Three bills will be heard in two legislative committees today that aim to end the so-called “border war” between Missouri and Kansas over jobs.
All three bills would bar the issuance of certain business incentive programs to businesses that move from specific counties along the Kansas-Missouri Border on the Kansas side, to those along the border on the Missouri side. Supporters say it would end the practice of one state “poaching” companies and jobs from one side of the state line to the other. All three would be contingent on Kansas agreeing to block the offering of state incentives that would lure businesses from Missouri across the state line.
The legislation was pre-filed in December in the Senate by Senator Ryan Silvey (R-Kansas City) (SB 635). Bills mirroring it were then introduced in the House by Representative Kevin McManus (D-Kansas City) (HB 1515) and later by House Speaker Tim Jones (R-Eureka) (HB 1646).
Governor Jay Nixon in November called for he and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback to put a temporary moratorium on incentives in the Kansas City region, followed by legislative action to make them permanent.
McManus’ and Jones’ bills will be heard in House Hearing Room 7 at noon. Silvey’s legislation will be heard in the Senate Lounge at 1:00.
