This Week's Stouffer Report: Early Vetoes Delay Missouri Job Growth

8/2/2019 This Week's Stouffer Report: Early Vetoes Delay Missouri Job Growth

1/3

April 10, 2012

Having trouble viewing this e-mail?

Clickhere. Unsubscribe

Early Vetoes Delay Missouri Job Growth

With a single stroke of his veto pen, the governor

dealt a blow to a couple of crucial jobs bills thatthe Legislature worked hard to get to him early in

the session. Unfortunately, this is a win for

Missouris trial lawyers and a loss for thoseseeking meaningful employment in the stateduring hard times.

Earlier this year, Missouri businesses askedlawmakers to pass two reforms to keep Missouri

from being one of the easiest places to be suedin the entire nation. Unfortunately, the governor

vetoed both ideas. This included Senate Bill 572,which would have changed lawsuits dealing with

workplace accidents, and House Bill 1219, whichwould have made it easier for Missouris

employers to hire and fire employees withoutfearing another lawsuit. Both of these measures

would have helped to stop activist judges from

legislating from the bench, creating case law thathas been superseding federal law for most of the

past decade.

Too many employers have been looking pastMissouri for too long. They do not like the toxic

legal climate here. Because of this, and co-
http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.htmlhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.htmlhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.htmlmailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Stouffer%20eNewsmailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Stouffer%20eNewshttp://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=9244http://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=9244http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=hb1219&year=2012&code=Rhttp://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=hb1219&year=2012&code=Rhttp://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=hb1219&year=2012&code=Rhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=9244mailto:[email protected]?subject=Unsubscribe%20Stouffer%20eNewshttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/12info/stouffer/Columns.html


2/3

employee liability that Senate Bill 572 addressed,

existing employers are cautious in their hiringand potential companies do not even want to

consider Missouri. This is costing us jobs.

In his veto letter on Senate Bill 572, thegovernor focuses on co-employee liability, which

simply means one person can sue someone heworks with if he gets hurt on the job, in additionto suing his boss. Our goal in the MissouriGeneral Assembly was to cut back on this type of

lawsuit, because a coworker should not have tosuffer for something that happened to somebody

else.

In vetoing House Bill 1219, the governor cited six

areas where he sees no compromise. He vetoeda similar bill last year. We wanted to follow

federal law in regard to discrimination, nothingmore and nothing less. Since the governor has

essentially said there is no middle ground, I amnot sure we could do something else before the

session is complete. I am also not sure the voteswould be there in the House to override the veto.

For more than a year, we in the Legislature haveworked tirelessly to address these issues in a

way that suits as many folks as possible.Unfortunately, all it has taken is one no from

the states chief executive officer to stop theseneeded reforms to put Missouri back to work.

While opponents to these ideas have claimedexisting laws protect minorities, I would argue

that the current legal environment discouragesbusinesses from hiring folks that are of a

different gender, race or sexual orientation just

because they may have grounds for a suit if theyare fired for poor performance. This is not apositive for Missouri jobs.

My hope is we can continue to work toward

common ground and get Missouri back to workas soon as possible.


3/3

Senator Stouffer serves the counties of Carroll,Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray,

Saline, and a part of Clay.

If you have questions or comments about this or anyother issue, please call toll free (866) 768-3987 or bye-mail [email protected].

[email protected] | www.senate.mo.gov/stoufferState Capitol, Room 332, Jefferson City, MO 65101 | (866) 768-3987
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/members/mem21.htmhttp://www.senate.mo.gov/12info/members/mem21.htmmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

This Week's Stouffer Report: Early Vetoes Delay Missouri Job Growth

Documents

Transcript of This Week's Stouffer Report: Early Vetoes Delay Missouri Job Growth