Perspective: Tort reform bills advance

With only two weeks left of the 2016 legislative session, the Senate continues work on many pieces of important legislation. One area of focus this session has been tort reform.

Missouri’s legal environment breeds litigation which costs small businesses money and hampers job growth. Both houses have been busy working on two important pieces of tort reform legislation, and this week they were sent to the governor for signature.

Sen. Parson’s SB591 ensures that only those individuals who are truly expert witnesses can provide expert testimony in court. Expert witnesses have the ability to significantly influence the outcome of cases, so when this bill passes it will give clarity to Missourian’s while also adding certainty and consistency into our current judicial system.

SB847, sponsored by Sen. Emery, modifies the collateral source rule by explaining that all parties involved must present the actual cost of medical care received rather than that of the value of the service. The bill clarifies that the appropriate recovery for medical expenses is the actual amount that was paid. These two pieces of legislation are small, but necessary, steps in order for our state to move forward.

On Wednesday, the Senate again discussed Sen. Kraus’ HB1631 which would require a valid photo ID in order to vote in the state of Missouri. Voting is one of our most fundamental rights and duties as Americans and we should protect the integrity of elections in every reasonable way possible.

Sen. Kraus is currently on his 17th version of this bill and it will continue to be discussed. The photo identification requirement will protect the integrity and fairness of our election processes in Missouri while still making it easy and convenient for Missourians to cast their ballot. My expectation is to have this important piece of legislation completed by the end of session on May 13.

This week, the governor signed HB2003. HB2003 includes funding for higher education and the Show-Me ECHO program. The bill includes a 4 percent increase in funding for all state higher education campuses along with an $18.5 million increase for all scholarship programs including Bright Flight, Access Missouri and the A+ Program.

The Show-Me ECHO program was also granted increased funding and is now up to $3.4 million. The program is a cost-effective system that leads to better health outcomes for patients and expands access to best-practice specialty care to patients, especially in rural communities. The projected net savings for the first year of the pilot program is $6 million. This increase will help establish more ECHO programs by bringing better-care practices to more Missourians across the state.

This week I was honored to present two Senate Resolutions to two men who have made a great impact on the Central Missouri area for many years.

Thursday morning I, along with Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, former State Rep. Bill Deeken, Donnie Schnieders and Ann Bax of United Way, surprised Warren Krech on his radio show. Rep. Bernskoetter and I were honored to present resolutions to Warren on behalf of the Missouri House and the Missouri Senate in honor of his retirement.

This week I was also able to introduce and present a resolution Dr. Don Claycomb, who many of you may know as the president of the State Technical College of Missouri. After a 50-year career in education, the last 23 spent at the State Technical College of Missouri, Dr. Claycomb has decided to retire.

Dr. Claycomb is an outstanding individual and has been recognized for his many contributions as an educator by receiving various awards over many years and by building the State Technical College of Missouri into the great institution it is today. I would like to thank both of these remarkable men for their great service to Missouri and I wish them the best of luck in their retirements.

I also received a special visit this week from World War II veteran and Jefferson City resident, Ms. Emma Verslues. Ms. Verslues was a member of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during World War II where she served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as a nursing assistant. I was honored to introduce Ms. Verslues in the Senate chamber where she received a well-deserved standing ovation from the entire Senate.

My purpose and my intent is to serve the constituents of the 6th Senatorial District. If you are in the state Capitol during the coming weeks and months, please stop by your office in Room 321.

State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, represents the 6th District.