Jeff City View

Lawmakers works to protect jobs and bring business to state

It's been a busy week at the capitol, with a great deal of attention focused on solving Missouri's economic troubles. Broken policies of the past have threatened to drive job providers out of our state, making it more difficult to compete with neighboring states.

One area that needs to be reformed is our workers' compensation system. Right now, people that injure themselves at work because they are high on drugs or alcohol are eligible to receive taxpayer-funded workers' compensation benefits. This hurts our state by increasing costs on job providers which later get passed onto taxpayers. Bills have been debated this week that would prevent these people from abusing our workers' compensation system for their own personal gain.

Our legal system also has its share of fixing that needs to be done. State law currently allows trial attorneys to profit by filing frivolous lawsuits in hopes of getting a big settlement or outrageous court-ordered pay off. These frivolous lawsuits are bankrupting our system by driving doctors and jobs out of state.

A House committee adopted a bill this week that will reduce frivolous lawsuits by ending the practice of venue shopping that allows trial attorneys to 'shop' around for a judge that is most likely going to order a huge pay off in a frivolous lawsuit. I am looking forward to the opportunity to debate this bill on the House floor in the coming weeks.

A bipartisan group of legislators are working with the State Treasurer this week to file bills expanding investment opportunities by restructuring Missouri's linked deposit program. Linked deposits provide low-interest loans to small businesses and farmers in our state. I am pleased that this legislation, which will be debated in the coming weeks, has a large group of legislators, both Republican and Democrat, that are supporting its passage.

Our state must also expand investment incentives and opportunities to retain and attract new jobs. Missouri's BUILD program provides financial incentives for Missouri employers that retain and recruit new jobs to Missouri. An expansion of this program will help create new jobs and strengthen our state economy.

Broken policies of the past are not solving the problems of today. I believe it is my responsibility to work toward fixing our broken programs and help get Missouri's economy back on the right track. Changing our workers' compensation laws, reducing frivolous lawsuits, restructuring our linked deposits program, and expanding the BUILD program provides a good start to making good on our promises.

Those with questions or comments about this or any other issue, may call Barney Fisher's office at (800) 382-4123 or (573) 751-5388; or write to Representative Barney Fisher, State Capitol, Room 201B, Jefferson City, MO 65101.