Representative Jim Neely

Jim Neely's Capitol Report

2016 Legislative Session Comes to a Close

Greetings Friends!

After more than four months of hard work, late nights and lengthy discussions, the Missouri House of Representatives concluded the 2016 legislative session with a long list of accomplishments. The session began with a focus on substantive ethics reform, and the legislature pushed several measures across the legislative finish line that will help to improve the culture at the State Capitol. The House and Senate also worked together to approve a fiscally responsible spending plan that makes a record investment in K-12 education, significantly boosts funding for Missouri’s colleges and universities, and provides new spending to help improve and repair the state’s transportation infrastructure.

In addition to ethics reform and the state spending plan, the legislature moved to protect the integrity of the elections process by implementing a system of voter identification, and approved legislation to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the state’s welfare programs. Lawmakers also adopted several economic development measures to reduce bureaucratic red tape for Missouri’s small businesses, invest in Missouri’s system of ports, and attract conventions to the Show-Me State. Additionally, the legislature passed bills addressing issues ranging from suicide prevention to CPR instruction to tax relief for active duty members of the military.

With the completion of the regular session, the many bills passed by the General Assembly now head to the governor for his consideration. Legislators will next return to the State Capitol in September for the annual Veto Session when they will have the opportunity to consider overriding any vetoes made by the governor.

I will be writing about some of the legislative highlights from the year over the next several weeks. 

Ethics Reform Proposals (HB 1983 and HB 1979 and HB 2203)

Of the seven single subject ethics reform bills approved by the House, three crossed the finish line and have already been signed into law.

HB 1983 will prohibit statewide elected officials, members of the General Assembly, and candidates for those offices from receiving compensation as political consultants who are paid for profit to engage in specified political activities on behalf of other individuals holding office as statewide elected officials or members of the General Assembly. The bill is meant to make sure public servants are serving for the right reasons and not to profit or make personal gain from their public office.

HB 1979 will require elected officials to wait six months after their term expires before becoming a lobbyist. The bill will add Missouri to the list of more than 30 states that require a waiting period before a lawmaker can become a lobbyist.

HB 2203 will limit how long campaign funds can be invested and how they can be used. Specifically, it ensures campaign contributions are used as intended for political campaigns. The bill also prohibits anyone from working as a lobbyist until they have emptied their campaign account by refunding it to donors, donating it to charity, or contributing it to a political party.

Fiscal Year 2017 State Operating Budget

The Missouri House and Senate agreed on a fiscally responsible $27.26 billion that makes record investments in K-12 education and boosts higher education funding to protect Missouri families from having to pay more in tuition. The budget also leaves money on the bottom line so that the state can meet its obligations in the event revenues don’t meet projections. The Fiscal Year 2017 state operating budget includes a $70.3 million increase for the Foundation Formula, which funds K-12 public schools, as well as a $5 million increase for K-12 transportation. The budget also includes a $37.2 million increase in performance funding for Missouri colleges and universities, and funding boosts to the state’s various scholarship programs. The spending plan that takes effect in July also invests $20 million to revive the state cost-share program to fund transportation projects; appropriates $2.5 million for the Dairy Revitalization Act; provides a $4.55 million increase for business startups through the Missouri Technology Corporation; and allocates $6.46 million for the Alternatives to Abortion program

HB 1550

This week a bill I have been working on for the last couple of years made it to the Governor’s desk.  HB 1550 creates guidelines for courts regarding parenting plans and prohibits local courts from establishing their own rules, such as having a default parenting plan.  This bill also requires courts to disclose why shared parenting wasn’t awarded if another arrangement is ordered, to provide written findings and conclusions in a custody case and specifies that courts can not presume that a parent, solely because of his or her sex, is more qualified than the other parent. HB 1550 passed out of the House by a vote of 154-2.  We are now waiting on the Governor’s signature.

Call for Clemency

Tuesday I along with some of my colleagues delivered a request to Gov. Jay Nixon to grant Earnest Leap a pardon.  Mr. Leap has had to register as a sex offender for over 20 years because of false accusations.  His only accuser admits he lied about it.  The Governor has the only authority to pardon him and allow his family to put this horrible situation behind them and move on.  It is my hope that Governor Nixon will give careful consideration to all facts presented and pardon Mr. Leap.  

Contact Information:

As always, please do not hesitate to call or write me anytime with your questions or thoughts on this or any other issue. My Capitol office is 573.751.0246 and my email is jim.neely@house.mo.gov .  Thank you for the honor to serve as your Representative in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Working on your behalf,

Representative Jim Neely

Proudly Serving the 8th  House District

Clinton, Caldwell, Clay and Ray Counties

Missouri House of Representatives

573.751.0246

The Caldwell County News

101 W. Bird 
P.O. Box 218
Hamilton, MO 64644
Phone 660-973-3098 (Call or text)

billing@mycaldwellcounty.com 

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