This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Nov. 22, 2011 - The Regional Chamber and Growth Association has already approved its legislative agenda and goals for the 2012 legislative sessions in Illinois and Missouri. Some basic issues are, as expected, measures seen as encouraging economic development.
But in Missouri, the RCGA also seeks to resurrect the measure, approved by the General Assembly and vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon, to make it more difficult for workers to sue employers for job discrimination.
According to the RCGA, its legislative effort in both states "is focused on four key areas that reflect the overall business interests of our large and diverse membership: promoting an advantageous business climate, investing in innovation and capital formation, leveraging regional assets, and strengthening education and workforce development."
Missouri priorities include:
- Full funding for the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA) that the General Assembly approved during the special session. The act seeks to create financial incentives to encourage more jobs in science and research. "Because the program is subject to the annual appropriations process, we must work each year to ensure that MOSIRA is the predictable, stable source of state funding for investments in high-tech entrepreneurial infrastructure that it is intended to be."
- Continuing to lobby for "new economic development tools" to promote state and regional job creation. "The inability of House and Senate leaders to reach agreement on how to review and revise the state's existing tax credit programs has become an unacceptable stalemate that is hurting Missouri's ability to develop critical projects like an international air cargo hub at Lambert Airport."
- Resurrecting some of the "Fix the Six" business proposals that were not passed -- or failed to become law -- during this year's regular legislative session.
The RCGA said it "will continue to push for reforming the workers' compensation system so that employees are protected from being sued by their co-workers, and to ensure that employees who contract occupational diseases are properly covered by the workers' compensation system."
As part of the "Fix the Six'' push, the RGCA says it "will also pursue a solution to the state's insolvent Second Injury Fund, without placing an undue burden on Missouri employers. Also, the RCGA will continue to advocate for employment law reform, which passed the legislature last year but was vetoed by the governor."
Nixon had vetoed the measure soon after it landed on his desk, saying that it would have made it too difficult for people with legitimate grievances to take action, particularly the disabled.
Illinois priorities include:
- "Promoting fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget." The group said: "The RCGA will continue its efforts in Illinois to advocate for responsible stewardship of state finances and a balanced budget, without placing an undue tax burden on the business community." The group notes that Illinois expects to end this current budget year with an $8 billion deficit, "despite increasing the state's personal and corporate income taxes earlier this year." The RCGA also targets Illinois' "$85 billion shortfall" in its public pension programs.
- Changing the state's workers' compensation system. "While the RCGA applauds the meaningful changes the legislature made to the state's workers' compensation system last year, which are estimated to save Illinois businesses some $500 million annually, the bill did not go far enough," the group said. "For example, there still is no requirement than an injury be related directly to the workplace, so the RCGA supports strong causation standards and policies to reduce costs and unnecessary litigation."
- Ensuring that state-financed infrastructure projects "remain on schedule." The RCGA says it supports Metro East projects under construction and "will work to ensure that they remain on schedule and receive the necessary funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Capital Development Board for timely completion."
