to “notify sellers if there has been a change in the interpretation of sales tax laws that modifies which items of personal property or services are taxable.” The bill also has a few other provisions, including permitting a business to advertise that they pay the sales tax on a product or service on behalf of the customer. The bill is currently before the body.

 

2:00 pm

Senate Bill 662: The underlying bill requires the Department of Revenue to “notify sellers if there has been a change in the interpretation of sales tax laws that modifies which items of personal property or services are taxable.” The bill also has a few other provisions, including permitting a business to advertise that they pay the sales tax on a product or service on behalf of the customer. The bill passed by a vote of 25-7.

Senate Bill 829: Currently, the Director of Revenue has the burden of proof in tax liability disputes if the taxpayer meets certain requirements. One such requirement is that if the taxpayer is a partnership, corporation, or trust, the taxpayer’s net worth doesn’t exceed $7 million and the taxpayer has no more than 500 employees. This act removes this requirement to put the burden of proof on the Director of Revenue. The act also allows the burden of proof to be placed on the Director of Revenue in tax exemption cases. The bill passed 26-6.

Senate Bill 584This bill is an omnibus bill dealing with taxation. The bill was the primary “Friday Favor” that Nixon vetoed, citing supposed budget uncertainty caused by giving tax breaks to specific businesses and industries. Bill sponsor, Sen. Bob Dixon, spoke at length about the need to reform the tax code, but chose not to make a motion to override Nixon’s veto. Dixon indicated he would offer a similar bill next year.

Senate Bill 673: This bill modifies the duration which unemployment benefits are available as follows:

Under current law, the maximum duration for an individual to receive unemployment benefits is 20 weeks. This act bases the duration on the Missouri unemployment rate as follows:• 20 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is nine percent or higher;

• 19 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is between 8 1/2% and 9%;

• 18 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is 8% up to and including 8 1/2%;

• 17 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is between 7 1/2% and 8%;

• 16 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is 7% up to and including 7 1/2%;

• 15 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is between 6 1/2% and 7%;

• 14 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is 6% up to and including 6 1/2%; and

• 13 weeks if the Missouri average unemployment rate is below 6%.

The bill passed by a vote of 25-7.

 

3:00 pm

House Bill 2008: The first of a series of line-item vetoes on budget items. The Senate voted to override Nixon’s numerous line-item vetoes of the bill by an overwhelming margin.

Sen. Kurt Schaefer will largely guide the override votes on budget items as Senate Appropriations Chairman. Schaefer repeatedly cited Nixon’s taxpayer funded airplane and travel expenses as an example that the governor didn’t have appropriate budget priorities. Schaefer specifically noted the veto of funds for a one-time purchase for a defibrillator for the Water Patrol of the Missouri Highway Patrol. Schaefer said vetoing the item while flying around the state was “simply unbelievable.”   Nixon vetoed new money for a program to perform rape kits on children who are victims of child abuse, as well as money for a crime lab in Independence, Mo. All funds were restored. The sections overridden were:

Sections: 8.010, 8.025, 8.050, 8.085, 8.095, 8.110,

House Bill 2009:The Department of Corrections budget bill had several line item vetoes. Nixon vetoed programs aimed at treating substance abuse among prison inmates and offering mentoring and counseling to the children of prison inmates. All line-items were overridden by an large, bipartisan majority. Line-item sections overridden include:

Sections: 9.005, 9.205

The bill is still before the body.

4:00 pm

House Bill 2009:The Department of Corrections budget bill had several line item vetoes. Nixon vetoed programs aimed at treating substance abuse among prison inmates and offering mentoring and counseling to the children of prison inmates. All line-items were overridden by an large, bipartisan majority. Line-item sections overridden include:

Sections: 9.005, 9.250, 9.205

House Bill 2010:  The budget for the Department of Mental Health. Sections overridden include:

Sections: 10.110, 10.410, 10.710, 10.275, 10.740, 10.825,

Senate Resolution 5: The body recognized Bob Priddy, a member of the media and the founder and News director of Missourinet. Priddy has served as a reporter in the capitol and a writer on the history of the state of Missouri for more than 40 years. Priddy’s moniker as the “Dean of Missouri Radio” and long service in the capitol make him one of the most respect and recognizable faces in Jefferson City. Priddy will be retiring at the end of the year, and the Senate offered a resolution honoring his career.

Senate Bill 841: From the bill summary: “Currently, persons or entities selling or distributing tobacco products are required to take certain actions in regard to selling such products. This act extends these requirements to persons or entities selling or distributing alternative nicotine products or vapor products. Further, any such person or entity selling tobacco products are required to deny the sale of tobacco products to persons under 18 years of age. This act extends this requirement to persons or entities selling or distributing alternative nicotine products or vapor products, and such products shall not be taxed or otherwise regulated as tobacco products.” The measure passed by 26-6.

Senate Bill 860: The underlying legislation enacted a sales tax on the sales of used mobile homes. The measure contains several other provisions, including an expansion of the school supplies sales tax holiday. The bill is currently before the body.

 

5:00 pm

Senate Bill 860: The underlying legislation enacted a sales tax on the sales of used mobile homes. The measure contains several other provisions, including an expansion of the school supplies sales tax holiday. The bill passed.

Senate Bill 866: This act defines the term “traditional installment loan” as fixed rate, fully amortized, closed-end extensions of direct consumer loans. The bill passed by 27-5.

Senate Bill 593: This act allows certain political subdivisions to waive conducting non-partisan elections and provides a recall procedure for members of an emergency services board. The bill passed.

Senate Bill 523: This act prohibits school districts from requiring a student to use an identification device that uses radio frequency identification technology to identify the student, transmit information regarding the student, or monitor or track the location of the student. The bill passed by a vote of 25-7.

Senate Bill 656: An omnibus bill dealing with firearms, Nixon vetoed this bill for it’s provisions allowing schools to designate and train a “school protection officer,” to legally carry a firearm on school property. The bill also lowers the minimum age for a CCW permit from 21 to 19. The bill also prohibits health care professionals from asking about requiring asking a patient about firearm ownership or recording and/or reporting such ownership to a government entity. The bill also addresses so-called “open carry” law. Under the bill, local governments will not be able to prohibit CCW holders from engaging in open carry practices. Democratic Senators Scott Sifton and Jolie Justus are currently discussing the bill on the floor.

 

6:00 pm

Senate Bill 656: An omnibus bill dealing with firearms, Nixon vetoed this bill for it’s provisions allowing schools to designate and train a “school protection officer,” to legally carry a firearm on school property. The bill also lowers the minimum age for a CCW permit from 21 to 19. The bill also prohibits health care professionals from asking about requiring asking a patient about firearm ownership or recording and/or reporting such ownership to a government entity. The bill also addresses so-called “open carry” law. Under the bill, local governments will not be able to prohibit CCW holders from engaging in open carry practices. Democratic Senators Scott Sifton and Jolie Justus spent nearly two hours discussing the bill in a semi-filibuster. The bill ultimately passed by a vote of 23-8 along party lines.

Senate Bill 506: This omnibus agriculture bill, which began as a bill for dairy farmers, also contains provisions limiting fees on livestock marketing and foreign ownership of Missouri farm land. The bill is currently before the body.

7:00 pm

Senate Bill 506: This omnibus agriculture bill, which began as a bill for dairy farmers, also contains provisions limiting fees on livestock marketing and foreign ownership of Missouri farm land. The bill also contains controversial language on the regulation of captive deer throughout the state. The bill passed by a vote of 24-7.

8:00 pm

House Bill 2011The Missouri Senate once again began voting on line-item vetoes of Nixon that the house has already overridden. This bill deals with the budget for the Department of Social Services. Sections overridden include:

Sections: 11.100, 11.152, 11.157, 11.220, 11.223, 11.225, 11.285, 11.440, 11.465, 11.490, 11.527, 11.528

House Bill 2012: Yet another budget bill, which appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of statewide elected officials, the Judiciary, Office of the State Public Defender, and General Assembly. Sections overridden include:

Section: 12.400

House Bill 2002:  Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the State Board of Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The bill is still before the body. Overridden sections include:

Sections: 2.016, 2.017, 2.020, 2.021, 2.030, 2.035, 2.120, 2.170, 2.205, 2.240, 2.255

 

 

9:00 pm

House Bill 2002:  Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the State Board of Education and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Overridden sections include:

Sections: 2.016, 2.017, 2.020, 2.021, 2.030, 2.035, 2.120, 2.170, 2.205, 2.240, 2.255

Senate Bill 493This was the sweeping bill dealing with student transfers in unaccredited districts. The bill makes numerous changes to the transfer program, and was ultimately vetoed by Nixon over a provision of the bill permitting students in public schools to attend private, non-sectarian schools within their district if no accredited public option is available. The bill received heavy support in the Senate during the legislative session but was more contentious in the House. The bill was approved by the body, but is unlikely to garner the needed 110 votes in the House.

 

10:00 pm

Senate Bill 727: This bill makes several changes to the SNAP assistance program. It allows SNAP users to purchase foods at farmers markets with the funds, and eliminates the lifetime prohibition on SNAP eligibility applied to drug felons, provided they meet certain criteria. The bill was approved by the body.

Senate Bill 731: Deals with provisions related to abandoned properties and how those properties are treated by local governments. From the bill summary: “Under current law, property in certain counties and cities is considered a nuisance if it adversely affects the property values of a neighborhood due to neglect or violation of a code or standard in addition to other reasons. This act provides that the property is also a nuisance if it affects the value of any property in the neighborhood and adds the actions of failure to reasonably maintain the property and violations of ordinances to the list of actions that lead to liability for the nuisance.” The bill was approved by the body.

House Bill 2005: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Office of Administration, Department of Transportation, and Department of Public Safety. Vetoed sections include:

Sections: 5.104, 5.165

House Bill 1132: This expansion of benevolent tax credit and tax credits for pregnancy resource centers was approved by the body with only 2 votes against.

House Bill 1307: The infamous abortion waiting period bill, this legislation would triple the mandatory waiting period between scheduling and receiving an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. The bill got lengthy and sometimes heated debate in the House before arriving in the Senate. It is currently before the body.

 

11:00 pm

House Bill 1307: The infamous abortion waiting period bill, this legislation would triple the mandatory waiting period between scheduling and receiving an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. The bill got lengthy and sometimes heated debate in the House before arriving in the Senate. Democrats have taken turns on the floor filibustering the bill for more than an hour. Unless Democrats yield the floor, the only way for Republicans in the senate to end the filibuster and force a vote is to call the rarely used “previous question” or “PQ” to end debate.

12:00 am

House Bill 1307: The infamous abortion waiting period bill, this legislation would triple the mandatory waiting period between scheduling and receiving an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. The bill got lengthy and sometimes heated debate in the House before arriving in the Senate. Democrats have taken turns on the floor filibustering the bill for more than an hour.

Republicans ultimately called a “previous question” or “PQ.” The PQ ends any filibuster with enough votes, and hasn’t been used since 2007, when it was used to end debate on another abortion bill. Senators Schaaf and Dixon broke from party ranks and votes against the PQ, but the motion still passed. After the PQ, the measure was passed by the Senate by a party-line vote, overriding Nixon’s earlier veto.

Democrats are currently holding the floor once again and openly discussing retribution for the use of the PQ in the coming regular session.

Democrats promised to filibuster every remaining item after Republicans forced the PQ, and at after another hour or so of debate, Republicans in the Senate decided to adjourn. They will not be returning.