Representative JIm Neely's Capitol Report
Greetings, friends of the 8th Legislative District!
Governor Parson Sworn In
On Friday, June 1, Mike Parson took over as Governor of the State of Missouri.
Governor Parson is a former law enforcement official and current farmer who has been involved in public service for more than two decades. The members of House leadership are ready to work with the incoming governor to continue the work of the people. They said, “The House stands ready to help ensure a smooth transition of power to Governor Parson. The hallmark of democracy is that our public service is temporary. Missouri has been blessed with an unbroken line of men and women in public service who have worked to make our state better, and the work of the many dedicated public servants, who work tirelessly for the people of Missouri, will continue.”
Reducing the Licensing Burden for Military Families and Low-Income Missourians (SB 843)
During the 2018 legislative session the General Assembly gave approval to a measure that will cut regulatory red tape for military families and low-income Missourians. The bill is part of an effort by the legislature to ease the regulatory burden so that Missouri citizens can prosper.
The bill requires all state and political subdivision licensing authorities to waive all occupational fees for military families and low-income individuals for a period of two years. The waiver will also include any other fees associated with licensing requirements. Individuals would apply for the waiver and would then have a two-year period where they are not required to pay any occupational fees that become due.
For the purposes of the bill, military families will include any active duty service members and their spouses and honorably discharged veterans and their spouses. It also includes surviving spouses of deceased service members who have not remarried. In order for low-income individuals to qualify, they would need a household adjusted gross income below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, or to participate in a public assistance program such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the MO HealthNet program, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Supporters of the legislation say it is an important step to remove barriers to prosperity for Missourians. It will also prevent government agencies from profiting off the men and women who protect America. Proponents also say it is important to rein in licensing requirements that have gone beyond the original purpose of protecting the general welfare.
Other portions of the bill will enact noncontroversial changes recommended by a 2017 report issued by the Task Force on Boards and Commissions. Supporters say the changes will help reduce the need for gubernatorial appointments by more than 100 positions and help greatly with quorum problems and overall efficiency.
Protecting Missourians from Excessive Emergency Room Charges (SB 982)
This legislative session the General Assembly passed an important consumer protection bill meant to ensure that insurance companies don’t deny coverage for Missourians who make a necessary trip to the emergency room. The bill is in part a response to a policy implemented by an insurance company that denied emergency room coverage based on the resulting diagnosis instead of the symptoms that sent the patient to the emergency room.
To address this issue, the legislation specifies that an ailment is considered an "emergency medical condition" if the person has sufficiently severe symptoms, regardless of what final diagnosis is given. This “prudent layperson” standard makes it clear that if a person with an average knowledge of health and medicine believes immediate medical care is required, the emergency room visit should be covered by health insurance. The bill also takes an additional step to protect consumers by ensuring a licensed physician reviews each case. This change will prevent a computer system from denying a claim based on how it was coded. Supporters of the change say it will make sure Missourians receive the care they need when they need it.
The bill also makes an important change meant to keep patients from being victimized by “surprise billing.” This occurs when patients go to an in-network medical facility, but the doctor they see is outside the network. The bill will ensure patients are not put in the middle of these billing decisions for emergency room services. In effect the bill creates a system that allows providers to negotiate directly with insurance companies for a fair rate. This removes the need for patients to serve as middlemen and allows them to instead focus on obtaining the care they need.
Filling County Vacancies (HB 1428)
Another important piece of legislation approved during the 2018 legislative session will ensure vacancies in important county offices are filled in a timely fashion. The bill is meant to avoid situations where a vacancy causes a county office to shut down.
This bill requires the county commission in all non-charter counties to make an appointment to fill a vacancy within 14 days. The appointee will then serve in the position until the governor makes an appointment or until the vacancy is filled by operation of another provision of law. In counties with only two county commissioners, the presiding judge of the circuit court will make the appointment when there is the absence of an agreement. The offices of prosecuting attorney and circuit attorney are excluded from this provision.
The bill also sets a 60-day time limit for the governor to fill a vacancy in the Office of County Commissioner with the advice and consent of the Senate. The vacancies filled by appointment will be held by the appointee for the remainder of the term. The bill does not apply to any county that has adopted a charter for its own government.
Yours in service,
Representative Jim Neely
Proudly Serving the 8th House District
Clinton, Caldwell, Ray, & Clay Counties
Missouri House of Representatives
573-751-0246
