Governor Jay Nixon on Monday formally called for a special session of the Missouri General Assembly in an effort to “continue fiscal discipline,” and to create jobs. The special session will begin Sept. 6.
The session will not address disaster recovery. The governor indicated earlier this summer that disaster recovery and levee recovery would be part of the agenda, but those items are not mentioned in his call for a special session.
According to the governor’s proclamation (here), the priorities for special session are passing comprehensive jobs package, and reforming tax credit programs to ensure continued fiscal discipline. The proclamation also points out the Legislature failed to transfer supervision and control of the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department to the City of St Louis.
“Creating jobs and helping Missouri businesses grow is the top priority for my administration, and we work tirelessly each and every day to do just that,” Gov. Nixon said. “Because of our relentless efforts, Missouri’s unemployment rate is dropping, we’ve maintained a spotless AAA credit rating, and we’re one of the best states in the nation for business. Passing this bipartisan jobs package will help us continue to move Missouri’s economy forward and create good jobs for folks all across our state. I appreciate the work the General Assembly has already done to achieve broad consensus on these priorities, and I look forward to continuing to work with legislators on both sides of the aisle during an efficient, focused and productive session.”
The Governor’s call specifies a number of job-creation priorities the General Assembly will consider during the special session, including:
*Enacting the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA) to encourage the growth of science and innovation businesses in the state;
*Enacting the Compete Missouri Initiative to provide additional incentives and benefits to attract and retain businesses, to streamline and update Missouri’s training programs, and to increase the efficiencies of the state’s business development incentives;
*Enacting legislation to increase exports and foreign trade through the development of an international air cargo hub at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport – a project with the potential to create thousands of construction jobs, and thousands of additional jobs once the hub is operational; and
*Enacting legislation to help construct and develop high-tech data centers.
While enacting these key jobs proposals is critical for continued economic growth in Missouri, Gov. Nixon also said the state must be able to pay for these additional investments, and tax credit reform legislation to ensure continued fiscal discipline must be passed.
In his proclamation, Gov. Nixon also asked the General Assembly to take up three additional proposals during the session: moving Missouri’s Presidential primary to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each Presidential election year; enacting legislation authorizing the transition of governing the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from a board of police commissioners to the City of St. Louis; and authorizing tax credits to help attract amateur sporting events to Missouri.