Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) plans to formally announce his candidacy for lieutenant governor this afternoon. Missouri’s current Lt. Governor, Mike Kehoe, is seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination next year, which means it will be an open seat. Speaker Plocher joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, telling listeners that he has the ability to bring people together to pass conservative legislation. He says his experience in the House will help him as lieutenant governor. Speaker Plocher also previewed Missouri’s 2024 legislative session, which begins in January in Jefferson City. He predicts the House will pass both sports betting and child care tax credits, but expresses frustration over Senate GOP filibustering, noting one state senator read from a book on the Senate floor during the 2023 session’s final week. Speaker Plocher tells listeners that sports betting should be regulated in Missouri and not by the Russians or the Chinese. State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) joined “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” host Branden Rathert and 939 the Eagle’s Brian Hauswirth and John Marsh during the interview:
(LISTEN): Missouri lawmakers, business leaders optimistic about bipartisan child care legislation
A veteran Missouri lawmaker who sponsored bipartisan child care tax credit legislation this year will pre-file the bill again on December 1.
State Rep. Brenda Shields’ (R-St. Joseph) bill died on the 2023 session’s final day in May due to a Senate filibuster on unrelated issues. Representative Shields tells 939 the Eagle that while the filibuster hurt, she had to wait three weeks to file the bill until the governor proposed the package in mid-January. Her 2024 bill will ready on January 3, which is when state lawmakers return to Jefferson City.
“I’ll talk with the (Missouri House) Speaker (Dean Plocher of Des Peres) to make sure that he assigns it to committee early. If we can get a head start on this and get this bill over to the Senate before spring break, I think we have really great hope to get it passed,” Representative Shields says.
Shields spoke Wednesday at a panel in Columbia co-hosted by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the University of Missouri and the Columbia and Jefferson City Area Chambers of Commerce.
The Missouri Chamber says the Show-Me State has a child care crisis that is costing Missouri more than $1-billion annually. Republicans and Democrats in Jefferson City say child care is one of the most important issues facing residents statewide, and they’re optimistic they can push bipartisan legislation across the finish line in 2024. The bipartisan bill from Shields this spring was also sponsored by State Sen. Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City). Representative Shields, who serves on the House Budget Committee, tells 939 the Eagle that she and Senator Arthur are passionate about child care.
“We know that that early development and the care of children is how we get people to work. People are afraid to leave their children if they don’t know that it’s quality, if it’s not reliable and if it’s not affordable,” says Shields.
There were also a number of other state lawmakers at the forum, including State Reps. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville), Willard Haley (R-Eldon) and Kurtis Gregory (R-Marshall).
(AUDIO): Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) discusses 2023 session on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) says the Legislature could have hit a grand slam on Friday, but instead hit a double or possibly a triple. While he’s pleased with the session, Speaker Plocher tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that some senators put themselves above the state on Friday, describing their behavior as selfish. Speaker Plocher is pleased the Legislature has passed bipartisan legislation to end state taxes on Social Security benefits. Under the bill, Missouri’s senior homeowners would be spared from rate hikes on property taxes. If the governor signs the bill, it would be up to counties to approve the property tax breaks for people 65 and older. Speaker Plocher is also pleased with I-70 transportation funding. He says he couldn’t be more proud of his 111-member GOP House caucus and of the entire 163-member House:
(AUDIO): Missouri’s House Speaker doesn’t believe special session will be necessary; anti-hazing bill appears to be dead
Missouri’s House Speaker is pleased with the 2023 legislative session, which wraps up Friday evening at 6 in Jefferson City.
Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Town and Country) notes House Republicans have a 111-51 supermajority, and tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” they should lead like they have a supermajority. Plocher notes he outlined House GOP priorities in early January.
“We wanted some tax cuts, we wanted initiative petition reform, we were going to work on the transgender anomaly that’s hitting this country for some social reason. We’re going to talk about open enrollment, reducing personal property taxes. We outlined all of that in January and I think come the end of the week here, we have four days to go, I think people are going to be very happy with what we deliver,” Plocher says.
The House also voted 154-2 this week to pass a bipartisan bill that would end state taxes on Social Security benefits starting in 2024. That bill is now on the governor’s desk. Speaker Plocher predicts the Legislature will pass transgender-related legislation by Friday evening. He tells “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that he doesn’t believe a special session will be necessary, based on what he anticipates will happen this week in Jefferson City.
“I know we’re going to hit the transgender issues. Whether we hit them up to everybody’s satisfaction remains to be seen. But we’re going to pass some stuff. Hopefully the governor (Mike Parson) finds it satisfactory, I think he should. I think the people will,” says Plocher.
Meantime, anti-hazing legislation in the Missouri House appears to be dead, over language concerns about the bill. House Bill 240 from State Rep. Travis Smith (R-Dora) says any person who renders aid to a hazing victim or is the first to call 911 or campus security is immune from prosecution. Speaker Plocher doesn’t like the bill’s wording.
“I don’t want to grant immunity just because you call 911. What if you’re the perpetrator. I mean you can shoot somebody or haze them in some capacity and then you call 911 and then you’re immune? I think it’s a duty for people to help each other,” Speaker Plocher says.
Representative Smith, a Mizzou graduate, has said he wants to prevent another situation like Danny Santulli’s from happening again. Santulli’s family members say he’s blind and unable to walk, after an alleged October 2021 hazing incident at a Mizzou fraternity house.
Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers: 24-10 in the Missouri Senate and 111-51 in the Missouri House. You can hear the full interview with Speaker Plocher here.
(AUDIO): Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) discusses 2023 legislative session on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”
Missouri’s 2023 legislative session has four days left. Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers: 24-10 in the state Senate and 111-51 in the Missouri House. House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) says his chamber has a GOP supermajority and that they should lead like they have a supermajority. He tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that residents will be very happy with with what legislative Republicans deliver by Friday. Speaker Plocher’s priorities this session have included tax cuts, initiative petition reform and transgender legislation. He predicts that some transgender bills will pass and hopes Governor Mike Parson (R) will sign them. He’s also pleased the Legislature has given final approval to a bill ending state taxes on Social Security benefits starting in 2024: