SPECIAL EDITION -
January 25, 2011
RCGA Delegation Meets with State
Officials for
Missouri Legislative Day
On January 19th the RCGA's
delegation of more than 50 business and civic leaders kicked off
its Missouri Legislative Day with a meeting with
Governor Jay Nixon.
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Missouri Governor Jay Nixon
(standing,
right) speaks
to the RCGA's delegation about the priorities he will be
presenting to the General Assembly in his State of the State
address that evening.
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The delegation, led by RCGA's
Board Chairman Tom Voss, Chairman, President & CEO
of Ameren Corporation, and Tom Campbell,
RCGA Board Chair - Public Policy and Managing Partner at
Gallop Johnson & Neuman, discussed the RCGA's 2011
Legislative Agenda, which focuses on the "Fix
the Six" legislative priorities of employment law
reform, workers' compensation reform, capping the franchise tax,
eliminating the escalator on Missouri's minimum wage, tort
reform, and unemployment insurance reform.
Governor Nixon was familiar
with the "Fix the Six" agenda, and said
that there
was room for action on many of the agenda
areas. He was optimistic about
Missouri's recovery from the national recession, saying the
low-tax state is in a much better position to create and retain
jobs than some of its fiscally irresponsible neighbors. The
Governor also applauded the group's announcement that morning
that China Eastern had just been designated as the airline to
begin negotiations with Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
to establish cargo flights later this year.
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Governor Jay Nixon
(left) and his Public Policy Director Jeff Harris
(center)
listen as RCGA
Board Chair for Public Policy Tom
Campbell outlines the "Fix the Six" legislative
agenda.
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The RCGA delegation also met with
Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, who said he
was on board with the "Fix the Six" priorities. He
expressed frustration over past excuses for inaction, but said
that passing the six agenda items is "doable this session."
Lt. Governor Kinder also noted the St. Louis region's importance
to the rest of the state, touting the opportunities for economic
growth through the Midwest China Hub project and the first-rate
health care services available in our region.
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Lt. Governor Peter
Kinder (right) listens as Leann Chilton (seated far left), Director of Government Relations for BJC HealthCare,
asks a question.
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Lt. Governor Peter Kinder
(right) and RCGA Board Chairman Tom Voss discuss
the RCGA's regional
priorities.
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"Fix the Six"
Legislative Priorities
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Employment Law Reform
Limit individual liability of manager and
supervisors, mirror the federal standard of proof in
discrimination cases, tighten whistle-blower protection to cases
where there is an actual illegal act involved, and implement
reasonable damage caps.
Workers' Compensation
Reform
Ensure employees who contract
occupational diseases are allowed to have their claims continue
to be covered under the workers' compensation system.
Protect employees from being liable for accidental work-related
injuries to fellow workers.
Franchise Tax Cap
Protect existing companies seeking to
expand or bring additional assets into Missouri by capping the
corporate franchise tax at 2010 levels.
Minimum Wage
Escalator
Eliminate the automatic escalator on
Missouri's minimum wage so that it does not exceed the federal
minimum wage.
Tort Reform
Adopt a more fair tort system that
apportions liability among all parties based on each party's
actual percentage of fault.
Unemployment Insurance
Reform
Issue bonds and lengthen the bond terms
so that payments do not exceed limits under the Hancock
Amendment. Missouri employers would pay for the bonds
through a surtax available under existing law.
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RCGA Meets with Missouri
Legislative Leaders
The RCGA delegation also met with a number of
legislative leaders during their trip to Jefferson City,
including Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer
(R-Dexter), Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom
Dempsey (R-St. Charles), Senate Minority Leader
Victor Callahan (D-Independence), Speaker of the
House Steven Tilley (R-Perryville), House Speaker Pro Tem
Shane Schoeller (R-Willard), and House Majority Floor
Leader Tim Jones (R-Eureka).
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(from left) House Majority Floor
Leader Tim Jones (R-Eureka), RCGA Board Chair - Public Policy Tom
Campbell, House Speaker Steven Tilley (R-Perryville), RCGA Board
Chairman Tom Voss, RCGA President & CEO Dick Fleming, and
Speaker Pro Tem Shane Schoeller
(R-Willard).
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Senate President Pro Tem Rob
Mayer (right) expressed his strong support for
the "Fix the Six" priorities, and stressed the importance of
passing the measures early in the session so they do not become
bogged down by other issues. He also stated that even
though he is from rural Missouri, he understands the importance
of the Midwest China Hub Commission and the positive
ramifications an international cargo hub in St. Louis could have
throughout the state and the Midwest region. Senate
Majority Floor Leader Tom Dempsey (below) said
that three of the "Fix the Six" priorities -- employment law
reform, capping the corporate franchise tax, and workers'
compensation reform -- are ready for early action in the Senate,
and hoped that all six agenda items could be accomplished this
year.
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Senate Majority Leader Tom Dempsey (R-St.
Charles) addresses the RCGA delegation.
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Senate Minority Leader Victor
Callahan (pictured below) told our delegation
that he understands the importance of maintaining a positive
business climate in Missouri, and that his caucus will try to
make bipartisan progress on the "Fix the Six" agenda items.
His colleagues Sen. Robin Wright-Jones (D-St. Louis)
and Sen. Joe Keaveny (D-St. Louis)
spoke on the need for more quality jobs and stressed the
importance of higher education and workforce development.
Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City) lauded the
Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA), one of
RCGA's top priorities, as a much-needed economic development tool
to advance Missouri's biotechnology industry and entrepreneurial
climate.
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(from right) Sen. Robin Wright-Jones
(D-St. Louis) speaks to the RCGA delegation about job creation as
Sen. Joe Keaveny (D-St. Louis), Senate Minority Leader Victor
Callahan (D-Independence), and Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City)
look on.
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RCGA "Takes the Capitol to
lunch" on Legislative Day
As part of the RCGA's Missouri
Legislative Day, we hosted an informal barbecue lunch in the
State Capitol building for legislators and members of their
staffs. RCGA delegation members had the opportunity to meet
with legislators from around the state to discuss our
priorities. More than 500 people enjoyed the event.
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The RCGA-sponsored lunch in the third
floor rotunda of the capitol drew more than 500
guests.
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The RCGA delegation, legislators, and Capitol
staffers enjoy an informal barbecue luncheon in the
Rotunda.
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Newly-elected Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal
(D-North St. Louis County) discusses regional priorities with
Duane Simpson, Director of Legislative Affairs - Midwest Region
for Monsanto.
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(from left) RCGA's Senior Vice
President of Public Policy Chip Casteel, JoAnna Schooler, Public
Relations Director for Covidien, Rep. Tommie Pierson (D-North St.
Louis County), Karen Pierre, Manager of Alumni and Community
Relations for the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Rep. Clem
Smith (D-North St. Louis County), and Deborah Tansil Graham,
Director of Alumni and Community Relations for the University of
Missouri-St. Louis.
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(from left) RCGA Board member Dr. Ray
Cummisky, President of Jefferson College, Rep. Ron Casey
(D-Crystal City), and Rep. Tim Meadows (D-Imperial) enjoy
lunch.
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RCGA Co-Sponsors Missouri
Freshman Tour of the
St. Louis
Region
On January 14th the St. Louis
RCGA joined with a number of other regional organizations and
businesses to sponsor a Missouri Freshman
Legislative Tour of the St. Louis Region for newly elected
legislators. St. Louis Regional Caucus Chair
Sen. Robin Wright-Jones (D-St. Louis), House
Majority Leader Rep. Tim Jones
(R-Eureka) and Rep. Tishaura
Jones (D-St. Louis) championed the tour, which was was
kicked off the night before with a reception at Busch Stadium
where business leaders and the regional delegation of legislators
welcomed the freshman to St. Louis.
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St. Louis Regional Caucus Chair Sen. Robin
Wright-Jones (D-St. Louis) (speaking), former
St. Louis Regional Caucus Chair and House Majority Leader Rep.
Tim Jones (R-Eureka), and Rep. Tishaura Jones
(D-St. Louis) all worked to help make the Freshman Tour a
success.
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During the tour on Friday the freshman
learned about the region's public transportation services from
Metro, health care services at BJC's
Goldfarb School of Nursing, biotechnolgoy startups
at CORTEX, trade opportunities with the
Midwest China Hub Commission, higher education
and workforce development at the University of
Missouri-St. Louis, Harris Stowe State University,
and St. Louis Community College, economic
development at Express Scripts, revitalization
of historic buildings in Grand Center, and
tourism at the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Center
and Edward Jones Dome.
Tour Photos:
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The tour group started out early Friday
morning on Metro buses after being briefed by Metro President
John Nations, who explained that 75% of Metro riders use the
transit system to get to work.
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(from right) RCGA President and CEO Dick Fleming speaks to the
newly-elected Missouri legislators during lunch at Express
Scripts, along with panelists St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St.
Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, and George Paz, Chairman
& CEO of Express Scripts.
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Dr. Eric Gulve (speaking), President of BioGenerator, tells the group about
his non-profit organization at CORTEX that helps high-tech
startup companies grow. Legislators pictured include
(from left)
Rep. Wanda Brown
(R-Lincoln), Rep. Cloria Brown (R-South St. Louis County), Rep.
Kurt Bahr (R-St. Charles), and Rep. Wayne Wallingford (R-Cape
Girardeau).
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Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge (speaking, right), Airport Director for
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, and Jason Van Eaton
(left), Executive Director of the Midwest
China Hub Commission, provided an update to the group on the Midwest
China Hub as the bus toured the airport's cargo
facilities.
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The RCGA thanks the Partnership
for Downtown St. Louis and the Missouri Growth Association for
their leadership on the event, as well as the other
companies that helped sponsor it: Ameren Missouri, AT&T, BJC
HealthCare, Express Scripts, Pinnacle Entertainment, St. Louis
Cardinals, CORTEX, St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission,
St. Louis Community College, and Citizens for Modern Transit.
Kick-Off Reception at Busch
Stadium:
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The freshman
legislators and reception guests had the
opportunity to join an exclusive tour of the Cardinals' dugout,
locker room and owner's suite at Busch
Stadium.
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Freshman Rep. Mike Bernskoetter
(R-Jefferson City) (left) and reception host Ron
Watermon, Director of Public Relations and Civic Affairs for the
St. Louis Cardinals.
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(from left) Warren Wood, Vice President of
Regulatory and Legislative Affairs for Ameren Missouri,
newly-elected Sen. Brian Nieves (R-Washington) and his wife
Julie, Sen. Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield) and her husband Gary
enjoy the reception.
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Upcoming Events
January 26 - Missouri Legislative Breakfast in Jefferson
City
January 26-27 -
St. Louis Green Confluence
Join us for a
Green Economy Symposium on Jan. 26th and a Green Career
Opportunity Showcase on Jan. 27th. Both events are free and
are being held at the St. Louis University Center for
Sustainability. To register please visit www.stlouisgreenjobs.com.
March 11 - Public Policy Speaker Series
featuring Tom Donohue
Mark your calendars for the first RCGA
Public Policy Speaker Series event of 2011 featuring Tom
Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce. Mr. Donohue, recently labeled by
Bloomberg Businessweek as President Obama’s “tormentor,” will
discuss key business issues facing the new Congress in
Washington. Space will be limited, so please mark your
calendar now for this exciting luncheon event on Friday, March
11th. More details and registration information
will be coming soon.
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