By Jason Hancock
The GOP legislators, led by state Sen. Andrew Koenig of Manchester, were inspired by the public health order issued in St. Louis County last month that temporarily closed indoor dining in bars and restaurants.
The order came as COVID-19 continued to spread unabated in Missouri.
In November, the state reported 116,576 new COVID cases — more than double the 57,073 reported in October. On Tuesday, the state topped 4,000 COVID-related deaths. Hospitals around the state are sounding the alarm that they are dangerously close to being overwhelmed.
Koenig said that there is no doubt that the virus is real and it is dangerous. But he argued there is no evidence that shutting down restaurants will have an impact. Additionally, he said St. Louis County Executive Sam Page overstepped his authority in issuing the order.
“The county executive doesn’t have the right to create law,” he said.
Under Koenig’s legislation, a local government would only be able to issue an order shutting down businesses for two weeks. At that point, both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly would have to approve, and the governor would have to sign, any extension.
The House and Senate only meet January through May, but Koenig argued that either the governor or lawmakers could call a special session should a need arise while the legislature was adjourned.
Among the other provisions in Koenig’s bill include a prohibition on imposing restrictions on religious institutions and a waiver of property taxes on a business shut down by a health order.
Rep. Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis, filed a similar bill earlier this year that would have allowed for businesses to be ordered closed for 15 days. Longer orders would have to be approved by the local governing body, the state department of health, or, if more than 90 days, the General Assembly.
“Killing small business will not kill COVID,” Murphy said Tuesday.
In a statement to St. Louis Public Radio, Page accused the group of legislators of playing politics.
“I will continue to support the recommendations of our public health directors and the pandemic task force,” he said. “Hospitals are overrun and our healthcare workers are begging for reasonable public health decisions. The election is over. Stop politicizing the pandemic.”
The GOP push to limit local control sets up potential conflict with Republican Gov. Mike Parson.
Parson’s strategy throughout the pandemic has largely been to rely on local governments to enact restrictions for their own communities. With that philosophy in mind, he’s strenuously resisted calls to enact statewide restrictions or mask mandates, and has also defended local officials who enact their own regulations.
Last month his office reiterated that the governor “has been very clear and consistent about his support for local control.”
Jason Hancock has been writing about Missouri since 2011, most recently as lead political reporter for The Kansas City Star. He has spent nearly two decades covering politics and policy for news organizations across the Midwest, and has a track record of exposing government wrongdoing and holding elected officials accountable.
Parson’s spokeswoman didn’t respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
6 comments:
What happened to the GOP ideal of stressing local government over state control?
Small government boys and girls doing what they do best!
Hypocrisy.
Because their rules are your rules.
"What happened to the GOP ideal of stressing local government over state control?"
When it starts affecting their pocket book, that's when they are more than ready to drop their "right to life" shtick. Their money is more important than life. The "keep your big government out of my life" doesn't blend well with the republicans love of fascism.
When small government begins acting like big government and crushing its taxpayers something has to give. The same crap is happening in Kansas City. Get it through your heads lefties, government does not mean dictatorship.
The most frightening words in the English language are “I’m from the Republican party, and I’m here to help.”
@543
Yea something may have to give and we have a process for that. The process is called an election. If people are not happy with their local gov. They can vote them out. I for one am sick of this big government when we want it GOP over reach. I was born and raised Republican, but as I look around and see what is happening now days I am slowly waking up to the fact that the only thing these politicians care about is their power and the money they garner from big business. I can't say I am ready to become a Democrat, but the mainstream of their party does seem to be more centrist and for the common man than our party right now. It is a bitter pill to swallow, but I feel like I have been duped.
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