(Missourinet) – A state audit has identified several issues involving open records, lobbyist contributions and personnel policies in the Missouri legislature.

State Auditor Nicole Galloway says the Missouri Senate is violating state law by maintaining a bank account outside the state treasury. Two prior audits found the same issue. The fund allows lobbyists to provide meals to Senate members and staff when working late during session.

“This lobbyist-funded bank account supplies meals to Senators and their state employees during session, even though Senators get about $100 daily allowance for meals and other items, a $100 per diem,” Galloway said. “Since the House and Senate receive this daily allowance meant to cover meals, it appears that there is no need for this lobbyist-funded state bank account.”

The account included $6,500 during a two year period.

Senate officials say they understand why closing the account is recommended, but they say “there’s no apparent solution that works operationally for the Senate.” They say they will look for other ways to pay for meals.

House members and staff are not provided meals by lobbyists when working late.

The report also says Missouri House employees earn more annual leave per month compared to other state workers.

“There’s no documentation or reason provided for that increased benefit,” Galloway said.

A state audit found that House staff receives 10 hours of annual leave per month during the first 5 years of employment. Most state workers earn 10 hours of annual leave each month during the first 10 years.

Galloway says records are also missing for some interim committees charged with addressing policy issues.

“We found several instances in which records that should exist from these committees were not available or maybe did not exist at all and several instances in which these committees weren’t meeting as required and therefore didn’t have minutes and final policy reports,” Galloway said.

Galloway also says both chambers have not defined what records are open or closed. Senate officials say they will consider amending the law to clarify which records are public and private. House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) says the findings will be reviewed to look for improvements.

The audit made recommendations in several other areas, including creating protections for whistleblowers when reporting abuse or violations in the workplace, allowing leave time to employees with family members returning from a military deployment and developing an equal opportunity employment policy to address requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

(Missourinet) – Drinking water tests in St. Louis Public Schools have found elevated levels of lead in 32 of the district’s 72 buildings.

There were 45 of the nearly 800 water sources that exceeded the EPA’s guidelines and 43 others that exceeded the district’s own standards.

Some say aging buildings and pipes could be the culprit. Attorney General Chris Koster says under funding Missouri’s schools leads to delayed maintenance on things like pipes, faucets and fountains. He says some of the district pipes should’ve been replaced long ago.

Koster notes a recent state audit that says Missouri’s public buildings need $600 million in repairs and upgrades.

The district’s water sources containing high lead levels have been turned off and bottled water is being provided at 13 schools. The St. Louis Public School board approved Thursday $1 million to lower the lead levels in nearly half of its school buildings.

(Missourinet) – The Missouri Department of Agriculture says about 350,000 people attended the 2016 State Fair in Sedalia, which is at or slightly above last year.

MDA Legislative Affairs Director Tony Benz says vendors were pleased with the traffic.

“We had roughly 200 more entries in our 4-H and FFA competitions, 200 more exhibits, than we had the previous year,” Benz says.

Benz says there were also 1,200 more beef cattle than last year.

Benz told a Missouri House Committee on Thursday that the Fair included some record attendance numbers for two days.

“The first Sunday of the Missouri State Fair is Military Appreciation Day, and our Department hosts a Military Appreciation Day event on that Sunday, and it set record attendance on that first Sunday for that day,” Benz says.

Military Appreciation Day included free gate admission for active military, veterans and recruits with appropriate ID, and $1 gate admission for immediate family members.

Benz told lawmakers that there was record attendance on Monday, August 15.

Benz says the State Fair was blessed with good weather. He also says they’re still finalizing the attendance numbers, because some of the tickets were sold at MFA Oil and other facilities.

(Missourinet) – Several new Missouri laws take effect Sunday. The legislature passed 149 bills during its regular session this year. Some of those have been signed by Governor Jay Nixon (D) or will automatically become law on August 28. Others have been vetoed by Nixon that some lawmakers could seek an override for during the legislature’s veto session next month. Here are the ten laws that stand out:

State officials must ‘cool off’ before becoming lobbyists

State elected and Senate-confirmed appointed officials must wait six months after their term ends before they can become a lobbyist. The bill, sponsored by Columbia Republican Representative Caleb Rowden, was part of several ethics proposals offered this year. House Speaker Todd Richardson pledged to ‘clean up’ the public’s perception of state lawmakers, after scandals surfaced in 2015 between two Missouri legislators and capitol interns.

Lawmakers-turned-lobbyists must end committees and return money

Another ethics bill becoming law requires former members of the General Assembly registering as lobbyists to end their campaign committees. The measure, sponsored by Senator Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis), also requires ex-legislators to return the money to their donors or give it to a nonprofit or political party committee.

State elected officials can’t be hired as political consultants

State legislators and statewide elected officials will be barred from hiring one another as political consultants. Ballwin Republican Representative Shamed Dogan’s proposal also prohibits them from working for committees that support a candidate, issue or ballot measure. The proposal does not include elected officials’ staff.

Third party will verify eligibility of Medicaid recipients

The legislature passed this session Cassville Republican state Senator David Sater’s bill that will allow the state to hire someone to verify eligibility for those on Medicaid. The company would flag those it thinks aren’t eligible but the Department of Social Services would make the final decision. Sater says the measure could save the state millions of dollars.

Regulations for Fantasy sports industry

Fantasy sports companies will have to start paying an annual operating fee of 11.5% of its net revenue from Missouri participants for the previous year. To pay for investigating and licensing of operators, the Missouri Gaming Commission will collect an application fee of $10,000 or 10% of the operator’s net revenue for the previous year, whichever is less. The measure, sponsored by Representative Scott Fitzpatrick (R-Shell Knob) also requires operators to verify that participants are at least 18 years old.

Juvenile life without parole sentencing

Springfield Republican state Senator Bob Dixon’s measure will make Missouri compliant with federal sentencing laws for juveniles guilty of first-degree murder. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that Missouri must offer another sentencing option for juveniles guilty of murder, not just life without parole. The legislation allows a life without parole or a minimum 25-year sentence for those under 18.

Limits on non-traffic violations

The measure caps how much cities can collect from citizens for minor ordinance violations. First-time offenses are limited to $200 fines and citizens can no longer be jailed for nonpayment. It also lowers the cap on fines and costs for minor traffic violations. Glendale Republican Senator Eric Schmitt’s bill expands on legislation that last year limited municipal traffic fines and fees.

Sex advertising with trafficking victims banned

A house bill sponsored by Representative Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) will make the advertising of sex with victims of trafficking a felony. The bill will also add such advertising to the state’s definition of trafficking, which is a felony punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or 10-years in prison or life, depending on the age of the victim.

Increase in asset limits for some applying for Medicaid

The measure aims to make it easier for disabled and elderly Missourians to qualify for Medicaid. It increases the amount they can have in savings or other assets, and still qualify for coverage. Starting in 2018, the asset limits increase from $1,000 to $5,000. For couples, the limit increases from $2,000 to $10,000. Lawmakers project the law will add about 10,000 people on to Missouri’s Medicaid program.

Schools required to make youth suicide and cyber bullying prevention policy

Representative Sue Allen (R-Town and Country) says her bill requires the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to develop guidelines and training materials about youth suicide and cyber bullying prevention. Each school district in Missouri must have these prevention policies in place by 2018.  It also clarifies the definition of bullying and includes the definition of cyber bullying in state statutes regarding schools’ anti-bullying policies. Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, licensed educators will be able to annually complete up to two hours of training or professional development in youth suicide awareness and prevention to satisfy a portion of the hours required for professional development.

(Missourinet) – A lawmaker in charge of finances isn’t sure if the state can avoid more cuts to programs.

Governor Jay Nixon withheld $155 million in spending when tax collections fell short of expectations in the last fiscal year.

In the current year which started in July, the state is projecting a four percent increase in collections, but admits there will need to be a rise of seven percent to avoid another shortfall.  Newly installed House Budget Committee Chairman Scott Fitzpatrick (R-Shell Knob) is not optimistic about the outcome.

“I think it’s going to be hard to achieve the necessary growth for the budget to not require any withholds.  So, yes that’s definitely a concern,” Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick cautions that it’s too early to know how tax collections will pan out over the rest of the year.  If tax collections exceed estimates, it’s possible there will be enough money to refill the cuts Governor Nixon made.  If collections fall short, those cuts could become permanent.

Fitzpatrick said he thinks the state will have a better handle on its finances by December when revenue estimates will be revised.  That process will include a governor elect, as Nixon will be leaving due to term limits.

“That person will probably be key in that discussion on coming up with an estimate,” Fitzpatrick said.

The new governor, along with Fitzpatrick and the yet to be named Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman will formulate new estimates for the rest of the fiscal year as part of the Consensus Revenue Estimate (CRE).

Among the other things Fitzpatrick wants to do as head of the House Budget Committee is increase the wages of state employees.

“You can’t pay the worst of anybody in the country and expect to hear that talented people are going to stick around for a long time,” Fitzpatrick said.

He also says he wants to pass a conservative budget to ensure the state has ample funding in case revenues don’t meet expectations, as they failed to do in 2016.

(Missourinet) – A new program at the University of Missouri is seeking to boost mental health care in rural areas.  The school’s received a $700,000 federal grant to train psychologists for work in parts of the state where specialized care’s not offered.

Dr. Laura Schopp with the MU Health System says the goal is to provide patients with mental therapy in addition to the physical health treatment they’re getting.

“We know it’s not enough, for example, when a patient comes into the doctor’s office, the doctor says ‘You should really quit smoking.’ A few patients do, but most aren’t able to do it just on that recommendation alone,” Schopp said. “So we know we have to come in and deliver support services and help that patient get motivated, stay motivated and have the skills they need to manage their chronic health conditions.”

Schopp contends people in less populated communities are more likely than their urban counterparts to suffer from a number of illnesses.

“Our biggest issues are depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and developmental disorders like autism,” Schopp said.

Schopp said people in less populated communities have very little access to specialized care.

“We do know, both anecdotally and from previous studies, if you live in a rural area and you need high end, specialized care, it’s very, very difficult,” Schopp said.

Under the program, psychology students who are just short of a doctorate degree will be trained to work alongside primary care doctors.  Schopp said the funding will support 5 interns per year to be sent out to under-served communities in the state.  She said more than half of Missourians who have a mental health problem do not receive treatment.

(Missourinet) – There have been 45 workplace deaths since October in a four state region – 24 of those have been in Missouri.

That’s according to OSHA acting regional administrator Bonita Winingham.

“Missouri has more employers than the other states,” Winingham said. “So if you look at it based on employees that are exposed to determine what the ratio is in relation to the workers, we have to look at it more that way than just total aggregate number.”

OSHA’s Region 7 covers private business employees in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. Iowa has its own state OSHA program that covers public and private workers. Federal OSHA has jurisdiction in Iowa for federal agencies, government-owned contractor facilities and businesses that load and unload barges.

OSHA covers approximately 182,500 businesses in Missouri, nearly 82,000 in Kansas and more than 67,000 in Nebraska.

Winingham said two or three heat related deaths have also occurred this year in the region – all being in Missouri.

She said she wants employers to work with OSHA to try to ensure worker safety.

“There’s a myth out there that if you call OSHA for help, you’re going to be inspected. That is not the case,” Winingham said. “Our goal is really to help these employers improve the safety and health in their workplaces so all those employees go home safe and healthy to their families at the end of the day.”

Employers can get advice by calling OSHA’s Hotline: 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or by going to its website: www.osha.gov

(Missourinet) – A circuit court in Jefferson City’s ruled against a challenge to a ballot initiative to raise the state’s cigarette tax.

The challenge claimed signatures for the initiative were invalid because its language was modified after the signatures were collected.

The judge ruled the signatures to be valid, and Secretary of State Jason Kander within the law to certify them.  Two tobacco retailers, one in Springfield, the other in Joplin, filed suit against Kander and Raise Your Hand for Kids, the group backing the initiative.

Jack Cardetti, who represents the measure’s proponents, said the judge’s decision protects the rights of those who signed the petition.

“The ruling that came out spells out really clearly that the ballot initiative is one of the purest forms of participatory democracy,” Cardetti said.

If the cigarette tax were to become law, the money it raises would go toward early childhood programs. Cardetti claims the measure is a common sense proposal.

“Missouri has the lowest cigarette tax in the entire nation,” Cardetti said. “This would modestly raise that cigarette tax.  And then they would fund early childhood education.”

Attorney Chuck Hatfield, who represents the measure’s opponents, isn’t backing off his claim that the signatures should be disqualified.

“It’s not OK to mislead people into signing an initiative and then say ‘Well, we’ll just stick it on the ballot,'” Hatfield said. “The truth of the matter is that this initiative is going on the ballot because signatures were gathered using a misleading ballot title.”

Hatfield notes there’s never been a similar court case in Missouri, so there’s no guidance on whether or not the signatures count.  He says he’s filing to have the suit heard in the state’s Western District Court of Appeals.

In a statement supporting the judges decision, Secretary of State Jason Kander said, “I applaud the Cole County Circuit Court’s decision today to uphold the signatures of more than 200,000 registered Missouri voters who legally signed the initiative petition. As the Court agreed, the intent of the law is not to disenfranchise Missourians who have legally signed a petition, which is why this petition should remain on the ballot so voters can decide on its merits.”

(Missourinet) – Science Fiction author Robert Heinlein is the latest inductee into the Hall of Famous Missourians.

Heinlein was one of the most dominant and best-selling writers in the genre for several decades.  He was also the first Science Fiction author to break into mainstream publications in the 1940s, and won an Oscar for his movie “Destination Moon” in 1950.

Dr. Keith Kato of the Heinlein Society said his work inspired generations of young people to become problem solvers.

“He had drawer after drawer after drawer full of letters from around the world stating ‘I became a scientist, I became engineer, I became a technologist, because I was inspired by your writing,’” Kato said. “Since he had no children, he felt that was his greatest single contribution to our species.”

In addition, Kato said the author’s work drew the respect of people in technical fields such as space exploration.

“At one time, half of NASA managers and two-thirds of NASA engineers were fans,” Kato said.

Kato also contends Heinlein’s work remains relevant today.

“Even now, 28 years after his death, the royalties on his books exceed something like $300,000 a year,” Kato said.

Heinlein was known for blending realistic science into his readable writing style.  Four of his works won the science fiction genre’s coveted Hugo Award.  Among them were “Double Star,” “Starship Troopers,” “Stranger In A Strange Land” and “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.”

Heinlein was born in Butler, Missouri, in 1907 and raised in Kansas City.  He was active as an author over portions of six decades until his death in 1988.

Heinlein is the 46th inductee into the Hall of Famous Missourians, joining legends such as Mark Twain and Walt Disney.  He’s only the second inductee selected by a public vote.  Inductees prior to 2013 were chosen by the Speaker of the Missouri House.