Senate Bill 711 provides relief to Missourians suffering from excessive property tax increases resulting from higher property values. The Missouri Constitution requires taxing jurisdictions to roll back their tax rates following property reassessments, which occur every two years, so that they bring in the same amount of revenue that they did prior to reassessment, plus the value of new construction and an inflationary adjustment. Because many jurisdictions have tax rates below their legally authorized rate ceiling due to past rollbacks, some decline to further lower their rates, resulting in higher taxes for homeowners. SB711 requires taxing jurisdictions to roll back from their actual collected levy to ensure they don’t profit from reassessments. The bill also enhances the state Circuit Breaker program that provides senior citizens property tax relief. The bill increases the maximum annual household income a senior citizen can have to qualify for the Circuit Breaker to $30,000 from $27,500. The spousal exemption will double to $4,000 from $2,000. The maximum benefit from the Circuit Breaker will increase to $1,100 from $750.00

House Bill 1549 includes several provision intended to curb illegal immigrants from coming to Missouri. One provision of the bill bars state contractors from employing illegal immigrants and imposes a fine of up to $50,000 for employers that misclassify such workers as contractors instead of employees as a way of avoiding the restriction. Public employers, including state and local governments, are required to participate in a federal work authorization program, such as the E-Verify federal database for checking immigration status. Participation in such a program is also required for businesses with a government contract worth more than $5,000 or that receive state loans or tax breaks. Private businesses are not required to use that database but can do so in order to provide a defense against allegations of knowingly hiring an illegal immigrant. Employers that don’t participate in a work authorization program would have to do so if found knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. The legislation requires people to prove they are U.S. citizens or legally in the country when applying for food stamps, housing or other taxpayer services. It precludes communities from adopting so-called “sanctuary” policies for providing safe harbor to illegal immigrants, bars individuals from transporting or harboring unlawful immigrants, requires commercial driver’s license tests to be administered only in English and provides penalties for those who assist illegal immigrants in fraudulently obtaining driver’s license. The bill also allows law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of anyone arrested or detained in Missouri and denies bail for jailed individuals who cannot prove legal residency. It also authorizes members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol to receive training to enforce state and federal immigration laws.

House Bill 2034 shields firearm range owners from civil and criminal liability for noise emission. The bill also removes residency requirements for concealed carry permits. Under current law, residents must live in Missouri for six months before they can receive a permit. The new legislation waives the six month requirement for those who already possess a valid permit from another state. In addition, the bill closes the records of those who filed a permit-to-acquire with their county sheriff. It is no longer a requirement to file with the county sheriff and records that are still on file will now only be available through a court order relating to criminal investigations. Other provisions of the bill prohibit denying the sale of a firearm to a non-licensee, who is otherwise eligible to posses a firearm, based solely on the non -licensee having purchased a firearm that was later the subject of a trace request; make it a Class C felony for any felon to posses any firearm; and clarify what weapons are considered “explosive weapons.”

Senate Bill 806 provides the state with a way to honor Missourians who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation. Since September 11, 2001, ninety-three of the state’s military men and women have lost their lives. Senate Bill 806 requires U. S. and Missouri state flags to be flown at half-staff for one full day whenever a Missouri resident is killed in the line of duty during military service. The Missouri Veterans’ Commission will be responsible for determining if any residents have been killed in the line of duty and will notify the governor of any such death. The governor will determine the day of which the resident will be honored the day on which the resident will be honored and will then notify the Office of Administration.

Senate bill 768 is part of Missouri’s efforts to enhance autism health and education services and empower families to improve the quality of life for Missourians of all ages living with autism. The legislation creates the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to make recommendations about all levels of ASD and to develop a comprehensive, coordinated system of healthcare, education and services for people living with ASD. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention autism affects one in 150 children – more than AIDS, juvenile diabetes and pediatric cancer combined. The Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders will provide another much needed resource for families who deserve the best resources available for diagnosis, treatment and support services.

Senate Bill 724 is intended to strengthen the monitoring procedures for over-the-counter drugs used to make methamphetamine. Under current law, pharmacies are required to maintain a paper log and document any transactions where the customer purchases products that contain pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient used in the production of methamphetamine. Senate Bill 724 requires pharmacies to upgrade to an electronic, rather than a written log, which records when a pseudoephedrine product is purchased and who purchased it. The act also specifies that the photo ID provided by the buyer of pseudoephedrine products be government issued and shown prior to purchase.

Under Senate Bill 724, Missouri joins 47 other states that allow Schedule III, IV, and V prescription drugs to be prescribed by advanced practice nurses. Currently, nurse practitioners (APRNs) who have a written agreement with a physician can prescribe any medication that is not addictive. However, many common medications fall into the category of “controlled substances,” and under Missouri law can only be prescribed b y physicians. This would move Missouri more in line with the practice of other states and also help increase health care access for many rural Missourians who may live a great distance from a physician. The bill requires nurses to have a collaborative agreement with a doctor and limits them to only write prescriptions for a five-day period.

Senate Bill 818 makes cyber harassment illegal in Missouri. The legislation comes in response to the suicide of a St. Charles County teen that was teased and harassed over the Internet. The bill updates state laws against harassment to include harassment from computers, text messages and other electronic devices. Current law requires harassment communication to be written or over the telephone. Under the bill, repeat offenders and anyone who is at least 21 years of age can be charged with a felony and face up to four years in prison if they harass a minor. Other instances of harassment remain a Class A misdemeanor, which carries penalties of up to a year in jail and fines up to $1,000. The bill also requires school officials to tell police about harassment and stalking on school grounds and expands state laws against stalking to cover “credible threats” not only against the victim, but also family and household members and animals.

Senate Bill 932 creates the Cyber Crimes Investigation Fund to provide $3 million per year for the existing Internet Cyber Crime Grant (ICCG) program that targets Internet predators and pornographers who attempt to lure and sexually exploit children. The Department of Public Safety will administer the funding, which is set to begin in 2010. The measure allows funds used for investigating Internet sex crimes against children to also include an allocation for training prosecuting and circuit attorneys.

House Bill 1384 & 2157 creates new protections to combat the growing number of identity theft victims. The measure allows victims, at the first sign of identity theft, to freeze their credit either by calling or going online to protect against further fraudulent claims. A credit freeze on a victim’s credit file prevents anyone from trying to receive credit, loans or other services in their name without permission form the consumer. The bill also allows a victim of identity theft to file and receive a copy of a police report with the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over his or her residence. Many credit card companies require a police report before taking action to repair the damage done by an identity thief.

Senate Bill 1181 gives consumers a tax break on energy efficient appliances. The legislation creates the Show-Me Green Sales Tax Holiday to remove the state sales tax on the first $1,500 of the price for energy certified appliances such as washers, dryers, water heaters, ovens, and refrigerators. The holiday will run from April 19 through April 25 beginning in 2009. The legislation also requires 10 percent of the money in the state’s maintenance fund for state buildings to go toward energy-efficient projects.

House Bill 1715 lowers the legal blood alcohol level to .08% for operating a boat on lakes and major rivers, the same as used for Missouri motorists. The bill applies to all Missouri lakes and the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The bill also clarifies that prior conviction in municipal courts count in determining whether someone is a repeat drunken driver or boater. The clarification comes in response to a Supreme Court ruling saying otherwise. Another provision of the bill requires boats to travel at no-wake speeds within 100 feet of the Water Patrol and other emergency vessels with red or blue lights.

Senate Bill 1139 establishes a state organ and tissue donor registry. Any individual who agrees to have his or her name on the registry gives full legal consent to the donation of any of his or her organs or tissues upon death. Missourians are under no obligation to add their names to the registry and may withdraw their consent to donate at any time.

Senate Bill 991 designates the ice cream cone as Missouri’s official state dessert. A group of school children were instrumental in securing passage for the legislation that now provides Missouri with its 23rd official state symbol. In the process, the children learned how an idea becomes a law, how to communicate with their legislators, and how a citizen, even a child, can change his or her state. The edible ice cream cone made its American debut at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Some of the first companies to make ice cream cones were located in Sullivan, Missouri. The ice cream cone remains an important part of the state’s economy to this day as 35 ice cream manufacturers are located in Missouri. Additionally, the University of Missouri-Columbia has an ice cream research and development facility. The legislation makes Missouri one of only a few states with an official dessert.

Under Senate Bill 724, Missouri joins 47 other states that allow Schedule III, IV and V prescription drugs to be prescribed by advanced practice nurses. Currently, nurse practitioners (APRN’s) who have a written agreement with a physician can prescribe any medication that is not addictive. However, many common medications fall into the category of “controlled substances,” and under Missouri law can only be prescribed by physicians. This would move Missouri more in line with the practice of other states and also help increase health care access for many rural Missourians who live a great distance from a physician. The bill requires nurses to have a collaborative agreement with a doctor and limits them to only write prescriptions for a five day period.

Senate Bill 1038 eliminates contribution limits to candidates for political office, allowing donors to give unlimited amounts. Missouri voters first imposed the limits with a 1994 ballot measure that passed with 73.9 percent support. Currently individual donors can give candidates for statewide office no more than #1,350.00 per election with donations capped at $675 for Senate candidates and $325.00 for House candidates. The bill takes effect August 28, meaning that the limits will remain in place for this year’s August 5 primary election but unlimited donations will be allowed for the November 4th general election. My concern with this is it will allow big money to buy Missouri Elections.