By Ray McCarty, President and CEO, Associated Industries of Missouri We received a call Tuesday, August 1, from a CBS Evening News producer wanting to do a story on Senate Bill 43, the employment law reform bill we helped pass in the last legislative session. Specifically, the producer said the story was on the NAACP’s travel advisory. We agreed to be interviewed by them and they brought a very professional crew into our offices. Ms. Jericka Duncan, an Emmy-nominated CBS News

Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) joined several other business groups in filing suit against an ordinance passed by the City of St. Louis that would have increased the minimum wage that must be paid by employers located in St. Louis City. Although we prevailed at the lower court level, the Missouri Supreme Court invalidated a statute preventing local governments from enacting local minimum wages that had been on the books for nearly 20 years and, in effect, validated t

Governor Eric Greitens has signed HB 153, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Corlew Similar legislation was passed last year and vetoed by Governor Jay Nixon. This bill is different because it will not apply in work comp cases or other cases that do not involve a jury. In reality, the new standard really would have little or no impact in these cases anyway because the judge decides whether the testimony is credible under existing law and the new law expected to be signed today. Associat

Associated Industries of Missouri began running television ads today supporting closing the tobacco settlement loophole that has resulted in unfair competition between cigarette makers and caused a shortfall in state revenues, with more shortfalls on the horizon. AIM is working hard to pass SB 1096, sponsored by Sen. Bob Dixon. The bill would fix the tobacco settlement loophole, making Missouri the last state to adopt the language. “Missouri taxpayers may lose out on the tax

You may have heard some news reports that the governor does not believe the unemployment reform bill, HB 150, may be taken up in the Senate for the purpose of overriding Governor Nixon’s veto of this commonsense legislation. Some, including Governor Nixon, claim the Veto Session is only for bills vetoed during the last week of session. But that’s not how the Missouri Constitution reads. They appear to be taking the position that the second sentence of Article III, Section 32,

AIM president Ray McCarty testified at Tuesday’s regular hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee this week on several issues of importance to businesses across Missouri. The Committee first voted on several bills that had previously been heard by the Committee: HB 299 (Hoskins) Requires DOR to put notices of changes in sales tax interpretations on website, amended and approved by a vote of 10-1; HB 132 (Brattin) Motor fuel tax exemption for fuel sold to marinas, amended

Governor Jay Nixon announced today he plans to call a special legislative session to ask for “critical funding for the ongoing operations of the Missouri National Guard and the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Ferguson and the St. Louis region.” Click here for the press release.  Details regarding dates of the special session will follow, according to the release, “in the coming days.” But questions from Ferguson Mayor James Knowles, as reported in this article that appeared

Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) is pleased the Missouri General Assembly was able to override Governor Jay Nixon’s veto of a bill that will shift the burden of proof to the Missouri Department of Revenue in tax cases. The House and Senate voted to enact SB 829 over the objections of Governor Nixon by bipartisan votes in both chambers. The vote was 26-6 in the Senate and 113-48 in the House. The bill shifts the burden of proof to the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR

Two bills that would extend a current sales tax exemption for replacement parts and equipment used to repair aircraft got legislative hearings this week. The current exemption is set to expire January 1, 2015. Passage of the extension is necessary to secure more than 500 jobs in the Kansas City area and numerous jobs at other airport facilities across the state. AIM supports this exemption. The bills are SB 777 (Nieves) and HB 2029 (Cierpiot). #exemption #AIM #maintenance #ai

This week, we saw some activity on SCS SB 509 & 496, a tax cut bill in the Missouri Senate. This bill, as approved by the Senate Ways and Means Committee, was a combination of Senator Eric Schmitt’s SB 496 that contained AIM’s business income deduction for flow-through entities and Senator Will Kraus’ SB 509 (originally a 1% cut in individual income tax plus 50% business income deduction over 10 years of $100m+ growth, exemption of first $25,000 of C corporation income, addit

In what has become an annual exercise in futility, Associated Industries of Missouri once again testified in support of a joint resolution, sponsored by Sen. Brad Lager (R-12, Savannah), that would allow voters to decide if they want to impose a spending limit on the Missouri General Assembly. The measure would establish a limit on state appropriations equal to the amount appropriated in the previous year plus any increase in inflation plus any increase in population, if reve

January 3, 2014 – Much has been written about the so-called “border war” between Missouri and Kansas, and whether or not tax incentives should be used to attract businesses from one state to the other.  The conversation often involves incentives in the Kansas City metropolitan area, where only State Line Road divides the two states. Political leaders and economic development officials on the Missouri side of the border have called for an end to such incentives.  Kansas Govern

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-15) and Representative Anne Zerr (R-65) have filed bills in the Senate and House respectively.  They are the only bills filed so far in this special legislative session called by Governor Nixon for the purpose of increasing the caps for existing economic development programs.  The programs would be expanded to make Missouri more competitive in a bid for a large aerospace project. Click here to see video of a press conference with Senator Schmitt shortl

LETTER TO HOUSE LEADERS: The organizations listed below represent many Missouri employers.  On behalf of these employers, we respectfully request that HCS SS#2 SCS Senate Bill 1 be returned to the committee of origin for further amendment. Because of the haste with which the House Committee on Workforce Development and Workplace Safety acted upon this House Committee Substitute, there was no opportunity to offer constructive amendments that could have resulted in a workable b

February 6 – AIM President/CEO Ray McCarty and our team of lobbyists has been busy working on several key issues for employers this week. Topping the list is Senate Bill 1, a bill that would reform the Second Injury Fund (SIF) and ensure occupational diseases are covered under the workers’ compensation law.  Senator Scott Rupp filed the bill, representing a broad package of reforms and modest funding increases that have been endorsed by AIM and every other significant employe

AIM member Pro Food Systems, Inc., the parent company of Champs Chicken, is expanding again.  Shawn Burcham, president and CEO of Pro Foods, tells their story in a great article that appeared in the December 1 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune.  Click here to view the article. Pro Food Systems, Inc., the parent company of Champs Chicken, is a program-oriented wholesale food and equipment company specializing in complete deli operations. They provide layout assistance, ins

Following a meeting this afternoon between Senate Ways and Means Chairman Chuck Purgason, Representative Jerry Nolte and I, Senator Purgason posted a hearing of his committee for tomorrow on HB 1639, the Broad Based Tax Relief Act of 2012. In the meeting, Senator Purgason indicated his willingness to move the part of the bill forward that would reduce the tax burden of EVERY Missouri employer by 50% over five years. “Associated Industries of Missouri applauds both Senator Pur

April 27 – The legislature has just three weeks to resolve differences and pass several important issues.  And while the clock continues to “tick”, progress was made on several fronts this week. The Missouri Senate passed their version of the 2013 state budget, following lengthy filibusters and unusual recesses that allowed senators to rewrite certain parts of the budget (click here for more details).  The budget has been reported to the Missouri House.  The House could simpl

April 11 – AIM President Ray McCarty testified before a House Committee yesterday in favor of two bills that would reform protections for employees claiming “whistle blower” protection under Missouri’s employment law. While many committee members expressed agreement with at least some components of HB 2099, a bill that reforms only the “whistle blower” statutes, vigorous discussion ensued when the committee opened testimony on SB 592, a broader bill that aligns Missouri’s dis

January 3, 2012 – Associated Industries of Missouri and many other business organizations are joining forces to improve the business climate in Missouri in the 2012 legislative session that begins tomorrow. Business leaders present 2012 Business Climate Agenda “These common sense tools will make Missouri a better place to do business – for our existing employers and for future employers in the Show-Me State,” said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Mis