Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore uses the death of his infant daughter to ask for campaign cash | Martin | The Pitch

Missouri State Rep. Jeff Grisamore uses the death of his infant daughter to ask for campaign cash | Martin | The Pitch

I live in Jeff Grisamore's district. We have spoken to Representative Grisamore on several occasions including the countless hours meeting with parents at Atlanta Bread (2x), our meeting place at Legacy Christian Church and at Dairy Queen. Our issues in the school district after his 2 years of serving as our Representative, have not changed. What is different in Lee's Summit at this time? We were told we would have round table discussions with the Governor, with the Superintendent and LSR7 staff that make Special Education decisions. We have never heard anything more about this. We were told that he was going to work on a pilot program here in Lee's Summit regarding Autism. We have heard nothing from Jeff until we went looking to him for answers. The families that are having problems in the school district want answers about where Jeff Grisamore is at helping them? What can he do for Special Education? 

Lee's Summit Lawmaker Who Threatened Resignation Changes His Mind | KCUR

Lee's Summit Lawmaker Who Threatened Resignation Changes His Mind | KCUR

Grisamore's possible resignation, combined with fellow Republican House Member Jason Smith's Smith's Possible election to Congress, could have resulted in Republicans losing their veto-proof majority in the Missouri House.  But Grisamore said his decision to stay in office had nothing to do with preserving the GOP supermajority in that chamber.

Grisamore decides against resignation after email threat last Friday - The Missouri Times

Grisamore decides against resignation after email threat last Friday - The Missouri Times

Grisamore decides against resignation after email threat last Friday

By Ashley Jost

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — After threatening via an email to House and Senate leadership that he intended to resign if there was no further action taken on two of his bills, Rep. Jeff Grisamore, R-Lee’s Summit, has decided to renege on his statement and continue the final year of his last legislative session.

Rep. Jeff Grisamore, R-Lee’s Summit

Grisamore sent the resignation threat to leaders from both chambers as well as a few other senators Friday morning after the two omnibus bills for the House Committee — which Grisamore chairs — on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities were not taken up by the Senate Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee.

Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, who chair’s the Senate committee, cancelled the Friday morning meeting, which ultimately killed the bills before session’s 6 p.m. Friday adjournment.

After communicating with House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, and Majority Floor Leader John Diehl, R-Town and Country, last Friday, Grisamore said he realized resigning wasn’t the best decision.

Both of the House leaders appealed to him staying. Grisamore said Jones also assured him that next year he would do “everything he could” to help get the the omnibus bills through.

Jones told The Missouri Times that Grisamore being upset over legislation is nothing “out of the ordinary” for the final days of session. Jones said it’s easy to become frustrated in either chamber when bills that someone put a lot of time into don’t move forward.

“I think he was just frustrated because he puts a lot of heart and soul into his legislation,” Jones said. “He’s into his last term like I am and really, I can understand his feelings.”

Grisamore described Friday’s events with the cancelled meeting and killed bill as being unexpected and causing, ultimately, a certain degree of panic.

“My frustration Friday peaked and I thought for a while it is not worth the time away from my [nine children] and other sacrifices to be here if we cannot get important legislation like this done to benefit Missouri’s neediest citizens, vulnerable seniors, at-risk women, children and families,” Grisamore said. “And especially individuals with physical, developmental and mental health disabilities.”

There was some criticism, even openly via Twitter, about the situation. Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, tweeted Tuesday that he “suggested that he might want to get the bill over to us sooner than [one] week left in session,” referring to the Senate.

Grisamore said while the most of the action taken the last three years on the omnibus bills has occurred during the final day of session, next year will be different. He said his hope is to pass it after pre-filing the bills, making it one of the first things the House acts on next year with the Speaker’s help.

“Despite the setback, it was still a good year for those with disabilities,” Grisamore said. “I serve on the Budget Committee and our Chairman, Rick Stream, whose son Eric has Down syndrome, led historic increases in funding for developmental disabilities community providers and some other disabilities legislation that came through our Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Committee was truly agreed.”

To contact Ashley Jost, email ashley@themissouritimes.com, or via Twitter at @ajost. 

Mo. Lawmaker Who Threatened To Resign Over Bills' Failure To Pass Changes His Mind | St. Louis Public Radio

Mo. Lawmaker Who Threatened To Resign Over Bills' Failure To Pass Changes His Mind | St. Louis Public Radio

Are we really surprised that he didn't resign?  Only those that believe his BS.  I'm not one of those that believe it just because he says it.  I have learned to do the opposite with him.

A Missouri lawmaker who threatened to resign unless one or both of his key bills survived the last day of the 2013 legislative session is staying put, even though both bills failed to make it out by Friday's deadline.

State Representative Jeff Grisamore (R, Lee's Summit) said his resignation threat was based on frustration with the Senate's inaction on the bills -- House Bill 717 would have provided funding for disabled children and House Bill 727 for disabled adults.  Both bills died when the Missouri Senate chose not to advance them on the final day of session.

"We don't need to be waiting and allowing such important bills that impact our most vulnerable citizens in Missouri, folks with disabilities and at-risk women and children and families, be put off until the last minute," Grisamore said.

Grisamore changed his mind after talking with House Speaker Tim Jones (R, Eureka) and Majority Floor Leader John Diehl (R, Town and Country).

"They assured me that they'll do everything they can to help us next year insure that the omnibus disability bill passes," Grisamore said.

Grisamore's possible resignation, combined with fellow House Member Jason Smith's(R, Salem) possible election to Congress, could have resulted in Republicans losing their veto-proof majority in the Missouri House.  But Grisamore said his decision to stay in office had nothing to do with preserving the GOP supermajority in that chamber.

Will He Really Quit

I believe that he will hold on to the only job that he has regardless of what his email says.  Not too many people will know that he made this threat and he will not stick to his word.  He just is using our families, once again, to make himself look good.  My opinion, of course.

“He expressed that this issue was of the utmost importance to him personally and professionally,” Parson said. He added that as far as the threat to resign, he’d “let the email speak for itself.”

Does it help?

It must determine if any additional state partnerships through nonfinancial interagency agreements are
necessary to enhance the employment potential of individuals with disabilities. The work group must focus on developing careers for the youth to prevent economic and social dependence on the resources of state and community agencies. 

Grisamore threatens resignation if omnibus isn't taken up by Senate - The Missouri Times

Grisamore threatens resignation if omnibus isn't taken up by Senate - The Missouri Times

Grisamore threatens resignation if omnibus isn’t taken up by Senate

By Ashley Jost

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — In an email to a few senators and House leadership this morning, Rep. Jeff Grisamore, R-Lee’s Summit, threatened to resign from the remaining year of his final House term.

Rep. Jeff Grisamore, R-Lee’s Summit

Grisamore’s email indicated that if House bills 717 and 727, or “at least SCS HCS HB 727” were not passed out of the Senate today and sent back to the House to be truly agreed, he would be resigning.

“If these bills — 717 & 727 — die in the Senate after the Disabilities Omnibus was vetoed last year, I see no reason to remain in office as I am unnecessarily being blocked from making a difference for our most vulnerable citizens, with my disabilities legislation being vetoed last year and unnecessarily being left to die in the Senate this year,” Grisamore said in the email.

HB717 is the omnibus package for children and family, and HB727 is the omnibus package for persons with disabilities. Grisamore is the chair of the Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities committee.

“My highest legislative priority is to advocate for Missouri’s neediest citizens-vulnerable seniors, at-risk women and children and especially individuals with physical, developmental and mental health disabilities,” Grisamore told The Missouri Times Friday.

The email came after the there was no action taken and the Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee meeting cancelled Friday morning on the two bills.

Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, the Chair for Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight — the committee the bills would have been heard from this morning — said he was one of the multiple senators to receive the email.

“He expressed that this issue was of the utmost importance to him personally and professionally,” Parson said. He added that as far as the threat to resign, he’d “let the email speak for itself.”

Grisamore said his passion to fight for individuals with disabilities is driven by the death of his daughter, Rebekah, who died 10 years ago at 18 days old because of complications from Prader-Willi Syndrome.

“To have passed [House Bill] 555 — the first Disabilities Omnibus in Missouri State History — in 2011 at 5:55 p.m. on the last day of session was a historic advancement for individuals with disabilities,” Grisamore said. “Last year’s veto in [House Bill] 1900 was disappointing. We have an opportunity to still get [House Bill] 727 across the finish line. The House is ready to truly agree and finally pass it as soon as the Senate sends it to us.”

If Grisamore resigns and Rep. Jason Smith were to be elected to Congress, the Republicans could lose their historic supermajority and would be unable to override the governor’s vetoes without vote from the Democratic caucus.

To contact Ashley Jost, email ashley@themissouritimes.com, or via Twitter at @ajost.