Missouri Times - February 4, 2019 by Missouri Times

The Missouri Times

PARSON, SWAN WORKFORCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM HEARD FEBRUARY 4, 2019

PHOTOS

PARSON HONORED AS STATESMAN OF THE YEAR

STATE OF THE JUDICIARY

FISCHER CALLS FOR BAIL REFORM CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS FORMED www.missouritimes.com

The Missouri Times

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Those boys from Covington could have been my sons By Rep. Holly Rehder Like many of us in Rural America, I watched the reactions to a man drumming in the face of a MAGA-hat wearing teenage boy in Washington, DC with a heavy heart. The rabid attacks from the mainstream media on the boys from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky were, in the least, despicable. Now that video proof has emerged exonerating the boys

first hand knowledge of this. A lot of thoughts are running through my head about this. How could a few seconds of video be taken as absolute proof of wild accusations by so-called legitimate sources of news? What kind of political and moral mindset makes it okay to publicly target children? I know that many of us are asking the same questions, but one thought keeps ringing out in my head: any one of

from the accusations, the left has been caught red-handed with altering the narrative through the national liberal press. Due to the action of the media, these boys, their families, and their school were eviscerated and shamed by liberals, progressives, and moderate Republicans alike. They were even sent death threats. My friend and her son were on the trip, I have

these boys could have been my son. How could these students have known that when they donned a simple article of clothing showing support for the President that a simple tour of our nation’s Capital would forever alter their lives? What this incident demonstrates is that in this age of instant news and irresponsible reporting, no

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one’s child can be safe. In a matter of moments, doctored video and an all-too-eager national press ran a story that put the lives of these boys in danger. Any one of them could have been one of my sons. They could have been anyone’s son. These boys and their families were confronted with the worst the forces of the “tolerant left” have to offer all because news outlets rushed to jump aboard the social justice bandwagon. We raise our children to believe that they should feel proud to exercise their rights to political speech, that they should feel free to go out in engage in civil discourse and political involvement. This most recent broadcasting bungle shatters that idea. The truth is, so long as mainstream media outlets like the New York Times and CNN seek to tear apart the reputations and lives of people (and yes, children included) who disagree with them, and so long as there exist bands of progressives and even moderate Republicans who are more than willing to punish on their behalf, then no American can be completely safe in this digital age. If journalists and the media are so eager to rid themselves of the “fake news” monicker, then I would suggest they work on regaining the trust of the American people instead of making a mockery of themselves, of civil discourse, and of journalistic integrity. As for the boys of Covington, know this—that hat means free speech is still alive for us in Rural America. I hope you keep wearing them.

Rep. Holly Rehder represents Scott and Mississippi counties in the Missouri House of Representatives.

The Missouri Times

HOT LIST SEMO STATE SENATE 2020

Candidates are lining up to replace Senators Libla and Wallingford in 2020, with Eddy Justice and Steve Cookson eying the Poplar Bluff seat and Reps. Holly Rehder and Kathy Swan organizing to replace Wallingford.

CARE FOR INCLUSION

Missouri has made significant strides to improve policies that help individuals living with intellectual and Missouri has made significant strides to improve policies that help individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead more independent and productive lives. This determination propels the state to a 4th place ranking in a report compiled by the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) Foundation and United Cerebral Palsy. ANCOR Foundation and United Cerebral Palsy.

COATS

Missouri weather is determined to make you uncomfortable, no matter where you are in Jefferson City. You won’t be warm enough outside, but you’ll be too hot in the building. Hold weather’s drink, we’re going for all four seasons in this week.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK PHOTO/TIM BOMMEL-HOUSE COMMS

Sneaker Day came to the Capitol last Ruesday to raise awareness for the ALS Association - St. Louis Region Chapter.

Tweets of the Week Highlights in 280 characters or less.

Holly Rehder @hrehder Tremendous day for #pdmp!Excited to work with Senator @TonyForMissouri and @CoraFaith4MO on this bi-partisan life saving legislation! @MissouriChamber @MOFarmBureau @MedicalAssn #MoLeg Tony Luetkemeyer @TonyForMissouri Congrats to @Mozarkite being named the new Chairman of @MissouriGOP. Kay has been an effective grassroots leader for the party. Big shoes to fill with outgoing @MOGOP_Chairman Todd Graves. Brian Grace @BrianJGrace Brian Grace Retweeted KFVS News It’s so cold, the earth is shivering.

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The Missouri Times

TEXT: STATE OF THE JUDICIARY 2019 This is the written draft from which Zel M. Fischer, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri, delivered his State of the Judiciary address Wednesday morning, January 30, 2019, during a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly in Jefferson City, Missouri. Thank you, Lieutenant Governor Kehoe, Secretary of State Ashcroft, President Pro Tem Schatz, Speaker Haahr, and members of this 100th General Assembly, the executive branch and the judiciary. On behalf of all of Missouri’s state judges, I am pleased to present you with this 46th State of the Judiciary. The framers of our Constitution divided the power of government among three separate but co equal branches, intending them to serve different purposes. But this separation does not mean we cannot listen to one another. We know our partners in the legislative and executive branches are committed to doing the best job possible to make Missouri better. We are no different. The state of the judiciary is good. Constitutionally critical to our system of government, the judiciary is designed to be different from the political and policymaking branches of government. Chief Justice John Roberts of the Supreme Court of the United States explained it this way: “We wear black robes to convey the notion that our individual views [and] personality do not have anything to do with the function we have to play in terms of coming to the correct decision on the law.” You may not know one of his colleagues on our nation’s high court, Justice Clarence Thomas, had his first legal job right here in Missouri, across the street in the red brick building, as an assistant attorney general under Jack Danforth. Justice Thomas has said, “Judicial independence is critical to liberty and to justice. In our great country, the judiciary is not a puppet of those in power, nor is it the engine for pioneering social change. Rather, it is a safeguard against tyranny and an assurance of neutral arbiters for those seeking the protection of law.” Public opinion tends to galvanize behind particular outcomes. Judges have a duty to resist that temptation. Our duty and our oath is not to be popular but to be faithful to the law. Treatment courts As I was here a couple of weeks ago listening to Governor Parson give his address, it occurred to me there are at least a few things Governor Parson and I have in common – we both call rural Missouri home, we are both probably more comfortable in cowboy boots than dress shoes, and neither of us has been accused of being soft on crime. But I was pleased to hear him commit in his state of the state address he would not build another prison while he is governor. When I began practicing law three decades ago, we were all told the proper answer was to be tough on crime. But, as time has proven, being tough on crime is not necessarily being smart on crime. Our national incarceration rates have ballooned – and for many nonviolent offenders, we have failed to address their underlying issues of substance abuse and mental illness. Let’s save our prisons for those we are afraid of, not just mad at. Over-incarcerating nonviolent offenders – especially drug and alcohol offenders – costs millions and is not curing the problem. We need to spend public funds where we see proven results. Often, what they really need – and what we can provide without compromising public safety – is treatment for substance abuse and mental illness. This is why it is no longer enough for the courts to simply resolve cases. Instead, you and our citizens expect your courts to help change lives by breaking the cycle of crime among our nonviolent offenders and making them more productive. Since Missouri’s first treatment court was founded more than 25 years ago, the ShowMe State has been showing everyone else how to do it … and we continue to get better at it. But as I explained in my address to you last year, citizens in some of our counties still lack access to a local treatment court. I thank Governor Parson for making treatment courts a priority of last fall’s special session – and I thank you for passing this important legislation. Now, we need your help funding the vital services our treatment courts can provide. The

governor included in his budget recommendations a restoration of the rest of the core funding to the treatment courts we asked for last year but did not receive, plus nearly $3.1 million in additional funding to help expand the reach of our treatment court services. Together, not only can we continue to be smart on crime, but, more importantly, we can continue to save money … and lives. Veterans courts Some of our treatment courts focus on an offender’s underlying issue, but one focuses on a unique population – our veterans. As you know, one of the primary rules of battle is not to leave anyone behind. But that guiding principle is just as important off the battlefield. Due in part to the stress of combat or adjusting to life at home, some of our military men and women suffer from mental illness or addiction, and they may find themselves on the wrong side of the law. It is incumbent on us to make sure the justice system for which they have sacrificed recognizes their unique challenges and does not leave them behind. Missouri now has veterans treatment courts available in three dozen counties, plus the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City. These unique programs use volunteer veterans and active-duty soldiers as mentors. Research shows veterans benefit the most with help from others who understand the military experience. Our veterans treatment courts are a win-win for all Missourians – in addition to helping those who have served our country regain their lives, crime is reduced, public safety is improved, and we are able to better protect those who have protected us. Military spouse rule We also are honoring military families by finding a way for spouses of military personnel stationed in Missouri to practice law while they are here. The process to become licensed to practice law in any state is rigorous, and for good reason – it’s designed to protect the public. The bar exam is hard. But attorneys who are married to active duty military service members face the prospect of going through that process each time their spouses are relocated. You’ve heard the adage, “when one member joins, the whole family serves?” For some members of our active duty military, that means their attorney spouses must sit for a bar exam in every new state in which they find themselves … or abandon their career … or split up the military family. We realized this makes little sense. So we created a pathway for military spouses who are licensed attorneys to practice law while they are in Missouri. Under the new rule – which took effect January 1 – lawyers with licenses in good standing from other jurisdictions, whose spouses are full-time active service members of the United States armed forces assigned to a duty station in Missouri or a contiguous state, can apply for temporary admission to practice law in Missouri. Allowing these qualified attorneys to share their legal talents with our citizens while they are in our state will honor the sacrifice they make as military spouses and will serve Missourians well. This rule is already being utilized – just nine days after it took effect, we had an applicant. Her story exemplifies why we always need to look for ways to make our legal system better for those we serve. Karen Towns is the daughter of a military service member and was born at an American air base overseas. She earned her law degree in North Carolina and was serving as associate chief counsel for the United States Food and Drug Administration when she married an officer in the United States Army. In fewer than a dozen years since then, he – and, therefore, she – have been relocated more than half a dozen times, to duty stations in Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Washington – and twice in Missouri. Since July 2017, Karen’s husband – Colonel Eric Towns – has been stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, where he serves as garrison commander. When they arrived in Missouri, the only way for her to become licensed to practice law here was to sit for another bar exam. Instead, she has been working as a non-attorney compliance officer at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla. But our new rule cut through the red tape that had been preventing her from

using her legal skills to their fullest. I am pleased to announce Karen has been granted temporary admission to practice law in Missouri. She and Colonel Towns are with us today – please join me in thanking them both for their important service. Retired lawyer pro bono rule We also have recognized we need to do more to provide equal access to civil justice. One of the fundamental purposes of your courts is to ensure access to justice for all, regardless of background, wealth, power or ideology. This ideal works well on paper but is hard to achieve in reality. The law is complex, and many individuals and businesses perceive they lack access to affordable legal services. A legal system that serves only the well-to-do is neither justice for all – nor justice at all. Missouri lawyers try to help fill the need. Each year, hundreds volunteer their time, unpaid, to help those who otherwise cannot afford an attorney. And Missouri is part of a national program – like an online version of a walk-in clinic – allowing people who cannot afford a lawyer to get quick advice about a specific civil legal issue from a volunteer lawyer. But by far the primary resource for those least able to afford an attorney comes from our state’s legal service organizations. Unfortunately, the justice gap is much wider than these volunteer lawyers and legal service organizations can bridge on their own. They need help. Pursuant to a new rule and new pilot project, retired lawyers who agree to provide solely free legal help through one of our state’s legal aid organizations can apply annually to our Court to have their attorney enrollment fees waived. As baby boomers enter retirement, many will be able to continue sharing their legal experience in meaningful and impactful ways. More importantly, our legal aid organizations will be able to help more low-income citizens throughout Missouri who need – but cannot afford – civil legal assistance. Two people on the front lines of the battle to close the justice gap are here today. From Legal Aid of Western Missouri, its executive director, retired judge Joe Dandurand, and Latricia Scott Adams, who for 30 years has served as its volunteer attorney project director. Let’s thank them for their service. Pretrial release Some common-sense solutions are relatively simple, like our new military spouse rule and retired lawyer pro bono rule. Others are more difficult to achieve, and a few require tough conversations, like dealing with pretrial detention. The problem is real. Too many who are arrested cannot afford bail even for low-level offenses and remain in jail awaiting a hearing. Though presumed innocent, they lose their jobs, cannot support their families and are more likely to reoffend. We all share a responsibility to protect the public – but we also have a responsibility to ensure those accused of crime are fairly treated according to the law, and not their pocket books. Missouri law sets the framework for how pretrial detention should work. Under the circumstances of each case, a judge must balance two constitutional imperatives – one to afford the accused an opportunity for pretrial release, and the other to insist on “sufficient sureties” the defendant will appear in court. Judges also must balance statutory considerations for protecting a crime victim, a witness and the community from a defendant who poses a danger to them. During the past year, the Court brought together a whole host of experts – judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law professors and court officials – they spent countless hours identifying ways for improvement and working to devise common-sense modifications to our criminal justice system. As a result of this hard work, the Court has ordered significant changes to its rules governing pretrial release. These changes – which will take effect July 1 – are extensive … and meaningful. Here are some highlights: The court must start with non-monetary conditions of release and may impose monetary conditions only if necessary and only in an amount not exceeding that necessary to ensure

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safety or the defendant’s appearance. The court may not order a defendant to pay any portion of the costs of any conditions of release without first considering how to minimize or whether to waive those costs. A court may order a defendant’s pretrial detention only if it determines – by clear and convincing evidence – that no combination of non-monetary and monetary conditions will ensure safety of the community or any person. The new rule also limits how long a defendant may be detained without a court hearing, and ensures a speedy trial for those who remain in jail. This new rule helps ensure the determinations – and conditions – of pretrial release are made with the best information available. We believe these changes will improve our criminal justice system. Investing in Missouri’s courts In his state of the state address, Governor Parson said being a good leader is about your ability to make those around you better. So I am here to ask for your help. I know revenues are tight, you have important priorities to consider … and I do not imagine you have very many constituents calling or e-mailing you begging for additional court funding. But that does not mean your court system and the services we provide are not critical for the health of our state. Without the reliable availability of courts in our local communities, with fair and impartial judges who are wellversed in the law, and competent, professional court staff, your constituents’ disputes might go undecided. Small business owners cannot afford undue delay in having their legal matters decided, and big businesses look for strong, stable courts when deciding where to employ large numbers of people. Like so many others in state government, we in the Missouri courts have been streamlining our services, doing more with less for years, and we have proven we are a sound investment for Missouri tax dollars. To continue providing a high level of service – now and for future generations – we need additional investment in developing our workforce and improving our technological infrastructure. Right now, our judicial education program operates on only 74 percent of the total amount of funding to which it is authorized by statute. But 74 percent does not allow us to offer as many inperson classes as we need, or to supplement those classes with as many web-based training sessions as we should. It will cost just less than a halfmillion dollars to close this gap between funding authorized and funding appropriated. Although Governor Parson did not include this item in his recommendations, I ask you to actually fund what you have authorized us to spend on judicial education. That amount would allow our judicial education program to function at full strength, as it has in the past. Governor Parson encouraged us to be honest about the challenges we face. Here is one – technology has become the way we all do business and expect to do business, but your courts struggle to meet the public’s 21st century expectations with 1990s resources. The Missouri General Assembly in 1994 mandated the development of a statewide court automation system. But the $7 fee has not changed in a quarter-century and does not generate enough money to sustain current functions. In fact, the fee only pays for a third of the technology necessary to provide the services Missourians have come to expect. Missouri courts have been virtually paperless since 2014, and you and your constituents have come to rely on the benefits that electronic system makes possible: Case.net, Track This Case, Pay By Web and the electronic filing of cases. But what happens if we cannot sustain the technology that has become the way people do business in their courts? We may find out by July 2021, when we anticipate the Missouri courts’ statutorily mandated system – built on 25-year-old technology – will be unable to receive critical system updates. We are building a replacement case management system, but at current funding levels, the new Show-Me Courts system – which includes municipal case processing – will not be finished in time. Equal access to justice requires using

technology to resolve disputes fairly and efficiently. We need to develop user-friendly, electronic systems to permit citizens to participate in routine court proceedings without missing work. We need to increase the functionality of Case.net to allow citizens to be fairly informed. Missourians expect your courts’ technology systems to join the 21st century, which will require increased and sustainable funding from general revenue. Nonpartisan court plan Technology is not the only thing changing rapidly. How different the faces are in this chamber than just a year ago. Most of our state office holders are in new positions, and more than 60 of you are new to the legislature. We have experienced change as well. Nearly 60 trial judges just attended new judge orientation last week. Our appellate judicial commission has sent two panels to Governor Parson. Last fall, Governor Parson made his first appellate appointment, selecting Tom Chapman – the presiding judge from the 43rd circuit (spanning five counties in northwest Missouri) – to a vacancy on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District. Earlier this month, Governor Parson selected Robin Ransom – the presiding judge in St. Louis city – to be the newest appellate judge in our Eastern District. I remain steadfast that Missouri’s nonpartisan court plan is the best method for selecting judges to our urban trial courts, appellate court and supreme court. We have a plaque in our building across the street commemorating the courage of the people of Missouri in amending their constitution in 1940 to adopt the Missouri court plan, making ours the first state in the nation to embrace judicial merit selection. Our foresight looks brilliant today, as the entire Supreme Court of West Virginia – which has direct partisan elections – faced impeachment last year, and the confirmation process for Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States looked nothing like the advice and consent of the senate our founding fathers intended. As a supreme court judge, the idea of presenting oneself as pro-something or consomething else undercuts a system in which judges are meant to be neutral arbiters of our citizens’ disputes and, ultimately, undermines the public’s trust and confidence in their courts. To paraphrase Chief Justice Roberts, judges do not sit on opposite sides of an aisle. They do not caucus in separate rooms. They do not serve one party or interest. They serve one nation. Or, in our instance, one Missouri. I will end where I began, by explaining the judicial branch is designed to be different from the political and policymaking branches of government. Our judicial code of conduct requires us to refrain not only from actual bias but to minimize even the appearance of partiality. While I know you take your responsibilities here in the Capitol seriously, as do I, do not forget those at home who support, encourage and pray for you daily. In the balcony, with other family members, are Julie, my wife of more than 34 years, and my mother Nancy. Thank you for your infinite love, support, encouragement and prayers. Providing the family security is my former courtroom bailiff, my best friend, the best man at my wedding – he is also my father, Bob Fischer. Everybody who knows my dad has at least one story – but I’ll close with this one. In the fall of 2008, Dad drove me down for my interview with Governor Matt Blunt. Once back in his pickup truck after the interview, I told Dad I thought Governor Blunt might actually appoint me to the Supreme Court of Missouri. He said, “Well, he ought to, but are you sure you want the position? You’re already a judge, and this is a four-and-ahalf-hour drive from your wife and three of your four children still in high school.” I explained to Dad this was a position where you not only could make a paycheck, you could also make a difference. I concluded, it is not like I would be joining the circus. Then Dad – with his humble trademark grin – replied, “Are you sure?” Thank you all, and may God Bless you all.

The Missouri Times

STATE OF THE JUDICIARY 2019

Fischer emphasizes changes to bail rules By Alisha Shurr The Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court emphasized the importance of treatment courts and investing in the court system while outlining a plan to alter pretrial detention rules. Zel Fischer spoke to a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly for the second time, presenting the 46th State of the Judiciary address. He was met with applause throughout the speech that focused on nonpartisan issues such as treatment courts, retired lawyers offering their services pro-bono, and military spouses being allowed to practice without sitting for the bar again. On Wednesday morning, Fischer unveiled an upcoming rule change on how to handle pretrial detention. “Too many who are arrested cannot afford bail even for low-level offenses and remain in jail awaiting a hearing. Though presumed innocent, they lose their jobs, cannot support their families, and are more likely to re-offend,” said Fischer. “We all share a responsibility to protect the public — but we also have a responsibility to ensure those accused of crime are fairly treated according to the law, and not their pocket book.” Throughout the last year, the high court brought together a whole host of experts — judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law professors,

and court officials — to identify ways for improving the criminal justice system. That group identified significant changes to the rules governing pretrial release. The changes, which will take effect July 1, 2019, include a turn away from non-monetary bail requirements unless necessary and the length of time a defendant may be detained without a hearing. After implementation, the courts will be required to start with nonmonetary conditions of release and may impose monetary conditions only if necessary and only in an amount not exceeding that necessary to ensure safety or the defendant’s appearance. The court may not order a defendant to pay any portion of the costs of any conditions of release without first considering how to minimize or whether to waive those costs. A court may order a defendant’s pretrial detention only if it determines — by clear and convincing evidence — that no combination of nonmonetary and monetary conditions will ensure safety of the community or any person, under the new rule. The new rule also limits how long a defendant may be detained without a court hearing and ensures a speedy trial for those who remain in jail. “This new rule helps ensure the determinations – and conditions – of pretrial release are made with

the best information available. We believe these changes will improve our criminal justice system,” said Fischer. He also emphasized the need for the state to invest in the court system. “I know revenues are tight, you have important priorities to consider … and I do not imagine you have very many constituents calling or e-mailing you begging for additional court funding…” said Fischer. “But that does not mean your court system and the services we provide are not critical for the health of our state.” The court system struggles to meet the public’s 21st-century expectations with 1990s resources, he noted. The Missouri General Assembly in 1994 mandated the development of a statewide court automation system. The $7 fee has not changed in a quarter-century and does not generate enough money to sustain current functions, according to Fischer. He noted, the fee only pays for a third of the technology necessary to provide the services Missourians have come to expect. “We may find out by July 2021, when we anticipate the Missouri courts’ statutorily mandated system – built on 25-year-old technology – will be unable to receive critical system updates. We are building a replacement case management system, but at current funding levels, the new Show-Me Courts system

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– which includes municipal case processing – will not be finished in time,” said Fischer. “Missourians expect your courts’ technology systems to join the 21st century, which will require increased and sustainable funding from general revenue.” The high court’s chief justice also emphasized the importance of funding treatment courts, including veterans courts. Fischer praised the legislature for expanding treatment courts in 2018 and Gov. Mike Parson for making the issue a priority. “Over-incarcerating nonviolent offenders — especially drug and alcohol offenders — cost millions and is not curing the problem. We need to spend public funds where we see proven results. Often, what they really need — and what we can provide without compromising public safety — is treatment for substance abuse and mental illness,” said Fischer. He asked for the General Assembly’s help in funding the “vital services.” Parson included in his budget recommendations a restoration of the rest of the core funding to the treatment courts they asked for last year but did not receive, plus nearly $3.1 million in additional funding to help expand the reach of our treatment court services. Under the treatment court branch is a sector-specific to a unique

population: veterans. “It is incumbent on us to make sure the justice system for which they have sacrificed recognizes their unique challenges and does not leave them behind,” said Fischer. “Our veterans treatment courts are a winwin for all Missourians — in addition to helping those who have served our country regain their lives, crime is reduced, public safety is improved, and we are able to better protect those who have protected us.” A rule that has been in effect for less than one month, and has been used, was also highlighted by Fischer. Under the new rule – which took effect January 1 – lawyers with licenses in good standing from other jurisdictions, whose spouses are full-time active service members of the United States armed forces assigned to a duty station in Missouri or a contiguous state, can apply for temporary admission to practice law in Missouri. Dedication to the law, and not personal bias, was theme Fischer emphasized throughout his address. “Public opinion tends to galvanize behind particular outcomes. Judges have a duty to resist that temptation. Our duty, in fact our oath, is not to be popular but to be faithful to the law,” said Fischer.

The Missouri Times

‘New normal’ hits state revenues, Walters tells Senate committee By Alisha Shurr

A 15-year-old formula error did cause the Missouri Department of Revenue to considerably underwithhold on individual income taxes and they probably could have communicated better but, Joel Walters noted, there is a bigger component to lagging revenues.

The Director of the Missouri Department of Revenue testified on that issue to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday morning. This was the second time Walters has explained the lagging revenues to the legislature, having testified before the House budget committee last week. “[The withholding error] does not impact the amount of tax a person owes,” Walter emphasized throughout his testimony. “It impacts the timing of payment.”

As of mid-January 2019, the state had collected $532 million — roughly 10 percent — less in tax revenue than in the same time frame in the previous year, not taking into account that there is a projected revenue growth for FY 2019, the current operating year, of 1.7 percent.

The reason for the lagging revenue is two-fold: a formula error and tax changes on the federal level. The formula error has been in the individual income withholding tables for since 2004, as for back as the department has gone in their records. The formula was failing to correctly take into account the standard deduction which results in a relatively small under-withholding in the past. But when the standard deduction was doubled, the issue was exacerbated. The Department of

Revenue issued new withholding tables in September 2018, after the error was discovered. It is unclear how many businesses actually changed the withholdings to the new tables because they knew the state would be issuing new tables in January 2019.

The formula error has gotten the most attention in recent weeks, but it’s the changes to the federal income tax code that are the bigger component, according to Walters. “This is actually the more important piece…the changes at the federal level, it was a 1,100-page bill, the biggest tax changes in 30 years, made massive changes to all the federal tax laws. That, in turn, is having an impact on people’s withholding because the changes are so dramatic but withholdings stayed the same,” said Walters.

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The federal tax overhaul lowered taxes for many income brackets and roughly doubled the standard deduction. It also eliminated many itemized deductions and placed caps on others. Because of those changes, particularly for those that did not adjust their W-4, many will be seeing less of a refund or will owe taxes this year. The example Walters used was that folks who previously over-withheld by claiming fewer deductions will potentially be seeing a significantly smaller refund. In the scenario, the person who, prior to 2018, qualified for four deductions only claimed one deduction in order to get a significant refund in April. But with the tax overhaul, that one deduction is more accurate and withholds an amount closer to what is actually owed, which means that person will see a small refund than expected. In order words, people who did not change their withholds enjoyed more take-home pay during 2018 instead of waiting for a cash refund after filing taxes. Walters referred to this as “the new normal.” “This is a phenomenon that is happening at the federal level, it is happening at the state level — I know Idaho is having exactly the same discussion, and it is happening at our level,” said Walters. He noted that the IRS put out a notice last week advising taxpayers that their refund might be lower than expected or they may owe a little more than expected. The reason is that the W-4 on file with employers, in light

of the massive federal changes, were not withholding at the same level. New W-4s have been issued to reflected the changes made on the federal level. Less refunds are expected to be distributed, indicating that the state is collecting an amount closer to what folks actually owe. In fact, Walters said that he expects the vast majority of the withholdings to result in lower refunds. “We will be monitoring it very closely to make sure that the phenomenon does reverse the way it is expected to,” said Walters. “If not, then we take action.” He noted that the department is working on communicating with people. And they are gearing up on working with folks who come across issues when filing taxes.

House moves forward with updates to ethics procedures By Alisha Shurr The Missouri House is moving forward with changes to the rules of procedure for the ethics committee. On Tuesday, lawmakers perfected HR 137, filed by Rep. J. Eggleston, with a vote of 155-4. The bill makes changes to the rules that govern the conduct of an investigation of complaints of ethical misconduct by a member of the House. The changes including wording updates, defines expulsion as an action the ethics committee can take, outlining confidentiality measures, timing alterations, and steps to be taken in a person rejects the committee’s recommendation. The proposed changes can be found online at themisssouritimes. com.

The Missouri Times

Swan presents bill establishing Fast-Track Workforce Incentive Grant program By Alisha Shurr

A plan to launch a grant program for adults seeking to further their education in high demand jobs received bipartisan support for a House committee. On Monday, the workforce development committee heard a measure sponsored by Rep. Kathy Swan, who is also the committee chair, to develop the Fast-Track Workforce Incentive Grant. The scholarship program was first unveiled by Gov. Mike Parson during his State of the State speech and subsequent budget recommendation less than two weeks ago. In fact, Parson made a rare, albeit brief, appearance at Monday’s public hearing on the bill.

“This is intended to serve those who have fallen through the cracks… We do not have anything in this state that reaches this specific group,” said Swan. The measure would establish the Fast-Track Workforce Incentive Grant, which is specifically aimed at adults. To qualify for the scholarship, an individual must: be 25-years-old or older, be a Missouri resident, have an adjusted gross income of less than $80,000, and not be enrolled in an education program for the prior two academic years. Those applying for the grant must fill out a FAFSA application and submit “the Missouri individual income tax returns of the applicant, the applicant’s spouse, and the applicant’s parents…” Applicants must be planning on enrolling, at

least part-time, in an undergraduate school in an “eligible program of study.” Swan noted that roughly 16,000 would meet the requirements. The grants will be awarded in an amount equal to the actual tuition and general fees charged to an eligible student, after all federal nonloan aid, state student aid, and any other governmental student financial aid is applied. Parson’s budget recommendation includes $22 million for the FastTrack Workforce Incentive Grant program. He has made workforce development a priority throughout his tenure as governor. “This is music to my ears. I’ve lost four key employees to retirement. I have not been able to replace them,” said Rep. Craig Fishel. “I really like this bill,” said Rep. Doug Beck. A representative from Western Governors University Missouri highlighted the need for the legislation. She testified that nationwide, 66 percent of jobs require a post-second degree or certification and only 42 percent of the population holds the qualifications creating a gap of 38.5 million people. While no one spoke against the bill, some on the committee advised caution moving forward, others wanted more information, and some wanted to know what the accountability mechanisms would look like. A representative from the Missouri State Technological College raised the concern that setting the age at 25 could create an unintentional gap. He pointed out that only 6 percent of current college students would qualify while if bumping the age down to 20-years-old would encompass 40 percent of students.

Bernskoetter wants to relocate Arabia Steamboat Museum to Jefferson City By Alisha Shurr

A museum in Kansas City dedicated to Missouri’s steamboat heritage will be out of a home in less than a decade and one lawmaker is aiming to relocate it to the Capital of the Show-Me State. Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, Historian Bob Priddy, and David Hawley want to relocate the Arabia Steamboat Museum to Jefferson City and expand the exhibits in the process. SB 322, filed by Bernskoetter, would create the Steamboat Legacy Fund and the funding source would be increasing the gaming commission's entry fee for Missouri's riverboat casinos up to $3 from $2. That fund would initially be used to build two new museums in Jefferson City. One, for a dedicated space big enough for the state museum and the second, would be a museum dedicated to the history of steamboats. There is no sunset currently in the bill. Rep. Dave Griffith said he plans to introduce a companion bill in the House. “To tell that chapter of history, from the 1820s to the ‘70s — and to dig up one boat from each decade — would tell, really, not just the history of the river, but the history of the development of the West and it's a history that's not told,” Hawley said, who was one of the five folks to found and dug up the Arabia steamboat. “We tell the stories of the trains, the wagon trains, the Pony Express and all that, but you won't find chapters of history about steamboats. It's a lost history.” It’s a history that has been showcased at the Arabia Steamboat

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Museum in Kansas City since 1991. The museum is named after the first steamboat they recovered from the Missouri River, the Arabia, which sank in 1856. In 1988, Hawley was part of the crew that found the sunken Arabia steamboat buried about 45 feet under a farm field and excavated it. Those five individuals formed a foundation which owns that discovery — and others they have since complete — and display its contents. According to Hawley, roughly 80,000 people visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum every year. “Eighty percent of the folks who come to see the Arabia Steamboat Museum come from outside Kansas City, that exceed a 200-mile radius. We get school groups from St. Louis, St. Joe, Springfield, and Kansas. But the Arabia has surpassed the regional attraction — we get a lot of visitors from California and Florida and all over. They travel to see it,” said Hawley. Kansas City’s lease with the Arabia Steamboat Museum expires on November 13, 2026. So the Arabia is looking for a new home and Bernskoetter, and others, are determined to see that history remain in Missouri. “I filed Senate Bill 322 to keep the museum and its contents here in Missouri,” said Bernskoetter. Currently, the vision for a Jefferson City steamboat museum includes several different levels that would showcase the Arabia and other steamboats that sank in the Missouri River during the six decades they traveled the often treacherous river.

There were around 200 steamboat wrecks along the Missouri River just between St. Louis and Kansas City, and Hawley has identified the sites of 11 of those. The foundation that owns the Arabia Steamboat is ready to recover one of those, but has nowhere to display it at the current location. The Malta sank in 1841 at a bend in the river, which was later named for the wreck, and Hawley believes it will be a great addition to a steamboat museum. He noted that the History Channel wants to do the story about the recovery of the Malta. The museum in Jefferson City would be ran similarly to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., Hawley projected. The Smithsonian building is owned by the government but the exhibits are privately owned and ran. Building a museum is no small task and requires millions of dollars. This is where the proposed casino admission fee hike comes into play. Increasing the entry fee for riverboat casinos with $1 dedicated to the Steamboat Legacy Fund would generate the necessary funds over several years to complete the steamboat museum and a new home for the State Museum. Priddy recognizes that there is still a long road ahead to this plan becoming a reality. They are expecting some opposition on the fee increase — which is still at the original rate set in 1994 — but are willing to put in the work to make this a reality.

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Agriculture department lays out proposed regulations for industrial hemp By Alisha Shurr

The agency charged with overseeing the resurgence of industrial hemp in Missouri has laid out the proposed rules and regulations for those looking to enter into the now-legal industry. The Missouri Department of Agriculture is proposing a scoring system for applicants seeking to cultivate hemp, a variety of fees, growing location restrictions, and strict oversight. The regulations were published in the January 2, 2019 Missouri Register and are open to comments through February 1, 2019. In 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act strictly regulated the cultivation and sale of all cannabis varieties. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified all forms of cannabis — including hemp — as a Schedule I drug, making it illegal to grow in the United States. In 2018, the General Assembly passed HB 2034, sponsored by Rep. Paul Curtman, legalizing an industrial hemp pilot program in Missouri — as outlined in the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill. The legislation limited production to limited to 2,000 acres statewide and requires farmers to undergo a background check, obtain a permit, and submit to random testing of the crop. The measure put the Department of Agriculture in charge oversight of the program along with the responsibility of creating rules and regulations for the industry. “These rules will help us create the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program and application process,” said Sami Jo Freeman, public information officer for the Missouri Department of Agriculture. “The proposed rules combined feedback from our July 18 public listening session, conversations with stakeholders and research into existing pilot programs in other states. Overall, the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program is designed to study the growth, cultivation, processing and marketing of industrial hemp.” Determining the fees associated with hemp was also left to the department’s discretion. According to the proposed rules, a nonrefundable $100 fee must be submitted with every application — growers and

handlers, alike. Permits would be good for three years and would require a $500 registration fee whether it is for a Grower, Handler, or Agricultural Hemp Seed Production Permit. Additionally, growers would be required to pay $45 per acre planted per year, handlers processing the grain or fiber component of hemp would be charged $500 per year, and handlers processing the leaf or floral component of hemp would be charged $3,000 per year. According to a fiscal note attached to one of the proposed regulations, the department is projecting 35 percent of handlers will be for grain processing, 25 percent for fiber processing, and 80 percent for floral processing. With a limited number of grower permits available the Department of Agriculture is proposing a scoring system that will take into account: application for registration, applicant’s farming experience; map of land industrial hemp will be cultivated on, and applicants production, research, and marketing plan. In the event of a tie between applicants, farming experience will be used as a tiebreaker. If not all allowed acres are account for, the department will announce an open application period. All applicants are required to pass a background check and be willing to submit to an inspection of the crop by law enforcement or the department with or without cause. “Registered growers and handlers shall have no reasonable expectation of privacy from the department or law enforcement, with respect to the plot of land where agricultural hemp seeds, industrial hemp plants, or industrial hemp plant materials are located as indicated on the application for registration,” one regulation states. The Department of Agriculture will provide information to the Missouri Highway Patrol about registered growers and handlers relating to the growing, cultivation, processing, and storage of industrial hemp at indicated locations. Any interaction growers and

handlers have with law enforcement shall be reported to the department within 48 hours by phone or within five days by writing. And theft of industrial hemp must be reported to the department and law enforcement within 48 hours by phone or within five days by writing of discovery. There is also proposed restrictions on where hemp can be cultivated or processed. “Planting, cultivating, storing, and/or handling industrial hemp shall not occur within two thousand (2,000) feet of any school, preschool, or daycare. Institutions of higher learning are exempt from this section,” the rule states. “No

application or site modification request shall include any plot of land that is not owned or rented by the applicant, registered grower, or registered handler.” The Department of Agriculture expects to inspect 50 industrial hemp sites per year, spending four hours at each site, according to a fiscal note. The Missouri Department of Agriculture has laid out a projected timeline for the implementation of the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program, which would enable the first growing season in 2020. Noteworthy dates include: June 30, 2019: Industrial Hemp Pilot Program rules become effective.

July 1, 2019: Industrial Hemp Pilot Program receives any spending authorized by the approved FY2020 budget. August 2019: Industrial Hemp education & outreach meetings begin. The meetings will review current laws, regulations and application processes. September 3, 2019: Industrial Hemp Pilot Program grower and handler applications available online. October 31, 2019: Grower and handler applications approved and applicants will be notified. November 30, 2019: Registration fees due from handlers and approved growers.

Judge rules Galloway did not knowingly violate Sunshine Law By Alisha Shurr

Missouri’s lone Democratic statewide office holder did not knowingly violate the state’s open record laws, a circuit court judge has determined. On Monday, Cole County Judge Jon Beetem ruled in favor of State Auditor Nicole Galloway. In a 24page judgment, Beetem wrote that the group that brought the lawsuit failed to “meet its burden of proving either a knowing or purposeful violation of the Sunshine Law, assuming that there has been a showing of a violation of the Sunshine Law at all.” In July 2017, Missouri Alliance for Freedom filed a lawsuit against Galloway alleging that she violated the Sunshine Law. At issue is a May 2017 request from the Alliance for Freedom for records regarding Galloway looking

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into the Department of Revenue and its issuing of state income tax refunds. Responding to the request, Galloway’s office gave screenshots of text messages and some 47,000 pages of email and communications, but the Alliance for Freedom said there should have been more texts in the documents they received. But Beetem ruled against the allegations over the text messages stating, “Because the form of the records requested did not exist, the [state auditor’s office] did not violate the Sunshine Law [by failing to produce them.] He also noted that the request for all communication of the State Auditor for a period of over two years was not reasonably specific. While this lack of specificity may not excuse an agency from acting on the request,

the fact that the auditor’s office did not secure one particular instance of communications data (text messages) within 30 days does not violate the Sunshine Law, according to Beetem. Beetem ruled in favor of Galloway on all counts alleged by the Missouri Alliance for Freedom. “This lawsuit was intended to have a chilling effect on my efforts to investigate fraud and mismanagement at all levels of government,” Galloway said following the ruling. “Those tactics did not succeed. Today’s ruling is straightforward: my office has not violated the Sunshine Law. I remain committed to pursuing answers on behalf of taxpayers.” Read Beetem’s full ruling online at themissouritimes.com.

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State of Missouri employees encouraged to participate in the Missouri Mentor Initiative Missouri’s state employees will once again have the opportunity to participate in the Missouri Mentor Initiative (MMI), a program that allows up to 300 state employees in targeted locations to serve as mentors for one hour per week during the workweek. Governor Mike Parson said, “By allowing our state employees to dedicate one hour of their workweek every week to this program, young lives across the state will be influenced in a positive way.” The groundwork to revive MMI across Missouri, which involves collaboration between the State of Missouri and the mentoring organization Big Brothers Big Sisters, was put into place by First Lady Teresa Parson and Second Lady Claudia Kehoe. First Lady Teresa Parson said, “With January being National Mentoring Month, this is the perfect time to start making a difference in young people’s lives. Many of these children become adults who share what they’ve learned with the next generation of young people needing mentoring.” Second Lady Claudia Kehoe said, “By promoting mentoring programs, we ensure that young people in our communities will have dependable and compassionate individuals to look up to.” State employees who wish to participate in MMI have been encouraged to contact their respective human resource department/ supervisor. All participants must receive permission in order to participate.

Judge halts portions of meat law, says enforcement would be legislature ‘usurping’ constitutional authority By Alisha Shurr

A circuit court judge has halted a change in Missouri’s meat law that would have allowed for the sale of white-tailed deer meat and mule deer meat. On Friday, Cole County Judge Jon Beetem noted that enforcement of some provisions within the omnibus agricultural bill passed in 2018 “would amount to the Missouri legislature usurping the Conservation Commission’s constitutional authority.” The measure under scrutiny is Senate Bill 627 which was passed by the Missouri General Assembly on May 17, 2018, and signed by then-Gov. Eric Greitens on June 1, 2018. In light of the lawsuit, Beetem temporarily stopped the challenged

portions from going into effect while the court challenge was in ongoing. The Conservation Commission and Sara Pauley, director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, filed in August a lawsuit in Cole County Circuit Court against Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn in an attempt to stop the law. The group only took issue with a portion — four specific statutory changes — of the overarching agricultural bill. The contested changes made by SB 627 amends certain definitions in the “Meat Inspection” statutes to include “captive cervids” alongside livestock and poultry.

Beetem found in his judgment that these changes are contrary to the Missouri Constitution and the Conservation Commission’s authority granted therein, especially relating to the sale of white-tailed deer meat and mule deer meat. “There is a direct conflict between the Conservation Commission’s regulations prohibiting commercial sale and the Legislature’s statute allowing commercial sale,” wrote Beetem. “It is in the public interest to ensure that the Missouri Constitution is upheld and laws enacted are not inconsistent with it; thus, an injunction is consistent with public policy.” He noted the ruling only applies to the specific sections that would

allow for the sale of deer meat. All other changes made in SB 627 are not enjoined or restrained under the ruling. “Enforcement of Sections 265.300(4), (7), (8), and (13) of the Missouri Revised Statutes as recently amended by Senate Bill 627 passed by the Missouri General Assembly and signed by the Governor would violate the Missouri Constitution by infringing upon Plaintiffs’ constitutionally-granted authority to regulate the game and wildlife resources of the State as provided by Mo. Const. Art. IV, Section 40(a),” the ruling states. Read the full judgment online at themissouritimes.com.

State Rep. Jim Neely (R-Cameron) has filed HB 630, which would modify the state's execution protocol to allow death row inmates to make organ and anatomical donations. The legislation has a broad coalition of support that includes murder victims’ families and the families of inmates awaiting execution. “We applaud Rep. Neely’s effort to give these prisoners a chance to save lives,” said Zach Sanders, Executive Director of Missouri Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty. “Death row inmates need more opportunities to show contrition and pay restitution to society.” In 1996, Sander’s father was murdered by Russell Bucklew, a death row inmate who has been granted several stays of execution

due to a rare disease that would complicate the State's lethal injection protocol. Last March, while Sanders waited inside Bonne Terre Correctional Facility to witness Bucklew's most recently-scheduled execution, one correctional officer explained that she would likely have to draw the execution chamber curtains once the tumors in Bucklew's throat burst and he began choking on his own blood. “That’s the first time I thought that maybe we’re being a little too gung-ho with the death penalty,” said Sanders, who has since been working to reform Missouri's capital punishment system. “The thought of a botched execution doesn't gross me out, especially since Bucklew killed my dad, but making him choke to death on his own blood sounds like

something from an ISIS training video.” That night, the U.S. Supreme Court issued another last-minute stay of execution for Bucklew, and heard oral arguments for Bucklew v. Precythe in November. Anne Precythe, director of the Missouri Department of Corrections, has argued that the state is not required to provide any alternative method of execution under current law. That’s the same position which was held by former Democrat Governor Jay Nixon and Attorney General Chris Koster, who also worked to kill Bucklew. One physician who specializes in organ and anatomical donations said Missouri’s existing protocol could work for donations, but a lethal injection procedure specifically

designed to maximize organ viability would deliver lethal drugs more directly to the brain, which would also serve to drastically reduce pain and suffering for inmates like Bucklew. For example, injecting a deadly cocktail into the major artery in an inmate’s neck “would work immediately, in less than one second, and very reliably.” Last year, the Missouri House Committee on Corrections unanimously approved a similar inmate organ donation bill despite concerns about racism raised by Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, a liberal organization that was suing Sanders’ organization at the time. In December, a judge dismissed that lawsuit with prejudice.

Neely files bill to let death row inmates donate organs

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4 Missouri’s Electric Cooperatives Reception – Capitol Plaza – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. 5 Lincoln University Lobby Day 5 Citizens Commission on Human Rights of St. Louis Displays 5 Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Lobby Day 6 Missouri Society of Respiratory Care Breakfast and Lobby Day 6 The State Historical Society of Missouri Lobby Day and Reception 6 Missouri Citizens for the Arts Lobby Day 6 Missouri Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Advocacy Day 12 MRTA Legislative Day/Blitz – First Floor Rotunda – 10:00 a.m. 12 MCADSV Lobby Day 13 Missouri Dental Hygienists Association 15 Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy Reception 19 Missouri Beer Wholesalers Advocacy Day 19 Missouri Beer Wholesalers Reception – G2 Gallery – 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. 20 Missouri Occupational Therapy Association Lobby Day

21 Missouri Insurance Coalition Annual Legislative Meeting – Jefferson City 26 Missouri Chiropractic Physicians Association Legislative Day 27 Alzheimer’s Association Missouri Memory Day – Capitol, Jefferson City – 10:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. 28 NFIB Small Business Day at the Capitol March 1 Last day to file Senate Bills (Rule 48) 1-3 Missouri Lincoln Days – Sheraton Westport Chalet, St. Louis 5 Catholic Charities Lobby Day 5 Missouri Coalition For Fair Competition (HVAC) – Day at Capitol and Continental Breakfast – Capitol Rotunda – 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. 6 Missouri Health Care Association Lobby Day 6 American Planning Association Lobby Day and Luncheon 7 Missouri Chamber Foundation Reception 12 Missouri Right to Life ProLife Action Day 12 Missouri Psychiatric Physicians Association Legislative Day 13 VOYCE Missouri Associa-

tion of Long-term Care Lobby Day 14 Last day to place Senate Consent Bills on the Senate Calendar (Rule 45) 14 Spring break upon adjournment (legislature reconvenes March 25) 19 Missouri Music Educators Association Lobby Day 25 Legislature reconvenes from spring break 26 Missouri Community Action Network Lobby Day 27 Missouri Pharmacy Association Legislative Day April 2 Child Advocacy Day 3 Missouri Canoe and Floaters Association Reception 3 Missouri Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Legislative Day 3 Conservation Federation of Missouri Breakfast, Luncheon, and Lobby Day 5 #GoBlueDay for Child Abuse Prevention 8 MAC Legislative Conference – Capitol Plaza 8 Lineworker Appreciation Day 9 Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation Reception 17 MOFED Lobby Day 22 Easter Observed 23 Legislature reconvenes –

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GOP senators form Conservative Caucus A group of Republican lawmakers has joined together to form the Missouri Senate Conservative Caucus. The six Republican state senators made the announcement on Thursday while outlining the caucus’ priorities. Top issues included regulatory reform, tort reform, health care reform, abortion, and gun rights. The conversation on forming the caucus started organically among like-minded senators

who decided they wanted to get together to pursue a particular agenda, according to Sen. Bill Eigel. “I don’t think of us as anything other than a great supplement to what the Republican Party is doing,” said Eigel, who noted the group wants to be a resource for GOP senators. “I don’t think in any way, shape, or form this should be looked at as anything but a victory for folks that want to move conservative legislation

forward.” Eigel said he believes Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz and Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden are off to a great start. The Conservative Caucus will “be a great resource” to them, according to the sophomore senator. The issues the caucus is making a priority are topics that they believe haven’t gotten the attention needed in the last few years. “Missourians want

accountability and results,” said Sen. Denny Hoskins. “That is why the Conservative Caucus will work towards this goal by cutting government spending and realigning resources to align with Missourians’ priorities and holding state agencies fiscally responsible.” The caucus includes Sens. Eigel, Hoskins, Cindy O'Laughlin, Andrew Koenig, Bob Onder, and Eric Burlison.

MISSOURI GOP ELECTS KAY HOFLANDER AS CHAIRMAN Gregg Keller will manage Missouri Victory Committee The Missouri Republican State Committee today elected Kay Hoflander as Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. Hoflander will serve a 2-year term, leading the party through the 2020 elections. Hoflander, a long-time grassroots Republican activist, is the Vice President of Hoflander Ford in Higginsville. After getting her start in GOP politics as a campaign volunteer, she served as a committeewoman and county party chair in Lafayette County. During the 2018 cycle, she served as Vice Chair of the Missouri Republican Party. “It’s an honor to be chosen to lead the Missouri Republican Party at a critical time for our party and our state,” said Hoflander.

“Missourians have elected a historic number of Republicans at the state, local, and federal levels—entrusting the GOP with the tremendous responsibility of leading our great state. I look forward to protecting the gains we’ve made, growing our party, and highlighting the conservative agenda that is moving Missouri forward.” Governor Mike Parson, Senator Roy Blunt, and Senator Josh Hawley praised Hoflander’s selection. “Kay Hoflander is such a tremendous asset to the Missouri Republican Party and we’re lucky to have her,” said Gov. Parson. “I’m excited to work with Kay to deliver on Missouri Republicans’ promises to our citizens.”

“Kay will be a great leader of the Missouri Republican State Committee,” said Sen. Blunt. “Kay has been an effective volunteer leader at every level of politics. From township committeewoman to state chairman, she has been and will be willing to do the hard work necessary to win. She understands winning the debate and then doing what it takes to win the election.” “Kay’s election as Chair is tremendous news for the Missouri Republican Party,” said Sen. Hawley. “Her combination of grassroots experience and work ethic will help conservatives up and down the ballot in 2020. I look forward to working with her, and wish her well as she steps in to lead our party toward continued

success.” At the meeting, Hoflander appointed Gregg Keller as Chairman of the Missouri Victory Committee, the coordinated campaign that will work to ensure Republican victories at every level of Missouri government in 2020. “Gregg Keller is one of the leading campaign operatives in the country and he’ll work closely with me and Kay to help elect Republicans everywhere from our 2020 statewide ticket to growing and maintaining our majorities in the state House and Senate,” Governor Parson said. The State Committee also elected Nick Myers of Joplin as Vice Chair, Derrick Good of Cedar Hill as Secretary, and Pat Thomas of Jefferson City as Treasurer.

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