Senator Denny Hoskins' Capitol Report

As the 2019 legislative session comes to a close, I look back on the First Regular Session of the 100th General Assembly with a mixture of elation and regret. I am disappointed at the Legislature’s failure to finish its work on some measures and also regret the approval of a few others. I am thrilled, though, that the Legislature stood its ground to defend life, finally passing the most important measure we considered all year.

I was the handler of House Bill 399 and was happy to see it cross the legislative finish line during the final days of the session. This legislation combines several measures relating to health care. Among its provisions is language essentially identical to a bill I introduced in the Senate to provide insurance coverage for children diagnosed with a variety of behavioral and developmental disabilities. With appropriate therapeutic care, these children can adapt to, and often overcome, their disabilities and enjoy productive and independent lives.

Nothing can compare to my satisfaction with the passage of House Bill 126. The “Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act” is the strongest pro-life measure ever enacted in Missouri. This legislation, passed in the final hours of the 2019 legislative session, will outlaw the killing of an unborn child after eight weeks of fetal development. The bill also prohibits abortion at a number of stages of development, with the last threshold being the point when a baby can feel pain inside his or her mother’s womb. By enacting protections at various stages of the child’s development, the bill is intended to withstand judicial challenges and ensure the greatest defense of unborn children possible.

The bill contains a number of provisions to discourage abortions and provide expectant mothers every opportunity to reconsider their choices. Language that I proposed in separate legislation to require notification of all custodial parents or guardians when minors seek an abortion was incorporated into the bill, though this provision was weakened in the final compromise. There were also provisions that prevent selective abortions for reasons of disability or race and gender selection.

I consider House Bill 126 to be the most important accomplishment of the 2019 legislative session. I am proud of the General Assembly for taking a stand for life.

The passage of this important pro-life legislation came on the heels of a hard-fought effort to limit the scope of legislation intended to entice General Motors to expand a manufacturing facility near St. Louis. I wholeheartedly support good jobs in Missouri, and I truly hope the automaker follows through with a new production line. I had serious reservations, though, especially with no guarantee GM will retain or create any new jobs with the $50 million-plus in incentives it will receive.

I joined with several of my colleagues to encourage the adoption of a pared-down House economic development bill that was specifically written to provide General Motors incentives without creating a larger environment of corporate welfare. We continued our efforts for nearly 30 hours before finally yielding, with the promise that the Senate would then take up the heartbeat bill.

After failing to sway the Senate to choose a narrower path, I and my colleagues agreed that it was better to stand down on the legislation we didn’t like in order to advance legislation we truly needed. In the end, we chose to defend life.

There are a number of worthwhile legislative proposals that never received the full consideration they deserved this year. A proposal to capture sales taxes from Internet sales, video gaming, sports gambling and a bill to return legislative redistricting procedures back to the voters all fell victim to a ticking clock, as time ran out on the legislative session. I regret that some of these measures didn’t go farther, but considering what we did accomplish, I’m content that the Legislature fulfilled its duties.

Given the powerful protections of innocent life we enacted, I’m happy to declare the First Regular Session of the 100th General Assembly a success. We had one constitutionally mandated responsibility to balance the budget and we accomplished that. More importantly, we have a moral obligation to protect life, and we were faithful to that solemn task as well.

THANKS TO TWO HELPING HANDS

As the 2019 legislative session comes to a close, I would like to take this moment to thank two talented and dedicated young women. Ciera Smith and Cierra Rodenbaugh both served as legislative interns in my Capitol office this spring. Ciera and Cierra are both students at the University of Central Missouri. I appreciate all the hard work these two enthusiastic students provided for the 21st Senatorial District and wish them the best in the future.

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-4302. You may also email me at denny.hoskins@senate.mo.gov