Of the more than 60 measures passed by the Missouri Legislature during this year’s regular session, Republican Governor Eric Greitens has signed eight of them into law. All other bills awaiting his action were delivered to him on May 22.
Missouri State Capitol (photo courtesy; Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)
The governor has until July 14 to sign or veto the proposals or they will automatically become law on August 28.
Key issues being considered by Greitens include:
*The fiscal year 2018 budget which includes K-12 public schools receiving $3.4 billion, a 6.6% cut to Missouri’s colleges and universities and the Missouri State Employees Retirement System, or MOSERS, receiving $45 million in additional funding.
*A measure that would ban local governments from having higher minimum wage levels than the state’s minimum wage rage.
*A bill that would make it tougher for an employee to win a workplace discrimination lawsuit. It would require employees to prove that race, religion, sex or other protected status was the motivating factor for discrimination or being fired. Under the legislation, it would also stop workers from suing their colleagues and limit damages that could be awarded in such lawsuits.
*A proposal that would let residents choose whether they want a so-called REAL ID for access to planes, military bases and federal facilities. It would put the state in compliance with stricter federal identification requirements. The bill would ban Social Security numbers from being stored in databases that can be accessed by state or federal governments. It would also add criminal penalties for misuse of driver’s information or unlawful distribution of data.
*Legislation that would allow an organ donor program checkoff on individual and corporate income tax returns to continue. The checkoff lets people donate money from their refund to the Missouri Organ Donor Trust Fund, which manages the organ and tissue donor registry. The registry allows individuals to provide approval to have their organs and tissues donated so that relatives aren’t asked to.
*A proposal that would limit the evidence a jury can receive in special damages claims cases. It would take into account what the insurance company would pay out, instead of any additional damages beyond what the settlement is.
