Veterans panel nixes pay bill for deployed state workers
JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri House Veterans Committee has killed a bill that would have ensured that state employees didn’t lose money while on active military duty.
The bill (HB492) lost on a 6-5 vote today during the House’s midday break. It would have paid deployed state employees the difference between their regular pay and their military pay.
Committee Chairman and Rep. David Day, R-Dixon, said it would have been unfair to single out state employees for special treatment compared to soldiers from the private sector.
“I have a real concern with separating out one relatively small segment and saying, ‘We’re going to give you this special safety net that we’re not going to provide anyone else,’” Day said.
The bill was sponsored by freshman Rep. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, a Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq. He said he got the idea after reading a Post-Dispatch story last fall .
Most state employees who serve in the military receive only three weeks of pay from the state after they are deployed. However, judges and elected officials can draw both their full state salaries and military pay. They get special treatment because their salaries are set by law and they are paid a set amount, regardless of the hours they work.
Chairman Day said he would support changing the law to treat elected officials and judges the same as the rest of the state work force. However, he added that “there is a little difference there” because elected officials continue to represent their constituents and handle their government jobs by telephone when they are deployed.
Here’s how the committee voted on Webber’s bill:
For the bill: Reps. Bert Atkins, D-Florissant; Rochelle Gray, D-St. Louis; Charlie Norr, D-Springfield; Joe Smith, R-St. Peters; and Thomas Todd, D-Campbell.
Against the bill: Reps. David Day, R-Dixon; Scott Largent, R-Clinton; Ron Casey, D-Crystal City; Barney Fisher, R-Richards; Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg; and Billy Pat Wright, R-Dexter.
Not voting: Rep. Jason Brown, R-Platte City.
I’m appalled! The Republicans vote to screw the regular folks.
Wow, the first bill from either party to be shot down in that committee in over 5 years. Must have been a winner.
Rep. David Day thinks Reps should still get paid since they do their job while deployed. I got news for you Rep. Day. If a Representative who is on active duty orders for more than 180 days can not participate in legeslative activites without violating military law. Ask Rep. Jason Brown, Rep. Jim Avery, or Sen. Jon Dolan, they can all verfiy this. So please don’t use the excuse that legislators still earn their pay since they are still doing their job via phone. You should be ashamed of yourself for not letting the State treat the rest of our reserves and National Guard the same as legislators or judges.
If you know Rep. Day, tell him to read this, he might learn something about the law.
Wooden Leg, if you read what Day said, he said it was a little different but still said he would support changing it. Maybe you should do the reading. It says “he would support changing the law to treat elected officials and judges the same…”.
As far as state employees, why should they be treated different than any other member of the guard/reserve?
Day supports what you want, a change in elected officials. READ.
I should have also mentioned that in the committee meeting Day said there he supported changing the law regarding elected officials and judges. Learn your facts before starting to cry.