Legislative Update for February 11th, 2022
The top two in the Mayor’s race and top 4 in the at-large race move onto the general election which is set for Tuesday, April 5th. Mayor Eileen Weir will face State Representative Rory Rowland in the contest for Mayor. The 4 at-large candidates will be Mike Huff, Karen DeLuccie, Marcie Gragg and Jared Fears. As we did for the primary, the Chamber will be hosting candidate forums for both races sometime in March.
State Legislature Report
Legislative activity in Jefferson City this week has centered around a filibuster in the Senate over congressional redistricting. Supporters of the map say it favors Republicans with six of Missouri’s eight congressional seats but conservative members of the Senate are holding out for a 7-1 version. After a 31 hour filibuster Monday until early Wednesday morning at 12:30 am on Wednesday, the 11 women of the Senate took to the floor on Wednesday afternoon to decry the lack of decorum and urging their colleagues to move forward with other business.
In the Missouri House, a stripped down proposal from Governor Parson to raise state employee wages was reduced to include only “direct care” agencies who would see increases up to $15 per hour or a 5.5% cost of living adjustment, whichever is higher. All other employees would have salaries increased to a minimum of $12 per hour or see a 5.5% COLA increase, whichever is greater. The bill was perfected 112-8 with 30 Democrats voting present.
Chamber Public Policy Agenda Items Update
HB2306 – Moves School Board elections to November– Action in the House was postponed this week on this bill
HB1552 – Changes provisions related to funding for charter schools – Placed on the informal perfection calendar in the House
HB2210 – Creates provisions relating to the licensing of electronic literary products – Public hearing was held on January 25th but has not yet been voted out of committee
