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Schatz: Missouri Senate to return next week; two senators who tested positive for COVID have recovered (AUDIO)

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The Missouri Senate leader says two state senators and a Senate staff member who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered.

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) briefs Capitol reporters on March 12, 2020 in Jefferson City, as Democratic Leader John Rizzo (D-Kansas City) and Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) look on (file photo from Missourinet’s Alisa Nelson)

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, says the full Senate plans to return to Jefferson City next week.

“I haven’t spoken to both of them (the two state senators who tested positive for COVID) but I’ve spoken with one of those senators and he has fully recovered and feeling fine. And I do believe the other senator according to reports, that he is fine also and fully recovered,” Schatz says.

Schatz and Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, announced last Monday that the Senate would postpone debate and votes on the proposed $1.2 billion supplemental budget until after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, due to the positive COVID cases. Schatz says that decision was not made lightly and was done in the best interest of protecting senators, staff members and the public.

Pro Tem Schatz tells Missourinet that the Senate will return next Tuesday afternoon to debate and vote on the supplemental budget. He says the Senate needs two days to get it done, and that will include time for committee hearings.

“Our plan is we adjourned until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1,” says Schatz. “So we are planning to come back and take up some of the appropriations work that the House has sent over to us.”

The House approved the supplemental budget on November 10, on a bipartisan 133-4 vote. The budget deploys federal resources across numerous state departments.

It also provides more authority to spend federal dollars on personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing. It also addresses Missouri’s unemployment fund shortage.

Schatz expects a final vote on the supplemental budget next Wednesday. If the Senate approves it as is, it would go straight to the governor’s desk. If any changes are made, the budget would go to a conference committee.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, which was recorded on November 23, 2020:

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Columbia’s mayor touts radiopharmaceutical corridor and three massive construction projects (AUDIO)

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Columbia’s mayor says his fast-growing city and all of mid-Missouri will benefit greatly from three massive projects happening in the area.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (left) and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece (center) speak to businessman Greg Steinhoff on November 17, 2020 at a groundbreaking ceremony at Columbia Regional Airport (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Mayor Brian Treece notes that more than $500 million in new construction will be happening in the next 12 to 24 months, with some already underway.

“Between a new I-70 bridge at Rocheport, a $200 million NextGen precisional health complex, that will bring life saving cures to Columbia. And now a new $38 million airport terminal (at Columbia Regional). That’s great for mid-Missouri,” Treece says.

The NextGen Precision Health Institute, a $220 million facility, is under construction. It’s expected to train the next generation of scientists who will help Missouri address future health care needs.

The NextGen project is the UM System’s top capital priority, and enjoys bipartisan support in the Legislature from lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, State Rep. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland, and State Rep. (and State Sen.-Elect) Greg Razer, D-Kansas City.

Mizzou says researchers in medicine and engineering will work in the institute, to advance lifesaving research.

As for the I-70 Rocheport bridge, Missouri has received an $81 million federal grant to replace the current bridge, which was built in 1960. More than 12-million vehicles cross that bridge annually, including three million trucks.

Rocheport is just west of Columbia.

Mayor Treece also predicts that a new terminal that will be built at Columbia Regional Airport (COU) will be a generational investment that will pay big dividends in future economic development for his city and for central Missouri. The mayor says the terminal will also be huge for the University of Missouri.

“For new businesses that want to come to mid-Missouri, that want to take advantage of the University of Missouri’s nuclear reactor and building a radiopharmaceutical corridor right here in central Missouri for life-saving cures that we all benefit from,” says Treece.

The current COU terminal was built in 1968, and Columbia will soon begin flying to Charlotte. Mayor Treece says the new terminal will put further destinations in play, and says Atlanta and Phoenix are two major hub cities Columbia would like to fly to.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, which was recorded on November 17, 2020 at Columbia Regional Airport:

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Departing Missouri House Speaker Haahr reflects on successes, disappointments (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s outgoing House Speaker says life issues and the largest tax cut in state history are some of his biggest successes in the Legislature.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, gavels the chamber into session on August 24, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, was first elected to the House in 2012. He’s finishing his eighth and final year in the House, due to term limits. He’s also finishing his term as Speaker.

“I was very proud of the work we did on the pro-life bill last year, I thought that was a big thing,” Haahr says. “Prior to me being Speaker, I carried also the largest tax cut in Missouri history and that was a really big one, I think, for our constituencies in the state.”

The 2019 abortion legislation essentially banned abortions once a fetal heartbeat was detected. The House vote was 110-44, and the Senate approved it last year after about 15 hours of filibuster and negotiations behind the scenes.

Haahr is the first and only House Speaker from Springfield in state history, and says that symbolizes Springfield and southwest Missouri’s growing political and economic influence. He says boosting funding for Missouri State University is another success he’s proud of.

“Worked really hard last year on bringing Missouri State University’s funding on parity with other schools, and so we did a $10 million increase to them to get them to a place where they’re funded equally with all the other schools,” says Haahr.

Haahr says this has been talked about for years and even decades, and that to get it done while he was Speaker is very important.

While Haahr has been Speaker, State Rep. Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, has served as House Minority Leader. While the two have disagreed on issues like abortion and Medicaid expansion, they have worked together on issues involving Greene County, such as Missouri State funding and Hailey’s Law, which was sponsored by State Rep. Curtis Trent, R-Springfield.

Haahr has said several times from the House dais that while he and Leader Quade frequently disagree on policy, they both share a love for Springfield.

Haahr became speaker on November 1, 2018. His predecessor, former House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, resigned the day before to take over as state Medicaid director. Haahr campaigned hard for House GOP candidates across the state in the fall of 2018, helping Republican Mary Elizabeth Coleman unseat State Rep. Mike Revis, D-Fenton. He also helped protect Republican seats in swing districts across the state.

Not all of Haahr’s priorities have passed in the Legislature, even with GOP supermajorities in both chambers and a Republican in the governor’s mansion.

During an interview in his Capitol office in Jefferson City last week, Haahr reflected on some of his disappointments. He says Hyperloop is one of his biggest disappointments.

“I had made a real strong push to try to bring the Hyperloop to Missouri,” Haahr says. “And they chose West Virginia. We were one of the three finalists that got really close but we didn’t get it. I think in 15 or 20 years that will have a transformative impact on West Virginia’s economy.”

Speaker Haahr says that would have jump-started Missouri as a leader on an issue of transportation importance.

Virgin Hyperloop chose West Virginia for its futuristic tube travel test track and certification center, but has said Missouri is not out of the picture. Haahr is hopeful that will still happen.

Haahr is speaker until the end of the year, and expects the House to be in session in December to take up COVID liability during the ongoing special session.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with outgoing Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, which was recorded on November 10, 2020 at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City:

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Missouri’s governor reiterates opposition to statewide mask mandate; promotes Show Me You Care campaign (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s governor has been using stops this week to tout a program called the “Show Me You Care” campaign, which emphasizes the need for you to wear a mask, practice good hygiene and to social distance.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on November 12, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson says everyone must step up to stop the spread of COVID.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there have been 30,049 new COVID cases in the past week, an average of 4,293 cases per day. There have also been 62 new deaths during that timeframe.

Missourinet spoke to Governor Parson Tuesday, after he spoke at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $23 million terminal at Columbia Regional Airport (COU). The governor is emphasizing the need for everyone to “step up” to battle COVID.

“I think everybody has got a little virus fatigue over nine months, but the reality of it, it’s a different time today,” Parson says. “We’re seeing these cases go at a pretty fast pace here. Everybody has got to do their part.”

The governor is also emphasizing the importance of washing your hands and avoiding large gatherings. He also says rural Missouri must step up, saying that the increasing COVID numbers statewide are concerning.

DHSS says there are currently 2,453 COVID patients in Missouri hospitals, including 582 in the ICU and 298 on ventilators.

Governor Parson says the next 30 to 60 days is crucial. Missourinet asked the governor on Tuesday about the Missouri Hospital Association’s renewed call for him to issue a statewide mask mandate.

“From day one I’ve recommended that people wear a mask, but I’m not going to mandate that for the state of Missouri. I’ve answered that question numerous times and that hasn’t changed any. People … again, I’m a fan of local control. I think that’s where it needs to be,” says Parson.

The governor has maintained that position throughout the pandemic, saying that he’s not anti-mask but is anti-mandate.

State Rep. Martha Stevens, D-Columbia, the ranking Democrat on the House Special Committee on Aging, called for a statewide mask mandate again on Wednesday.

“Our frontline workers and communities are looking for leadership as things get worse and worse across Missouri,” Representative Stevens tweeted.

Governor Parson and DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams will brief Capitol reporters on Thursday morning at 9 in Jefferson City.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Governor Mike Parson, which was recorded on November 17, 2020 at Columbia Regional Airport:

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Missouri Senate postpones session; House postpones new member bus tour

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The Missouri Senate portion of a special legislative session is postponed. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden announced this first on Monday morning via Twitter:

Rowden said the decision “was not made lightly.”

Missourinet confirmed with Senate President Pro Tem that there are members and staff with COVID-19.

Some senators were also busy over the past week with official gatherings and other rallies, including a pro-President Trump gathering inside the Capitol. 

House freshman will have to wait to take their statewide bus tour.

Missouri House Speaker Designee Rob Vescovo’s statement about this component of the new House member orientation:

“Out of an abundance of caution and in an effort to protect the health and well-being of members, staff and the general public, we have decided to postpone the two-week statewide bus tour for newly-elected House members. The tour is an incredibly important learning opportunity that gives new members first-hand experiences with many of the programs and facilities around the state that are impacted by their decisions in Jefferson City. I am committed to ensuring our new members will be able to benefit from this incredible educational experience at a future date when we can conduct the tour in a safe and responsible fashion that doesn’t risk further spread of COVID-19.”

The Missouri House will still hold its scheduled three-day orientation for new members this week in the State Capitol building, with plans to follow CDC guidelines and screenings.

 

 

 

Jefferson City mayor describes Gold Star monument location at Capitol as solemn area (AUDIO)

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Jefferson City’s mayor says the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument being built on the Missouri Capitol grounds is one of just five monuments located at state capitols nationwide.

Members of Lincoln University’s ROTC presented the flags at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Jefferson City (November 11, 2020 photo by Brian Hauswirth)

Mayor Carrie Tergin spoke at this week’s Veterans Day groundbreaking ceremony, describing the spot as a perfect location.

“This is a place here on the beautiful Capitol grounds where thousands of people are going to be convening. So this very spot right here is going to have a lot of visibility,” Tergin says.

The monument is being built next to the Missouri Veterans Memorial and next to the Bicentennial bridge entrance. It will have four panels with themes of homeland, family, patriot and sacrifice.

“It’s a solemn area,” says Tergin. “It’s a place where many students come so they can learn the stories, learn what this is about and why this is so important that we always remember our Gold Star families.”

Fundraising efforts are continuing for the monument.

Gold Star families, veterans, state lawmakers and Jefferson City business leaders are leading the fundraising effort, and they’ve already raised about $30,000. It will cost $75,000 for the monument and granite benches.

The benches are being designed to give visitors an opportunity to reflect on the meanings of the four panels.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin, which was recorded on Veterans Day 2020 on the Missouri Capitol grounds:

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Look for Missouri Senate to vote on $1.27 billion supplemental next week (AUDIO)

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The Missouri Senate is expected to debate and vote on the proposed $1.27 billion supplemental budget next Thursday and Friday. That’s according to Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia.

Missouri House Majority Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, (left) speaks to House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, in the House chamber in Jefferson City on November 10, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The House gave final approval to the supplemental budget this week, with a bipartisan 133-4 vote. That pleases House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage.

“It (the budget) was more of a what I call ‘keep the trains running on time supplemental budget bill.’ The deployment of federal resources across a variety of state departments is mostly what the bill was about,” Smith says.

He says the budget also provides more authority to spend federal dollars on personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing. Chairman Smith says it also addresses Missouri’s unemployment fund shortage.

“Our plans for unemployment program ran short with higher than expected unemployment,” says Smith.

If the Senate approves the supplemental budget as is, it would head straight to the governor’s desk. If changes are made by the Senate, the budget would head to a Senate-House conference committee.

Smith is hopeful the Senate will send it to Governor Parson’s desk, saying he doesn’t expect it to be controversial in the upper chamber.

Meantime, the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) says there have been 25,961 new COVID cases in Missouri in the past seven days, along with 63 new deaths in the past week.

State Rep. Jon Carpenter, D-Gladstone, a senior Democrat in the Missouri House, addressed the issue on the floor this week. He’s warning his colleagues that COVID hospitalizations are skyrocketing in the Midwest.

“We now have twice as many people getting infected with coronavirus in our region (the Midwest) than any other region in this country at any point during the pandemic,” Carpenter says.

During his House floor speech, Carpenter called on the Parson administration to address the pandemic itself and to use some of the $1.2 billion supplemental to address economic hardships, school hardships and food hardships in Missouri.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s interview with House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, which was recorded on November 10, 2020 at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City:

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Governor Parson adds COVID liability to Missouri’s special session call; Quade says it will worsen crisis

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Missouri’s governor expanded his special session call on Thursday to include COVID-19 liability, relating to his declared state of emergency for health care providers, manufacturers, businesses, churches, schools and others.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson announces he’s expanding his special session call to include COVID liability, during a November 12, 2020 press conference in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The issue is a top priority for Missouri’s largest business organization and for GOP legislative leaders, but some labor unions and the House Democratic leader see it differently.

Governor Mike Parson (R) made his announcement at a Statehouse press conference in Jefferson City.

“None of these groups (health care providers, businesses, churches, schools) should be penalized for their efforts to respond to a declared state of emergency,” Parson tells Capitol reporters. “They must be able to continue operating and serving the public without risk of unnecessary and senseless claims.”

The governor is calling on the Legislature to approve a bill with three main components.

“Liability protection for health care workers who provide care as necessitated by a declared state of emergency,” says Parson. “Products liability protection for any person who designs, manufactures, labels, sells, distributes or donates products in direct response to a declared state of emergency.”

The third component is premises liability protection for exposure claims, relating to a declared state of emergency.

Governor Parson also wants lawmakers to approve an emergency clause.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been urging the governor to expand the special session, saying six of Missouri’s eight bordering states have approved similar legislation. Chamber President Dan Mehan tells Missourinet that more than 800 Missouri employers, mostly small businesses, signed a letter requesting a special session. That includes a skate park and a pizzeria.

Mehan describes COVID-19 liability protection as an important step towards re-opening the economy.

You can read the governor’s special session call here. House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, told Missourinet this week he expects the House to be in session in December to work on COVID liability.

The top Democratic in the Missouri House is blasting the governor’s announcement, saying it encourages reckless behavior.

“Over and over, Governor Parson has stressed the need for personal responsibility in fighting COVID-19. But for businesses that negligently put their employees and customers at risk, he doesn’t want them to have to take any responsibility at all,” House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, says, in a written statement. “While providing protections for businesses that follow the rules and take the necessary steps to keep people safe might be warranted, a blanket exemption that also shields bad actors from legal liability will encourage reckless behavior and make a crisis that already has spun out of control far worse.”

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is also critical. SEIU Healthcare Missouri Kansas vice president Lenny Jones says the governor’s proposal would grant immunity to operators and owners of nursing homes and medical centers, during the COVID pandemic.

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Thousands of unemployed Missourians sign up for free online classes

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In July, the state partnered with a company called Coursera to begin offering free online courses to Missourians unemployed as a result of COVID-19. The state Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development tells Missourinet about 2,300 individuals have registered and about 471 people have completed at least one course so far.

Thousands of unemployed Missourians sign up for free online classes

Through the partnership, the students can choose from more than 3,800 free classes in business, technology, and data science. They can also earn professional certificates from leading companies like IBM and Google that are designed to prepare people for entry-level careers like IT.

“I truly believe education changes lives,” said Zora Mulligan, commissioner of higher education. “Coursera provides another avenue for Missourians to learn new, marketable skills and, even during this period of economic uncertainty, advance their careers.”

Anyone who was registered by the October 31 deadline has until the end of this year to complete courses for free.

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Haahr anticipates addition of COVID liability to Missouri’s special session (AUDIO)

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Missouri’s House Speaker anticipates that the governor will expand his special session call to include COVID-19 liability.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, presides over the House on November 10, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, made his comments to Missourinet, during a Tuesday afternoon interview in his Capitol office in Jefferson City. He expects the Missouri House to be in session in December to work on COVID liability.

“We’ve been in long talks with the (Capitol’s) second floor (the governor’s office) on that for several weeks now and those talks have gotten pretty serious, and I think we’re at a place where we’re comfortable moving forward,” Speaker Haahr says.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also urging the governor to include COVID liability in his special session call, saying January is too long to wait to shield businesses, schools and hospitals that follow public health guidelines from COVID suits.

Chamber President Dan Mehan describes COVID-19 liability protection as an important step towards re-opening the economy.

“There’s a lot of employers out there that are a little bit concerned about opening for fear of being sued on frivolous grounds for COVID, by customers, by employees, that sort of thing,” says Mehan.

Mehan says more than 800 Missouri employers, mostly small businesses, have signed a letter requesting it. He says that includes a skate park and a pizzeria.

Mehan also says many of Missouri’s neighboring states have passed similar legislation.

“We’ve seen six of the eight contiguous states, the border states, adopt something in this light. Most recently Iowa signed it into law,” Mehan says.

As for Governor Parson, he supports the COVID-19 liability proposal and has publicly stated at several Capitol press conferences that he would include it during the special session, if there’s a path for it to pass.

House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, who will be Speaker in January, has also written a letter to the governor, asking him to expand the special session call.

“Right now there are numerous small businesses afraid to open because of the threat of litigation tied to COVID-19,” Leader Vescovo writes. “Additionally, many of our hospitals and health care professionals are asking us to help them to better be able to do their jobs by passing commonsense COVID-19 liability protections.”

Speaker Haahr tells Missourinet that many businesses across the state have reached out, adding that lawmakers are working to keep the language tight.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Dan Mehan, which was recorded on November 6, 2020:

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