JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Two Republican-backed responses to progressive wins at the ballot box last year remain unfinished as Missouri legislators return Monday to the Capitol for their final week of session.
With work on the state鈥檚 $52 billion budget out of the way, bills to repeal sick leave requirements in last year鈥檚 Proposition A, as well as a repeal of last year鈥檚 abortion-rights Amendment 3, were still pending. The deadline for passing bills is 6 p.m. Friday.
Two major economic development plans were also in limbo:
- Sen. Steven Roberts鈥 plan to help spur redevelopment in downtown St. 香港三级片 鈥 a $50 million measure allowing developers to partially recoup the cost of converting office space to retail or residential use.
- And a push to fund a new Clay County-based stadium for the Kansas City Royals could also gain momentum in the last week. The effort, designed to stop Kansas from poaching the baseball team, currently has a $300 million price tag, the Missouri Independent .
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The Republican responses to Proposition A and Amendment 3 have faced intense pushback from Democrats, who say the GOP is disregarding the will of the people.
But Republicans have cast Proposition A 鈥 which also raises the minimum wage 鈥 as a business killer. Because it鈥檚 a statute, legislators can change it without voters weighing in again.
And Republicans argue they are giving voters another chance to weigh in on abortion 鈥 not disrespecting them 鈥 in the wake of last year鈥檚 constitutional amendment.
Amendment 3 protects abortion rights up to the point of fetal viability.
The Republican-backed ballot question would allow abortions in medical emergencies and in cases of fetal anomaly, as well as in cases of rape and incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Democrats and Republican House Speaker Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee鈥檚 Summit, have raised concerns about the 12-week limit in rape cases.
Sen. Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette, said some childhood survivors of sexual abuse don鈥檛 talk about what happened them until they are 50 or older, 鈥渂ut yet there鈥檚 this artificial deadline ... that would say everything has to be taken care of in 12 weeks.鈥
The measure also ties abortion to a ban on certain health care procedures for transgender minors, which Democrats have cast as unrelated to the abortion issue and designed to boost support for the question. The language concerning such treatments could ultimately be dropped from any question that makes the ballot as a concession to Democrats.
Senate negotiators were close to agreement on a Proposition A compromise 鈥 that would weaken but not eliminate the sick leave requirements 鈥 but talks fell apart multiple times in recent weeks.
If Senate Democrats and Republicans fail to broker a deal on either issue, Republicans could vote to cut off debate and force a vote 鈥 an extraordinary move that would put passage of unrelated legislation in jeopardy.
The sick leave provisions targeted by Republicans require employers with annual business receipts greater than $500,000 to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
Companies with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to use at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours.
