Time for business, legislators to convene

With two weeks left in the 2010 legislative session, 75 southwest Missouri business leaders had an opportunity to look at pending legislation that could impact their businesses. On April 30, Associated Industries of Missouri held a luncheon at the Bass Pro Shops’ Uncle Buck’s Auditorium to spotlight these issues.

AIM hosted state Sen. Jack Goodman, R-Mt. Vernon, and Reps. Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, and Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, for a panel discussion on workers’ compensation reform, Second Injury Fund reform, insurance mandates and – a large recent victory for business – the passage of Senate Bill 928, protecting businesses that sell to churches, schools and other exempt organizations from a new sales tax burden imposed by the Missouri Supreme Court.

Goodman discussed the state legislature’s difficult decision to cut $1 billion out of the state budget, employment law reform, and other issues that have been topics of discussion in the Senate; while Dixon focused on the impact that business leaders can have by voicing their concerns to the legislators in Jefferson City. Finally, Schoeller discussed unemployment and shared work program legislation that received early approval this year, including House Bill 1544, sponsored by Rep. Barney Fisher, R-Richards. That bill, supported by AIM, allowed Missouri to draw down federal dollars to assist with the increasing amounts of unemployment claims in Missouri.

Also discussed was Senate Bill 852. Sen. Brad Lager, R-Maryville, filed legislation to correct recent court decisions that are decaying Missouri’s employment-at-will doctrine: granting jury trials to dismissed employees and driving up the costs of trial for the involved employer; holding supervisors personally liable for actions against the company; and granting whistleblower protections to dismissed employees regardless of any true wrongdoing by the employer. Goodman held a special committee hearing to move the bill quickly to the Senate floor.

One piece of legislation not blocked by political maneuver was Senate Bill 928, which prevented a large tax increase on Missouri business resulting from judicial activism.

Participants asked questions about the mandates from the federal health care reforms and potential state actions to protect Missouri’s employers and individuals from the burdensome regulations and increased costs associated with the coverage mandates.

House Joint Resolutions 48, 50 and 57, combined and handled by Rep. Tim Jones, R-St. Louis, have received House approval and has been heard in the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee. The resolution, if approved by voters, would amend Missouri’s Constitution to grant personal authority over an individual’s own health care. It awaits approval by the full Senate, however, it is expected to be blocked through the same political maneuvers used by opponents to prevent the passage of Senate Bill 852.

The event brought together southwest business leaders to network and communicate their concerns to our legislators and to AIM’s experienced business lobbying team. We thank everyone who attended and the legislators who agreed to serve on our legislative panel.

Ray McCarty is president of Associated Industries of Missouri in Jefferson City. He has more than 25 years of economic development and taxation experience from state business organizations and departments.