Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr Archives

Missouri House GOP and Democratic leaders focused on urban violence

January 9, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Addressing the increasing violence in St. Louis and Kansas City is a priority for Missouri House Republicans and Democrats during the 2020 session, which began Wednesday in Jefferson City.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Color Guard presents the flags to start the 2020 session in the Missouri House on January 8, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, tells Capitol reporters that the cities need support for witness protection.

“When you have a city like the size of St. Louis facing almost 200 homicides a year, both the police force is sort of overwhelmed and their investigatory unit is sort of overwhelmed,” Haahr says.

There were 194 murders in St. Louis in 2019, along with 148 homicides in Kansas City.

U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison has said that St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield are three of the top 15 most violent cities in the nation, on a per capita basis.

As for House Democrats, they are outnumbered this year in the Missouri House 114-48, with one vacancy. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, is also focused on increased support for witness protection. But she also tried to draw a distinction between the two parties, during her opening day press conference.

“We will not accept that children dying from gun violence on a weekly basis is the price that we pay for freedom,” says Quade. “And we will demand that common sense be restored to Missouri law to make it harder for the bad guy with the gun to get the gun in the first place.”

At least 13 children were killed in St. Louis City shootings in 2019.

Quade says House Democrats want to punish crime, not poverty.

The Missouri Senate Interim Committee on Public Safety is expected to come up with recommendations to address gun violence, for the 2020 session. The committee is chaired by State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff.

Speaker Haahr and Leader Quade held back-to-back press conferences at the Statehouse, on opening day.

Meantime, the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming released its report in December. The committee views the legalization of sports betting as a “legitimate opportunity to increase state revenues” for education and other programs.

18 states will have implemented sports wagering by this year.

Speaker Haahr tells Missourinet there’s a lot of discussion about sports wagering legislation at the Capitol.

“I don’t think any of that discussion particularly falls along party lines,” Haahr says. “I think it sort of cuts across both caucuses and so, we’ll consider those bills as they are filed.”

The House Special Interim Committee on Gaming’s report concluded that Missouri would likely lose revenue if it doesn’t remain competitive with other states.

Major League Baseball (MLB) representative Jeremy Kudon traveled to Jefferson City in November to testify before the gaming committee. He testifies that Missourians are expected to wager $5.5 billion annually on sports, if it’s legalized.

The House has adjourned for the week, and they’ll return to the Capitol on Monday. Next week’s schedule will be light, except for Governor Mike Parson’s State of the State Address on Wednesday.

Speaker Haahr says about 800 House bills have been filed, adding that about 100 will be referred to committee this week. He expects House floor debate to begin during the week of January 20.

Haahr and Quade have different perspectives on Missouri Medicaid expansion

September 26, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House Speaker and House Democrats view the issue of Medicaid expansion differently.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, briefs Capitol reporters on September 11, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, says Medicaid expansion would hurt education, by taking dollars out of the classroom.

“To do Medicaid expansion in Missouri would require a ten percent match for the 90 percent draw down,” Haahr tells Capitol reporters. “That would blow a sizable hole in our general revenue budget.”

An initiative petition effort for Medicaid expansion is being criticized by Speaker Haahr, primarily because of that ten percent match.

“One of the things that we’ve done since I’ve been in the Legislature (since 2013) is we’ve fully funded the k-12 (education foundation) formula, we’ve made a big attempt to try to bring our higher education funding up,” says Haahr. “Those two areas would have an incredible hit if we were to have to cut several hundred million dollars out of the budget and fund that.”

House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, tells Missourinet he shares the Speaker’s position, because of the impact on the state budget.

Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, briefs the Capitol Press Corps on September 11, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Meantime, the Democratic leader in the Missouri House supports Medicaid expansion. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, tells Capitol reporters about 100,000 Missouri children have lost their Medicaid health care coverage.

“This is something that we (lawmakers) should be talking about. We have Missourians all over the state, not just rural Missouri, urban Missouri, who are losing access to health care,” Quade says. “And that is a true emergency and not tax breaks.”

Leader Quade has called for a formal House committee investigation of the Medicaid enrollment decline. The state Department of Social Services (DSS) has provided statistics to Missourinet, which show the number of Missourians on Medicaid has dropped from about 953,000 in August 2018 to about 850,000 now.

State Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Kirkwood, predicts state revenue will increase, if Medicaid expansion happens. Lavender is the ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Appropriations for Health, Mental Health and Social Services.

During the recent veto session, Lavender spoke on the House floor in Jefferson City, noting that eight rural Missouri hospitals have closed.

“I believe our number is up to eight rural hospitals that we’ve lost in our state. So yes, this would be one of the ways that we would be able to at least provide some type of health care,” Lavender said that day. She was referring to a health care bill from State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport.

Missouri’s Medicaid budget is now about one-third of the state’s $29 billion operating budget.

Republicans currently control the Missouri House 113-43.

Missouri lawmaker dies; Roeber chaired House Education Committee

July 30, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The chairwoman of the Missouri House Education Committee has died.

State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri House floor on May 12, 2017 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, tells Missourinet that State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, passed away overnight while on a family vacation in Colorado.

Roeber, who was first elected to the House in 2014, chaired the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

She suffered serious injuries in a March head-on collision on Highway 50 in west-central Missouri’s Syracuse. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Roeber crossed the center line on Highway 50 and struck a second vehicle.

In a statement, Speaker Haahr says Roeber “will forever be remembered for being a champion for Missouri’s students.”

Bipartisan oversight committee praised by Haahr over Missouri DOR investigation

June 2, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House Speaker is crediting a bipartisan House oversight committee for some of the changes that have happened at the state Department of Revenue (DOR).

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, signs legislation on May 17, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Ken Zellers is serving as the DOR’s acting director. He’s been in that role since March 22, when former DOR Director Joel Walters resigned after being criticized by lawmakers in both parties about a tax withholding issue.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, addressed the DOR issue with Capitol reporters during the 2019 session’s final day in May.

“We believe that changes are coming in the Department of Revenue (DOR), and we believe some of those changes happened after the work that we (Missouri lawmakers) did. Obviously, there is a concerted effort to let people know about the taxes and how they need to update their tax information,” Haahr says.

Speaker Haahr is referring to the bipartisan House Special Committee on Government Oversight, which is chaired by State Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon.

“I want to thank the chairman of that committee Robert Ross, who did (an) untold amount of work in trying to get to the bottom of that,” Haahr tells the Capitol Press Corps.

Chairman Ross told Missourinet again on Sunday that the committee is working to draft a final report about the DOR.

Parson signs bill to ban abortions at eight weeks

May 24, 2019 By Alisa Nelson

During a bill signing today at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Governor Mike Parson signed House Bill 126 into law banning abortions at eight weeks into pregnancies. In a press release, the governor says a coalition of pro-life leaders and legislative members joined him today for the bill signing. The media was not invited.

Governor Mike Parson addresses firefighters during the Missouri State Firefighters Day in Jefferson City on March 6, 2019 (file photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI}

“By signing this bill today, we are sending a strong signal to the nation that, in Missouri, we stand for life, protect women’s health, and advocate for the unborn,” said Parson in a press release. “All life has value and is worth protecting.”

On the last day of the Missouri Legislature’s regular session, the wide-ranging measure passed that bans doctors from doing abortions on women if a fetal heartbeat is heard. Physicians who violate the law face five to fifteen years in prison. It would also forbid doctors from doing abortions if the baby would have Down syndrome or for sex or race-selective abortions.

HB 126 makes exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for rape or incest. Additionally, the legislation requires both parents to be notified if a minor child wants an abortion.

According to Parson, the bill expands the definition of a pregnancy resource center for tax credit purposes to include centers providing assistance to families. It removes the sunset and cumulative tax credit cap beginning in FY 2021 and increases the pregnancy resource center tax credit from 50% to 70% beginning January 1, 2021.

Missouri Republican mega donor David Humphreys said Parson should veto the bill. In an email to the Kansas City Star, the Joplin businessman said he’s opposed to abortion but he supports a woman’s right to choose, particularly in rape or incest cases.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, thanked Parson for signing the “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act”.

“The General Assembly has worked tirelessly over the last few months to send the Governor the boldest and most comprehensive pro-life bill in the country to stand for those without a voice. With today’s signing, Missouri’s law will reflect the values of Missourians across the state that believe every child is a gift from God and deserving of the fundamental Constitutional right to life,” said Haahr.

Senator Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, was on the front lines trying to negotiate with Republicans in her chamber on the bill.

“Governor Parson has outlawed abortion for all women, including victims of rape and incest. He has signed a law to take away a woman’s choice before she even knows she’s pregnant. With this new law, the Governor and his Republican Party have shown they don’t trust women, and are too extreme for most Missourians,” said Schupp in a press release.

M’Evie Mead with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Missouri issued a statement in response to the governor’s action today:

“People need to know that this ban is not in effect — yet. Abortion is still legal in this state and Planned Parenthood Advocates will do everything we can to protect access to abortion in Missouri — and hold these extreme politicians accountable for their attacks on our health care,” said Mead.

St. Louis holds Missouri’s lone abortion clinic.

The bill is expected to be blocked through a court challenge. Otherwise, it would become law on August 28.

Missouri State Representative Roeber still recovering from vehicle crash

May 13, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House Speaker says a state lawmaker who was seriously injured in a March head-on collision will need to learn to walk again.

State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri House floor on May 12, 2017 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, tells Missourinet that State Rep. Rebecca Roeber, R-Lee’s Summit, continues to recover. Roeber is no longer at MU Health Care in Columbia.

“Representative Roeber is now back in the Kansas City area, she continues to receive treatment but at least my understanding is her need for surgeries are done,” Haahr says.

The March collision happened on Highway 50 in west-central Missouri’s Syracuse. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Roeber crossed the center line on Highway 50 and struck a second vehicle.

Roeber, who was first elected to the House in 2014, chairs the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. She will not return to the Capitol this session, which ends Friday at 6 p.m.

Meantime, legislation that would allow charter schools to expand to Missouri cities and charter counties with a population larger than 30,000 is finished for the year.

Chairwoman Roeber is the House sponsor. Her bill is House bill 581.

House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, tells Missourinet the bill was removed from the House calendar because of the amount of time it sat in the calendar and was not brought up for debate.

Speaker Haahr told Missourinet recently the bill already faced an uncertain future with Roeber out. He noted that charter school legislation would have probably have had come through the Senate first, where it’s already been filibustered.

“If not, we always have next year to work on that issue,” says Haahr.

Proponents of charter school expansion legislation include the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the organization Excellence in Education in Action. Supporters say school choices benefit all in society and that expansion will give more children an opportunity to attend schools that meet their needs.

Bill opponents include the Missouri School Boards Association and the Missouri State Teachers Association. Opponents say removing students from public education impacts the overall district and that the fiscal impact of charter school expansion will hurt public school funding and programs.

Under current law, charter schools are only allowed in St. Louis, Kansas City and an unaccredited school district. Charter schools are publicly-funded schools which operate independently of traditional public schools.

Razer calls on Missouri House Speaker to help pass sexual orientation bill

May 6, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that adds sexual orientation and gender identity to Missouri’s Human Rights statute is scheduled to be heard Wednesday by a House committee in Jefferson City.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor on March 28, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, has referred the bill to the House General Laws Committee.

“I do think that the conversation on MONA is a good one for the Legislature to have. I don’t know that the issue is necessarily right, but I think that’s what the committee process is for to work through the issue and figure out if there’s a path forward for it,” Haahr tells the Capitol Press Corps.

The bill is sponsored by State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, who is gay. Representative Razer’s legislation would prohibit discrimination based upon a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Discrimination would include unlawful housing practices and the denial of the right to use public accommodations.

Razer spoke at a separate press conference on Thursday, joined by other House Democrats. Razer is calling on Missouri House GOP leaders to speak out against the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church’s protest last Thursday at the Capitol.

Razer says Westboro protested Thursday against him and other LGBT legislators, and says it’s time to pass House bill 208.

“People can lose their homes, people can lose their jobs, people can be denied service at a restaurant because they are gay or lesbian,” says Razer.

During his press conference, Razer called on Speaker Haahr to use his influence and power, to help pass the legislation. He spent much of the time referencing the Westboro protest.

“LGBT teenagers are five times more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. Yet, what we get from the leadership in this building (Missouri Capitol) is silence and inaction,” Razer says.

Speaker Haahr tells Capitol reporters that Westboro Baptist Church “thrives on the attention we pay them, and so I pay them none.” Haahr also emphasizes he’s referred Razer’s bill to committee for the hearing.

The 2019 legislative session ends on May 17, so timing will be a factor. The state Constitution requires lawmakers to approve a balanced budget by Friday, so the budget will get a lot of attention in both chambers this week.

“We can get this done. We can get this done in two weeks,” Razer says.

House General Laws Committee Chairman Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, tells Missourinet that Razer’s bill is tentatively scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, upon morning adjournment.