Many folks say you need “consensus” to move a bill forward in special session. The nuclear plant legislation has the support of more elected officials and interest groups than the current economic development bill being considered by the General Assembly. Here’s the list. Elected officials were placed on the list by the following criteria: House members listed voted for an ESP amendment during regular session. Senate members listed co-sponsored the legislation filed by Senator Kehoe. I’d also note that, since there have been some small changes to the earlier legislation, some elected leaders may change their vote. The vast majority will not change their vote. They support the concept – and will support the bill with small changes. The members of MIEC have “agreed” to legislative language – but moved the goal posts by saying their agreement isn’t enough to support such legislation in special session. In any case, here’s the list:

Supporters of New Nuclear Energy in Missouri

Missouri ESP Alliance members
Ameren Missouri
Kansas City Power & Light
Empire Distirct Electric
Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Missouri Public Utility Association

MIEC Members (agree to language)
Noranda Aluminum, Inc.
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
BioKyowa, Inc.
Boeing Company
Doe Run
Enbridge
Explorer Pipeline
General Motors Corporation
GKN Aerospace
Hussman Corporation
JW Aluminum
Monsanto
Precoat Metals
Procter & Gamble Company
Nestle Purina Pet Care
Saint Gobain
Solutia
U.S. Silica Company

Local Chambers of Commerce
Camdenton Area Chamber of Commerce
Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce
Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce
Eldon Area Chamber of Commerce

Economic Development Agencies
Missouri CORE
Rolla Regional Economic Commission
Gateway Leadership Foundation
Moniteau County Regional Economic Development Council
East Central Missouri Development Association
Northeast Missouri Development Partnership
Lake of the Ozarks Regional Economic Development Council
Missouri Economic Development Council
Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission

Local Governments
Callaway County Commission
City of California
City of Lebanon
City of Kirkwood
Camden County Commission
City of Osage Beach
City of Linn Creek
City of Rolla
City of Holts Summit
City of Independence
City of Kirkwood
City of Odessa
City of LaPlata

School Districts
Eldon School District

Small Businesses
Alliant Bank
Diamond Pet Foods
Fred Weber, Inc.
Mississippi Lime
Farmer Holding Company
Edison Welding Institute
Valcor Engineering
Consolidated Power Supply
Custom Alloy Corporation
Eaton Corporation
Rotork Controls, Inc.
Tioga Pipe Supply Company, Inc.
Kinectrics
GCA Services Group, Inc.
Headway Workforce Solutions
Curtiss Wright Flow Control
Cives Steel Company
Tioga Pipe Supply, Inc
The Brock Group
EES Engineering & Services
Ascendent Engineering
Avisco, Inc
ISCO Industries
AT&F Nuclear, Inc.
Kinectrics US Inc.
Kennametal
Paxton & Vierling Steel
BendTec Inc.
Crane Nuclear, Inc.
nStone Corporation
MRC – McJunkin Red Man Corporation
Team Industrial Service
Fastenal Company
Brauer Supply Company
Fabick Cat Power Systems, Inc.
St. Louis Fluid System Technologies
MACTEC, Inc.
Corrigan Company
J.P. Bushnell
Alberici Constructors
Schaeffer Marketing Group, Inc.
Continental Fabricators, Inc
Alberici Constructors
Carl F. Gast Co
United/Anco Services, Inc.
RHMC
ROCK HILL MECHNICAL CORP
Will Electronics
Wolseley Industrial Group
Pangea Group
Murphy Company
PayneCrest Electric
Murphy Company
Wolseley Industrial Group
Schneider Electric Company
Durkin Equipment Company, Inc.
Paul C. Rizzo Associates, Inc
Terracon Consultants, Inc.
Siemens Energy
MetalTek International
Hunter Modular Construction
LightGuard – A Philips Company
GCA Services
Clarke Power Service, Inc
Midwest Towers, Inc
AES Raptor, LLC
Airgas Mid America
Airgas
Cent. Mo. Prof. Serv. Inc.
GREDELL Engineering Resources, Inc.
Practical Concepts Consulting, LLC
Graybar Electric Co
Terracon Consultants, Inc.
Archon Engineering
Shaw Group
Butler Supply
Mertens Construction Company, Inc.
Fastenal
Butler Supply
ESAB Welding & Cutting
Mueller Services
Western States Fire Protection
Terracon Consultants, Inc.
Kiewit Power Nuclear Co.
Hirschfeld Industries
VALVtechnologies Inc
Ascendent Engineering
Premier Technology, Inc.
Diversified Metal Products, Inc
H-Y Tech Mechanical & Construction Services, LLC
IMI Nuclear
Oregon Iron Works, Inc.
Burns & McDonnell

Rural Electric Cooperatives
Atchison-Holt
Barry
Barton County
Black River
Boone
Callaway Electric Cooperative
Central Electric Power
Central Missouri
Citizens
Co-Mo
Consolidated
Cuivre River
Crawford
Farmers’
Gascosage
Grundy
Howard
Howell-Oregon
Intercounty
Laclede
Lewis County
M & A Power
Missouri Rural
New-Mac
North Central
Northeast MO Electric Power
NW Electric Power
Osage Valley
Ozark
Ozark Border
Pemiscot-Dunklin
Platte-Clay
Ralls County
Sac Osage
Se-Ma-No
Sho-Me Power
Southwest
Three Rivers
Tri-County
United
Webster
West Central
White River Valley

Municipal/Public Utilities
Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities
Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission
Rolla Board of Public Works
Fulton
City of Trenton
Carrollton Municipal Utilities
Carthage Water & Electric Plant
Chillicothe Municipal Utilities
City of Albany
City of Butler
City of Fayette
City of Fulton
CIty of Higginsville
City of Independence
CIty of Jackson
City of Kahoka
City of La Plata
City of Marceline
CIty of Milan
City of Odessa
CIty of Paris
City of Shelbina
City of West Plains
Kirkwood Electric
Macon Municipal Utilities
Palmyra Board of Public Works
City of Rockport

Labor Unions
Missouri AFL-CIO
COLUMBIA, JEFFERSON CITY, MO & VICINITY BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
JOPLIN BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
KANSAS CITY BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
NORTHEAST BUILDING & TRADES COUNCIL
SEDALIA BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
SOUTHEAST BUILIDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
SPRINGFIELD BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
ST. JOSEPH BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
ST. LOUIS BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
BAC LOCAL 15 MO/KS
BOILERMAKERS LU 27
BOILERMAKERS LU 83
BRICKLAYERS LU 1
D.C. #2 PAINTERS
HEAT & FROST INSULATORS & ASBESTOS WORKERS LU 1
HEAT & FROST INSULATORS & ASBESTOS WORKERS LU 63
IBEW 11TH DIST.
IBEW LU 1439
IBEW LU 1455
IBEW LU 2
IBEW LU 257
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS LU 3
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LU 148
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LU 513
IRONWORKERS LU 396
LABORERS LU 662
PIPEFITTERS LU 533
PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LU 178
PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LU 45
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 562
PLUMBERS LU 8
ROOFERS LU 20
SHEET METAL WORKERS LU 2
SHEET METAL WORKERS LU 36
TEAMSTERS LU 833
UA ROAD SPRINKLER FITTERS LU 669
 
SENATE SPONSORS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY LEGISLATION
Senator Mike Kehoe
Senator Brad Lager
Senator Robin Wright-Jones
Senator Kurt Schaefer
Senator Kevin Engler
Senator Tim Green
Senator Ryan McKenna
Senator Ron Richard
Senator Mike Parson
Senator Tom Dempsey
Senator Bill Stouffer
Senator Jay Wasson
Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal
Senator Brian Nieves
Senator Jim Lembke
Senator Jane Cunningham
Senator Bob Dixon
Senator Rob Schaaf
Senator Scott Rupp

REPRESENTATIVES WHO VOTED FOR AN NUCLEAR ENERGY AMENDMENT
Representative Allen
Representative Asbury
Representative Atkins
Representative Aull
Representative Bahr
Representative Barnes
Representative Bernskoetter
Representative Black
Representative Brattin
Representative Brown
Representative Burlison
Representative Carter
Representative Casey
Representative Cauthorn
Representative Cierpiot
Representative Colona
Representative Conway 14
Representative Conway 27
Representative Crawford
Representative Cross
Representative Curtman
Representative Davis
Representative Day
Representative Dennison
Representative Dieckhaus
Representative Diehl
Representative Dugger
Representative Elmer
Representative Entlicher
Representative Fallert
Representative Fisher
Representative Fitzwater
Representative Flanagan
Representative Fraker
Representative Franklin
Representative Franz
Representative Frederick
Representative Fuhr
Representative Funderburk
Representative Gatschenberger
Representative Gosen
Representative Grisamore
Representative Guernsey
Representative Haeffner
Representative Harris
Representative Higdon
Representative Hinson
Representative Hoskins
Representative Houghton
Representative Hubbard
Representative Hummel
Representative Johnson
Representative Jones 63
Representative Jones 89
Representative Jones 117
Representative Kandor
Representative Kelley 126
Representative Kelly 24
Representative Koenig
Representative Korman
Representative Kratky
Representative Lair
Representative Lampe
Representative Largent
Representative Lassiter
Representative McCaherty
Representative McCann-Beatty
Representative McDonald
Representative McGeoghegan
Representative McGhee
Representative McNary
Representative Meadows
Representative Molendorp
Representative Montecillo
Representative Nance
Representative Newman
Representative Nichols
Representative Pace
Representative Parksinson
Representative Pierson
Representative Pollack
Representative Quinn
Representative Redmon
Representative Reiboldt
Representative Riddle
Representative Rizzo
Representative Rowland
Representative Ruzicka
Representative Schad
Representative Scharnhorst
Representative Schatz
Representative Schneider
Representative Schoeller
Representative Shively
Representative Shumake
Representative Sifton
Representative Smith 71
Representative Smith 150
Representative Solon
Representative Spreng
Representative Still
Representative Stream
Representative Swearingen
Representative Talboy
Representative Thomson
Representative Torpey
Representative Wallingford
Representative Walton-Gray
Representative Webb
Representative Wells
Representative Weter
Representative White
Representative Wieland
Representative Wyatt
Representative Zerr
Speaker Tilley

The short of it – after acceding to all the demands of the special interest opponents of the early site permit legislation – those opponents have now said they can’t support a bill unless it essentially has the support of every person in the state of Missouri. I’m tired of playing Charlie Brown to the Lucy of a handful of out-of-state publicly-traded companies more concerned about next quarter’s earnings report than the long term future of our state. I believe the other supporters of the bill are as well. Maybe we’ll just wait until 2013 and pass it without acceding to any of their demands.

It always fun to chat with Warren and Johnny Marsh. Today’s topic was Special Session.

KWOS Interview on Special Session – Sept. 7, 2011

A quick recap:

First, still hopeful on ESP, though obviously time is running short. The special interest opponents to Sen. Kehoe’s bill (which, oh by the way, is the only real jobs bill we talked about this session) have “agreed” to language. The proponents have acceded to all of their demands. And as soon as agreement is reached on language, we’re told that they can’t actively support the bill because it doesn’t have the “consensus” necessary for special session. By consensus, they mean not every special interest group in Missouri would support the changes. Sorry, but we don’t need “consensus” from special interests to move forward with a bill. This is just another excuse – and another example of moving the goal posts on proponents of affordable, clean, and secure energy for Missouri’s future. Going forward, I’m not sure if I’ll even meet with the special interest opponents anymore.

Second, the “Made in Missouri” jobs bill is like a sandwich with old crusty, moldy bread and a great chunk of meat that has some questionable spots. The “great chunk of meat” that I support includes MoSIRA, an effort to help commercialize Missouri biotechnology companies; data centers (incentivizing the building of massive data-storage centers, a growing industry vital to future economic growth), Compete Missouri (worker training), and amateur sporting events tax credits to help lure big-ticket events like the Final Four to Missouri. The crusty, moldy bread are the tax credit “reforms.” And the questionable meat is the beast known as Aerotropolis.

So, will I vote yes? Most likely. It depends on what the bill looks like after the Senate gets done with it. But as I told Warren and John, you can’t give those mold spores too much time or air to grow. Pretty soon it will spoil the whole sandwich.

Special session was set to convene today – and has. As expected, there was no drama in the House. But in the Senate….Senator Crowell is staging a mini-filibuster on the mere resolution to call the Senate into session. Been going more than two hours already. Should be an interesting week – or couple of weeks.

Gov. Nixon signed HB 300 this week, a bill which creates new standards to protect high school athletes from the effects of concussions. I sponsored a nearly identical bill that was rolled into this one, and am pleased that we’ve done work to increase safety in Missouri high school sports. The bill requires that students and parents be given information about the impact of concussions on student health. Just as importantly, it requires that student athletes who have suffered a head injury must be removed from play, and cannot return until they have seen a medical professional who has given them the go-ahead to return to action. As my co-sponsor Chuck Gatschenberger said often, “When it doubt, sit em out.” No game is worth risking the long-term health of a Missouri student-athlete, and this bill will help ensure greater protections for them.

To top it off, the NewsTribune offered its positive opinion on the bill this morning.

We’ve scheduled our first fundraiser golf tournament. It will be held on August 22 at Railwood Golf Club just outside Wainwright, Missouri. It’s $100 per golfer which covers golf, beer, and the most fun you’ll ever have on a Monday afternoon in mid-August in mid-Missouri.

To register, contact Jay Barnes via email at jaybarnes5@gmail.com.

After eight months of inactivity – we’re back on the web! Due to the chaos of starting my first term in the legislature, I inadvertently let our registration for www.barnesformissouri.com slip. Just a few weeks after the deadline, I went to re-purchase the name and discovered a cyber-squatter had claimed it. Well, we waited, and waited, and waited. And the name came up for sale not too long ago – and, chagrined, we purchased the name back.

So now we’re back in business. It is my intention to use this site to communicate my thoughts on action pending before the Missouri House of Representatives. We’ll try to post frequent updates so the good people of western Cole County are better informed of the happenings at the state capitol. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with ideas or suggestions to make our state a better place to live, work, and raise a family.