Chamber Legislative Agendas
Government Resources // Legislative Agenda
Approved by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 2009, the following serves as the guidebook to Chamber positions on legislative issues and serves to inform and educate those in legislative positions the views of the Chamber.
Click on one of the federal or state agenda links below.
2010 Federal Legislative Agenda
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
It is critical to ensure that Missouri remain competitive with surrounding states and emerging manufacturing countries. The Chamber encourages diligence on the part of lawmakers to maintain the delicate balance of economic success and quality of life that distinguishes our state and nation.
International Trade
The Chamber supports international trade policies that: encourage economic development in southwest Missouri, reduce trade barriers, protect U.S. intellectual property, eliminate unfair trade practices, and encourage efficient international trade assistance programs through cooperation and coordination among local, state and federal agencies. Additionally, the Chamber supports export promotion programs centered on small and medium-sized businesses which account for the vast majority of all exporters.
The safety and security of America should continue to be top priority and when reviewing foreign investments, the Chamber supports policies that focus on tangible national security issues as laid out in U.S. law, thus safeguarding America’s longstanding “open door” policy on international investment.
The Chamber supports the pending Trade Promotion Agreements negotiated with Columbia and Panama, and the proposed Free Trade Agreement with South Korea.
Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center
The Chamber encourages continued support and federal funding for the ongoing development of the Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center (JVIC), which is located in the former Missouri Farmers Association milling facility in downtown Springfield. JVIC has provided the impetus for a consortium of private technology firms to relocate to Springfield for collaboration with Missouri State University on Department of Defense and Homeland Security research and development. A viable JVIC facility offers Springfield significant potential to stimulate the creation of many new research-related and support jobs. JVIC is also the anchor for the fast-developing IDEA Commons, which combines Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and the Arts (IDEA) to help spur economic development in Downtown Springfield. The Chamber encourages continued support from federal legislators with regards to the development of the Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center and the IDEA Commons.
ENERGY
American economic prosperity is closely tied to the availability of affordable, abundant, and clean energy supplies. The Chamber supports a national energy policy that is comprehensive and long-term and moves us away from dependence on foreign oil. Any proposed energy policy must consider all forms of available energy including natural gas, coal, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, and biofuels in order to meet the growing demand. In addition, we support an energy policy that:
• Encourages, but does not mandate, the development and use of cleaner renewable fuels to promote environmental protection and support Missouri’s agricultural sector
• Balances environmental concerns with the needs of industry and business
• Ensures that any measure that calls for a reduction in emissions must be enacted at the same time that necessary technologies are commercially available
• Provides incentives to encourage new energy technologies
• Provides a plan for the distribution of fuel to ensure fuel availability for essential service providers during a national crisis
ENVIRONMENT
The Chamber recognizes that one of the most valuable assets of southwest Missouri is the natural environment, including the unique geologic setting of the region. The Chamber supports a system of environmental standards that provides a balance between ensuring the sustainability of natural resources while ensuring quality of life and economic growth in the region.
Air Quality
The Chamber supports federal legislation that ensures public health protection without causing undue economic burden on industry.
The implementation of federally mandated air quality standards that are anticipated for 2010 may potentially have an adverse effect on economic development in the Springfield region. The Springfield Chamber will collaborate with appropriate stakeholders to ensure regulatory compliance for ozone and particulate matter.
Emissions Mandates
The Springfield Chamber supports balanced and reasonable national climate change policies that are equitable to all regions and industries, encourage innovation, and economic growth and achieve sustainable environmental benefits. The Chamber opposes policies that would unduly raise energy costs for businesses or jeopardize the creation of jobs. Carbon regulation aimed at impacting climate change is an international issue that should not be addressed and cannot be solved by state or regional approaches. In order to ensure the nations’ competitiveness in a global economy, any domestic emissions mandates or restraints must not be implemented until an agreed-upon global accord exists that would commit all major emitting nations to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Chamber supports legislation that would encourage the accelerated development and deployment of greenhouse gas reduction technology and the reduction of barriers to the development of climate-friendly energy sources.
As Congress considers carbon tax/cap and trade policies and renewable portfolio standards, it is crucial that states like Missouri are not put at an economic disadvantage because of the limited ability to access abundant renewable options. The responsibility of addressing environmental issues should be shared economy-wide and should take into account geographic advantage or disadvantage.
Regulatory Reform
Regulatory reform should focus on reducing administrative requirements and the economic burden of regulatory compliance. Additionally, regulatory reform should take into consideration the sometimes conflicting compliance requirements between state and federal regulatory bodies.
Water Quality and Quantity
The Chamber supports efforts by local, state and federal government to protect, preserve and improve water quality and quantity through sound watershed management, including conservation measures, the application of reasonable standards and educational resources.
GOVERNMENTAL/FISCAL MANAGEMENT
Fiscal Responsibility
As an organization founded to promote business and commerce, the Chamber believes a balanced federal budget and a reduced national debt will promote the health of our national economy today and for future generations. The Chamber encourages Congress and the Administration to work toward a balanced budget.
Unfunded Mandates
The Chamber opposes unfunded federal legislative mandates.
Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA)
The Chamber opposes provisions in the proposed legislation known as Consumer Financial Protection Agency, particularly those provisions that are redundant with the regulatory oversight already required by state governments.
HEALTHCARE
The Springfield Chamber recognizes that health care continues to be one of business’s largest costs, and reform of the nation’s health care system is one of the greatest challenges we face as a nation. The Chamber urges caution as legislators seek to address this problem so as not to jeopardize the parts of the system that currently work.
The Chamber supports meaningful health reform that focuses on initiatives to maintain the quality of healthcare and reduce healthcare costs, introduce fair regulation of the insurance market, and build a robust marketplace for consumers. The Chamber encourages lawmakers to reduce federal mandates and pass malpractice reform legislation that will lower the cost of patient care.
The Chamber opposes shifting of the cost of the uninsured to businesses, as well as health insurance mandates that undermine the ability of employers to provide competitive health insurance at an affordable cost.
IMMIGRATION
We support comprehensive immigration reform which will give employers access to a legal workforce at a time when our nation has seen demographic shifts in population Because so many advanced degrees awarded by U.S. universities go to foreign nationals, the Chamber encourages the federal government to adopt a talent-oriented immigration policy to ensure the competitiveness of the nation’s business community.
Additionally, the Chamber supports legislative action that:
• establishes a reliable, efficient, accurate employment eligibility confirmation system that is easy to use and provides a good faith “safe harbor” to employers relying on the Employment Eligibility Confirmation System
• includes an innovative guest worker program that allows essential workers to legally enter the U.S. and addresses processing delays
• provides for expansion of H-1B and H-2B visa issuance and employment-based green cards
• delivers a workable solution that addresses the undocumented workers currently in the U.S. who are filling legitimate employment needs
• strengthens our national security by providing for thorough screening of foreign workers and creating strong disincentives for illegal immigration
The Chamber advocates for a clarification from the Department of Immigration of the existing rules and regulations for general contractors as it pertains to subcontractors hiring decisions and responsibility for verification of immigration status.
LABOR RELATIONS
The Chamber opposes the Employee Free Choice Act, or any other legislation that would compromise the rights of employees to unionize through the secret ballot process, expose workers to union intimidation, and impose federally-appointed arbitrators into contract negotiation. The Chamber supports the right of workers to voluntarily join unions under fair and democratic rules, but opposes legislation that would impose new and costly regulations on businesses, disrupt the way businesses are run, and stifle productivity and economic growth.
MINIMUM WAGE
The Chamber opposes any unreasonable expansion of the federal minimum wage, and supports the position that changes to the minimum wage should be established on a national basis.
TAXATION
Tax Reform
The Chamber will continue to monitor federal tax reform efforts and support proposals that simplify the tax code and reduce the cost of IRS compliance on businesses and individuals.
The Chamber encourages lawmakers to support legislation such as the proposed Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2007 that would regulate certain state taxation of interstate commerce. This proposed legislation would simplify the ability for businesses to conform to individual state taxation requirements and ultimately provide greater consistency and reduce overall administrative costs.
The Chamber supports legislation that increases certainty to the business community and encourages business development.
Tax Incentives
The Chamber encourages continued support of existing tax incentives including energy, environmental, and economic development tax incentives. These safeguards result in increased protection of the environment while encouraging investment in economic development.
TRANSPORTATION
The continued improvement of Missouri’s transportation system is a primary economic development goal of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Transportation infrastructure is a crucial element in supporting our region’s rapid growth and development. The Springfield Chamber encourages continued support of partnerships between local, state, and federal entities that will maximize available dollars through collaborative efforts.
The Chamber urges lawmakers to reauthorize the transportation spending bill that expired in September of 2009. Federal funding for the nation’s necessary transportation infrastructure projects will result in immediate job growth during this time of high unemployment and improved safety.
Additionally, the Chamber encourages lawmakers to shore up the United States Highway Trust Fund to ensure funding is available for critical transportation infrastructure projects around the country in the short and long term.
Funding for MPO Projects
The Chamber supports continued funding for top priorities as identified by the Ozark Transportation Organization, the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
I-49 Bella Vista Bypass Project
The Chamber supports the request of the Arkansas and Missouri Departments of Transportation for federal funds for the completion of the “Bella Vista Bypass Project,” an approximately 20-mile corridor that is a key, unfinished segment of the future I-49. When completed, I-49 will improve the north-south mobility for thousands of businesses located through northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri.
Multimodal
The Chamber supports efforts of the “100 Bus Coalition” to preserve federal operating assistance for transit systems operating in urbanized areas that surpassed a population of 200,000 during the 2000 Census.
The Chamber supports efforts to secure capital funds for bus replacement to improve the nation’s transit systems.
Springfield-Branson National Airport
The Chamber advocates for an increase in the FAA Passenger Facility Charges and supports continuation of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
The Chamber opposes any proposal to change FAA regulations that would result in the need for increased staffing of firefighters at the nation’s airports, and consequently would impact the duties they perform.
2010 State Legislative Agenda
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
A strong pro-business climate is critical if Missouri is to be successful in competing for industry and jobs in a global economy. The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce encourages responsible stewardship of state finances and a balanced state budget without placing undue tax burdens on the business community or reducing the effectiveness of essential state programs.
Grow Me State Initiative
The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce supports sustainable state policies and programs for technology-based economic development to address Missouri’s “capital formation gap” as compared with other states, including: 1) an angel investor tax credit to spur private investment in early stage companies; 2) increased funding for the Missouri Technology Corporation to assist companies with intellectual property issues and business development; 3) seed capital funds to make investments in promising startup technology companies and 4) a proof of concept fund to assist technology companies in advancing research into a commercially-viable product.
Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA)
The Chamber supports the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act in order provide a predictable, stable source of funding for building the entrepreneurial infrastructure necessary to support the growth of science and innovation companies in Missouri.
Economic Development Tax Credits
The Springfield Chamber strongly encourages lawmakers to support and protect proven tax credit programs that are critical economic development tools used to stimulate employment and leverage private investment. We oppose efforts to reduce the effectiveness of such programs including proposals to subject them to the annual appropriations process.
The Chamber urges lawmakers to undertake a thorough cost-benefit analysis of economic development tax credits that accounts for additional state and local revenue generated from the newly-created private investment and job creation activities.
Workforce Development
The Chamber supports increased appropriations for workforce training incentives and technical education programs that offer customized skill and classroom training and retraining to new and expanding businesses. The Chamber encourages the state legislature and the governor to protect funding for training in order to enhance Missouri’s workforce. During this time of high unemployment in our state, job training and retraining are more critical than ever.
Bonding
In order to stimulate the state’s economy and as a means to address urgent capital improvements and other economic development needs, the Chamber supports prudent borrowing or other funding methods.
Mega-Project Legislation
The Chamber encourages the General Assembly to create a framework for attracting large scale mega-projects.
Small Business and Entrepreneurial Support
The Chamber encourages initiatives that would positively enhance the small business and entrepreneurial climate in the state to encourage growth and development in this critical sector.
The Chamber supports legislation that would provide assistance to small businesses by providing state matching grants for federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs such as grants for professional services, greater access to low-interest loans for start-up businesses and expansion capital.
Support for Data Centers
The Chamber supports legislation that would make Missouri more competitive in attracting and retaining high-technology companies and jobs within the data center industry.
Tourism
State funding for promotion of Missouri as a tourist destination should continue to be a priority, as tourism’s impact on the state’s economy is significant. The Chamber supports protection of funding for the Division of Tourism for promotion of Missouri’s tourism industry.
Life Science Research Trust Fund
The Life Science Research Trust Fund provides support for the development of the biotechnology industry in Missouri and enhances the state’s capacity to perform and commercialize research. The Springfield Chamber supports full funding of the trust fund.
Research and Development
The Chamber supports the restoration and funding of Missouri’s research and development tax credit.
EDUCATION
Missouri’s future prosperity in a global economy is directly linked to the educational achievement of the workforce. Continued investment in all levels of public education will ensure that a properly trained workforce will be available to meet the needs and expectations of Missouri employers. Additionally, as poverty levels continue to rise throughout the state, it is critical that we invest in education to make education affordable and accessible to all in an effort to break the cycle of poverty for many Missouri families.
Early Childhood Education
As numerous studies have shown the importance of investing in the early childhood years and the public return on investment, the Chamber supports legislation that would:
1) improve access to quality childcare programs for Missouri’s at-risk children by increasing the childcare subsidy for low income families, 2) implement a statewide voluntary quality rating system for Missouri childcare providers, and 3) expand access to voluntary pre-K for all Missouri children.
Elementary and Secondary Education
We support funding for pre-K through 12th grade education for all areas required to make Missouri’s educational system competitive and capable of meeting our state’s educational needs. The Chamber will closely monitor and support efforts that provide for adequate and equitable funding for public education. Additionally, the Chamber encourages lawmakers to reduce or eliminate mandates for the state’s public school systems that aren’t properly funded.
Protecting funding for public education is critical to support Missouri schools in their efforts to meet expectations placed upon them. Fully funding the state’s foundation formula and maintaining funding for categoricals is key to this effort.
These areas of funding should receive priority over programs such as Career Ladder. School districts that fund teachers’ salaries primarily through local tax effort should not be financially penalized in favor of the few that use Career Ladder funding to supplement their teachers’ salaries.
Therefore we believe that, if a reduction in school funding is required, it should be taken from Career Ladder rather than reducing overall funding for all Missouri school districts.
Higher Education
The higher education institutions in our region have a tremendous impact on both the local economy and the workforce, and play an important role in community betterment of the area. The current decline in revenues for the State of Missouri will ultimately lead to difficult decisions on reduction of services and elimination of programs. The Chamber encourages lawmakers to continue to invest in higher education, and to protect core funding for higher education.
-- Missouri State University
The Chamber advocates for support for Missouri State University’s operating budget request, and if and when funding becomes available, priority be given to fund the third year of a 4.2 percent increase in core funding and an additional 4 percent increase to address other institutional needs to accommodate enrollment growth, as well as inflation.
The Chamber urges lawmakers and the governor to release the funds approved for the Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative, and to provide funding for a new science facility, the University’s top priority for capital projects.
-- Ozarks Technical Community College
The Chamber advocates for level funding for support for Ozarks Technical Community College’s operating budget request and appropriations of $12 million for OTC’s capital projects and capital improvements plan.
Currently, Ozarks Technical Community College has the third highest enrollment in the state of all community colleges, yet ranks last in state funding. The Chamber advocates for legislation that would ensure any higher education funding formula considers student enrollment as a factor.
Allied Health Program Funding
The Chamber supports the continued funding for “Caring for Missourians,” an initiative to enable Missouri’s public universities and community colleges to increase the number of health professional graduates to address the rapidly growing shortage of workers in the health care fields including physicians, dentists, nurses and physical therapists.
Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (METS)
Studies indicate that Missouri students, specifically in middle and high school, are underperforming in the areas of math, engineering, technology and science compared with peers in various developed countries around the world. In order to expand the pool of students motivated to pursue careers in those fields, the Chamber encourages increased state funding to accommodate additional math and science teachers and related professional development, scholarship opportunities for METS degrees, enhanced curriculum materials, and technology equipment.
ENERGY
The Chamber believes that affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is essential to a thriving state economy. As projections for energy demands continue to steadily increase, the Chamber supports measures that increase the availability of affordable and reliable energy through expanding overall energy production from increasingly cleaner sources, promoting broad-based energy efficiency measures and encouraging investment in alternative energy technologies. Proposed energy policy must be comprehensive and must consider all forms of available energy including natural gas, coal, nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, and biofuels in order to meet the growing demand, must be revenue neutral and must not unduly impact the business community.
ENVIRONMENT
The Chamber recognizes that one of the most valuable assets of southwest Missouri is its natural environment, including the unique geologic setting of the region. The Chamber supports a system of environmental standards that provides a balance between ensuring the sustainability of natural resources while ensuring quality of life and economic growth in the region.
Water Quality and Quantity
The Chamber supports a cooperative approach by local, state and federal government to protect and preserve both surface and groundwater quality and quantity through sound watershed management, including conservation measures, the application of reasonable standards, and capital funding for a facility dedicated to watershed education. Sound watershed management should not be construed to mean unreasonable limitation or taxation for direct consumption to a private property owner.
Regulatory Reform
Regulatory reform should focus on reducing administrative requirements and the economic burden of regulatory compliance. Additionally, regulatory reform should take into consideration the sometimes conflicting compliance requirements between state and federal regulatory bodies.
HEALTHCARE
Healthcare Delivery
The Chamber recognizes that health care continues to be one of business’s largest costs and supports initiatives, policies, or programs that make the delivery of health care services less costly and more efficient.
Insurance Reform
The Chamber supports solutions that not only control costs but also redefine the manner in which consumers purchase insurance. Developing consumer-driven solutions through incentives, tax credits, wellness and preventative programs, and similar vehicles should provide relief to individual consumers and Missouri businesses that supply health benefits to their employees.
The Chamber opposes shifting of the cost of the uninsured to businesses, as well as health insurance mandates that undermine the ability of employers to provide competitive health insurance at an affordable cost.
MohealthNet
The Chamber encourages adequate funding for state health care programs to leverage federal matching dollars and reduce the number of uninsured Missourians.
IMMIGRATION
All policy enacted on immigration reform should happen at the federal level, to ensure a fair system for both legal immigrant workers and employers.
INITIATIVE PETITION PROCESS
Missouri is one of 17 states whose constitutions allow for initiative petitions. The Chamber encourages lawmakers to consider legislation that would ultimately enhance the existing process, ensuring a fair and transparent process for Missourians. Such changes could include the implementation of a bi-partisan panel for review of the proposed ballot language and the requirement that signature gatherers are Missouri residents.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
The Chamber supports capitalizing on Missouri’s existing resources and infrastructure to create new business development and bolster the state economy through international trade by developing programs and institutions to promote Missouri in international markets.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Staffing Levels
The Chamber encourages legislation and funding to support two additional associate circuit judicial positions in Greene County. These positions would help address the backlog in the judicial system, and are consistent with the 2007 Missouri Judicial Weighted Workload Study.
Additionally, the Chamber supports a formal review of the Missouri Public Defender System in an effort to establish increased efficiencies and improved access to justice for all Missourians.
Non-Partisan Court Plan
The Chamber supports Missouri’s existing non-partisan court plan and opposes legislation that would eliminate the existing method of selecting judicial appointments, as the current model ensures judges are appointed based on merit and ability. Additionally, the Chamber encourages continued analysis of the plan to identify opportunities for further improvement.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
The Chamber supports legislation that will encourage investment in technology infrastructure, including legislation that will update the current intrastate access fee structure to remove a potential barrier to greater access to communications technology and promote customer choice.
TAXATION
The Chamber advocates that any tax reform should promote business activity, while achieving revenue and budget neutrality and administrative simplicity. Reforms should also eliminate double taxation and should not disproportionately impact the business community.
Corporate Franchise Tax
The Chamber supports the repeal and/or phase-out of the corporate franchise tax over time when the health of the state budget will allow, as it is a form of double taxation.
Review of Fiscal Note Process
The Springfield Chamber urges lawmakers to develop an effective fiscal note process that accurately measures the total fiscal impact of proposed legislation, including an accounting of the anticipated revenue gains from proposed tax credit programs.
TABOR
Due to the potential impact on public education and transportation infrastructure, the Chamber opposes any effort to implement a constitutional limit on government spending, such as TABOR, Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
TRANSPORTATION
The continued improvement of Missouri’s transportation system is a primary economic development goal of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. Given the state’s natural geographic advantage as a transportation hub, transportation infrastructure is a crucial element in supporting our continued growth and development.
Alternative Forms of Funding
With the loss of federal transportation dollars and the final distribution of Amendment 3 funds, future funding for Missouri’s transportation infrastructure improvements is in jeopardy. As such, the Chamber urges the legislature to explore various funding options such as toll roads for new construction only, not existing interstate highways or roadways in the state; increased general sales tax; motor fuel tax; or dedicated general revenue in order to strengthen Missouri’s transportation system.
Any funding increase to improve Missouri’s interstate highways should have a broad statewide focus and must include I-44.
Awareness/Education
Despite the recent construction activity on Missouri’s roads, it is critical that the business community and the public be further educated on the need for increased transportation funding as state and federal funding levels decrease in order to ensure eventual support of ballot initiatives. The Chamber encourages lawmakers to actively support the work of the Missouri Transportation Alliance, a statewide business-led effort designed to educate citizens on the importance of multi-modal infrastructure and identify the most critical transportation needs.
Funding for MPO Projects
The Chamber encourages continued funding for the region’s top priority infrastructure projects as defined by the Ozark Transportation Organization, the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).
Multimodal
The Chamber supports increased funding for multimodal transportation to improve port, rail, aviation and public transit modes in order to advance economic development, making Missouri’s transportation infrastructure seamless and competitive with other states. We support City Utilities Transit in their request to secure a dedicated source of state funding to replace funding losses in the federal program.
Public/Private Partnerships
The Springfield Chamber encourages continued partnerships between MoDOT and local governments as well as public/private partnerships. Additionally, the Chamber advocates for prioritized funding for projects where state and local entities are partnering.
