Missouri Legislative Report #1 For 2007

Dear Brother & Sister Carpenters, 

The 2007 Session got under way January 4^th and will adjourn per constitution May 30, 2007.  It is a pleasure again to work as your lobbyist on behalf of the Carpenter’s District Council of Kansas City and the Carpenter’s District Council of Greater St. Louis.  I will be making a report monthly to the Councils and keeping you informed by way of the newsletters, meetings and the web page in Kansas City: www.carpenters-kc.org or in St Louis: www.carpdc.org.   

Election results overview showed some victories, thanks to you the voter.  We elected Claire McCaskill as our U. S. Senator.  Stem Cell research passed, tobacco Tax was defeated, and Minimum Wage was passed and goes to $6.50 per hour with future increases tied to the Consumer Price Index.  Concerning the Missouri Legislative races, Democrats gained 2 seats in the Senate and 5 seats in the House.  Both Chambers remain under control of the Republicans with 21 to 13 in the Senate and 92 to 71 in House. 

The House and Senate picked the same leadership this year but the house changed the rules concerning the committee makeup.  The rules package that passed provides fewer slots on the committees for members of the minority party.  This decision gave the Republicans a 63 percent to 37 percent advantage.    

At this date Representatives of the House have filed over 622 bills with 10 being critical if passed.   House Bills 61 and 342 exempts work done on a school from the prevailing hourly wage requirement if approved by the school board.  HB 85 and 591 relates to employing illegal aliens.  HB 342, 369, 439, 440, 441, 517 and 566 are union busting bills that must be defeated or watered down. 

The Senators have filed 388 bills so far.  Several bills affect our union with the worst Senate Bill being #339 introduced by Senator Mayer.  This is an anti worker bill similar to the bill that was dropped last year that covers all state work, except for heavy construction work, that does away with Project Labor Agreements on State Projects.  Also, this bill will make it unlawful for employers to receive directly or indirectly, job-targeting programs, bid supplement programs, market recovery programs or any program or device providing wage subsidies.  Since this bill will be on a fast tract to pass labor is already trying for a compromise bill.   

This year will be a challenge to keep what we have worked for all these years because bills are getting read and assigned to committees faster.  Please contact me about concerns or other ideas.   

My address is 1930 North Circle Drive, Jefferson City, MO 65109