Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM

 BILL NUMBER:                                                                        DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                             3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF       IN OPPOSITION TO        FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                            WITNESS NAME
INDIVIDUAL:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                          PHONE NUMBER:
 KRISTEN SLAUGHTER
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                            TITLE:

 ADDRESS:

 CITY:                                                                  STATE:               ZIP:

 EMAIL:                                     ATTENDANCE:                     SUBMIT DATE:
 kslaughter@bbbsemo.org                     Written                         3/13/2024 6:54 PM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 SYNOPSIS OF REQUEST – Big Brothers Big Sisters ABCToday programCurrent Allocation for
 ABCToday- $1,000,000• $500,000 to historic appropriation•         Additional $500,000 in FY24 to
 support new enhancements to ABCToday Model•         Enhancements included 2 schools under the
 modern model and 2 new districts/schools with mentoring expansion.*Critical positions hired with
 funding: •   ABCToday Network Manager•              Group Mentoring Manager •                Mentoring
 Manager for 1-to-1 or 1-by-1 •         Student/Family Advocate (Navigation/Resources) •
 Development + Activity Coordinator • ABCToday Data SpecialistTotal Ask for FY2025 for ABCToday-
 $1,500,000 – representing a $500k increase to our core.•          The Governor has requested our
 current $1mil for FY25 • We are requesting an additional $500,000 to support new enhancements to
 ABCToday Model for a total of $1,500,000. •         This will be our last request for increase for a
 minimum of 4 years. •     BBBS has strived and as of yet, never failed, at achieving a 1:1 match on
 government appropriations and private donations. • This expansion will be for the enhanced model in 2
 new districts/schools with mentoring expansion in rural, suburban and urban areas.
                    MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                           DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                                3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF        IN OPPOSITION TO         FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                             WITNESS NAME
BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                             PHONE NUMBER:
 SAL MARTINEZ                                                              314-333-5622
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                               TITLE:
 EMPLOYMENT CONNECTION                                                     CEO
 ADDRESS:
 2838 MARKET STREET
 CITY:                                                                     STATE:               ZIP:
 ST. LOUIS                                                                 MO                   63103
 EMAIL:                                      ATTENDANCE:                       SUBMIT DATE:
 smartinez@employmentstl.org                 Written                           3/14/2024 9:49 AM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fbit.ly%2f3IEil1w&c=E,1,ZTzy5vv1chQA6A-
 OGLZtpXq2jLfG89sgWsx0wOGFALUOwwvNHUijKIGZkCyUYpRLIMdeHtXynhtEqGNAlCLFWlGOmStNm
 RRd3ZLNBWKLR7d19VfIbkDidr7E&typo=1I am speaking in support of HB 2011. Employment
 Connection is requesting that the committee maintain ourcurrent level of funding at $1 million from
 TANF. We are also requesting a one-time appropriation of $250,000 from General Revenue for our
 partnership with the Incarnate Word Foundation for the Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition for Youth
 "DOCY" programming.With over 45 years of experience in serving individuals with barriers to
 employment, Employment Connection (EC) provides specialized services that promote success, self-
 sufficiency and economic competitiveness for our customers. EC is an agency with extensive
 experience providing job readiness training and supportive services tovulnerable populations. In the
 past two fiscal years Employment Connection has been able to leverage the State of Missouri’s
 investment to attract additional support from foundations, corporations, and individual donors. The
 State of Missouri’s investment, allowing Employment Connection’s demonstration of credibility and
 effectiveness toward other funders, has had a direct impact on strategically allocating resources and
 creating a sustainable fundingmodel for programs.The State of Missouri’s investment into the
 Dutchtown Opportunity Coalition For Youth (DOCY) has allowed over 650 Greater Dutchtown Youth to
 attend more than 50 events either hosted or attended by DOCY staff. This has led to 129clients aged 10
 -17 to enroll in the DOCY program and engage in activities with educational or employment
 opportunities to divert these young people from the cycles of poverty, violence and illegal activity that
 disproportionately affects them in their neighborhoods.Employment ProgramOutcomes2021–2023•
 1,242 clients employed through ouremployment programs• 42% maintained employment for atleast 90
 days• $15.29 average hourly wage as of2023Behavioral HealthProgram Outcomes2021–2023• 2,655
 hours dedicated to client intakes and behavioral health counselingDOCY Program Outcomes2023• 123
 actively engaged DOCY clients in Dutchtown, Gravois Park, and Mount Pleasant• 652 South Side youth
 engaged at over 50 events organized or attended by DOCY staffReducing Recidivism Through
 Employment• Justice-involved Employment Connection clients have a 3% rate of re-offense according
 to Universityof Missouri-Columbia’s Evaluation of 39 Statewide Agencies Receiving Department of
 Corrections CommunityReentry Funding in 2015-2016• Similar clients at other agencies hada
 recidivism rate of 15%
                    MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                        DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                             3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF       IN OPPOSITION TO        FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                            WITNESS NAME
BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                          PHONE NUMBER:
 WILLIAM B BATES                                                        816-868-0297
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                            TITLE:
 LEADINGAGE MISSOURI                                                    CEO
 ADDRESS:
 3412 KNIPP DR, SUITE 102
 CITY:                                                                  STATE:               ZIP:
 JEFFERSON CITY                                                         MO                   65109
 EMAIL:                                     ATTENDANCE:                     SUBMIT DATE:
 billbates@leadingagemissouri.org           Written                         3/13/2024 4:56 PM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 LeadingAge Missouri (LA MO) is an association of 130 non-profit senior living and healthcare
 communities across Missouri delivering the full continuum of aging services to Missourians. Many LA
 MO members operate skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), which care for hundreds of older Missourians
 qualified for Medicaid benefits from MO HealthNet. The cost of caring for these Missouri seniors has
 escalated greatly in recent years, and MO HealthNet reimbursement to SNFs has not kept pace. Many
 SNFs are reimbursed at rates below the cost of care provided to Medicaid beneficiaries– on average
 Missouri SNFs are reimbursed $35 per patient per day below average care costs. This treatment of MO
 SNFs (and by extension older Missourians) is both unacceptable and unsustainable. LA MO members
 appreciate the General Assembly’s past SNF Medicaid rate rebasing and rate increases but current
 rates are based on pre-COVID 2019 state cost reports. COVID and inflation - especially workforce cost
 inflation - have dramatically increased the cost of caregiving. This has caused Missouri SNFs to close
 while others are downsizing their Medicaid beds in an effort to survive. Missouri’s SNF average
 reimbursement rate ($205) is the Nation’s lowest, and Missouri's SNF reimbursement compares poorly
 to contiguous states (ranging from $280 to $246). The Missouri SNF reimbursement/cost gap must be
 narrowed. SNF providers need at least a cost of care rate increase that covers current costs. LA MO
 urges the members of the House Budget Committee to amend House Bill 11 to deliver cost-covering
 Medicaid reimbursement to Missouri SNFs, which care for the State’s most vulnerable citizens.
                    MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                         DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                              3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF       IN OPPOSITION TO        FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                            WITNESS NAME
INDIVIDUAL:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                           PHONE NUMBER:
 BILL NICHOLS
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                             TITLE:

 ADDRESS:

 CITY:                                                                   STATE:               ZIP:

 EMAIL:                                      ATTENDANCE:                     SUBMIT DATE:
 nichols4848@sbcglobal.net                   Written                         3/13/2024 7:58 PM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 I object to these 17 bills because public input should have occurred weeks ago. The Public getting
 notice of one hearing on all 17 spending bills the day before deliberations is dysfunctional government
 (no surprise there with the GOP super-majority), especially after advocacy groups, lawmakers, and
 other individuals have already been able to comment on the bills.
                    MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                    DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                         3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF    IN OPPOSITION TO      FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                         WITNESS NAME
INDIVIDUAL:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                      PHONE NUMBER:
 ARNIE C."HONEST-ABE" DIENOFF-STATE PUBLIC ADVOCATE
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                        TITLE:

 ADDRESS:

 CITY:                                                              STATE:               ZIP:

 EMAIL:                                  ATTENDANCE:                    SUBMIT DATE:
 arniedienoff@yahoo.com                  Written                        3/14/2024 12:19 AM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 Did you cut ALL Government Waste, Abuse and Cut Programs that are NOT working for Missourians?
                  MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                  WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                         DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                              3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:           IN SUPPORT OF         IN OPPOSITION TO        FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                            WITNESS NAME
REGISTERED LOBBYIST:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                           PHONE NUMBER:
 COURTNEY CURTIS                                                         314-687-0569
 REPRESENTING:                                                           TITLE:
 100 BLACK MEN OF METROPOLITAN ST. LOUIS                                 PRINCIPZL
 ADDRESS:
 4433 PERSHING AVENUE, APT 103
 CITY:                                                                   STATE:               ZIP:
 ST. LOUIS                                                               MO                   63108
 EMAIL:                                     ATTENDANCE:                      SUBMIT DATE:
 courtney@strategicprogress.xyz             Written                          3/14/2024 9:38 AM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 Chairman and Committee, I Courtney Curtis, registered lobbyist for the 100 Black men of Metropolitan
 St. Louis would like to humbly request appropriation in the amount of $620,000 for a non-profit 501(c)
 (3) community based organization that operates Project Rebound with a focus on building leaders that
 you would want to follow, improving our community with Project Rebound through focusing on
 mentoring at risk youth and returning citizens, while working to improve their health and wellness,
 providing access to skill based education and economic development, improving the quality of life in
 our communities and enhancing educational and economic opportunities for all.
                    MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                        DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                             3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF      IN OPPOSITION TO        FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                           WITNESS NAME
BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                          PHONE NUMBER:
 HEATHER HARGROVE                                                       573-999-0529
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                            TITLE:
 FEEDING MISSOURI; HARVESTERS–THE COMMUNITY FOOD                        EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
 NETWORK; OZARKS FOOD HARVEST; ST. LOUIS AREA
 FOODBANK; SECOND HARVEST COMMUNITY FOOD BANK;
 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI FOOD BANK; THE FOOD BANK FOR
 CENTRAL
 ADDRESS:
 2306 BLUFF CREEK DRIVE
 CITY:                                                                  STATE:               ZIP:
 COLUMBIA                                                               MO                   65201
 EMAIL:                                     ATTENDANCE:                     SUBMIT DATE:
 kim@feedingmissouri.org                    Written                         3/14/2024 4:13 PM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 Dear Esteemed Members of the House Budget Committee:On behalf of the six regional Feeding
 Missouri food banks and the over 1,200 community and faith-based partners providing emergency
 hunger-relief to Missourians, we urge this committee to fully fund the budget necessary for DSS to
 implement the Summer EBT program in our state. As many of you are aware, the summer months can
 be financially challenging for Missouri families struggling to make ends meet. Food banks routinely
 experience an increase in demand from families with children during the summer months, when the
 loss of school meals and higher utility bills reduce resources for food. The Summer EBT program
 offers an effective intervention to prevent food insecurity among children during the summer. For many
 children in low-income households, the end of the school year marks the end of consistent and reliable
 meals and nutrients necessary for them to thrive. This abrupt disruption can lead to a decline in
 nutritional intake, which can cause physical and mental health problems and lead to poor educational
 performance when school begins again in the fall. Summer EBT provides several benefits for
 consideration by the committee:Nutritional Security: The program directly combats child hunger and
 food insecurity, which unfortunately rises during the summer months.Education Outcomes: Proper
 nutrition is linked to better education outcomes. Children who are well-nourished during the summer
 return to school ready to learn.Economic Impact: By providing funds for families to spend on food, the
 program presents an opportunity to boost local economies and build a more resilient local food
 system.Choosing to support Summer EBT is a wise investment in our community’s future and the
 estimated 429,000 children in Missouri that would be eligible for the Summer EBT program. By
 approving the budget for implementing this program you can help ensure that children have a hunger-
 free summer and return to school well-nourished and ready to learn. We would also like to offer the
 assistance of Feeding Missouri to this committee and the state agencies responsible for ensuring the
 execution and success of this program. Thank you for your time and consideration.Sincerely,Heather
 HargroveExecutive DirectorHarvesters–The Community Food NetworkOzarks Food HarvestSt. Louis
 Area FoodbankSecond Harvest Community Food BankSoutheast Missouri Food BankThe Food Bank
 for Central & Northeast MissouriCC: Robert Knodell, Director of the Department of Social Services
                    MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                    WITNESS APPEARANCE FORM


 BILL NUMBER:                                                                          DATE:
 HB 2011                                                                               3/14/2024
 COMMITTEE:
 Budget
 TESTIFYING:             IN SUPPORT OF        IN OPPOSITION TO         FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

                                             WITNESS NAME
BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION:
 WITNESS NAME:                                                            PHONE NUMBER:
 KIMBERLY MCKINNEY                                                        314-757-5242
 BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION NAME:                                              TITLE:
 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SAINT LOUIS                                         CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 ADDRESS:
 3830 SOUTH GRAND BLVD
 CITY:                                                                    STATE:               ZIP:
 ST. LOUIS                                                                MO                   63118
 EMAIL:                                      ATTENDANCE:                      SUBMIT DATE:
 kimberly@habitatstl.org                     Written                          3/14/2024 9:32 AM
 THE INFORMATION ON THIS FORM IS PUBLIC RECORD UNDER CHAPTER 610, RSMo.
 Since its founding in 1986, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis has completed over 400 homes in
 partnership with families in need of safe, affordable housing in St. Louis City and St. Louis County.
 Habitat Saint Louis believes in a world where everyone has a decent place to live and is dedicated to
 eliminating substandard housing. Habitat Saint Louis works towards that goal with a comprehensive
 program in which hard-working St. Louis families invest their time in to building and purchasing their
 own home. While Habitat Saint Louis is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, national
 funding represents less than 5% of the total budget – and proudly, 85 cents of every dollar raised goes
 directly into programming defined as home construction, volunteer