Representative Jim Neely

Representative JIm Neely's Capitol Report

Greetings, friends of the 8th Legislative District!

Fiscally Responsible Spending Plan Heads to the Senate (HBs 2001 – 2013)

House members worked late into the night Tuesday to give initial approval to a fiscally responsible spending plan that makes a record investment in K-12 education. The House then gave final approval on Thursday to the 13 appropriations bills that make up the $28.1 billion state operating budget for Fiscal Year 2019. 

The House Budget Committee Chairman has said the conservative spending plan is based on a sensible consensus revenue estimate that will avoid shortfalls that could force the governor to withhold funds. This year’s budget plan enforces fiscal discipline by holding welfare spending in check. It also includes a budget reserve of $100 million to allow for emergency spending needs. Additionally, the House version of the budget rejects a plan endorsed by the governor to borrow $250 million to expedite tax refunds. 

The Budget Chairman praised the budget for its commitment to transparency. In addition to eliminating all “E”s, which represent open-ended spending limits on funds, the spending plan improves transparency in several other key areas. The budget approved by the House breaks down spending for the state’s legal expense fund, which previously had no system in place to track how dollars are spent to pay for settlements and judgments against state agencies. In addition, the spending plan improves transparency for spending within the state’s conservation department, and for dollars allocated to home-delivered meals. The budget also makes a $34-million fund in the Department of Corrections transparent and accountable for the first time.

The House version of the budget makes a record investment in K-12 education by fully funding the school foundation formula, which included new funding for early childhood education. In total, the House plan increases funding for the foundation formula by $98.9 million. Included in that figure is $48 million in new funding for pre-K education for low-income children. With this plan, the legislature would fully fund the foundation formula in back-to-back years for the first time in a generation.

The state operating budget as it leaves the House also restores $68 million in cuts proposed by the governor to higher education. The restoration of funding comes in conjunction with a pledge by the state’s universities and colleges to raise tuition by no more than 1 percent. Schools must hold to that pledge as long as they receive the funds allotted for them in the budget. If for some reason the funds would be withheld, the schools would be allowed to increase tuition by the rate of inflation. The agreement is a reflection of the commitment of House members to hold down the cost of higher education for students and families.

In total, the $28.1 billion spending plan is approximately $650 million smaller than the plan proposed by the governor. The budget would utilize roughly $9.4 billion in state general revenue dollars, which is approximately $400 million less than the governor called for in his budget proposal.

Other highlights of the FY 2019 Budget include:

·Restoration of cuts proposed by the governor for several of the state’s cooperative higher education programs, including the Cooperative Medical School Program with MU and Missouri State; the Cooperative Dental Program with UMKC and MU; and the Cooperative Engineering Program with Missouri S&T and Missouri State.

·Funding increases recommended by the governor for the state’s scholarship programs including a $2 million increase for Access Missouri, $3.5 million in additional funds for the A+ Scholarship Program; and an additional $1 million for Bright Flight. 

·$2 million increase in funding for the Missouri SkillUP Program that provides free job training and employment opportunities for low-income Missourians.

·$2.25 million increase in funding for K-12 transportation.

·$300,000 in new funding for school safety grants.

·$8.5 million increase in funding for the First Steps Program that provides services to families with children, birth to three years of age, with disabilities or developmental delays.

·$1.8 million increase in funding for the state’s independent living centers, which help people with disabilities to increase their independence and their opportunity to participate in day-to-day life within their communities. 

·$4 million in new funding for Missouri’s Access to Recovery program, which helps individuals and families struggling with substance use disorders and provides the tools needed for long-term recovery.

·$5 million in new money to provide community-based services that will allow those battling substance abuse to receive appropriate treatment as an alternative to prison.

·$500,000 funding increase for the state’s drug treatment courts.

·$2.5 million in funding to extend MO HealthNet benefits for pregnant women who are receiving substance abuse treatment within 60 days of giving birth for up to 12 additional months. 

·$9.8 million in new money to increase provider reimbursement rates to improve access to services to those with developmental disabilities.

·$1 million increase for the Missouri Technology Corporation, which promotes entrepreneurship and fosters the growth of new and emerging high-tech companies.

·$1 million increase in funding for the state’s public libraries.

·$400,000 restoration of funds for the Missouri National Guard to prevent several armories from being closed.

·$4 million in funding to make good on the state’s commitment to the Biodiesel Producer Incentive Fund

The budget bills now head to the Missouri Senate for consideration. The two chambers will need to agree on a final version of the state spending plan by May 11, which is the constitutional deadline for budget approval.

Providing Help to Mothers Battling Substance Abuse (HB 2280, 2120, 1468 & 1616)

The Missouri House gave final approval this week to legislation that would expand MO HealthNet benefits for pregnant women to provide substance abuse treatment for up to one year after giving birth. The bill represents a bipartisan, collaborative effort to extend Medicaid benefits for postpartum substance abuse treatment. 

Supporters say that treatment for substance abuse is important for new mothers because postpartum depression may cause the women to self-medicate with controlled substances. As the sponsor of the bill told her colleagues, “Opioid and substance abuse during pregnancy is on the rise, with opioid use during pregnancy mirroring that of the general population. The current time offered for substance use disorder treatment, which is 60-days for these new moms, does not allow for enough treatment for most women to experience success with recovery.  If a new mom is doing well then loses support and treatment for her abuse, she will often relapse.” 

The bill’s projected cost is more than $4 million through 2021, but supporters note the change would save the state money that would have gone to caring for children who could go to state care if their mothers aren’t afforded treatment.  The budget approved by the House this week includes money to pay for the projected costs to extend this coverage.

The bill has been sent to the Senate for its consideration.  If it becomes law, the state will have to seek a waiver from the federal government to allow for the program to be created and implemented. Missouri would be the first state to seek such a waiver. The bill’s sponsor is hopeful the state could get an answer from the federal government by the beginning of 2019.

Bills Headed to the Governor’s Desk

HB 1465 will give higher education institutions greater flexibility to offer degrees that meet the needs of their local communities and businesses. In effect, it will create a framework that will streamline the way public universities and community colleges reform their degree offerings and approve new programs. The new system will encourage institutions of higher learning to collaborate and will help to eliminate program duplication. The bill will allow community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees in certain programs of need within their communities. It also creates a method for four-year institutions to expand their professional doctorate degree offerings. Supporters say institutions need flexibility to offer degrees to meet local needs, and the bill enables collaboration between institutions to make degrees available to students. All 22 of Missouri’s higher education institutions have agreed to the plan.

HB 1838 will authorize and empower the governor to convey all interest in specific property, described in the bill, located in Jefferson City, Missouri. Supporters say the bill will allow the conveyance of land that would be developed with money raised from private sources to create safe and appealing access to the river, especially to the thousands of kids who visit the Capitol every year.

HB 1504 will allow the governing bodies or county planning commissions in Newton and McDonald counties to adopt ordinances regulating incompatible land uses and structures within any or all the unincorporated area extending up to 3,000 feet outward from the boundaries of any National Guard training center if the county has participated in the completion of a joint land use study associated with the training center. Supporters say the bill is a proactive measure to protect the National Guard Training Center in Newton County from encroachment by development. The buffer zone created by the bill is the product of a joint land use study and is highly supported by the community

HB 1531 will modify the circumstances in which a party may be joined in a civil action. Supporters say the bill will solve a problem created by case law that would allow an insurance company to be sued for bad faith and be required to pay a sum in excess of its policy limits. The bill will allow an insurance company to use an interpleader to defend the insured and pay its policy limits.

Bills Headed to the Senate

HB 2274 would reauthorize the DeMolay license plate. Supporters say the bill would allow a youth organization to participate in the license plate program by waiving non-fee based requirements for signatures.

HB 2216 would specify that Missouri law includes systems for potable water and that all Missouri landowners have the right to have, use, and own systems for rainwater collection anytime and anywhere on their own property, including land within city limits. Supporters say some counties prohibit wells on certain residential property, and the bill would allow all residents to provide water to their home as long as the well complies with state law.

Honoring Missouri’s Vietnam Veterans

The members of the Missouri House of Representatives welcomed some of the state’s greatest heroes to the State Capitol this week to be honored for their service to this country. Vietnam veterans traveled to Jefferson City to be honored by lawmakers during the annual observance of Vietnam Veterans Day.

For nearly two hours on Thursday morning House members brought more than 100 veterans onto the House floor to honor and thank them for their service. The celebration included presentations of official House Courtesy Resolutions to all the attendees. The resolutions are meant to honor the accomplishments and the service of the state’s Vietnam veterans. All of the veterans in attendance ended the event by gathering for a picture in front of the Speaker’s dais as the members of the Missouri House offered their thanks and applause.

During the event, House members also paused to honor one of their own as they presented State Representative Pat Conway with an official resolution that recognizes him for his leadership in creating the state Vietnam Veterans Day. Conway played a pivotal role in securing passage of HB 1128 in 2012. The bill designates March 30 of each year as Vietnam Veterans Day in recognition of the courage and patriotism of those who served during the Vietnam Conflict. Conway has organized the Vietnam Veterans Day events in the House Chamber each year, and is himself a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict. During the ceremony, members stood and applauded Conway for all that he has done to honor and recognize Missouri’s veterans.

Yours in service,

Representative Jim Neely

Proudly Serving the 8th House District
Clinton, Caldwell, Ray, & Clay Counties

Missouri House of Representatives
573-751-0246

The Caldwell County News

101 South Davis
P.O. Box 218
Hamilton, MO 64644
Phone: 816-583-2116
news@mycaldwellcounty.com

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