State Legislature returns to Capitol this week

The Missouri legislature will return to work on Wednesday for the opening of the 2017 session.

In a year in which the Republican supermajorities in both the house and the senate – along with a newly elected Republican Gov. Eric Greitens – it should become easy for GOP focus to turn into new laws.

The most likely legislative priorities for Republicans this session include:

ETHICS – House Speaker Todd Richardson has pushed a package of Ethics bills, however, the bills never received enough votes. With a ban on lobbyist gifts as a focus, the Speaker says Ethics laws will be a major goal in the upcoming session.

Governor-elect Greitens campaigned heavily on ethics reform and endorses the gift ban, stating that elected officials should also have to wait a year before becoming lobbyists after they complete their elected terms in office.

ABORTION – Several bills failed to pass last year, but more restrictions on abortion are likely to be proposed this session. Legislation that could come before lawmakers could include banning fetal tissue donation from abortions, requiring abortion clinics to track fetal tissue from surgery to its destruction and annual inspections of abortion clinics.

RIGHT-TO-WORK – Gov. Nixon vetoed a 2015 proposal that Greitens has said he would sign. Proposals will likely ban mandatory union fees. Supporters will need only a simple majority of lawmakers to vote for right to work for it to become law.

TORT/REGULATORY REFORM – Republican leadership emphasizes the changing legal climate in Missouri and will work to approve measures vetoed by Nixon in 2016. Measures which tighten guidelines for expert testimony and change how medical costs are handled in court will be considered. Greitens has also said he will look to reduce government regulation on small businesses.

Republicans owned majorities at both ends of the Capitol in 2016, however, those majorities have been offset by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon as he used his veto powers to block a number of Republican measures. However, as governor, Eric Greitens will share a number of priorities with House Speaker Todd Richardson and Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, which should pave the way to numerous changes for Missouri.

~ See: Legislative Roundup of Missouri pre-filed bills in today’s Journal ~