March 9, 2026 - In a legislative alert sent to all elected members of the Missouri House of Representatives today, the Voice of Missouri Business® stood up for all Missouri businesses in opposing the current draft of the tax reform resolution. The text of the legislative alert is repeated in this article: "Associated Industries of Missouri must oppose the tax reform proposal as currently drafted but will continue to negotiate with proponents in an attempt to find language tha

Ray McCarty, president/CEO of AIM, testifies before the House Emerging Issues Committee 1/27/26 January 30, 2026 - At a hearing of the House Emerging Issues Committee on Tuesday, Associated Industries of Missouri president and CEO Ray McCarty testified against HB 2989 (Hardwick) . The bill would legalize gambling devices, called "video lottery terminals" or VLTs, and regulate and tax them. Below are the reasons Associated Industries of Missouri is opposed to this bill. 1. The

Speaker of the House Jon Patterson January 29, 2026 - Governor Mike Kehoe called for an overhaul of the tax system used to fund state government in his State of the State Address. His plan is to eliminate the individual income tax and replace those revenues with an expansion of the sales tax base (taxing transactions that are not taxed today) and an increase in the sales/use tax rate. The plan was filed as HJR 173 (Davidson) and HJR 174 (Speaker Patterson) in the Missouri H

Sen. Jason Bean January 29, 2026 - The Missouri Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources today advanced SB 953 (Sen. Jason Bean). The bill contains an AIM-drafted solution to funding woes of the Air Pollution Control Program (APCP) and helps protect program funding in the future. Supported by many organizations , including INFRA, ACEC-MO, Missouri Forest Products Assn., Missouri Agribusiness Assn., Missouri Concrete Association, and the Missouri

By Ray McCarty January 13, 2026 - Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his 2026 State of the State Address this afternoon, highlighting his legislative priorities for the 2026 Legislative Session and budget recommendations for the FY 2027 state budget. Governor Kehoe called for "modernizing Missouri's tax code." In his remarks, he said, "Missouri brings real strengths to the table when recruiting jobs and investment. But when we’re competing against states like Tennessee and Texas,

By Ray McCarty Missouri’s farmers play a vital role in bolstering our state’s economy and its food supply. They help feed families across the state, support thousands of jobs, and serve as the backbone of rural communities. But according to a recent letter to the editor by Blake Hurst, former president of the Missouri Farm Bureau and a third-generation farmer, that foundation is facing a growing threat. In his piece, published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Hurst outlines c

December 29, 2025 - As lawmakers prepare to return to Jefferson City for the 2026 legislative session, Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick is urging them to take immediate action to curb the trend of deficit spending before the state's General Revenue Fund is drained to critically low levels and drastic, emergency budget cuts become necessary. Fitzpatrick released a new report of the state's spending trends that shows Missouri's General Revenue Fund balance, which had c

By Mike Karbo, Midwest Regional Director, American Petroleum Institute Mike Karbo, American Petroleum Institute December 19, 2025 - Here in the Midwest, we know what it means to build. From factories to farms, bridges to broadband, progress comes from work, not red tape. But for decades, that spirit of American progress has been slowed by a federal permitting system that no longer meets the needs of the people of Missouri and across the country.  Across the nation, energy and

By Brad Young, Harris Young Kayser This is a situation that arises on a weekly basis: should we obtain surveillance on a claimant? As you can see from this decision from the Missouri Court of Appeals in September 2025, surveillance can have an enormous impact on the outcome of a claim. Case Summary: Byers v. New Prime The claimant suffered a compensable accident and presented both medical and vocational evidence that he was permanently and totally disabled. The employer had

November 18, 2025 - Today, the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) announced the release of workers’ compensation rates for employers for 2026. While the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) proposed a slight 1.3% increase for 2026 workers’ compensation loss costs, this marks only the second increase in the past six years as Missouri continues to see a long-term downward trend in workplace injury frequency. “Missouri employers continue to benefit

(L to R) The Honorable Chief Judge Stephen Clark, Jerry Hunter's daughter Olivia Hunter, and Jerry Hunter The Eighth Circuit Bar Association said in a release dated October 17, 2025, the “Richard S. Arnold Award for Distinguished Service” was recently awarded by the Eighth Circuit Bar Association to Jerry M. Hunter. Mr. Hunter previously served as Chairman of the Board of Associated Industries of Missouri and is currently a Chairman Emeritus of that organization. Hunter is Se

October 1, 2025 - The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives presented Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of...

September 29, 2025 - Last Friday, U.S. Congressman Eric Burlison (MO-07) toured two high-tech Joplin manufacturing facilities during his...

Missouri S&T’s Protoplex  invites you to a free, one-day training on Casting Replacement: Expanding Your Toolkit with Advanced...

By J. Bradley Young, Harris Young Kayser L.C. In the case, Hasselbring v. Macon County Nursing Home District, 717 S.W.3d 218 (2025) from...

By Matthew Smith, VP Government Affairs, Associated Industries of Missouri On September 16 th , Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM)...

September 12, 2025 - The Missouri Senate used a change of rules and multiple procedural motions to overcome Democrat filibusters and pass...

By Ray McCarty, president and CEO, Associated Industries of Missouri Rep. Ed Lewis September 9, 2025 - The Missouri House of...

By Ray McCarty, president and CEO, Associated Industries of Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signs HB 567 with sponsors Sen. Mike...

July 18, 2025 - Jeffery Davis, of Wardsville, has been appointed to serve on the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors...