Nodaway County is Certified Work Ready Community

Gov. Jay Nixon visited St. Francis Hospital in Maryville to congratulate Nodaway County leaders for being designated a Certified Work Ready Community. Gov. Nixon said Nodaway County’s successful efforts to strengthen its workforce training program is helping to attract and retain jobs to the community.

“Nodaway County brought together local businesses, educators and economic development leaders to earn this important designation certifying that the local workforce is ready to compete and win in the global economy,” Gov. Nixon said. “This is an outstanding example of what is possible when a community sets its sights on excellence and works hard to achieve it. I congratulate everyone here in Nodaway County on becoming a Certified Work Ready Community.”

“The Certified Work Ready Community program is a great way to assess the skill level of our existing and emerging workforce. This program allows us to firmly understand the strengths and weaknesses of our labor base so that we can shape local workforce efforts,” said Joshua McKim of Nodaway County Economic Development. “In addition, the CWRC is a great tool for the recruitment of investment, whether you are dealing with new or existing employers.”

In 2012, Missouri was selected as one of the first four states to participate in the Certified Work Ready Communities initiative by American College Testing (ACT). The initiative aligns workforce training programs with the economic development needs of communities; matches appropriate applicants to jobs based on skill level; and strengthens businesses by strengthening the workforce.
Jasper County, Missouri was named the first Certified Work Ready Community in the nation, and Missouri has 81 counties that are actively participating in the Certified Work Ready Community initiative and 36 fully certified counties.

By participating in the Certified Work Ready Communities initiative, Nodaway County is:
· Helping workers understand what skills are required by employers, and how to prepare themselves for success;
· Helping businesses effectively communicate their workforce needs to area education and workforce training programs;
· Providing educators with the tools needed to close the skills gap by establishing career pathways for students with stackable industry-recognized credentials; and
· Equipping economic development organizations with an on-demand reporting tool to promote the quality of their workforce.

Through this initiative, ACT has also awarded more than 77,000 National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC) to workers in Missouri, including more than 6,520 certificates to Missouri veterans. NCRCs are accepted by more than 10,000 employers nationwide to verify individuals’ work skills.

Various agencies along with dozens of businesses throughout the county joined together to make this designation possible for Nodaway County, including the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, Nodaway County Economic Development, the Missouri Job Center, Kawasaki, SSM Health, Northwest Missouri State University, and Jefferson C-123 and Maryville R-11 School Districts.

Missouri named a Top Ten state for advanced manufacturing growth, continues to lead Midwest, Gov. Nixon announces

Missouri has been named the 6^th best state in the nation for its annual advanced manufacturing industry job growth in a new report from the Brookings Institution, Gov. Nixon announced today. The same report also found that Missouri is the 8^th best state in the nation for output growth of its advanced manufacturing industry.

“When I first came into office, unemployment was at a record high, manufacturing plants were closing, and families were losing their homes,” said Gov. Nixon. “But we rolled up our sleeves, focused our resources and invested in our highly-skilled and talented workforce. These rankings are a testament to our efforts to move Missouri’s economy forward and to create more jobs for Missouri families.”

The Brookings analysis follows the state’s most recent jobs report which indicated that Missouri’s durable goods manufacturing sector led the state’s private-industry employment growth between May and July with more than 6,400 new jobs. Missouri has also led the Midwest for manufacturing growth for the past three consecutive months.

Missouri’s entrepreneurial community continues to attract new companies and attention for its supportive ecosystem, innovative firms, and talented workforce. The Kauffman Foundation recently ranked Missouri 9^th best for Startup Activity, up one spot from the previous year, for its growing density, which came in at 88.3. The foundation also ranked Kansas City 18^th, up 11 spots from 2015, as one of the top metros in the country for Startup Activity.

Business Facilities magazine, a national publication, recently released its 2016 annual state rankings report, which analyzes a variety of economic development benchmarks to determine the top states for a number of categories. This year, Missouri earned a top spot in two of these categories: 7th Best Infrastructure and 10^th for Wind Power Expansion Leaders. In addition to these state rankings, the magazine also recognized several Missouri metros, including Joplin (7^th for Logistics Leaders and 8^th for Best Quality of Life), Kansas City (9^th for Economic Growth Potential), and Springfield (10^th for Entrepreneurial Leaders).

Governor Nixon Signs Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act

Keeping a commitment made in his State of the State address this past January,Gov. Jay Nixon today signed House Bill 1941, the Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act, into law. The Act establishes a number of consumer protection measures and creates a regulatory framework for fantasy sports contests in Missouri.

“When a new frontier of online betting is available at the touch of a screen, we have a responsibility to protect consumers and young people,” Gov. Nixon said. “I appreciate the General Assembly for answering my call to bring forward common-sense consumer protection to make sure fantasy sports gaming in Missouri is operated responsibly and with accountability.”

Under the Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act, the Missouri Gaming Commission will exercise broad regulatory authority over the operators of fantasy sports sites. This authority will include the ability for the Commission to investigate and license operators, as well as take action against operators who violate the Act.

To pay for the investigation and licensing of operators, the Commission will collect an application fee of $10,000 or 10 percent of the fantasy sports operator’s net revenue from Missouri participants for the previous year, whichever is less. In addition to the application fee, licensed operators will be required to pay an annual operation fee of 11.5 percent of its net revenue from Missouri participants for the previous year. The revenue collected from the operation fee will be deposited into the Gaming Proceeds for Education Fund.

The Missouri Fantasy Sports Consumer Protection Act provides numerous consumer protections, including prohibiting employees of fantasy sport companies from playing in contests offered to the public. Other consumer protections include:

§ Prohibiting contests based on college, high school and youth sports;
§ Mandating participant funds be segregated from operating funds and preventing unauthorized withdrawals;
§ Prohibiting participants under the age of 18 and requiring operators to have age-verification procedures;
§ Ensuring that prizes are deposited into a participant’s account within 48 hours;
§ Establishing complaint procedures;
§ Requiring licensed operators to develop and maintain online self-exclusion forms and processes;
§ Imposing advertising restrictions on licensed operators, including restrictions on advertisements targeting those less than 18 years of age, those who have self-excluded themselves, and those on the Commission’s voluntary exclusion list and disassociated persons list;
§ Prohibiting licensed operators from issuing credit to participant s and prohibiting an individual participant from opening multiple accounts;
§ Regulating the use of scripts; and
§ Requiring licensed operators to conduct and pay for annual independent financial audits to ensure compliance with the act.

Gov. Nixon signs seven bills, including legislation to combat identity theft and protect victims of domestic violence

Gov. Jay Nixon Monday signed seven bills, including Senate Bill 624 to help combat identity theft by criminalizing the knowing possession of fraudulently obtained credit or debit devices.  Current law does not allow charges to be brought against individuals who possess stolen credit information unless there is evidence that the information has been used.

“Identity theft is a real and growing problem, and that’s why I’m pleased the General Assembly came together in a bipartisan way to strengthen our laws in this area,” Gov. Nixon said.  “By criminalizing the possession of stolen credit card information, this bill will provide law enforcement with another tool to hold hackers and identity thieves accountable.”

The bill also clarifies that stealing against a financial institution is a class B felony regardless of whether force is used.

Gov. Nixon also today signed Senate Bill 838 to help victims of domestic violence by allowing them to retain their cell phone numbers and services separate from the wireless accounts of their abusers.  Under the legislation, full orders of protection will permit wireless service providers to transfer the victim’s cell phone service to a new account where they can retain their wireless services and associated telephone numbers.

The Governor also signed:

·         House Bill 1443 allowing LAGERS (Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System) member political subdivisions to move prior non-LAGERS retirement plans into the LAGERS retirement system.  HB 1443 addresses problems identified by the Governor in a previously vetoed version of the bill.

·         House Bill 1530, which brings Missouri into compliance with federal laws requiring the collection of certain unemployment debt through the Treasury Offset Program and requiring that 15 percent of any assessed penalty be paid into the Unemployment Compensation Fund, a benefit fund;

·         House Bill 1593 to exempt county collectors from the 10 penalty for untimely distribution of taxes collected if the taxes are subject to a taxpayer protest or disputed assessment; 

·         House Bill 1721 modifying the manner and frequency in which a supervisory committee of a credit union verifies its member accounts so it conforms to the manner and frequency proscribed in federal law; and 

·         Senate Bill 660, which changes the amount that banking corporations or associations bidding to become the depositaries of the funds of a county are required to submit to not less than $2,500.

Governor Nixon Signs Step Therapy Reform Bill

Step therapy reform legislation sponsored by state Rep. Denny Hoskins was signed into law this week by Governor Jay Nixon.

“As lawmakers, it’s our responsibility to do what’s right to help ensure Missouri residents have the best access to the most effective treatments,” said Hoskins, R-Warrensburg. “Only patients and their doctors know what medicines will work best for them—not insurance companies. I’m glad that Governor Nixon heard the many voices of patients who spoke out about their issues in accessing their needed medications.”

HB 2029 will ensure patients have access to the medication that their doctor prescribes, and limits insurance company interference in the prescribing practice of physicians.

Step therapy is a cost savings tool utilized by the insurance industry that forces patients to take and fail on medications other than what their health care provider has prescribed, before their insurer will cover the cost of the original medication.

Step therapy protocols can be harmful to patients both financially and physically, causing an undue wait for the proper treatment and in some cases a worsening of a person’s medical condition.  Step therapy does not take into account an individual’s medical history or other factors, but instead relies upon a pre-determined prescription drug formulary or protocol.

The new law doesn’t ban step therapy, nor the number of steps insurers can implement, and it doesn’t prohibit insurers from having patients try a generic version of a medication. HB 2029 does however say that once a patient has gone through step therapy and is stable on a medication that the patient will not have to go through step therapy again just because they change doctors, insurance or if the medication is reclassified. Furthermore, the legislation does provide a standard and transparent process for health care providers to appeal step therapy requirements for patients based on their individual medical needs.

HB 2029 was supported by more than a dozen patient advocacy organizations who shared stories of the negative impact step therapy has had on their medical conditions.

Step therapy reform legislation has been passed in additional states this year, including Illinois, Indiana and West Virginia.  Other states including New York, Ohio and North Carolina have similar legislation pending.

Gov. Nixon signs legislation to expand Medicaid eligibility for aged, blind and disabled

During a visit to the non-profit organization Paraquad today, Gov. Jay Nixon signed House Bill 1565, which makes it easier for Missourians who are elderly, blind or disabled to qualify for Medicaid, including in-home and community-based services. The new law, passed with strong bipartisan support in the General Assembly, increases the asset limit to qualify for Medicaid coverage for the aged, blind and disabled for the first time in more than 40 years. The current asset limit is $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples living together.

“This will help thousands of Missourians live more independent lives,” Gov. Nixon said. “These are folks who just want a chance to be responsible and save for the future, but a law written more than 40 years ago wouldn’t let them. Today, we’re doing something about that.”

Aimee Wehmeier, President and CEO of Paraquad, said low asset limits in Missouri have historically compelled people with significant disabilities to make difficult decisions.

“Essentially, we had to choose between saving money and accessing necessary disability-related supports and services,” Wehmeier said. “In the past, being fiscally responsible and saving money meant losing Medicaid benefits, including health care, personal care services and reimbursements for durable medical equipment. Without these vital services, we would not be able to work or live independently. And without the ability to save money, we are not prepared for future health needs or personal emergencies.”

House Bill 1565 increases the asset limits to qualify for Medicaid coverage for the aged, blind and disabled.  Currently, an individual may have no more than $1,000 in assets, while married people living together may have no more than $2,000 in assets. Under this bill, beginning in FY 2018, this limit will increase annually by $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for couples living together until the respective limits reach $5,000 and $10,000 by FY 2021. Additionally, there will be a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year beginning in FY 2022. It is estimated that the law will result in an additional 10,000 Missourians becoming eligible for Medicaid coverage.

The new law continues a record of strengthening mental health and disability services over the past seven years.

In 2010, Gov. Nixon created the Partnership for Hope, which provides home- and community-based services to Missourians with developmental disabilities and their families. The Partnership for Hope, the first of its kind in the nation, is now helping more than 4,375 people with developmental disabilities in 103 counties and the City of St. Louis. 

Also in 2010, Gov. Nixon spearheaded the bipartisan effort to pass the law mandating the coverage of autism diagnosis and treatment. For the first time, insurance companies were required to cover one of the most highly effective types of therapy, Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA. While effective, the cost of ABA can exceed tens of thousands of dollars a year, making insurance coverage necessary for most families.  

In 2015, United Cerebral Palsy ranked Missouri third in the nation – and second most-improved since 2007 – for providing quality services that improve the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. 

Last month, the Governor signed the Fiscal Year 2017 budget, which answers his call for historic investments in services for Missourians with developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance use disorders, increasing state and federal funding for the Department of Mental Health by more than $200 million. Included in this budget is $14 million to ensure that there continues to be no waiting list for in-home services for low-income Missourians with developmental disabilities. When Gov. Nixon took office, many Missourians had to wait months or even years for the services they needed to live independently. Today, that waiting list has been eliminated.

Storms Knock Out Power to 42,000 Customers

Storms that blew through the St. Louis area knocked out power to 42,000 customers last night in Missouri and Illinois, eMissourian and Ameren Electric report. This includes 15,000 in St. Louis County and 20,000 in Missouri. High winds caused some damage as well. The Associated Press reports that Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency in response to the story. There were other outages in the southern part of the state. The Northwest corner of the state was spared the worst of the storm; however, temperatures dropped into the 30's and 40's and the weather continues to be cloudy with a chance of rain.

Gov. Nixon declares state of emergency in Missouri in response to severe winter storm

Gov. Jay Nixon today declared a state of emergency in Missouri in response to severe winter weather that began early this morning, bringing hazardous travel and the possibility of power outages. The weather system has involved a mix of snow, sleet and ice throughout the state, with forecasts of 10 inches or more of snow in some parts of the state and a wintry mix across many other regions of Missouri.

“A severe winter storm continues to bear down on communities across the state,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri stands ready to help communities in need and to deploy the resources to keep folks safe. I urge all Missourians to keep a close eye on the weather and avoid unnecessary travel.”

The State Emergency Operations Center has been actively monitoring the storm system since yesterday. Gov. Nixon has been receiving updates from his emergency management team, including senior officials from the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Missouri National Guard, Missouri State Highway Patrol and State Emergency Management Agency to assess the current weather situation and review the latest forecasts.

Gov. Nixon has also activated the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan, which allows state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions to provide emergency services.

Citizens who need disaster information, shelter information, and referrals are urged to call 211. The 211 Service is now available for most areas of Missouri. In areas where the 211 service is not operational, citizens may call 800-427-4626. 

Gov. Nixon also encourages Missourians to take steps to protect themselves and their families, including:

• Listen to radio, television, or NOAA Weather Radio for weather reports and emergency information, or visit the state’s Web site – MO.gov – for comprehensive emergency information.
• If you must drive, check MO.gov for road conditions before departing. Dial the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s emergency line - *55 from a cellular phone – if you encounter an accident while driving.
• Check on the elderly and neighbors who may be in need of additional assistance. For information about emergency services and resources, visit MO.gov.

For more winter preparedness information, go to MO.gov.

Brad Lager's Capitol Report: The 2013 State of the State Address

Thomas Jefferson, one of our most beloved founding fathers, once said, “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.”  This past week as Governor Jay Nixon delivered the 2013 State of the State address to a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly that statement came to mind as the Governor laid out nearly $26 billion in state government spending.  The simplest way to sum up his plan would be: “spend all the state money, spend all the federal money, borrow some more money and spend it too.” 

During his first four years in office, Gov Nixon proposed budgets that were both fiscally conservative and fiscally responsible.  This year, the Governor is proposing we move in a different direction.  Under the proposal he presented last week, our state government would experience the largest spending plan in history.  On top of that, he is proposing that Missouri move forward with the implementation of the federal healthcare expansions which could add as many as 400,000 new Medicaid recipients and carry a price tag in excess of $1 billion.  And if those were not enough, he has proposed that the General Assembly increase Missouri’s state debt by an additional $1 billion to build new government buildings.

While I disagree with the vast majority of the Governor’s new spending, not everything he has proposed is bad.  For example, I agree with adding more than $160 million to our public schools.  This includes increases for elementary, secondary, higher education and a substantial increase for early childhood education.  I agree with increasing funding for job training so that members of Missouri’s current workforce have the opportunity to keep their skills at a level that increases employment opportunities.  And I agree that we must reform Missouri’s broken tax credit system if we are serious about making our overall tax code fairer and less burdensome.

The good news is that Missouri’s economy is slowly starting to grow.  The bad news is that there are many people in Jefferson City who have forgotten that economic prosperity is driven by the private sector and not bigger government programs.  As we work through the 2013 legislative session, I will do everything I can to hold the line on spending, reduce regulation and mitigate unfair litigation.  With a smaller, less intrusive state government, we can have a more vibrant and robust private sector which will lead to greater economic growth and prosperity.

As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns.  The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 422, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Community leaders plan to deliver letters calling for Medicaid expansion

An organization of religious leaders and community activists -- the Missouri Medicaid Coalition -- presented lawmakers with more than 1,500 letters from concerned citizens.

The letters were delivered to the office of Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town & Country, on Thursday, Jan. 31. Allen serves as the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee on Health, Mental Health and Social Services.

Members of the coalition are calling for state lawmakers to expand Missouri's Medicaid rolls to provide coverage for 260,000 Missourians without health insurance, especially single parents and childless adults.

Retired Jefferson City Rev. John Bennett said that Medicaid expansion is a moral obligation for Missouri legislators. Bennett said his main concern lies with Missouri's uninsured children.

"There is overwhelming moral evidence that Medicaid expansion is necessary for Missouri," Bennett said.

At his State of the State address on Monday, Jan. 28, Gov. Jay Nixon touted the expansion as the right thing to do for the state. The Democratic governor also included funds for expanding Medicaid in his recent budget proposals. The Department of Social Services is looking at one of the largest percentages of budget increases with this new proposal.

"Providing health care for an estimated 300,000 more Missourians -- men, women and children -- who currently have no health insurance is the smart thing to do, and it's the right thing to do," Nixon said in a statement.

Letter to the Editor -- Business as Usual with Jay Nixon

To the Editor:
Late last month Governor Jay Nixon announced he would support an expansion of Missouri’s Medicaid program under ObamaCare. “[Expanding Medicaid is] the smart thing to do, and it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Although one could describe Gov. Nixon’s announcement in many ways, “smart” and “right” would not appear in the parade of appropriate adjectives. Gov. Nixon doesn’t appear to have any plan to pay for the expansion, and he will be on his way out of Jefferson City when the new Medicaid costs begin to hit in earnest in 2017.
It fits a pattern. For decades, American politicians have feasted on the dangerous public misconception that Federal spending through the states is essentially free money. It’s not. Missouri taxpayers are also Federal taxpayers, liable for the debts that the Federal government incurs in their names. There’s no level of government cost splitting that can change the fact that Missourians, their children, and their grandchildren will have to account for this spending.
The move isn’t “smart” or “right.” It is, however, “business as usual,” and Missourians can’t afford that.

Patrick Ishmael
Policy Analyst, The Show-Me Institute
St. Louis

Gov. Nixon voices support for Medicaid expansion

By Matt Evans, Eric Stoyanov and Nick Thompson

(MDN News) -- Gov. Jay Nixon announced his support for expansion of the state's Medicaid program under the new federal health care law.

But his proposal for one of the state's largest Medicaid expansions in history came under immediate attack from top Republican leaders.

At a series of news conferences across the state, Nixon pointed to the federal law that would provide full federal funding for the health care coverage of up to 300,000 recipients for the first three years.

After that, however, the state would have to begin picking up a part of the expense at a cost to the state's budget estimated to exceed $100 million per year.

Republican critics, including the House Speaker and lieutenant governor, argued the state could not afford that cost. Nixon, however cited a University of Missouri study that predicts more than 24,000 jobs can be created in 2014 if the state takes part in the expansion.

While Republicans criticized Nixon's welfare expansion proposal, a slight opening emerged for agreement.

The Republican-leaning Missouri Chamber of Commerce endorsed the expansion, and the Senate's Appropriations Committee chair said he wanted to wait on a decision until he got more information from the administration.

"We support the expansion," chamber spokeswomen Karen Buschmann said. "While we do not support the Affordable Care Act, we are supporting this expansion as part of it. It is the law of the land. We do not feel that we should leave the federal money on the table."  

Under the Affordable Care Act, states must expand the Medicaid program to cover people with incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty line. In upholding the federal law, The U.S. Supreme Court gave states the option to expand the program or not.

Under the expansion proposal, the federal government would foot the bill of expanding the program for the first three years. In 2017, the state would pay 5 percent of the costs and by 2020 the state would pay up to 10 percent.

"Congress passed it, the President signed it, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld it. It is the law of the land," Nixon said during his series of news conferences in St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield.

Nixon's Republican critics charged the governor was expanding the state's largest welfare program, which already costs Missouri $8 billion a year.

"Overwhelming majorities of the legislature are opposed to this and will not go along with a gigantic expansion of welfare," Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder said. "I think those that do support it in the legislature are overwhelmingly outnumbered and that it will not come to a vote in either the House or the Senate."

House Speaker Tim Jones, R-St. Louis County, could not be reached for comment but said in a statement that he is concerned where the funding will come from for the Medicaid expansion.

"Now is not the time to put our state on the end of yet another big-government program that will only increase the burden on future taxpayers," Jones said.

A study commissioned by the Missouri Hospital Association and the Missouri Foundation for Health predicts as many as 220,000 Missourians would be eligible for the expanded program. Other studies, however, project as many as 300,000 people would be eligible in the state.

According to the University of Missouri study, the federal government would pay about $8.2 billion through 2019 while the state would spend about $332.9 million and about $100 million per year after 2019 to cover new enrollees. A report released earlier this week by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Urban Institute projected the federal government's cost at $17.8 billion and with the state's share at $1.6 billion from 2013 to 2022.

Missouri hospitals are also advocating for the expansion, citing losses in federal payments that reimburse hospitals serving large numbers of low-income patients.

A provision of the federal health care law cuts Disproportionate Share Hospital Adjustment Payments (DSH) in half by 2020. Those federal payments go to hospitals that treat large numbers of low-income patients without health coverage. Missouri received the seventh highest DSH funding in the country in 2011.

Dave Dillon, a spokesman for the Missouri Hospital Association, said Missouri hospitals provide $1 billion worth of uncompensated care in any given year.

Dillon said without the expansion, some Missouri hospitals may suffer when the reimbursement payments are cut. The expansion would allow those low-income patients without insurance to enroll in Medicaid, making DSH payments obsolete.

"If they disappear or are substantially reduced and we don't see an increase in Medicaid, or folks enrolling in an exchange, the hospital and health care infrastructure in the state will be significantly hurt by this," Dillon said.   

Gary Munyon Charged Under New Synthetic Cannabinoid Law

Gary Munyon was charged in Worth County Associate Circuit Court with Possession of a Synthetic Cannabinoid. Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Robert Dudick signed a probable cause statement alleging that on March 25th, 2012 on Route YY west of 169 near Grant City, Dudick stopped Munyon for a lane violation. During what Dudick said was a consent search, he found Mr. Marley incense, cigarette papers, a container of Fusion incense, and two containers of Quick Fix Plus. There are many products that are marketed as incense but which produce highs similar to marijuana and which are labeled as not for human consumption. Quick Fix Plus is a synthetic urine that is designed to defeat drug tests.

The probable cause statement by Dudick states that the incense in question was sent to the Highway Patrol crime lab and that it tested positive for controlled substances. The statement said that the defendant admitted that he smoked it to get high, but that he did not think it was illegal to have incense.

In 2011, the Missouri Legislature passed and Governor Jay Nixon signed a law making the sale, distribution, or possession of synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic cocaine illegal. This law also includes K2, certain bath salts, and other substances. Opponents, especially in the Ozarks, said that the new law amounted to an infringement on peoples' rights, saying that it was no more harmful than beer. Others, however, describe violent and abusive behavior and hallucinations that have lasting effects for days. Greene County, MO had people treated at emergency rooms after K2 was smoked. Supporters argue that passage of the law was necessary because it rose to the level of a public health issue.

This year, in 2012, President Obama signed a bill banning synthetic marijuana and other synthetic drugs at the federal level. It costs around $20 per gram and people spend as much as $100-$200 per week on these products.

But the battle on these substances has just begun. There is no specific list of brands available which constitute K2 in Missouri and there is therefore much confusion over what is legal and illegal. And vendors, especially in the south part of the state, are already turning to K2 alternatives which they say are legal. And a basic question for lawmakers is, how far can the government reasonably expect to go? People can get high sniffing common substances such as glue, paint, lighter fluid, fingernail polish, permanent markets, Whiteout, and deodorants. Yet no reasonable person is arguing that we should ban the sale or possession of such substances.

Gov. Nixon challenges hunters to donate 10,000 deer to help feed the hungry

(Missouri Digital News) -- Hitting almost every Bass Pro Shops store in the state of Missouri, Governor Nixon is challenging hunters to donate 10,000 deer to help feed the hungry in the state.

The Share the Harvest program is now it it's 21st year. The program is led by Cheryl Fey of the Missouri Department of Conservation.  

"Let's not let that deer meat go to waste in today's economy. And for some folks, deer meat is healthier," Fey said.

Last year, hunters donated more than 6,000 deer across the state.

During the weekend urban hunt, the Missouri Conservation Federation is footing the bill for all the fees associated with donating a deer to the program.  

Proposition E puts health care exchanges on the November ballot

(Missouri Digital News) -- Although the U.S. Supreme Court has already affirmed the constitutionality of the federal health care law, Missouri voters will get to cast ballots in November on another of the law's key components -- insurance exchanges.

Passage of Proposition E on the November ballot would prohibit Gov. Jay Nixon or any state agency from setting up a health insurance exchange without the approval of the legislature or the state's voters.  

A health insurance exchange is a web-based marketplace for consumers to compare insurance plans. The exchanges are a central part of the federal health care law passed in 2009. They are intended to create competition to help individuals and small businesses purchase insurance to comply with another part of the law that mandates most people own health insurance.

Nixon has said that his administration would not move to set up an insurance exchange by decree. But conservatives say they want to make sure the Democratic governor is barred from doing so if he wins a second term, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law in a 5-4 decision on June 28.

The Supreme Court's ruling, however, makes it nearly certain that the requirement for health care exchanges will take effect unless congressional Republicans repeal the law.

That has groups who supported the law, such as Missouri Health Care for All, arguing that Missouri should simply prepare its own exchange.

"Prop E is really just an attempt to continue to use health care reform for political gain because there's really going to be no practical effect because health reform, the Affordable Care Act, is the law of the land," said MHCA President Susan Talve, a St. Louis rabbi, in a telephone interview.

Missouri Chamber of Commerce endorses Dave Spence for governor

(Missouri Digital News) -- The Missouri Chamber of Commerce is endorsing Republican Dave Spence in his bid to unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Citing Spence's business background, Dan Mehan, president of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, announced the organization is endorsing Spence.

Mehan said he thinks Spence is the best candidate for the job.

"That's what we need right now. We need to show the world and the global economy that Missouri's going to put on an aggressive push to be that place that employers are confident that they can expand their operation or locate in Missouri and that we're going to be absolutely pro-jobs and pro-business and friendly to those entrepreneurs out there that are going to pull us out of a sluggish economy," he said.

Nixon's campaign manager said in an email that Nixon has helped make Missouri's business climate one of the strongest in the nation since taking office.

Contraception Veto Overriden; Foes to Seek Lawsuit

(Missouri Digital News) -- Missouri employers and insurance companies now have a state legal claim to refuse to provide health insurance coverage for contraception.  

Missouri lawmakers met Wednesday, Sept. 12, to override Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's veto. They passed legislation to allow employers and insurers to refuse to provide health insurance coverage of contraception, abortion and sterilization if such procedures violate the employer's religious beliefs.

In an afternoon vote that lasted for several tense minutes, seven House Democrats broke with their party and with the governor to give Republicans the two-thirds majority they needed to overcome Nixon's action and make the measure part of state law in a 109-45 vote -- the bare minimum number required to approve the override motion.

The Republican-controlled Senate had also backed an override of the veto in a 26-6 vote earlier in the day. House Republicans broke into applause as the final vote was announced.  

The bill was filed in response to a rule levied by the federal Department of Health and Human Services that requires employers and insurance companies to cover contraception at no additional cost to the employees.

Sponsoring Sen. John Lamping, along with several other conservatives, have argued for months that employers should not have to provide a benefit that contradicts their religious beliefs.

"This bill does not restrict access," said Lamping, R-St. Louis County. "This bill makes clear that you can't force someone who disagrees with you to pay for your services."

Nixon vetoed the bill on July 12 and reaffirmed his stance against the bill.

"It's a shame we are still debating access to birth control in 2012," he said after the veto session.

Wednesday's vote marks only the second time the Legislature has overridden Nixon. Lawmakers also successfully overcame his objections to pass redistricting maps last year, which were later challenged in the state's courts. The override is the 24th since Missouri became a state.

The contraception bill became law immediately after lawmakers voted to override Nixon's veto and has already drawn a legal challenge. The Greater Kansas City Coalition of Labor Union Women is seeking a preliminary injunction against the measure.

The labor union's lawyer, Edward Keenan, said he's prepared to take the law all the way to the state Supreme Court and said that it violates the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. Keenan said he expects to be in a courtroom within the next few weeks.

Senate Votes to Override Governor’s Veto of Religious Freedom Act

(Missouri Digital News) -- The Missouri Senate voted 26-6 Wednesday to protect the religious freedom of all Missourians by overriding the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 749.  Sponsor Sen. John Lamping, R-Ladue, said the bill was filed in direct response to President Obama’s mandate under the federal Affordable Health Care Act that forces employers to offer health care services even if those services are against their religious beliefs or moral convictions. 

“This is not an issue about access,” said Lamping.  “All employees still have access to these services.  This is an issue about who pays for them.”

Under current law, employers are not required to offer health care coverage for employees.

A number of employers have announced their intent to discontinue health insurance coverage for their employees as a result of the federal government’s mandate. 

“The stories we are hearing of businesses that are considering dropping their insurance coverage rather than violating their beliefs are alarming,” said Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey, R- St. Charles.  “This veto override was extremely important, because it gives employers the option to continue to provide health care benefits without being forced to pay for something that goes against their religious beliefs or moral convictions.”

SB 749 passed the General Assembly during the regular legislative session, only later to be vetoed by the governor.  In order to override the veto in the Senate, 23 votes were needed.  The House also took up and overrode the governor’s veto, so the bill becomes law effective immediately. 

Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer, R-Dexter, added, “Religious freedom is the cornerstone of America.  It is important we protect Missourians from the federal government infringing on our First Amendment rights.  By overriding this veto, we are keeping government out of our businesses and from telling religious organizations they must violate their beliefs to fulfill this mandate.”

Northwest Medical Center Awarded “Rural Hospital Broadband Connection Grant”

Northwest Medical Center was chosen to receive a $25,000 grant to support its broadband, high-speed internet services.  The grant was awarded by MoBroadbandNow, which was established by Governor Jeremiah Nixon in 2009, as a public-private initiative to expand and enhance broadband accessibility and adoption in Missouri. 

Access to affordable, reliable and fast broadband services are necessary for Northwest Medical Center to continue providing the best healthcare services possible to residents in Northwest Missouri.  The award will support Northwest Medical Center’s internet-based services including telemedicine, electronic health record management, patient information data transfer, professional development, and other on-line resources. 

 “One of the very real benefits of improved broadband service in rural Missouri is in telemedicine – connecting Missourians and their physicians with specialists many miles away who can look at high-resolution images and receive other vital information on a real-time basis to help doctors treat those patients. Expanded broadband accessibility between healthcare providers will mean access to quicker and more specialized care that is often life-saving for patients.” ---Governor Nixon

“Northwest Medical Center is dedicated to implementing the latest technologies that allow us to connect our patients to the best healthcare expertise while enjoying the convenience of remaining in their home communities.  This grant will help support our efforts to be the trusted health home for all in our region.”---Jon Doolittle, Northwest Medical Center C.E.O.

Currently, Northwest Medical Center utilizes broadband connectivity in the hospital, as well as Albany Clinic East, Albany Clinic West, Grant City Clinic, and Stanberry Clinic locations.   Northwest Medical Center was one of eleven Missouri hospitals awarded grant money.