Making Progress in Missouri, Why not Ohio?

[irishbobcat]

Making Progress in Missouri, Why not Ohio?

Stimulus:   Missouri is set to receive over $10 billion in federal stimulus funds, with $1.3 billion being used to fill key holes in depleted state coffers and to increase spending on education over last year despite a 7% overall budget cut. The ARRA funding includes:
·   $525 million to the state Dept. of Transportation.  Because of the state's ability to quickly disperse funds, local construction jobs are already seeing an upwards turn.
·   $229.3 million in stimulus funds from the Department of Energy (DOE). According to the DOE, more than $128 million went to weatherization to help low-income families with energy costs, more than $57 million went to Missouri's energy program and the state got nearly $44 million from the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant Program.
·   $40.3 million for law enforcement from the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant Program, which provides funds to hire police officers, and drug and gang task forces.
·   Other funds will be used to build new capital projects in the University of Missouri system, update technology in public schools, and open a regional jobs transition center for displaced workers.
Jobs:  The legislature enacted  H.B. 191, a bipartisan jobs bill that was one of Governor Nixon's top legislative priorities. The legislation expands the Quality Jobs Program, expands the Missouri BUILD (Business Use Incentives for Large-Scale Development), and provides funding for pre-employment training activities under the state's Job-Training Program.  The bill also eliminates the franchise tax for more than 16,500 Missouri small businesses, or 82 percent of all businesses that owed or paid this tax last year. 
Environment:  The 2009 legislative session was a mixed bag for environmental issues. 
·   H.B. 734  establishes the Joint Committee on Missouri's Energy Future. The committee will prepare and submit a report to the General Assembly on Missouri's energy needs and methods to reduce energy costs over the next 25 years. The legislation also requires any appliance purchased with state funds to have earned an Energy Star rating.
·   S.B. 376,  a compromise bill,  allows utilities to recover the cost of energy-savings programs, thereby making energy efficiency programs more financially attractive investments.  Specifically the legislation permits utilities to recoup their costs for energy efficiency programs, listing them as separate line-items on electric bills.   The programs must be pre-approved by the PSC, benefit customers, and show energy savings before costs can be recovered.  The bills also includes provisions to assist low-income households.
·   H.B. 661 ended up as the carrier for a majority of legislation that the Department of Natural Resources was trying to pass this session.  Among other provisions, the bill allows the state to distribute economic stimulus funds  for public drinking water and water pollution control projects and creates the Energy Futures Fund.   For a list of some the provisions that passed in H.B. 661 click here.
On a positive note S.B. 228 failed.   This bill would have repealed the Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) ban. The CWIP law currently prevents utilities from passing on the costs of construction of major power plants (including nuclear plants) to ratepayers during the construction phase.  In addition,  H.B. 647, which also was not passed, would have permitted companies that self-report environmental spills and other incidents to receive immunity from prosecution.  It would also have kept these incidents out of the public records. Unfortunately, legislators failed to pass S.B. 430, an omnibus green energy bill, that if enacted would have created and modified provisions pertaining to environmentally sustainable practices.  The following is a list of some of the issues introduced in the legislation:
·   Any state building built or substantially renovated  must be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as meeting the silver rating under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, or must meet at least a three globes rating under the Green Globes building rating system. Public colleges and universities are exempt from the state green building requirement.
·   The act creates an income tax deduction for the purchase of qualified hybrid motor vehicles.
·   The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education should provide grants to public school districts to assist schools' compliance with the state green building requirement for new building construction or substantial renovations.
The Complete Streets legislation, H.B. 642, which also was not enacted, would have required the Department of Transportation to consider non-motorized and transit users in transportation projects.
Labor:  H.B. 1075 will allow Missourians to take advantage of a provision in the federal economic stimulus act extending the period for which people can receive jobless benefits.   The National Employment Law Project estimates the bill could allow Missourians to receive an additional $150 million of unemployment benefits through the end of 2009.  Also included in the bill are unemployment law changes that could let Missouri tap into an additional $133 million in federal stimulus money.
HJR 37 an anti-Employee Free Choice Act resolution, which would have forced the public to vote on an constitutional amendment to restrict the right for workers to choose union representation by majority sign-up, was not enacted.
Access to Health Care: In a positive, albeit small step, lawmakers enacted H.B. 218. This legislation will maintain eligibility for the state high risk pool for people whose private premiums are greater than 200% of the average premium in the state.  If the legislation had not been passed, the eligibility level would have risen to premiums 300% higher than the average, which is grossly unaffordable.  H.B. 231, which applies federal COBRA insurance continuation standards to group health insurance policies sold to employers, was also enacted.
Dennis Spisak
Mahoning Valley Green Party
Ohio Green Party
www.ohiogreens.org
www.votespisak.org/thinkgreen/