(Missourinet) – Legislation aimed at creating about 500 new jobs in impoverished southeast Missouri was approved by the House on Wednesday, after a marathon five hour debate.
The House voted 120-17 to approve State Rep. Don Rone’s (R-Portageville) Noranda/steel mill bill.
Supporters say the jobs would be created in the Bootheel. Governor Eric Greitens (R) called the special session. He tells Missourinet that nine of the ten poorest counties in the state are in southeast Missouri.
Wednesday’s vote came one day after about 250 Bootheel residents rallied at the Statehouse in Jefferson City, along with Gov. Greitens and Rone.
Rone’s bill had strong Democratic House support on Wednesday, including from State Rep. Greg Razer (D-Kansas City). The freshman lawmaker graduated from Cooter High School in Pemiscot County in 1996.
“When I go home to visit family and friends and I drive around, I am struck by that poverty, by that lack of opportunity that you see in New Madrid County, Pemiscot, Dunklin,” Razer said.
House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) said the proposed smelter and steel mill would be located in the St. Jude’s Industrial Park in New Madrid.
About 900 people lost their jobs when the Noranda smelter closed in 2016.
Rone said the average salary for smelter employees would be $95,000. Rone also said that the managers at the smelter would earn about $125,000.
State Rep. Tracy McCreery (D-Olivette) said she worries about the impact the bill will have on Ameren ratepayers.
McCreery describes the Rone bill as a “giveaway” to Ameren. She said her constituents are Ameren ratepayers and that residents in New Madrid and Sikeston are not Ameren customers.
State Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Peters) offered an amendment aimed at protecting Ameren ratepayers. The House rejected the Christofanelli amendment, and many of the “no” votes were Republicans.
Of the 17 “no” votes on the Rone bill, nine came from Republicans including State Reps. Paul Curtman (R-Union) and Nick Schroer (R-O’Fallon). The other eight “no” votes came from Democrats, including McCreery and House Assistant Minority Floor Leader Gina Mitten (D-St. Louis).
The Missouri Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing Thursday morning on Rone’s Noranda/steel mill legislation.