Missouri's Business Climate

NEWS RELEASE    ---     From the Office of Representative Shelley Keeney - 156^th District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	CONTACT:    Rep. Shelley Keeney
February 21, 2011	(573) 751-5912

Missouri's Business Climate

Over the past couple weeks, the Missouri legislature continued to work on jump-starting our state’s economy. In order to accomplish that, we believe we need to fundamentally change the business environment in the State of Missouri for all current and future businesses to create jobs.

One important fix we addressed to change the business environment is contained in HB162. The practical effect of this bill is to make workplace accidents, injuries, and diseases easier to resolve for employees and less expensive for small businesses. Currently, occupational diseases are settled outside of workers compensation, which means they end up in court; and it becomes more expensive for individuals and businesses. For businesses, a full-blown court trial means a costly defense that may lead
to huge damages and could bring down the whole company. Usually the only people who win are the lawyers, not the injured workers or small businesses.

We also added a provision to this bill that would cut down on frivolous lawsuits. In this fix, we want to extend civil protection to employees from other employees who may get injured at work and attempt to sue their co-worker for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Another bill that was passed in the Senate last week is SCS SB19. The legislation caps the corporate franchise tax liabilities at the amount of each corporation’s tax liability for the 2010 tax year. If a corporation did not have a corporate franchise tax liability in 2010 because such corporation was not doing business within the state or did not exist, such corporation’s franchise tax liability would be capped at the amount of such corporation’s franchise tax liability for its first full year of existence. Beginning January 1, 2012, the corporate franchise tax rate will be gradually reduced over a five-year period until it is completely phased out.

These two pieces of legislation are a positive step in the right direction for improving the environment in which businesses operate in Missouri. The result should be an increase in businesses in our state and more jobs for Missourians.

As session starts to heat up, there will be even more to consider, but I’m happy to report that the Missouri House continues to stay focused on job creation. With the right reforms, we should be able to turn this bad economy into an opportunity to help Missouri’s employers provide more jobs, so that those people who are looking for work will have more opportunities to find a job.

Please let me know if you would like to receive my weekly updates via electronic E-Mail, by sending an email with your name to: Shelley.Keeney@house.mo.gov

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns about state government. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-5912. You may write me at: Shelley Keeney; Missouri House of Representatives; State Capitol, Room 313; Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806 or email me.