This articla first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, April 7, 2011 - State House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, said Thursday that Gov. Jay Nixon's proposal to add $1.1 million to enforce the state's existing dog-breeding regulations won't deter a legislative push to revamp or repeal Proposition B, which imposes further restrictions.
Tilley said he hadn't seen Nixon's proposal but did not think it would change the trajectory of the bill regarding Proposition B, which was narrowly approved by voters last fall.
"Our concern has always been how you enforce this, how you enforce Prop B," Tilley said. "I haven't seen the details, I haven't seen where (Nixon) gets the money from. Is it from a fee increase? I'd have to look at the specifics, but I'm open to working with the governor on that one."
Nixon spokesman Scott Holste said the money comes from higher-than-anticipated reimbursements from the federal government, such as Medicaid-type expenses.
Earlier this legislative session, the Missouri Senate narrowly passed a bill making changes to Proposition B. The bill, among other things, would remove Prop B's cap that limits breeders to 50 breeding dogs, change the criminal punishments and loosen requirements for veterinarian care, exercise and limits on breeding cycles.
The Senate bill also allows the Department of Agriculture to raise license fees,which could lead to more rigorous enforcement.
The full House hasn't taken up the measure, although the House Agriculture Policy Committee did approve the measure on Tuesday.
Nixon's office -- which noted earlier this year he doesn't often comment on pending bills when they're in process -- announced yesterday it was proposing a $1.1 million budget amendment for the Missouri Department of Agriculture to hire "more inspectors, investigators and veterinarians to improve the oversight and regulation of Missouri's dog-breeding facilities."
"Neither Proposition B nor Senate Bill 113 provides adequate resources to ensure the enforcement of laws designed to protect the health and welfare of dogs," said Nixon in the statement announcing the amendment. "If a law is on the books, but there is not effective enforcement, it will not accomplish its purpose."
State Rep. Tom Loehner, R- Koeltztown and chairman of the House Agriculture Policy Committee, said Nixon's announcement shows that the governor recognizes there's a problem funding enforcement of dog breeding regulations.
"I think he realizes now that there is a problem with funding the department," Loehner said. "And I think he understands that if Prop B goes into effect, a lot of these breeders will either surrender their license or go out of business. And when the majority of money that goes into that program is derived from individuals, their funding is gone."
But, Loehner added, "I'm not going to let it stop the progress of this bill."
Rep. Stanley Cox, R-Sedalia and an opponent of Proposition B, also said the governor's announcement wouldn't halt the Senate bill.
"It's kind of interesting it took him three months to come up with this budget proposal that has no chance of ever being adopted," Cox said. "Even under the changes that we've proposed to Proposition B, there will have to be some more funding. And I support the governor on that for doing the additional regulatory work."
It's uncertain when the bill will come to the House floor. The measure is in the House Rules Committee and House Majority Leader Tim Jones, R-Eureka, said he would hold off on taking up Senate bills until the General Assembly's upper chamber considers various House legislation.
"I would like to see a little action on some of those House bills before we simply truly agree and finally pass every Senate bill thatcomes to the calendar," Jones said. "I'd like to see a little bit of attentionpaid to all of the hard work the House has done."
If the Senate bill makes it to the House floor, passage may not be assured. While many rural lawmakers from both parties support the Senate bill, numerous urban and suburban legislators -- including ones from St. Louis County -- oppose it.
If the bill passes the House without any changes, it will go directly to Nixon's desk.
Nixon spokesman Holste said the that governor's aim is to improve the welfare of dogs. His budget proposal, he said, signals that "no matter what happens, whether it is Proposition B continues to remain in force unaffected or if (he Senate bill) passes, no matter which of those happens, we have still have an issue here where there are not adequate resources for enforcing laws to protect the health and welfare of dogs."
Holste added, "And so the governor has pointed out that we had this money available, so the governor wants to have it in the budget as funding for those extra veterinarians, inspectors and investigators to help regulate dog breeding facilities."
