####Senators push for measures to be put on 2013 schedule before deadline

Five-hundred Senate bills were filed for the 2013 legislation session before the Feb. 28 deadline.

Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, proposed Senate Bill 482, which would provide alternative procedures for public schools. One of the alternatives would be adding “performance-based credits” for charter schools, which would allow the charter schools to participate in the School Flex Program.

Senate Bill 473, sponsored by Sen. John Lamping, R-St. Louis, would change the Missouri Health Care Freedom Act by forbidding Missouri from establishing a health insurance exchange, which would ban insurers from accepting compensation that could result in penalties. Voters passed the act in 2010.

####Gov. Nixon discusses strengthening Medicaid

Gov. Jay Nixon traveled to the capital today to discuss topics like creating jobs and strengthening Medicaid at the Capital Region Medical Center. Nixon’s proposal hopes to bring $5.7 billion to Missouri and provide health care to an additional 300,000 in the state over a three-year time span.

The governor’s proposal would also give basic coverage to those who cannot afford health insurance. Those Missourians who earn less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level would be qualified to receiving coverage.

Nixon said he wanted to bring Missourians’ dollars from Washington back to the Show-Me State.

####Bills advance from the Senate to the House

A piece of legislation received final approval in the Senate; Senate Bill 120, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, would change some provisions regarding tax credits and incentives.

The bill would create the Missouri Export Incentive Act, which would allow air credits for freight forwarders. This would qualify these planes for outboard flights out of the Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The tax credits would be capped at $7.5 million, and the total amount would reach $60 million over eight years.

SB120 would provide tax exemptions for new or expanding data storage centers to be built or operated in the state. Additionally, SB120 would establish the Angel Investment Incentive Act, which seeks to promote investments in start-up companies focusing on the development of technology. The act would authorize up to $36 million tax incentives to investors.

SB120 also modifies tax credits to the low-income housing tax credit. The legislation would forbid tax credits in the Brownfield Remediation that exceed more than $20 million. SB120 would also get rid of the Neighborhood Preservation Act.