May 12, 2008

JEFFERSON CITY -- We had a good, productive week and several of my bills were given final approval by the General Assembly and are now on their way to the governor’s desk for his approval.

Senate Bill 944 caps the maximum fee the state auditor can collect for registered bonds. Entities such as municipalities and school and library districts employ the sale of voter-approved bonds to fund construction projects. Current law allows the state auditor to collect ten cents for every $100 in the face value of bonds being registered. For example, if a school district registers $50 million in bonds, the district has to pay the auditor a fee of $50,000. Senate Bill 944 enacts a maximum fee of $1,000 for all bonds registered with the office. The current rate structure is taking education money away from school districts, and the ceiling this legislation enacts prevents the unjust collection of unwarranted added revenue on larger bond packages.

Senate Bill 839 will save a 3rd District school over a million dollars. In 2003, the Kingston School District leased modular buildings so the school would have classrooms for 3-5 graders. This year, the lease on those units is complete, and the cost to move the buildings and replace them would be nearly a million dollars. Missouri’s foundation formula, which funds school districts in the state, would have penalized the district through a funding decrease for purchasing these units. After discovering the problem, the district contacted me to see if the problem could be corrected through legislation. I drafted SB 839 as a one-time fix so the district could buy the buildings without being penalized.

Senate Bill 907 was also cleared by the Legislature this week. The bill makes it easier and safer to clean any petroleum spills. The legislation extends the life of the Petroleum Storage Tank Insurance Fund, which was set to expire in 2010. This fund, which issues insurance for owners and operators of petroleum storage tanks in case of spills, will remain in Missouri until at least 2020.

This week, we also completed the budget, which was constitutionally due on May 9. The $22.6 billion spending plan contains necessary increases that will provide needed services to Missourians while also remaining fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars.

One important appropriation for our district included $250,000 in additional funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers. These centers are community based organizations that provide health services to those who are underinsured or non-insured.

Viburnum elementary students were visiting the Capitol today and the FCCLA students from West County High School were here yesterday. This weekend I hope to see many of you at the Ellington Spring Fest or the Vietnam Wall Memorial in DeSoto. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Mother’s Day.