The Association report

from the Capitol

March 19, 2003

            Committee hearings at the state capitol involving the Association's priority bills as well as our annual "lobby day" in Jefferson City translates to busy days (and nights) for Steve Cox, Association President and Larry Thompson, Legislative Specialist.

            The "Public Service Accountability Act," HB 383, was heard March 3 in the House Transportation and Motor Vehicles Committee. Steve Cox testified for the bill at the hearing where he offered information on a comparison of other states' increased productivity and savings where outsourcing was closely scrutinized and limited. At that same committee hearing, Larry Thompson spoke in support of HB 86 which would require MoDOT to perform every five years a comprehensive job study for all salaried employees.

            Later that week committee hearings were held for HB 443, HB 557 and HB 456. HB 456 would convert unused sick leave to retirement credit for MoDOT employees at a rate of a "day for a day" rather than at the rate of 168 hours for a month retirement credit. HB 443 would allow more options for the conversion of unused vacation time and HB 557 would permit sick leave accruals to be used for determining retirement eligibility. These bills were heard Thursday morning (March 6) in the House Retirement Committee.

            A co-sponsor of HB 443 and HB 557, Rep. D. J. Davis, was a guest speaker at the Association's Lobby Day Breakfast held Wednesday morning (March 12) at a Jefferson City hotel.  Also speaking to our members at the breakfast were Rep. Larry Crawford of California, Mo. and Rep. Lanie Black of Charleston.  Rep. Crawford is Chairman of the House Transportation Committee and Rep. Black is Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee for Transportation and Economic Development. Three state senators including Sen. Harry Kennedy, Sen. Doyle Childers and Sen. Carl Vogel as well as numerous house members attended the breakfast that preceded our Association members' visit to the capitol.

From Harry Hill, Lobbyist

Missouri Highway and Transportation Employees’

Association