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Missouri lawmakers approve $29 billion budget; tuition for undocumented immigrants was key issue

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The Missouri Legislature has approved an approximately $29.7 billion state operating budget, one that prevents undocumented immigrants from receiving in-state college tuition.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage (left) and House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, talk on May 9, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The state Constitution requires Missouri lawmakers to approve a balanced budget by today. The House approved the budget at about 11:15 Thursday evening, and the Senate approved it at about 1:45 this morning.

House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, led Thursday’s House effort to reject a budget conference committee’s recommendation that would have allowed those with unlawful immigration status to receive in-state tuition.

“And the House position is that we are going to reserve our limited resources and taxpayer dollars to subsidize in-state tuition for those with legal, lawful status,” Smith says.

State Rep. Curtis Trent, R-Springfield, who serves on the Budget Committee, also successfully urged his House colleagues to reject the budget conference committee’s recommendation.

“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that if we allow this language to stand, people primarily in rural areas will be most injured by this, who will be most denied the opportunities that this state subsidy for education provides,” says Trent.

Missouri House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, speaks on the House floor on May 9, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Trent says his southwest Missouri constituents oppose providing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants. State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, agrees with Trent, citing his constituents in Johnson, Pettis and Saline counties.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, criticized Thursday’s House vote on the undocumented immigrants, noting the House hasn’t rejected a conference committee recommendation since 2009.

State Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, is also critical, saying the conference committee had compromised on the issue.

As for the overall budget, Senate Democratic Leader Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors, says it fully funds the school foundation formula and increases school transportation funding.

“At the start of the 2019 legislative session (in January), the Senate Democratic Caucus called for fully funding the school foundation formula, increasing school transportation dollars, strengthening our workforce through Higher Education and job training, and making sure our mental health safety net is there for anyone in crisis. Today, Senate Democrats passed a bipartisan, balanced budget that achieves all of these goals and more,” Senator Walsh’s statement reads, in part.

The budget also includes a three percent pay increase for state employees, along with an $8 million retention pay plan aimed at wage increases for state Department of Corrections (DOC) staff.

The budget also includes the closing of the maximum-security Crossroads Correctional Center in northwest Missouri’s Cameron. House Budget Committee ranking Democrat Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, supports the plan.

“Which I know is important to a lot of people in this building (Missouri Capitol), the consolidation of the two correctional facilities on the western side of the state,” Kendrick says.

Kendrick backs Governor Mike Parson’s (R) plan to consolidate Crossroads with Western Missouri Correctional Center, which is also located in Cameron.

Governor Parson says the estimated $20 million savings from closing Crossroads will give DOC employees a one percent pay raise for two years of continued service.

Parson outlined the corrections plan in January, at a Statehouse press conference with DOC Director Anne Precythe.

Precythe noted in January that Western Missouri Correctional Center has 1,900 beds, about 800 more than Crossroads. She also says there’s more programming available there and more space, which gives prisoners the opportunity to participate in more activities and keep them busy, which she says makes it a safer environment.

Missouri lawmakers will return to Jefferson City on Monday. The 2019 session ends on May 17.

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Pro-choice group experiences boost during special session about pro-life agenda

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The Missouri Legislature’s special session underway that aims to strengthen abortion clinic regulations has been a tough fight for pro-choice advocates. NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri is against the proposed changes to the state’s abortion laws. Despite the organization’s strong opposition to such policies being considered, it has benefited through additional public support, according to executive director Alison Dreith.

Alison Dreith

“It’s been great for us. People have been outraged,” says Dreith.

She did not have specifics but she says the figures are a positive trend for many progressive organizations.

Since President Donald Trump was elected and millions of people worldwide participated in marches for women earlier this year, Dreith says more people have stepped forward and offered support.

“We’ve just had an outpouring of support from people donating their money, their time, being involved more than ever,” says Dreith. “Sometimes it’s sad that it took the position that we’re in today for people to finally get so engaged, but we’re glad they are here now.”

Sam Lee with Pro-life group Campaign Life Missouri says his organization has not done fundraising that involves the current special session. He also says donations at his non-profit have remain unchanged since Trump took office.

The Missouri House has passed restrictions that require abortion clinics to meet hospital-like standards, annual inspections at such facilities and a ban on fetal tissue donations.

Another measure receiving House approval would block a St. Louis city ordinance that bars employers from penalizing or firing women who have had an abortion, use birth control or are pregnant out of marriage.

The legislation heads back to the Senate with changes. It’s unclear when the full Senate will return to consider the proposed regulations.

Top Missouri House Democrat contends governor’s budget restrictions will impact K-12 classrooms

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Representative Gail McCann Beatty (D-Kansas City)

Governor Greitens (R) says Missouri’s budget is being drained by special interest tax credits and the faster-than-projected growth in healthcare spending, partially from Obamacare. Greitens is withholding more than $146 million in the current state budget.

“I’m protecting our priorities, like K-12 education and public safety. For instance, not a single penny will be coming out of K-12 classrooms,” says Greitens. “The fact is, more hard choices lie ahead. But as Missourians, I believe we must come together, tighten our belts, be smart and wise with our tax dollars, and work our way out of this hole by bringing more jobs with higher pay to the people of Missouri

House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty (D-Kansas City) doesn’t agree with Greitens restricting $8.6 million in elementary and secondary education busing expenses. She says the move will have far-reaching effects.

“Our districts where we have seen some improvement, and if dollars are going to have to be diverted to make up that shortfall, that could hamper our districts continuing on the course of improvement,” says Beatty. “If they’ve got to cut from transportation, that money has got to be made up somewhere because we have to the kids to school. So, it’s going to ultimately have to impact the classrooms.”

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens (Photo courtesy of Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

Other budget withholdings from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education include $2 million in performance-based assessments, $181,000 for scholars and fine arts academies, $50,000 for training grants and $44,500 for a new dyslexia training program.

Beatty argues that $90 million of the governor’s $146 million in budget restrictions are in education spending – mostly higher education.

“Weakening public education won’t grow Missouri’s economy or create jobs,” says Beatty.

Beatty agrees with Greitens that Missouri has given too many special interests tax breaks. As a result, she says vital services have been cut.

Greitens: $146 million in budget restrictions not from K-12 classrooms, instead higher ed and K-12 transportation

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Missouri’s four-year colleges and universities will by far receive the biggest blow of Republican Governor Eric Greitens’ $146.4 million in additional spending restrictions announced Monday. About $56 million will be slashed from core funding for four-year institutions. Missouri’s community colleges are next in line with nearly $12 million in core funding restrictions. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s transportation budget will be hit with $8.6 million in withholds.

Gov. Eric Greitens (R)

In a social media video accompanying the announcement, Greitens says “Not a single penny will be taken out of K-12 classrooms.”

“The restrictions announced include no cuts to the Foundation Formula that funds K-12 classroom education. There were no cuts to programs essential to public safety, and all of the state’s pension and health care obligations will also be honored. The restrictions were targeted, to the extent possible, at rolling back earmarks, new spending items, programs with no established track record of success, and services that are duplicated elsewhere in government,” says Greitens.

Then-Governor Jay Nixon (D) restricted about $200 million in the current fiscal year’s budget.

In a statement from Greitens, he says Missouri’s budget is suffering from reduced revenue due to poor economic growth. He says that revenue is being drained by special interest tax credits and the faster-than-projected growth in healthcare expenditures, driven in part by the national impact of Obamacare.

In a tweet today from State Rep. Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City), she criticized Republicans:

Greitens says during the next 18 months, more than $700 million in budget cuts will be necessary just to make the budget balance and retain Missouri’s AAA credit rating.

Additional details on the spending restrictions are linked here.

Governor Greitens will hold Tuesday his first State of the State address. The speech is traditionally when the Governor releases the state budget proposal, but Greitens plans to wait until February to unveil his budget requests.

News Hangout: Stanley Cox on the criminal code rewrite and drug penalties therein

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Reporter Mike Lear interviews Representative Stanley Cox (R-Sedalia) about the status of the House’s work to rewrite the state’s criminal code, with particular focus on what it might mean for various drug offense penalties and whether he thinks it is the place to decriminalize or lessen penalties for marijuana.

Court upholds part of state law blocking funeral protests

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A federal appeals court says the state law keeping protests at least 300 feet from a funeral is constitutional, but says language that would have kept protests even further away is too vague and too great a burden on free speech.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the latter portion, saying it doesn’t specify how far away its buffer zone around funerals would be and could exceed the state’s interest in protecting the peace and privacy of funeral attendees.

It says the 300-foot buffer is acceptable because it is better defined, but says it can not apply to funeral processions.

Both laws passed in 2006.