By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

The just-concluded session of the Missouri General Assembly ended better than expected, local lawmakers said Friday, with important legislation gaining approval in the final week.

Fewer bills than normal were passed during the session, another reason it was declared a relative success during some comments at an “eggs and issues” breakfast sponsored by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce.

Pieces of legislation, including bills to raise money for college building projects, revamp the state’s Medicaid program and boost safety requirements at group care homes, were discussed by state Sen. Gary Nodler and state Reps. Bryan Stevenson, Steve Hunter, Ron Richard, Marilyn Ruestman, Kevin Wilson and Ed Emery. About 80 people attended the event held at the Joplin Ramada Inn.

Nodler, who is chairman of the Senate Education Committee, touted passage of the MOHELA bill that will generate more money for college construction projects, and a higher-education reform bill aimed at stabilizing tuition increases and encouraging the colleges to work together.

The MOHELA legislation will make $355 million in construction funds available without jeopardizing loans for Missouri students, Nodler said, because the loan packages sold are those to out-of-state students.

House approval was unanimous, with only one dissenting vote in the Senate, on a bill sponsored by Rep. Wilson requiring sprinkler systems and heat and smoke detectors in the wake of the fatal fire at the Anderson Guest House late last year. Senate amendments allow some exemptions in the sprinkler requirement, Wilson said, adding “but still, it will save lives.”

Hunter said there was some question whether the Medicaid reform bill would pass, and the final version represented “a lot of hearings” when the Senate and House disagreed over major provisions.

He said the measure will give Medicaid patients a “medical home” to serve as their primary care physician and improve the reimbursement rate to physicians to encourage doctors to take more Medicaid patients. Hunter, who earlier toiled on workers’ compensation reform, said he has been named to a committee to reform the bankrupt Second Injury fund.

Ruestman described unsuccessful efforts on behalf of a bill that would have allowed school construction projects to be bid without using prevailing wage rates. She said she thought, mistakenly, that an estimated $300 million in savings for school districts would convince her colleagues. She said the proposal failed 105-58, but she will propose it again next session.

She did get passage of a measure she proposed to allow homeowners to defend themselves if someone breaks into their homes.

“If someone breaks in your house, you can presume they intend you harm, and you can blast ’em,” she said, to laughter from those in the audience.

Stevenson, a member of the House budget committee, said the session included a $100 million spending increase for public education and another $100 million hike in spending for the new state health care program.

“That came without a tax increase, but because of economic growth,” he said.

He also praised passage of the bill that will phase out income taxes on Social Security and other retirement benefits.

Stevenson said he is chairing a committee on tax reform and predicted a major tax-code restructuring in coming years. He said he favors elimination of the corporate income tax.

“If you would phase it out, you (would) see a huge growth in economic development and taxes,” he said.

Rep. Richard, who is chairman of the House committee on job creation and economic development, said he has been surprised at the controversy surrounding the jobs bill he sponsored.

“The state needs the bill for job growth, but the governor may veto it because of all the things that were added to it when it was in the Senate. If that happens, it will be the second year in a row we don’t have a jobs bill,” he said.

Rep. Emery said no one can be upset about legislation he got passed this year, because none of the bills he sponsored was approved. Measures he sponsored proposed the national FairTax sales tax, while others dealt with immigration and abortion.

Adjourned

The General Assembly will reconvene for a veto session set for Sept. 12.