Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, (573)751-0290
Blunt Keeps Promise to Missouri Voters Signing Meaningful Reform Bills
JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt today signed Senate Bills 539 and 202 enacting necessary changes to Missouri’s Medicaid and Administrative Law Judge retirement systems.
Blunt’s plan imposes annual eligibility checks, reallocates resources to target fraud and works to ensure scarce state resources go to those in need.
"Today I signed Senate Bill 539, and I kept my promise to reduce cost within this program. The changes I signed today target fraud, waste and abuse and ensure that services continue to be available for those who truly need and qualify for them," Blunt said. "I commend the General Assembly and the bill’s sponsor, Senator Chuck Purgason, and handler, Representative Jodi Stefanick, for joining me to protect the long term sustainability of our state’s social welfare services. Today we have taken a big step towards creating a new system that lives within the taxpayers’ means and delivers services to citizens who need them the most."
Senate Bill 202, also signed today, eliminates lucrative benefits previously associated with some appointed positions, such as the Administrative Hearing Commission and the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. The bill aligns Administrative Law Judge and Legal Advisors Retirement System with the state employees’ retirement system and eliminates a gaping loophole that gave special benefits to a privileged few.
"I appreciate the hard work of the bill’s sponsor, Senator Jason Crowell, on Senate Bill 202 eliminating a pension system that was offensive to Missouri taxpayers and that wasted their hard earned tax dollars," Blunt said.