Budget, ethics top Mo. lawmakers' 2010 agenda

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri lawmakers convened their 2010 session Wednesday besieged by budget woes and perceptions of corruption. They pledged to clean up their image and keep government running without raising taxes.

The challenges facing lawmakers contributed to a subdued mood as the House and Senate each gaveled into session around noon. They are scheduled to work until May 14.

The session began under some somber financial figures: Reports released this week show Missouri's tax revenue is down 10.6 percent through the first half of its fiscal year and is projected to rebound only slightly in the coming months. An additional $200 million in cuts could be needed within weeks.

Further depressing the mood was some coincidental court action. While lawmakers gathered in Jefferson City, former representative Talibden El-Amin was sentenced Wednesday in St. Louis to 18 months in federal prison for bribery and former House Speaker Rod Jetton -- who has pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman -- had a state court hearing in Southeast Missouri.

Former senator Jeff Smith spent his first full day Wednesday in a Manchester, Ky., prison for obstructing a federal investigation into campaign finance violations. And a replacement for Rep. Steve Brown -- who resigned after pleading guilty to conspiring with Smith -- was sworn into office Wednesday as the first order of House business.

House Minority Leader Paul LeVota, D-Independence, said of the surge criminal cases: "I'm simply embarrassed by the members of my caucus who betrayed the trust of the public."

As one of his first actions of the 2010 session, House Speaker Ron Richard created a 12-person special committee to work on ethics legislation.

"We, as members, expect nothing less than the highest integrity in this chamber, and the people of the state deserve nothing less," said Richard, R-Joplin.

Senate leaders pledged that ethics legislation would be among the first bills debated.

President Pro Tem Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, declared in his opening speech to colleagues: "We must restore confidence in our elected officials with ethics reforms." His call to clean up the Capitol's image received mild applause.

Lawmakers already have proposed a buffet of potential ethics changes, including an end to lobbyist-supplied meals and gifts, a ban on lawmakers doubling as political consultants, new investigatory powers for the Missouri Ethics Commission and a restoration of campaign contribution limits.

Even before the session began, lobbyists began pleading with legislative budget writers to spare their clients' programs from spending cuts. Members of one House appropriations committee arrived at the Capitol on Monday to hear several days of public testimony from advocates for the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, domestic abuse victims and others.

"We're just going to have to pick and choose and we're going to have to make some tough decisions on what programs are vitally necessary," said Rep. David Sater, R-Cassville, the committee chairman.

Senate Republicans and Democrats both pledged to make education a priority in the budget. So far, public K-12 schools have avoided cuts to their core budgets, though they have taken hits in transportation aid. Gov. Jay Nixon and legislative leaders already have agreed on one thing: There will be no tax increases to help balance the budget.

Lawmakers in 2010 also are to consider new incentives for businesses that expand or locate in Missouri -- a particular challenge given the need to make budget cuts. Nixon wants to offer Missouri businesses extra incentives to expand at home instead of elsewhere and create a new pool of money to lure biotechnology firms.

"For the second budget year in a row, we are working with less revenue than the year before," Shields said. "We need to get Missourians back to work in lasting and growing industries that pay well and offer benefits."

Other measures likely to be debated would require insurers to cover autism treatment for children, toughen the state's drunken driving laws and strengthen water quality standards in response to tests showing high bacteria levels at the popular tourist destination of the Lake of the Ozarks.

Republicans hold a 23-11 majority over Democrats in the Senate and an 87-71 majority in the House, where there are five vacancies.

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Associated Press Writer Chris Blank contributed to this report.