Legislature Archives - Missourinet

Missouri’s governor touts state government restructuring; says DED is being outperformed by other states

March 20, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor says a proposed state government reorganization plan is scheduled to take effect on August 28th. Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, updated the Capitol Press Corps on the restructuring plan during a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Jefferson City.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (at podium) briefs Capitol reporters about his state government reorganization plan on March 19, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s office)

The restructuring involves four state agencies, primarily the state Department of Economic Development (DED). Monday was the end of the 60-day period in which Missouri lawmakers could vote to oppose the proposal, and that didn’t happen.

Governor Parson is praising the Legislature.

“And I want to thank the Legislature for their support of our efforts to improve state government and make Missouri the best in the Midwest,” Parson tells Capitol reporters.

The proposal involves moving DED’s Division of Workforce Development to the Department of Higher Education and several other moves, which Parson says will allow DED to focus entirely on economic development.

The restructuring plan also involves returning the Division of Energy from DED to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and making the Missouri Arts Council part of the Lieutenant Governor’s office. It would also move the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of Public Counsel to the newly-named Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Governor Parson says Missouri is not competitive with neighboring states, adding that Missouri’s DED houses more functions than any of its Midwest peers.

Parson says the Show-Me State ranks 14th among its Midwest peer states in gross domestic product (GDP) and eighth for wage growth. He says it ranks ninth for job growth.

The governor says the plan will focus DED.

“We must do a better job clearly identifying expectations and priorities, and ensure our agencies are structured in the best way to meet those goals,” says Parson.

Parson says DED has 865 full-time employees, more than any of its Midwest peers.

Missouri DED Director Rob Dixon joined Governor Parson at Tuesday’s press conference. Dixon says other Midwest states are outperforming his agency in nearly every measure, including workforce development.

Dixon backs the governor’s state government restructuring plan, saying that when everything is a priority, “nothing is a priority.”

“In economic development, Missouri is not competitive in economic development with other states and we had to take action or we’re going to continue that negative trend line,” Dixon tells reporters.

Governor Parson says DED has had seven directors in the past decade.

State Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, and State Rep. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit, also spoke at the press conference. Riddle and Fitzwater both praise the reorganization plan.

Senate bill would move Missouri’s steamboat and state museums–funded by casino boat fees

March 20, 2019 By Ashley Byrd

Dishes found on the wreck of the Arabia

A bill awaiting a vote in a Missouri Senate Committee would fund construction and operation of a new museum in Jefferson City all about the steamboat era in Missouri.

Bill sponsor, Sen. Mike Bernskoetter of Jefferson City, says the funds should come from fees collected from casinos for each person who boards gambling riverboats because that is where today’s gaming industry initially gained steam in Missouri. In the year 2000, state law was changed to allow gambling boats to stay docked.

The bill would increase the fee from $2.00 to $3.00, which is shared among the communities where casinos are docked, the Missouri Veterans Commission and the state.

Goods excavated from the Arabia, which hit a log and sank in 1856. The museum touts the artifacts as the largest collection of of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world

The bill would fund moving the Arabia Steamboat Museum and its contents from Kansas City to Jefferson City.

The lease runs out on the Kansas City building in 2026 and the Pittsburgh, Pa., company that built the riverboat Arabia wants the remains of the boat for display.

“I think it would be terrible to let it go to another state,” Bernskoetter says, “It’s part of our history.”

“This would be a way to keep the museum here in Missouri without costing general revenue or taxing people some other way,” he says.

Bernskoetter says the Missouri State Museum, which is inside the capitol building, could be moved and rebuilt to accommodate the steamboat facility and more.

“We’re only one of two states that have the state museum in the Capitol,” he says. “I think the state museum to display artifacts from the state of Missouri would be better suited to be outside of the Capitol and leave the Capitol more for learning about the legislative process.”

The $40 million in revenue for the Steamboat Legacy Fund would also help recover sunken steamboats along the Missouri River, he says.

“There’s the steamboat Malta up near Malta Bend, there’s 400 of them all along the length of Missouri but there’s 200 of them in the Kansas City to St. Louis region,” he says. “There’s about six of them that they would like to dig up that are from different time frames, five or six different decades.”

Bernskoetter says if the bill passes, there are plans to put the museum on former prison property on the east side of Jefferson City.

The new museum would open on the 200^th anniversary of Jefferson City becoming the state capital of Missouri.

2019 Missouri legislative session’s first half is praised by Speaker Haahr

March 19, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s House Speaker says the 2019 session’s first half has been successful. Lawmakers have left Jefferson City for their spring break, and won’t return to the Statehouse until Monday.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (right) and House Speaker Elijah Haahr brief Capitol reporters on March 6, 2019 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, briefed the Capitol Press Corps on Thursday. He addressed numerous topics, including job growth, workforce development, transportation and criminal justice reform.

Haahr says the House has given final approval to 70 bills, adding that economic growth remains a top priority for House Republicans.

“We’ve passed four separate workforce development proposals,” Haahr says. “Obviously those were a priority for our members as well as for the executive branch.”

The House has voted 101-49 to approve one of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) top priorities, called the “Fast Track” program. The legislation, which is sponsored by State Rep. Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, is aimed at adults who are working toward a certification, undergraduate degree or a credential for a high-demand occupation.

The “Fast Track” bill is now in the Senate.

Meantime, Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith’s (R-Carthage) proposal to use $100 million in general revenue for the state road fund has the support of Speaker Haahr.

“We’ve had some fruitful discussions with both Senate leadership and the governor’s office on reaching an agreement, and I think those discussions will continue and I’m hopeful,” says Haahr.

The governor’s office has said they’re confident that a final transportation agreement with lawmakers is possible, before the end of session in May. Chairman Smith says the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has paid more than $700 million in debt payments in the past two years.

Speaker Haahr also supports the concept of a proposed constitutional amendment that would reduce the House’s size in Jefferson City. Haahr says the proposal from State Rep. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit, is a “great idea as far as conceptually.”

“This is something that we’ve discussed for a long time. The House body (163 members) is the fourth-largest in the country. I think it’s something we need to at least consider going forward to how we streamline some of our procedures, and I think his is a good starting point for that discussion,” Haahr says, in response to a question from Missourinet.

Missouri currently has 197 lawmakers, although there are two current House vacancies. Fitzwater’s proposed constitutional amendment would decrease the House’s size from 163 to 136.

If lawmakers approve the plan, it would be placed on the November 2020 statewide ballot.

While Democrats are outnumbered in the Missouri House by a 114-47 margin, the House Minority Leader says their efforts have led the Department of Revenue (DOR) to “abandon its false cover story of a withholding error.”

Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, also briefed Capitol reporters on Thursday. Leader Quade says Democrats pre-filed a tax bill in December, to force the conversation.

“Our efforts to bring awareness to the surprise tax bills countless Missourians are being hit with under the Trump tax law changes count as a major accomplishment for the Democrats this session,” says Quade.

The withholding issue has been the topic of four hearings conducted by the bipartisan Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight, and DOR Director Joel Walters is resigning on Friday.

Quade is calling on her House colleagues to approve legislation from State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, which would prevent penalties for delayed payments on outstanding income tax liabilities for the 2018 tax year.

Criminal justice reform has also been a key issue for Quade and House Democrats. Haahr notes the House has already approved six separate criminal justice reform bills. They have strong bipartisan support in the House.

The final day of the 2019 legislative session is Friday May 17.

Controversial Missouri daycare files appeal in attempt to remain open

March 18, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

A St. Louis-area daycare has appealed the state’s intentions of closing the place after security video released last month showed a worker throwing a three-year-old against a cabinet. An employee at Brighter Day Care and Preschool in Pine Lawn has been fired and has been charged with child abuse in connection to the incident. Online court records state that Wilma Brown, 27, is being held without bond.

Wilma Brown

The victim had to have seven stitches on her head.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services spokesperson Lisa Cox tells Missourinet the attorney for the daycare has sent a fax to the department appealing the decision to revoke the daycare’s license at the end of this month. Attorney Timothy Smith has also requested a hearing before the Administration Hearing Commission about the matter. Cox says the commission will schedule a hearing.

The department has 90 days to file a complaint with the commission.

Brighter Day Care and Preschool will be allowed to continue operating during the appeals process.

During a press conference this month at the state Capitol in Jefferson City, Gov. Mike Parson condemned the allegations against the daycare.

“There is a number of quality daycare centers that do a great job every day. However, one case of abuse is too many,” the governor said.

Parson also announced the creation of a childcare work group that aims to ensure safe and quality care for Missouri children attending daycare sites.

“After seeing the horrific video last week at the Brighter Day Care in St. Louis and videos from multiple cases in recent weeks, we can do more to hold people accountable and work to prevent future incidents,” he says.

The group is charged with making recommendations to the governor by June 1.

Under tax mistake pressure, Missouri Revenue chief resigns and COO gets chance to stabilize agency

March 15, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

In a press release, Gov. Mike Parson has announced today Ken Zellers as the acting-director of the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR). On Thursday, Parson received a letter of resignation from Director of Revenue Joel Walters, stating his last day at the department will be Friday, March 22.

Ken Zellers

Zellers has been serving as the chief operating officer for the Department of Revenue since September 2017. Before joining the agency, Zellers held numerous senior roles at Anheuser-Busch InBev, most recently serving as Global Quality Director.

Walters has been heavily criticized for a few glitches that have surfaced since taking over the department in 2017, most recently a tax withholding mistake the agency discovered last year. A new bipartisan Missouri House oversight committee was formed this year and has been investigating the department’s miscalculation that is projected to lead to thousands of Missourians getting a lower tax refund or a higher tax bill. During a hearing, Walters has testified that state tax refunds are about $80 lower than a year ago.

Last month, Gov. Parson said state lawmakers are “grandstanding” by holding hearings about the Department of Revenue tax mistake.

Another misstep became public in May 2018 when Representative Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, grew livid during floor debate and accused Revenue officials of covering up a mistake that would have reduced the state budget by $60 million. Kendrick, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said the error was found in a financial estimate for a corporate tax cut bill.

“That is disrespectful. It’s unethical. I think when you’re talking about where this money would’ve came from, that it’s immoral. I think people should lose their job,” Kendrick said in 2018.

In a statement to Missourinet last year, Walters said members were not notified of the mistake because he thought lawmakers were going with a House version – making the old Senate version irrelevant.

Then there was the 2017 snafu in which more than 1,000 Missourians contacted the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline to report missing tax refunds or other tax return problems. Galloway said callers also reported long wait times, calls being disconnected and the inability to speak to a representative or an actual person to try to get information on the status of their refund. By law, delayed tax refunds should include interest, but some Missourians complained about not receiving any.

Embattled Missouri Department of Revenue Director to resign (AUDIO)

March 15, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

While the governor’s office hasn’t confirmed it, Missouri House Republican leaders say embattled state Department of Revenue (DOR) Director Joel Walters is resigning.

State Department of Revenue Director Joel Walters testifies before a Missouri House oversight committee on February 13, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The resignation was first reported Thursday afternoon by the Columbia Tribune.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, and other top House Republicans issued statements on Thursday evening, with Haahr saying that Walters’ resignation “is an important step forward.” Speaker Haahr also says DOR “has much more work to do to regain the trust of the public.”

Governor Mike Parson’s spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, e-mailed Missourinet Thursday evening to say that their office will make a formal statement via press release on Friday morning.

The news comes a day after Missourinet reported that Walters had been called to testify before a bipartisan House oversight committee for a fourth time, due to a tax withholding issue that’s impacting some people’s returns.

House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, told Missourinet after Wednesday’s hearing that Walters had failed to provide him with data he requested.

“The real frustration comes in the department not being forthright with the taxpayers, not being forthright with legislators and this committee in providing the information that I’d asked for,” Ross said Wednesday.

House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross (right) speaks on March 13, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Speaker Haahr’s statement says that without the bipartisan House oversight committee’s hearings and investigation, “the people would never have known the truth about the mistakes made” by DOR.

House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, has also issued a statement, which reads, in part: “I’m proud of the oversight committee for standing up for the hard-working families who may end up with a surprise tax bill this April because the department failed to do its job.”

Ross was visibly frustrated with Walters at the start of Wednesday’s hearing at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. After the hearing, Ross told us he’s frustrated with Director Walters and the department.

“With dealing with this agency that has a pattern, a history, a track record of simply not providing the data that we as representatives of the people need for the answers that our constituents are looking for,” says Ross.

Ross had requested that Walters provide him a sampling of the DOR data of taxpayers who’ve seen the largest swing, under the withholding issue. Ross told the audience during Wednesday’s hearing that Walters’ response was not what he requested.

Ross says he’s spoken to some Missouri taxpayers, who are state employees, who received about an $800 refund last year, but owed about $800 this year.

Walters has also been blasted by Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, who’s been raising concerns about the tax issue since December. That’s when she pre-filed legislation aimed at addressing it.

She spoke to the Capitol Press Corps Thursday afternoon, regarding the 2019 session’s midway point. Quade puts some of the blame on Governor Parson’s administration.

“We now know that the Parson administration was well aware of the looming tax bills last fall,” Quade tells reporters. “Even drafted a news release warning Missourians, but chose not to release it because it didn’t want to talk about the issue that close to the (November) elections.”

Quade is calling on Governor Parson to “take full responsibility for his administration’s failures.”

DOR has testified that the average state refund is down about $78, while the average tax due is up about $65.

The department has created a dedicated phone line to answer questions from taxpayers. That number is (573) 522-0967.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, which was recorded on March 13, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:

Missouri income tax penalty legislation has bipartisan support; Revenue director to testify again (AUDIO)

March 14, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri taxpayers who have been impacted by a withholding issue may be getting some relief.

State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, testifies before the Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight in Jefferson City on March 13, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A Missouri House oversight committee heard testimony Wednesday in Jefferson City on legislation from State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, which would prevent penalties for delayed payments on outstanding income tax liabilities for the 2018 tax year.

We also learned during Wednesday’s hearing that Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) Director Joel Walters will be called to testify before the oversight committee for a fourth time, later this month.

Dohrman’s House bill 1094 has bipartisan support in the committee. Representative Dohrman testified before the House Special Committee on Government Oversight.

“I mean there comes a point we all have to just lay everything aside and govern,” Dohrman testifies. “And my goal is to help taxpayers as much as possible without impacting the fiscal year.”

If approved, Dohrman’s legislation would only apply to taxpayers who establish a payment plan with DOR.

DOR has created a dedicated phone line for taxpayers to call. That number is (573) 522-0967.

Director Walters testified in late February that more than 63,000 Missourians had already called that number.

“Our purpose here (in the Legislature) is not to penalize taxpayers for honest errors that came about because of the changes in the federal tax withholding this year,” Dohrman tells Missourinet.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, who pre-filed similar legislation in December, participated in Wednesday’s hearing and called on her House colleagues to approve Representative Dohrman’s bill.

Walters testified in late February that the average state refund was down about $78, while the average tax due is up about $65.

Meantime, the oversight committee chairman called for adding a refund provision to Dohrman’s proposal. Committee Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, spoke to Representative Dohrman during Wednesday’s hearing.

“I think we ought to consider adding some sort of a refund provision to this bill to allow a taxpayer that has went ahead and paid that penalty to then be refunded that. Would you agree?” Ross asks Dohrman.

“Absolutely,” Dohrman replies.

Chairman Ross also announced at the start of Wednesday’s hearing that Director Walters will testify before the committee for the fourth time, after the legislative spring break.

A visibly frustrated Ross told Walters that a written response about the tax withholding issue that DOR provided is not what Ross requested. Ross wants to see a sampling of the DOR data of taxpayers who have seen the largest swing, under the withholding issue.

Walters testified briefly on Wednesday, saying that DOR has processed 1.4 million tax returns thus far in 2019.

The Department of Revenue has placed cards at all Missouri license offices and is mailing fliers to employers requesting that they post the information in employee break rooms.

During previous testimony, Walters has urged Missourians to check their state withholding information.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, which was recorded on March 13, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. Mr. Dohrman represents Johnson, Pettis and Saline counties in the Missouri House:

Missouri Representative wants more focus on funding financial aid programs

March 14, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

State Representative Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, is concerned about creating the governor’s proposed Fast Track program when he says Missouri’s three college financial aid programs are significantly underfunded. Bright Flight, A+ and Access Missouri are the state’s current programs.

State Rep. Kip Kendrick

“Access Missouri – this is our only need-based aid program in the state of Missouri. It’s currently being funded at 72 percent,” says Kendrick, the ranking Democrat on the state House’s Budget Committee.

Republican Governor Mike Parson’s Fast Track financial aid program would provide tuition assistance to eligible Missourians to get or grow into high-paying, high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing, computer science, and healthcare.

Kendrick says Parson’s program could cost more than $22 million – a number Parson announced during January’s State of the State Address.

Kendrick wants to move $12 million from the proposed Fast Track program to Access Missouri.

“It would bring funding (of Access Missouri) up to around 84 percent. That’s still significantly underfunded and that’s money coming directly out of the pockets of some of our lowest-income individuals attempting to improve their lives and escape poverty by obtaining higher education,” says Kendrick.

He goes on to say the Fast Track program has some merit.

Missouri Gold Star Families memorial legislation stalls in House; key term is “official”

March 13, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

A resolution recognizing the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Point Lookout as Missouri’s “Official Gold Star Families Memorial Monument” stalled this week in the Missouri House, over concerns about the term “official.”

State Rep. Shane Roden, R-Cedar Hill, speaks on the Missouri House floor on February 20, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Jeff Justus, R-Branson, the resolution sponsor, says the bill highlights the commitment that southwest Missouri’s College of the Ozarks has to veterans.

“And one of the reasons that it would be good to be in our area is that the thousands of veterans and the people and the tourists that come to our area that would be able to see it, you’d probably give it the most exposure of any other memorial in the state,” Justus says.

Bill supporters say Branson is a tourist destination and that many tourists would be able to see Missouri’s commitment to veterans.

Justus’ resolution was approved in February by the House Veterans Committee by an 11-2 vote, and no one testified against it during the committee hearing.

However, opposition surfaced during Monday evening’s House floor discussion, and included lawmakers from both parties. Opposition centers around the word “official.”

State Rep. Doug Beck, D-St. Louis County, who serves on the House Veterans Committee, spoke against the resolution on the House floor, telling colleagues there’s a Gold Star memorial at Jefferson Barracks Park near St. Louis.

“I think to name any type of memorial the official memorial of the Gold Star Families possibly slights those others that put their time and effort into any other memorial that’s across the state,” says Beck.

Beck also notes there’s a Gold Star memorial in Jefferson City, not far from the Capitol.

State Rep. Bob Burns, D-Affton, also objects to the term “official.” Burns notes the Gold Star memorial monument at Jefferson Barracks park is located in his district.

One of Justus’ GOP colleagues also spoke against the bill, during floor debate.

State Rep. Shane Roden, R-Cedar Hill, told Representative Beck he agreed with his opposition to the bill. Roden tells House colleagues his Jefferson County district includes mothers who’ve lost sons in Iraq, who have worked to get a monument at Jefferson Barracks Park.

“To know those mothers that have made sure that every single of those people in St. Louis County at Jefferson Barracks, especially at a very fitting place in Jefferson Barracks on those hollowed ground,” Roden says.

Justus’ resolution is backed by State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, who chairs the House Veterans Committee. Chairman Basye tells House colleagues the intent of House Concurrent Resolution 9 is not to discredit any other Gold Star monuments in Missouri.

Basye says Branson does a great job for veterans, adding that they have a “wonderful veterans museum down in that area.”

Justus’ resolution has been laid over.

Could ‘Hyperloop’ tube travel thrive in Missouri? New group aims to find out, accelerate construction

March 12, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, says Missouri became the Gateway to the West about 100 years ago by building an interstate system. During a press conference today at the state Capitol in Jefferson City, Haahr says he wants Missouri to be the gateway to the world by building the first-ever Hyperloop system.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr (Photo courtesy of Tim Bommel, House Communications)

He has announced the creation of a group of elected officials and business people to study whether a revolutionary high-speed tube transportation network called Hyperloop makes financial sense in Missouri and to come up with strategies that could accelerate construction of a proposed route. The special panel will also examine how to make Missouri the “global epicenter” for research and development of Hyperloop technology.

A proposed Hyperloop route is supposed to haul travelers in a tube from St. Louis to Kansas City in 28 minutes with a pit stop in Columbia. A typical road trip from Kansas City to St. Louis might take about four hours, if you don’t factor in stops along the way.

Vice chair Andrew Smith of the St. Louis Regional Chamber says a Hyperloop would unify the state and create a single economic development mega region that would make Missouri competitive with some of the top economic development mega regions in the union.

“When you look at St. Louis and Kansas City combined, you’re talking about an area that really has the same kind of potential as a Boston, Bay Area or Seattle,” says Smith.

Haahr says that the tube system has a much more “far-reaching promise” than a high-speed railroad network.

Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (Photo courtesy of Tim Bommel, House Communications)

“High-speed rail is about one-third as fast and costs more than the Hyperloop would,” he says.

Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, who is chairing the group, says Missouri has the ingenuity, technology and resources to figure out the steps to bring the futuristic travel system to the Show-Me State.

“We’re the state that funded the first Transatlantic flight with Charles Lindbergh. We’re the state that built the Eads bridge over the river when no one said it could be done. We’re the state to produce the engineers to help put man on the moon,” says Kehoe.

The Missouri Legislature has been bickering for years about ways to increase infrastructure funding to fix the state’s ailing roads and bridges. Why look at other transportation modes when this problem has not been resolved?

“It’s not like we’re standing here saying we’ve got a concrete proposal to start building Hyperloop next year. We’re looking at the feasibility of doing it long term,” says Haahr. “Second of all, obviously our Legislature this year has spent a lot of time trying to figure out how we’re going to work on I-70, how we’re going to work on roads and bridges around the state. We’re taking those. I think the important thing to remember here is in our opinion, looking 100 years down the road, funding our current infrastructure is important in the short term. Funding the next mode of transportation is important in the long term.”

Photo courtesy of Tim Bommel, House Communications

One scenario that has been previously considered is having a private company operate the tube mode of transportation – taking a lot of the financial burden off the state. However, whether taxpayer funds or an attractive tax incentive package would be included is anyone’s guess. Haahr says the group will also look into funding avenues both federal and private to avoid running out of money before such a network is built.

Other members of group include Senators Caleb Rowden, Tony Luetkemeyer and Brian Williams, Representatives Travis Fitzwater and Derek Grier, Missouri Economic Development Director Rob Dixon, University of Missouri System President Mun Choi, and private sector leaders and subject matter experts from around the state.

Over the next several months, the panel will hold public meetings in St. Louis, Jefferson City, and Kansas City. It plans to have its recommendations ready in September.

Kansas City-based engineering firm Black and Veatch completed a study last year and said building a Hyperloop in Missouri is viable. Its study found that making a Hyperloop track along I-70 from St. Louis to Kansas City would cost about $10 billion. The firm estimates 16,000 to 62,000 people would use the Hyperloop daily.