State Rep. Jered Taylor Archives

Missouri Supreme Court hears arguments in key case involving 2018 labor bill

November 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri Supreme Court heard remote oral arguments on Monday afternoon in a key case involving public-sector employee labor laws.

The Supreme Court heard 36 minutes of arguments in a complicated case that involves a 2018 Missouri bill, that was sponsored by State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa. Republicans describe that bill, House Bill 1413, as paycheck protection, while Democrats view it as anti-labor.

In January, St. Louis County Circuit Judge Joseph Walsh III declared the bill “void in its entirety,” and prevented any of its provisions from being enforced. The state appealed.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer says the trial court erred several times, and emphasizes that no provision of the bill violates public employees’ rights to bargain collectively.

“There’s unrefuted, unrebutted evidence in the summary judgment record in this case that the plaintiffs submitted no evidence at all to refute that directly addresses how the various provisions of House Bill 1413 do protect in advance employees’ ability to select representatives of their own choosing,” Sauer tells the court.

You can read the full 146-page brief submitted by Solicitor General Sauer here.

Seven labor unions that represent public sector employees in Missouri disagree with Mr. Sauer, and are asking the state Supreme Court to affirm Judge Walsh’s decision. Those unions include the Missouri National Education Association, Ferguson-Florissant National Education Association and the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local Union Number 42.

National Education Association attorney Jason Walta, who represented the plaintiffs at the Missouri Supreme Court, says the 2018 bill dramatically curtails public-sector collective bargaining.

“I think that the trial court wrote a very thoughful and excellent decision in this matter. He (Judge Walsh) considered the issues very carefully, and I think that it’s a decision that’s worthy of this court’s affirmance,” Walta tells the Supreme Court.

Counselor Walta says the bill infringes on the rights of employees to bargain collectively. You can read the full 103-page brief submitted by Counselor Walta here.

Because of COVID concerns, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice George Draper III was the only judge in the Jefferson City courtroom on Monday. The other six Supreme Court judges participated remotely, as did Counselors Sauer and Walta. Capitol reporters listened to the arguments remotely.

There is no timeframe on when the Supreme Court will issue a decision.

Missouri’s new motorcycle helmet law takes effect on Friday

August 27, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Some Missourians will be able to ride their motorcycles without a helmet, starting Friday. Governor Mike Parson (R) signed legislation into law in July, which gives Missouri motorcyclists the option of riding without a helmet.

Members of the “Freedom of the Road Riders” joined Governor Mike Parson on July 14, 2020 in Jefferson City, when he signed motorcycle helmet repeal legislation into law (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The provision is part of a large transportation bill.

Under current Missouri law, every person operating or riding on a motorcycle must wear protective headgear. But starting on Friday, Missouri motorcyclists ages 26 and older can ride without a helmet, if they have both medical insurance and proof of financial responsibility.

The new law says that qualified operators 26 or older can operate a motorcycle or motortricycle without a helmet if they’re covered by a health insurance policy or other form of insurance, that would provide them with medical benefits for injuries as a result of an accident.

A national highway safety organization urged the governor to veto the bill, saying the helmet law saves lives and prevents life-long brain trauma. The organization “Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety” also worries the new law will be difficult to enforce, saying it will be hard for police to know if a motorcyclist is 26 or older.

State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, and other supporters of repealing the helmet law say it’s an issue of freedom. They say Missourians 26 or older should be able to decide whether or not they want to wear a helmet.

When Governor Parson signed the bill in mid-July, there were members of the organization “Freedom of the Road Riders” inside the Missouri Capitol. Some were outside the building as well. They cheered when they learned the bill was being signed, with some saying “freedom.”

The group’s members from across the state travel to Jefferson City each year to ask lawmakers to support the helmet repeal.

The new law, which is House Bill 1963, includes several other provisions, including Hyperloop language. It also creates the Christopher Ryan Morton and Gary Lee Michael Memorial Highways in west-central Missouri’s Henry County.

Morton and Michael were Clinton Police officers killed in the line of duty, in recent years. Michael was killed in 2017, and Morton died in 2018.

Missouri motorcycle helmet legislation is still under review

June 10, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor is still reviewing legislation that would allow some motorcyclists to ride without a helmet.

State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on February 20, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The provision is included in a large transportation bill that is now on Governor Mike Parson’s desk. Parson’s spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, told Missourinet on Wednesday that the large bill is still under review.

Current Missouri law requires every person operating or riding a motorcycle to wear protective headgear.

The provision in the transportation bill would allow riders 26 and older to operate a motorcycle without a helmet, if they have both medical insurance and proof of financial responsibility.

A national highway safety organization is calling on the governor to veto the bill, because of the helmet provision. The organization “Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety” says the helmet law saves lives and prevents life-long brain trauma.

The group also says it will be difficult to enforce, saying it will be hard for police to know if a motorcyclist driving by is 26 or older.

The organization “Freedom of the Road Riders” also supports the repeal. Their members travel to the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City each year to ask lawmakers to support a helmet repeal.

This is a perennial issue that’s been debated annually at the Capitol for more than 25 years.

At least three governors, including GOP Governor Parson, have vetoed helmet repeal legislation. Governor Parson vetoed a broad bill in 2019, that included a helmet repeal. The governor’s objections were to a different part of that overall bill.

Then-Governor Mel Carnahan (D) vetoed a similar motorcycle helmet bill in 1999, and then-Governor Jay Nixon (D) vetoed a similar bill in 2009. None of those three vetoes were overridden.

Missouri House panel questions medical marijuana program’s choices, calls on RFP agency to testify (AUDIO FROM HEARING)

February 20, 2020 By Ashley Byrd

A special Missouri House committee is ramping up its scrutiny of the state’s new medical marijuana program—focusing on how licenses have been approved.

The program director and the state health department decided to go with an independent group to screen applicants and now those selections are being challenged in a state administrative court. A health department attorney told lawmakers they expect as many as 600 lawsuits over the issue.

The panel focused on the department’s choice to hire a third-party scoring company whose partners are already active in the industry.

The House Committee on Government Oversight member Jered Taylor, R-Republic, asked medical marijuana program director Lyndall Fraker if he knew that partners in the chosen scoring company had in the past been hired for training by potential applicants:

Listen (:43)

The new company, Wise Health Solutions, is made up of members from a California cannabis industry training college and a compliance consultant and health specialist who helped create the medical marijuana program in Nevada.

But Republic representative Jered Taylor questioned Lyndall Fraker of the Health Department about why they were granted the contract- with the score they got. (:17)

Fraker and DHSS attorney Richard Moore explained that no one applied for the contract to be Missouri’s screener until DHSS relaxed the rule to allow the scoring company to take part in the Missouri medical marijuana business sooner.

Rep. Dirk Deaton of southwest Missouri, R-Noel, questioned the decision: (:29)

Fraker said they were avoiding political influence and anticipating a large volume of applications (1:11)

Rep. Maria Chapelle-Nadal, D-University City, pressed Fraker on the cost and scope of the lawsuits:

Listen (:29)

Committee members from both parties have requested testimony from the Office of Administration, which awarded the RFP to Wise Health.

Missouri House committee worries about rising property taxes for seniors (AUDIO)

November 21, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Republicans and Democrats who serve on a Missouri House interim committee studying local taxation expressed concern about rising property taxes for senior citizens, during a Wednesday hearing in Jefferson City.

Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Oversight of Local Taxation Chairman J. Eggleston (right), R-Maysville, speaks on November 20, 2019, as committee vice chair Rep. Mike McGirl, R-Potosi, and State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, look on (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, who serves on the House Special Interim Committee on Oversight of Local Taxation, also wants to protect those on fixed incomes.

“Even though you may buy a home, pay the loan off in 30 years, you still never own that home because if you don’t pay your (property) taxes, the state can come in or the county will come in and take your home,” Taylor tells committee members.

Taylor describes that as “thievery.” He says elderly residents have paid their homes off and that it’s difficult for them to pay their property taxes.

There is bipartisan support on the committee on the issue. State Rep. Barbara Washington, D-Kansas City, says it’s difficult for seniors in her district to pay increasing property taxes.

“We have to protect those people that are older so that they don’t lose their homes,” Washington tells the committee.

She also says abatement is an issue in her Jackson County district.

State Rep. Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis County, echoes Representative Washington’s concerns. Murphy says Missouri’s property tax assessment system isn’t fair. Murphy and Washington both note a $2 million Missouri home was valued at $190,000.

Committee Chairman J. Eggleston, R-Maysville, agrees. He says many seniors don’t have the ability to pay higher property taxes.

The committee held its final hearing of 2019 on Wednesday at the Statehouse. They also held four previous hearings during the interim.

The committee also discussed property tax increases in Jackson County. Eggleston showed a map to the committee, saying Jackson County has seen major increases. Washington says that’s because assessments hadn’t been done properly before the current Jackson County Assessor, former House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City, took the position.

Chairman Eggleston notes that the St. Louis City and Jackson County assessors are the only two assessors in Missouri that are not elected. He says state lawmakers “carved out” an exemption for them in 2010.

Eggleston supports making those two posts elected positions, saying the same rules should apply to all Missourians. He tells Missourinet he’ll file legislation in January, to try to put the issue on the statewide ballot. Eggleston says that, if lawmakers approve it, the measure would go to a statewide vote, because it would change the state Constitution.

“So I’m looking to put forward an HJR (House Joint Resolution) to put it back on the ballot to include those two assessors as well,” Eggleston says.

If state lawmakers approve the measure, it would be placed on the August or November 2020 statewide ballot.

Chairman Eggleston also delivered a presentation to the committee Wednesday about Wayfair, which involves an internet use tax.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with House Special Interim Committee on Oversight of Local Taxation Chairman J. Eggleston, R-Maysville, which was recorded on November 20, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City: