HCS HB 1893 -- GAMING FUNDS

SPONSOR:  Day (Kelly)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Veterans
by a vote of 8 to 1.

Currently, the laws regarding the distribution of gaming funds
contain provisions that govern the administration of early
childhood education and veterans' programs which are supported by
gaming moneys.  This substitute repeals and re-enacts those
provisions with two changes and places them in the statutes that
apply to veterans (Chapter 42, RSMo) and to education (Chapter
161).  The changes include requiring grant funds to be made
available for service officer training for outreach programs
between veteran service organizations and the Missouri Veterans
Commission and adds the Vietnam War to the list of conflicts for
which service medals are awarded.  An obsolete subsection that
describes how distributions were made in Fiscal Year 1998 and
earlier is also repealed.

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2011, veterans' programs will receive an
additional $500,000 per year if the Gaming Commission Fund
reaches the 2009 appropriation level for early childhood
education.  Once the $500,000 is distributed to the Veterans'
Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund, additional funds will
be deposited into the Early Childhood Development Education and
Care Fund.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2011, FY 2012, and
FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill makes more money
available for veteran service officers.  Many veterans don't know
what services and benefits are available to them.  By having more
service officers, they will be able to seek out veterans and help
them receive the assistance to which they are entitled.  This
will help expand veteran programs and bring more federal dollars
into the state.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Kelly; Missouri
Veterans Commission; Dewey Rhein, Missouri Association of
Veterans Organizations and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the
United States, Missouri Department; Lynn Dorrall, American
Legion, Department of Missouri; and Pat Roe Kerr.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that it is important to
maintain early childhood programs at their current funding
levels.  By implementing the provisions of the bill, the funding
levels for early childhood programs will be detrimentally
affected by allowing the Missouri Veterans Commission to receive
$500,000 upon reaching the 2009 appropriation level.

Testifying against the bill was Jerry Lafaver, Partnership for
Children.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:12 pm