(Missourinet) – Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard (R-Joplin) said the relationship between lawmakers and University of Missouri officials is “terrible.” There have been several issues spanning over recent months between Mizzou and the legislature that could support Richard’s argument.

Legislative investigation of Planned Parenthood

Undercover videos released last year alleging that Planned Parenthood illegally profited from the sale of fetal tissue led to the creation of a Senate interim ‘Sanctity of Life’ committee. The panel was charged with investigating if there were any state laws broken by Planned Parenthood in Missouri.

In August, then-Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin testified before the committee. In September the University of Missouri ended the type of privileges Doctor Colleen McNicholas claimed as allowing her to perform abortions there.

Under state law, abortion providers are considered ambulatory surgical centers. Doctors at such clinics must have privileges to perform surgery at a nearby hospital or a written agreement with a hospital to take patients for emergency services.

Since McNicholas no longer had the privileges, the Missouri Department of Health was set to revoke the license of the Columbia Planned Parenthood facility on Dec. 1.  Planned Parenthood has been battling the state in court over its license ever since.  The Department of Health told a House committee no abortions have been performed there since December 1.

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat, said his office’s investigation of Planned Parenthood in Missouri found no evidence to suggest that the organization’s St. Louis facility is breaking any state laws. The office opened an investigation shortly after the release of the undercover videos.

Senator Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), chairman of the Senate interim ‘Santity of Life’ committee called that investigation “incomplete.” He said his committee investigating Planned Parenthood still has work to do.

“They just looked at some representative documents from a very narrow window, a very narrow timeframe, and didn’t actually talk to any witnesses,” Schaefer said was his understanding.

The Attorney General’s office said it conducted “multiple interviews of representatives” of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis and the pathology laboratory that examines the fetal remains that result from abortions performed there, but Schaefer says he believes those spoken to were only attorneys.

Pro-Choice advocates have said that Schaefer’s intentions are politically motivated. Schaefer is running for the Republican nomination for Missouri Attorney General.

Campus protests

Two issues were the subjects of protests at the University of Missouri last fall. One was abruptly taking away the health care subsidies from graduate assistants. The subsidies were reinstated shortly after those protests.

The second was what protesters called a lack of response to incidents of racism on the Columbia campus.  Student Johnathan Butler and the Mizzou football team also protested. Butler went on a hunger strike for several days. Football players refused to practice or play games.

Criticism over what were called missed opportunities for then-President Tim Wolfe to address racism on campus led to a bipartisan call from state lawmakers for him to step down.

Wolfe resigned shortly after the protests began and then-Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin announced that he would transfer to another position with the university.

Click calls for muscle

Senator Richard said part of the reason there’s been a strained relationship between Mizzou officials and lawmakers is the handling of communications professor Melissa Click, who asked for “some muscle” to block a student journalist’s access during the anti-racism protests on campus.

Click was suspended this week by the MU Board of Curators.

“I understand she’s on leave, but she’s on paid leave. That’s unacceptable,” said Richard.

Senator Bob Onder (R-Lake St. Louis) agrees with Richard.

“The University of Missouri has problems well beyond professor Click. You all as journalists should understand the appalling misbehavior of that woman, not only of assault laws but her absolute journalistic malpractice,” said Onder.

More than 100 lawmakers have demanded that Click be fired, but more than 100 members of the Mizzou faculty have signed a letter in support of Click.

Lawmaker pre-files bill in response to Mizzou protests

Representative Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville) pre-filed a bill in response to the Mizzou football team boycott. He pulled his bill shortly after. It would have revoked the scholarship of any public college athlete in Missouri who refused to pay for a non-health reason.

“We saw a coach give his blessing to students to hold a university hostage and refuse to play until they (university officials) give into their demands. “I hope we don’t end up having to pass this legislation,” said Brattin. “I hope the university steps up and does what they should’ve done to begin with and put a stop to this type of behavior and actually enforce rules and regulations that are already there.”

Brattin’s bill would have fined a coach an unknown amount if they endorsed a strike by players.

Some legislators have suggested that the way Mizzou officials handled the fall protests could impact the University’s budget.

A bill that would require annual audits by the State Auditor was heard in a Senate committee this week. Lawmakers have also filed bills that would control faculty teaching waivers and other parts of university operations.

Wolfe email blasts Loftin, Senator, Curator and football team

In an email that circulated this week to the media, Tim Wolfe accused Senator  Schaefer of telling R. Bowen Loftin what to say to a committee investigating Planned Parenthood that’s chaired by Schaefer.

Wolfe accused Schaefer of trying to stop MU professor Josh Hawley from opposing Schaefer in the race for Attorney General.

Wolfe also blamed Loftin for much of the unrest at Mizzou last fall, including the anti-racism campus protests. In the email, Wolfe said he resigned because he had information about a Ferguson-like event on campus, but he blames Loftin for shifting the Concerned Student 1950 focus to Wolfe out of fear that he would be fired.

He said the football team’s decision to boycott practice and games threw gasoline on a small fire.

Wolfe ended the email by telling supporters he wants more money after agreeing to step down.

Senator Richard did not offer ways to move forward with Mizzou officials but the turmoil the university has gone through in recent months has made some lawmakers very unhappy to the point of using their legislative powers.

(All photos courtesy Missourinet)

(Missourinet) – Suspended University of Missouri Professor Melissa Click will not face a third-degree assault charge if she meets the condititions of a deal with prosecutors.

Click, who called for “some muscle” to block reporters during last fall’s protests on the Columbia campus, must complete 20-hours of community service and commit no violations for one year. She agreed to waive the statute of limitation on the assault charge, which she had pleaded not guilty to earlier this week.

Click was suspended by the MU Board of Curators Wednesday. More than 100 state lawmakers and a member of the Board of Curators had called for her to be fired. In response more than 100 faculty members wrote a letter supporting her.

On Monday, interim Chancellor Hank Foley said he would not rush a decision on whether to fire her or her tenure status.

(Missourinet) – The state Senate is considering proposals that would make it easier for people with some convictions to have them hidden from criminal records.

The bills would expand Missouri’s expungement laws to allow records of more types of crimes to be sealed.

Senator Bob Dixon’s (R-Springfield) bill is supported by multiple groups including Missouri Public Defender System and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. He thinks it’s time to offer more expungement possibilities.

“What I believe is at hand is the time for the legislature to have a very frank discussion about a real expungement process that provides a path of restoration to those who have done wrong but have learned from their mistakes and have corrected their ways over a period of time so that they can, among other things, find employment,” said Dixon.

The bills would allow more types of convictions to be expunged while still excluding it for some; particularly assaults, crimes involving a weapon, and sex crimes.

Lawmakers must decide how much it would cost to apply for an expungement. Dixon proposes increasing the application fee to $500. Legislation filed by Senator Kiki Curls (D-Kansas City) would keep it at the current $100, while a bill offered by Senator Jamilah Nasheed would waive an application fee.

Senator Bob Onder (R-Lake Saint Louis) said it shouldn’t be increased any more than necessary.

“I don’t think this is a group of folks we need to be making a lot of money on or taxing,” said Onder. “If the state broke even on this we’d more than benefit by the increased productivity of the people allowed to get jobs and better their livelihoods under this.”

The proposals would also lessen the time a person must wait after a conviction to seek an expungement from the current 20 years to as few as three years for non-felonies.

The three proposals are awaiting votes in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence.

(Missourinet) – The State Tax Commission has proposed increasing the value of the best producing farm land by about 5%. Senate Ag Committee Chairman Brian Munzlinger (R-Williamstown) expects his chamber to agree with the state House and block a proposed increase in ag land property tax values.

Munzlinger said the timing would be bad. Values were increased last year – the only increase since 1995.

“With all the disasters we’ve had and the flood issues, 2015 was not a really good year for agriculture in Missouri,” said Munzlinger. “They can only look at a 15-year rearview mirror, which, I like to look ahead. Things don’t look that good with the price of crops are half of what they’ve been and the price of cattle is in quite a slump.”

The House voted last week to reject the Commission’s recommended increase. Similar resolutions have been filed in the Senate.

Mike Deering with the Missouri Cattlemen said lawmakers from all walks think the increase would be poorly timed.

“A 600 lb. calf today would bring about $500 less than the same calf would have brought just a few months ago,” said Deering. “Given the floods and weather, it’s just not the time for a tax increase.”

The state Tax Commission based its recommendation on those of the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute.

(Missourinet) – Governor Jay Nixon’s (D) proposed budget is $27.3 billion for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Senate Budget committee chairman Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) said Nixon’s request to spend $277 million more for Medicaid is not realistic. Schaefer said the Governor wants extravagant welfare increases.

“I don’t think that’s going to be taken well in the General Assembly,” said Schaefer. “Not just on policy grounds, but on sheer fiscal spending grounds. It doesn’t appear that we have as much money to spend as the Governor wants to spend on some of those increases.”
Under Nixon’s proposal, the Foundation Formula, which funds K-12 public schools, would increase by $85 million.

“The Governor’s own budget has the K-12 Foundation Formula for $400 million underfunded, which is pretty consistent for the last three or four years,” said Schaefer. “In large part, because general revenue that would go to K-12 schools, is going to that continuous increase in Medicaid.”

A Senate committee hearing will be held Monday to discuss the Governor’s proposed budget.

(Missourinet) – Governor Jay Nixon thinks daily fantasy sports should pay up. During his State of the State address last night, he said the industry needs to be regulated in Missouri.

“Let’s work together to protect kids and consumers by reining in the billion-dollar fantasy daily sports industry,” said Nixon. “Let’s get real. This is gambling, kids are playing and it’s completely unregulated. There are lobbyists in this building who want to keep it that way.”

Nixon said daily fantasy sports should be taxed, just like casinos are.

“This industry should follow the law, play by the rules and pay its fair share,” said Nixon.

According to Nixon, taxing it could mean millions of dollars a year in revenue for things like education.

Last month, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan issued an opinion that fantasy sports contests offered by FanDuel and DraftKings “clearly constitute gambling” and are therefore illegal under Illinois law. Fantasy sports websites have been outlawed in other states.

Earlier this month, California lawmakers took a step toward permitting, taxing and regulating the industry. A California Assembly committee approved a bill that would allow fantasy sports websites to operate in the state if they obtain a license and pay an annual regulatory fee.

Website operators would have to undergo a background check and pay taxes on their profits and report player winnings to the state. The winnings would then be taxed. Licensed operators would be responsible for determining that players are eligible adults and that there is no fraud in the games.

More than 100 state lawmakers have called for the resignation of a University of Missouri communications professor for blocking reporters’ access during anti-racism school protests last fall. In a letter to the MU Board of Curators, the lawmakers demanded the immediate removal of Melissa Click. Governor Jay Nixon said discussions on First Amendment rights are okay but Mizzou leaders should be the ones to decide if Click stays or goes.

“I’m not going to micro manage the university. I don’t call Chancellor Foley or the President up and tell them who to hire and fire,” said Nixon. “The Legislature certainly has opinions and quite frankly, I thought the conduct was unacceptable but that’s me talking.”
Nixon said the state has to move forward on the issue.

“Whether the conduct was unacceptable or not, we certainly have First Amendment rights to talk about it,” said Nixon. “But, this institution is far too important to the future of our state and far too vital to the economic mission for people to talk about fiscal punishment for personnel issues.”

University of Missouri Curator David Steelman said Click should be fired.

“This really isn’t a debatable issue. It really is not,” said Steelman. “I love our university but frankly, I think it’s a little ridiculous that it’s taken this long. I am a lawyer. There’s no question that the threat of physical force, which is what she did, is an assault.”

Steelman said holding people accountable at the university is important.

A video showed Click calling for “some muscle” to block a reporter from protesters last fall’s demonstrations. She issued a statement saying she has apologized to the reporters in the video.

Protesters called for the resignation of then-President Tim Wolfe for his handling of incidents of racism last year on campus.

(Missourinet) – A bill to let domestic violence victims keep their cell phone numbers so they can move on will be heard by a Senate committee today.

The bill would let cell phone providers transfer rights to a cell phone number and billing responsibility to a person when that person has an order of protection against the account holder.

Colleen Coble with the Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence says that can make a big difference when trying to rebuild a life…

“It may not seem like an important thing, but in the midst of that difficulty being able to have a consistent cell phone number is really very important,” Coble told Missourinet. “It’s pretty essential to have that consistency, and it’s just a contract provision that can be changed quite easily in state law.”

Coble says wireless companies that serve Missouri are behind the proposal.

“They are the primary backers in collaboration with the Coalition to have this piece of legislation enacted,” said Coble. “They are proposing this measure, supporting it, to ensure that valuable customers don’t lose their cell phone numbers and don’t have disruptions in their lives when they’re already facing the after-effects and the ongoing troubles from domestic violence.”

The bill is sponsored by Senator Ryan Silvey (R-Kansas City).