Very Busy Week as the End Approaches
Bills Sent to the Senate
HB809 – The underlying bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a curriculum on personal finance to be used by school districts. My Financial Institutions Committee amended the bill with additional language related to financial affairs. The bill now includes legislation regarding State Treasurer’s Office investments, electronic financial transactions by political campaigns, retirements savings program for small businesses, updates to the statutes relating to the Division of Finance, updates credit card requirements, creates financial disclosure requirements for non-traditional financing products, and strengthens the penalties on crimes committed relating to ATMs to more closely mirror crimes for robbing a bank. You can view a more detailed description of each piece in the spreadsheet at this link.
House Bill 415 Sent to Senate Committee
The Missouri Senate has referred my House Bill 415 (HB415) to the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. The bill requires dealers to collect and remit sales tax on motor vehicle sales. The bill may be heard as soon as next week.
My House Bills Received Votes in Committee
HB1210 - Modifies provisions relating to the Neighborhood Assistance Act tax credit. The bill was heard in my Financial Institutions Committee and passed out with a unanimous vote of 13-0. The Speaker will need to refer it to a rules committee for review before it can go to the floor.
HB157 - Establishes the "Daylight Saving as New Standard Time Pact". The bill was heard and voted Do Pass out of the Rules – Legislative Committee. If the Speaker decides to send the bill to the floor, it will require rigorous debate, and members will seriously need to consider how they vote. If they vote for the bill, in the form it came out of committee, it would immediately put Missouri on permanent Standard Time, meaning we would no longer have to change our clocks, but it would always get dark an hour earlier than it does during Daylight Savings Time. They could also vote to put us on permanent Daylight Savings Time but that could not go into effect until the Federal Government approves it for the country.
House Members Approve Legislation to Address Missouri’s Child Care Crisis (HB 870)
Members of the Missouri House of Representatives took action this week to address the lack of affordable child care in the state. With a bipartisan vote of 133-20, legislators approved HB 870 to create several tax credits designed to provide an innovative solution that will allow communities to work together to create the child care they need.
HB 870 creates tax credit programs to help fund child care in the state. The sponsor said the approach is innovative because “business, government, and parents will all participate in the cost of care, making it affordable for families, stable for child care providers, and creating a reliable work force for our businesses.
The bill creates the following tax credits:
·????????Child Care Contribution Tax Credit that allows a taxpayer to claim a tax credit for verified contributions to a child care provider in an amount up to 75% of the contribution. The tax credit issued cannot be less than $100, and cannot exceed $200,000 per tax year.
·????????Employer-Provided Child Care Assistance that allows a taxpayer to claim a tax credit in an amount equal to 30% of the qualified child care expenditures paid or incurred with respect to a child care facility. The maximum amount of the credit cannot exceed $200,000 per taxpayer per tax year.
·????????Child Care Providers Tax Credit that allows a child care provider with three or more employees to claim a tax credit in an amount equal to the child care provider's eligible employer withholding tax, and may also claim a tax credit in an amount up to 30% of the child care provider's capital expenditures. No tax credit for capital expenditures will be allowed if the capital expenditures are less than $1,000. The amount of any tax credit issued will not exceed $200,000 per child care provider per tax year.
The sponsor noted the tax credits are capped at $20 million for each calendar year. However, if all credits are exhausted the amount can be increased by 15% to provide credits to child care providers located in a child care desert. Each of the credits has a six-year sunset.
Another provision in the bill creates the Supporting Use of Child Care for Economic Stability and Security (SUCCESS) Tax Credit to help make child care more affordable for parents. Under the plan, an eligible taxpayer would be allowed a nonrefundable tax credit equal to the employment-related expenses for up to two qualifying children, not to exceed: (1) Expenses of $1,800 for each child who was under two years of age at any time during the tax year for which the tax credit is being sought; and (2) Expenses of $1,200 for each child who was two years of age or older during all of the tax year and under six years of age at any time during the tax year for which the tax credit is being sought.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Missouri House Approves Bill to Protect Small Businesses (HB 1263)
Lawmakers in the Missouri House have approved legislation to establish the “Protecting Missouri's Small Businesses Act.” The bill would help offset the economic damage done to businesses that are forced by government to shut down through no fault of their own.
The "Protecting Missouri's Small Businesses Act" requires the state of Missouri and its political subdivisions to give careful consideration and appropriate concern for the lasting effects of actions taken during a shutdown order that adversely affect the economic viability and well-being of Missourians and businesses. The bill provides that if any political subdivision with jurisdiction over a business implements any shutdown order and the business closes due to the shutdown order for at least 21 consecutive days or at least 45 cumulative days, the following requirements apply: (1) Waiving of any fee for a business license during the period of the shutdown order or six months, whichever is longer; and (2) Reducing the real and personal property tax liability of the business based on the number of days the business was shut down in a given year, as further explained in the bill.
The bill was approved by the House by a vote of 141-9. It now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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Other Bills Going to the Senate
HB 196 specifies that victims and witnesses entitled to receive notice of events related to certain criminal proceedings may receive notice by electronic mail. Supporters say the bill is practical, efficient, and a recommendation from the Department of Corrections. The bill also repeals the provisions of the "Interstate Compact for the Supervision of Parolees and Probation.” Additionally, it provides that any person being returned to Missouri under Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision will be paid out of either the newly created "Missouri State Compact Fund" or the State Treasury. The bill establishes the "Missouri Interstate Compact Fund.”
HB 543 allows a person whose abandoned property has been towed to have the contents released to him or her upon request. The company holding or storing the abandoned property may require the owner to complete documentation showing the property was released to the owner, and must provide an itemized receipt for the property.?Supporters say the bill ensures that individuals are not taken advantage of with burdensome or unreasonable charges for vehicles being towed when there is otherwise no recourse available. This bill protects smaller businesses that are overly burdened by fees and costs. Further, this bill gives greater protection and recourse for third-parties, those whose goods are impounded with the vehicle and have no way of accessing them.
Here’s a link for all House bills in the process,
Celebrate Arbor Day on April 7th
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites people to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests during Arbor Days in April by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care.
Missouri Arbor Day is Friday, April 7. Missouri has been observing the state's official Arbor Day on the first Friday in April since 1886 when the General Assembly declared that day be set aside for the appreciation and planting of trees. National Arbor Day is recognized on the last Friday of April, which is April 28 for 2023.
Get information on backyard tree care – including types of trees for urban and other landscapes, selecting the right tree for the right place, planting tips, watering and pruning info, and more – at?mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/tree-care.
MDC’s George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife food and cover. Orders are accepted to April 15. For more information, visit?mdc.mo.gov/seedlings.
MO Dept. of Public Safety Job Openings
MANY MISSIONS. ONE TEAM.
We Protect and Serve Missouri Citizens
If you’re driven to protect and support your fellow citizens, join our dedicated team.
We’re a committed and trusted team that will soon feel like a second family. The Missouri Department of Public Safety provides opportunities to excel in law enforcement, criminal justice, and public safety jobs.
Find a career that is both challenging and deeply rewarding, where you’ll see the positive impact you’re having on the people we serve. We promote fairness and serve justice daily, ensuring the security of Missouri citizens.
Eagle in the House Chamber
Every year in the House Chamber we hear from dignitaries from other countries, Missouri statewide elected officials and numerous other groups but this week the House Chamber had a distinguished guest from the World Bird Sanctuary. The eagle looked very majestic on the dais with the Speaker of the House as we opened session on Wednesday.
As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact me at [email protected], 573-751-3762 or my office is located on the 4th floor of the Capitol in room 411A.
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