Wrapping up productive session
Anthony Brown
Rep. Allen Andrews
The Missouri House of Representatives wrapped up an extremely efficient and productive legislative session Friday evening. While lawmakers sent a lower number of bills than normal to the governor, those that did make it include many of the policy priorities that were laid out by the House Speaker during his Opening Day Address. Last legislative session saw the House and Senate truly agree to roughly 140 bills. This session, while approximately 75 bills made it across the legislative finish line, the lower number includes important issues such as substantive labor reform, tort reform, and economic development measures that will make Missouri a more attractive location for job creators.
One of the biggest highlights of the 2017 session is a fiscally responsible state spending plan that makes a record level of investment in K-12 education by fully funding the Foundation Formula for the first time. The legislature was also able to get a Right-to-Work bill to the governor that will protect the rights of workers and encourage job creators to set up shop in the state. The tort reform bills that made it through the legislative process will help put an end to frivolous lawsuits by putting new expert witness standards in place, and strengthening Missouri’s workplace discrimination standards. Another major accomplishment for the legislature this year is the passage of legislation that will establish a regulatory framework for ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft so they can expand and create jobs throughout Missouri.
Some of the legislative priorities that received approval in the final week of session include:
Legislation Finalized to Allow Missourians to Obtain REAL ID-Compliant Photo Identification (HB 151)
Missourians will soon have the option to obtain a driver’s license that is compliant with the federal REAL ID Act. The legislation that is now on its way to the governor will require the state revenue department to issue REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses and identification cards to those who want them. Compliant licenses will be needed to do things like board airplanes and enter military bases and federal buildings.
Passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005, The REAL ID Act was designed to enhance security procedures by establishing new minimum standards for driver’s licenses. Missouri responded to the requirements by passing a state law in 2009 to protect the private information of Missouri citizens by prohibiting the Missouri Department of Revenue from complying with the federal act.
Because of this law, current Missouri driver’s licenses are not compliant with the federal standards and were set to no longer be valid at airports and federal facilities beginning in 2018.
With the legislation approved this week, Missourians will now have the option to obtain a federally compliant driver’s license. The bill will also allow individuals with a non-compliant driver’s license to obtain a compliant version at no additional cost. However, even with the change, it will take the Department of Revenue as long as two years to make the new REAL ID-compliant licenses available. In order to allow people to travel and access federal facilities, the state will seek a waiver from the federal government to allow existing identification to continue to work until the new IDs are attainable.
For Missourians who do not want to comply with the REAL ID requirements because of privacy concerns, the legislation will allow them to request the existing style of Missouri identification that is not compliant with the federal act. For those who want or need the federally compliant driver’s license, the bill will establish safeguards so that any additional data gathered is used only for purposes of issuing the identification. One provision would ensure the source documents to obtain an ID are stored on a server that is not connected to the Internet in order to prevent hacking of the database. The bill also includes criminal penalties for misuse or unlawful access of personal data.
Other changes made in the bill will require the legislature to revisit the issue in the event the federal government changes the REAL ID Act, and will repeal the section entirely if the federal government ends the program.
Supporters say the bill is designed to provide a reasonable solution that will ensure Missourians aren’t burdened with having to get alternative identifications to access federal facilities or to visit family members on military bases. They say the bill is about giving Missourians the freedom to decide whether to obtain identification that is compliant with REAL ID.
House and Senate Agree to Create Blue Alert System to Protect Peace Officers (SB 34)
In an effort to ensure law enforcement officials quickly receive the information they need to apprehend individuals who injure or kill peace officers, the Missouri House and Senate have approved legislation to create a Blue Alert System. The bill is one of the priorities of Governor Eric Greitens, who called for the creation of the Blue Alert System when the legislative session began.
Similar to the Amber and Silver Alert systems, the Blue Alert system would send out identifying information such as a physical description of the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle. Twenty-seven states already have a similar system in place. Specifically, the bill would establish the Blue Alert System to aid in the identification, location, and apprehension of any individual or individuals suspected of killing or seriously injuring a local, state, or federal law enforcement officer. The bill would require the Department of Public Safety to coordinate with local law enforcement agencies and public commercial television and radio broadcasters to effectively implement the system.
Supporters say Missouri will benefit from its own system so that it can better protect the brave men and women who protect communities across the state.
Expanding Missouri’s Job Training Efforts (HB 93)
The House and Senate have given final approval to legislation meant to provide a boost to the state’s small businesses, including many in rural areas. The bill would expand the Missouri Works program so that more of the state’s small businesses would be eligible for workforce training benefits.
In many areas of the state there are small businesses that do not qualify to obtain the benefits provided through Missouri Works, which is the state’s number one incentive tool for business expansion and retention. These businesses fall short of the program’s qualification criteria such as number of workers employed, or health insurance benefits provided. The bill would allow these businesses to pool together with businesses that do meet all of the program’s criteria in order to receive benefits. Specifically, the bill would allow a group of businesses to qualify as long as the majority of them meet the program’s criteria.
As always, it is a privilege to represent you.
Representative Allen Andrews, District 1, Missouri State Capitol, Room 406 B, 201 West Capitol Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Telephone: (573) 751-9465
Allen Andrews is the First District State Representative.
