By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
State Rep. Brenda Shields of St. Joseph says lawmakers could see the tension building during the legislative session, tension that boiled to the surface in the last week, prompting Senate leadership to wrap up its session two days early.
Shields, a Republican, says the factors that led to the abrupt end were evident as the session entered its last week at the state Capitol.
“We had been feeling the vibes from the Senate that that was going to happen,” Shields tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “So, I have to say I wasn’t incredibly surprised that they finished up their work for the year on Wednesday.”
Shields says that left the House with little it could do on Thursday. The House did pass what it could and adjourned, one day early.
Several lawmakers point to a decision by House leadership to skip over House Bill 19 and not allow members to vote on it the Friday before the last day of the session as the beginning of the tension. The bill contained $513 million in capital improvement projects throughout the state. Senators who relied on the financing for projects in their district were incensed. The anger never cooled in the final days of the session and, in fact, grew in intensity for Senate Democrats after majority Republicans cut off debate and forced a vote on two controversial bills.
Shields admits she was caught off guard when Republican leaders skipped over the bill and didn’t allow members to vote on it.
“I know I was disappointed. I understand our leadership’s decision, but we had put several good things into House Bill 19 for St. Joseph,” Shields says. “So, yes, disappointed; a little surprised. But I respect our leadership.”
Contained in the bill was $7 million for UMKC to set up a Dental School on the Missouri Western State University campus, $2.8 million for improvements to the Chiefs Training Camp in St. Joseph, $1 million for Mosaic Life Care to expand behavioral health services at its Emergency Room, and $800,000 for a new roof over the Pony Express Museum.
Shields says the loss of funding for the UMKC Dental School is a big loss from St. Joseph and northwest Missouri, both of which have a shortage of dentists.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.