The logjam apparently has been broken in the legislature to get the pension and Ford tax incentive bills moving. It appears action will resume Tuesday and could conclude Wednesday in both chambers of the General Assembly.
An alternative to the Ford bill is to be taken up in Senate Committee on Tuesday. The bill is structured to avoid going to the Fiscal Oversight Committee headed by Senator Chuck Purgason who has blocked the first version of the Ford Bill and says he wants to kill it.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Steven Tilley says Senator Jason Crowell has backed away from his demand that a special investment board be appointed to oversee investments by the two major pension plans for state employees, clearing the way for the House to move on the pension bill. Governor Nixon says he told lawmakers in a conference call this morning that the so-called superboard was outside the parameters of his call for a special session and there was not a legal provision of the bill.
In special sessions called by the Governor the legislature can only consider the issues the Governor asks it to consider.
We’ve been told the two chambers hope to get both bills into conference committees Tuesday and take final action on compromise versions on Wednesday.