A LOOK BACK AT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The legislative session that concluded for the year on May 14 featured some progressive measures along with the usual ration of disappointments. All of the following measures are on the governor's desk for his signature.

* Taxes: The Legislature passed a major tax cut bill, House Bill 516, which contained slightly over $200 million in tax cuts. The standard income-tax deduction was raised from $1,200 to $2,100 and franchise taxes were reduced or even eliminated for some corporations. Small business owners will be able to deduct the cost of their health insurance, and the deduction for public and private pensions will be phased in to allow more pensioners to take advantage.

In addition to the tax cuts, there were additional tax credits including $5 million a year for venture capital, $16 million for distressed communities that would allow a 25 percent income-tax credit for rehabilitation costs for homeowners in distressed neighborhoods. Another measure allows $4 million in tax credits to donors who help finance matching savings accounts for the working poor, while another gives low-income seniors tax credits to help pay for prescription drugs at a cost of $20 million to the state. These and other tax-saving measures total approximately $250 million.

* Pensions: Senate Bill 308 increases retirement benefits for state employees, most public school teachers and other workers and St. Louis police and fire employees. The bill also contains an increase for legislators that was significantly scaled down from the earlier version that drew a veto threat from the governor. Many area legislators voted against the bill because of the 20-35 percent increase for most lawmakers.

* Graduated driving licenses: Senate Bill 392 allows 15-year-olds to start driving with parental instruction. However, 16- and 17-year-olds would apply for an intermediate license with restricted driving hours before becomiing eligible for full driving privileges at age 18. In addition, parents or legal guardians may file documentation with the state to prevent their children under age 18 from receiving a driver's license. This measure also includes a provision allowing for driver's licenses for adults to be valid for six years, as many other states have done, while those over age 70 must be tested every three years.

* Crime: House Bill 852 allows prosecutors to go to court to seek civil commitment of sexual predators already freed from prison. The photos and names of sexual predators will be posted on the Internet when Senate Bill 335 becomes law. This bill also encourages judges to use alternatives to prison when sentencing certain criminals to ease overcrowding in prisons.

* Ethnic intimidation: Senate Bill 328 contains a "hate crimes" provision pushed by gay rights activists that makes crimes motivated by sexual orientation or disability a separate and higher offense. This is a regrettable step backward and an abgrogation of the core principle of equal protection of the law.

For our community, the session yielded results as satisfying as any in recent years. In a result that frankly exceeded hopes back in January, Southeast Missouri State university received $4.6 million as the first state installment on the new River Campus. The Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School will receive the final $650,000 state installment, rounding out the $3.15 million state appropriation. This pays half the cost of the new vo-tech school, with the other half coming from the local district budget. The Cape Girardeau Veterans Home received $50,000 from the veterans trust fund for construction and lighting of a much-needed new parking lot.

All these measures must make it past the governor's desk, and indications are that most of them will. There certainly have been many sessions in the state's long history that were worse.