LAWMAKERS EVALUATE SESSION

Members of the Missouri General Assembly are enjoying a spring break this week, providing some badly needed rest for lawmakers who will return to work Monday with most major issues to finish and the clock running down to a May 13 adjournment.

Most Southeast Missouri legislators say they are pleased with what has been accomplished so far and the wide range of important issues they have dealt with.

But everyone agrees that most work done so far has been preliminary. Whether the 1994 session is productive will hinge on what happens the next eight weeks.

"It has been a very intense session so far, but we are still dealing with some of the largest issues we've ever tackled together," said Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau. "It seems like we are a little ahead of some past years."

Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson, said he is pleased with progress thus far.

"I think so far its gone well, but most of our work has been in committee hearings and not much floor action," he said. "I personally enjoy this part of the session because we take our time, work bills through committee, and make some positive changes."

Rep. Mark Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, said it's time for a vacation -- which he calls the "mid-session reality check."

"The General Assembly is in need of a brief break," he said. "We need time with constituents and need to be refreshed mentally and comeback with some good feedback from the people."

Before adjourning last week, the House passed the state's nearly $12 billion budget, which will be taken up next week by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Other bills such as health care and welfare reform and crime bills also have received a lot of attention during the first half of the session.

"Overall, if we come along with some of the things we have started this could be a pretty successful session," said Rep. Dennis Ziegenhorn, D-Sikeston, who is using the spring break to announce his decision not to seek an eighth term in the House.

"It is hard to tell right now what is going to happen; there are so many things out there that could come out real good," Ziegenhorn added. "Some of the issues we have there now, if we passed them today the way they are, it would be bad. But as the process works I think we have a good chance of passing good legislation."

One of the issues Ziegenhorn was referring to was HB-1622, a contentious health care reform bill. Ziegenhorn said the bill is a good starting point, but he anticipates many changes.

"There's a lot of blue sky in this bill right now," said Ziegenhorn. "Hopefully the conference committees and floor debate in the second half will work something out that is livable for our people."

Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, said he is pleased with the lack of partisan bickering so far in the session.

Said Thomason: "At this stage, all the important issues are still here, but it seems like we have been productive without a lot of partisan bickering. I anticipate we will have a very productive session."

Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence, said the mid-way point is a difficult time to determine the legislature's productivity because the bulk of the decision-making lies ahead.

"Last year at the mid-way point I predicted disaster, but everything came together and we had one of the best sessions of the 18 since I have been here," said Staples. "I would say the session is about average so far, but it has a lot of potential."

Richardson said the direction some legislation -- such as welfare and health care reform -- is taking troubles him. But he's optimistic good bills can be passed.

"I am concerned about the type of legislation going through right now," Richardson said. "But at least we are dealing with those issues early and will have an opportunity to debate them early in the session, where we have a chance of making positive changes and passing good legislation.

"This is not like last year when we were consumed with Senate Bill 380 after Judge Kinder ruled the foundation formula was unconstitutional for schools," added Richardson. "I'm pleased, procedurally, with the amount of legislation we have dealt with.

"It seems to me at this stage we are further ahead than last year and taking action earlier on legislation. That should give us more time to evaluate bills and be more careful."

Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, agrees with his colleagues that it is too early to assess the session.

"It has been a very fast pace to this point, and will be even faster toward the end," said Kinder.

He is particularly concerned about the lack of action on further workers' comp reform, particularly on a bill passed out of a Senate committee on a 10-0 vote.

"We would like to see some movement this year, but the leadership doesn't believe we ought to move," Kinder said. "They think we handled workers' comp problems last year, but our business people know better."

Kinder said the lack of action on workers' comp by the Governor Mel Carnahan and the Democratic leadership in the General Assembly has been a "big discouragement.

"I will continue to try and bring that issue to the forefront," he added.

Schwab also is disappointed with the inaction on workers' comp.

"That has been the biggest disappointment for me," he said. "I still feel like that is one of the most important issues we have to deal with this year."

Kasten added: "I think the business people are still interested in seeing us move on this bill. The situation has been festering for years and years and we need to take more action."

Rep. James Graham, R-Fredericktown, said he believes a lot of bills are moving through the House this year, but want to ensure that lawmakers take enough time to assess the long range impact of bills on citizens.

"We need to be very careful what we pass and how it will actually impact the citizens of this state," said Graham.

Kasten has devoted much of her attention this year to welfare reform and the budget. She said both issues have been stressful and often controversial.

"We have had some excruciating sessions in budget this year, but we have invested our expenses well and are getting down to the core budgets to see how effective we have been in the past," said Kasten.

This is an election year, which ultimately could affect the outcome of the session.

"(It) makes people a little more conscientious about making sure whatever we pass out of here in May will be good for the people of Missouri," said Graham. "Hopefully, we can come out with some good compromises for legislation."

Ziegenhorn believes there are more controversial bills than normal being considered for an election year.

"I am real impressed with the governor's package and I think he is showing real leadership -- doing what he was elected to do by tackling the problems facing this state," said Ziegenhorn.

But he hopes legislators won't take a "sledgehammer" to solve problems that can be fixed with more moderate approaches.

Richardson said he anticipates a lot of action because it is an election year, but is also concerned about what final action might be on major issues.

"In an election year everyone seems to be in the mood to take things home to the people," Richardson explained. "But the only question will be the quality of what we take home."