AIM Legislative Policy


AIM Policy & Planning Committee, 12/9/2009

 

 

 

 

The principal purpose of Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) is to “promote a favorable business climate for business, manufacturing and industry.” AIM will judge its support or opposition to each legislative proposal by one standard: we will support legislative proposals that promote a favorable business climate and oppose those proposals that are harmful to Missouri businesses.

 

This association realizes that the people of Missouri can only be successful if the business community of this state is successful. AIM is dedicated to helping industry and business in Missouri succeed by empowering our members through communication, education and advocacy before the General Assembly, administrative agencies, courts and the public. The following legislative agenda promotes this vision and will help ensure that AIM continues to serve as the “Voice of Missouri Business” through the 21st Century. Additional policies are contained in the “AIM Policy Statement”.

 

Business Development

 

• Support the concept of innovation parks that use various funding sources derived from local business activity to fund infrastructure in support of public private partnerships between Missouri’s higher education institutions, local governments, and local economic development entities.
  
• Support incentives for data centers that allow Missouri to be competitive with incentives for data centers in other states.
   
• Support the establishment of a Missouri research and development tax credit or incentive program.
   
• Support the film making industry in Missouri through support and enhancement of film production tax incentives and support of the infrastructure necessary to foster the film making industry in Missouri.
   
• Support establishment of a public private partnership that supports the manufacturing industry and manufacturing supplier network, such as a Missouri Center for Manufacturing Excellence, that will help connect manufacturers and mining facilities with resources provided by government entities, including job training, economic development, and other state and federal programs.
   
• Support incentives that encourage companies to do business with Missouri companies, especially business-to-business transactions. The State of Missouri should also examine the impact of state contracts on Missouri’s economy when purchasing from Missouri businesses.
   
• Explore ways to increase the use of universities for research and development by allowing companies to own the intellectual property derived from research and development performed on their behalf.

 Human Resources and Workplace Issues

 

• Support a resolution calling on the Board of Unemployment Fund Financing to authorize bonds necessary to allow repayment of amounts borrowed from the federal government for payment of unemployment claims in a timely manner that avoids the loss of federal unemployment tax credits. Closely scrutinize any changes to the unemployment law including the potential of unnecessary tax increases to inflate the Unemployment Trust fund balance beyond that which is deemed appropriate. Additionally, support further review to modify the way the unemployment compensation system is funded and federal debt is repaid. 
  
• Support increasing the number of weeks an employer may use the “Shared Work” program from the current 26 weeks to 52 weeks per employee, allowing employers to retain their current employees in layoff situations.
   
• Support legislation that reverses the judicial erosion of the doctrine of “employment at will”, including proposals that protect supervisors from liability and that protect Missouri businesses from unreasonable damage awards.
   
• Support comprehensive reform or elimination of the Second Injury Fund.
   
• Support the elimination of the indexing provision of the minimum wage law in order to protect businesses and their employees from job loss to other states.
   
• Support sufficient funding for workforce and technical training programs to meet the needs and expectations of Missouri employers. Support increased emphasis on technical training and work ethic in secondary, post-secondary and higher education programs to provide a better prepared workforce for Missouri manufacturing and mining operations and all trades.
   
• Support incentives to offset training costs of Missouri employers.
   
• Support enforcement of uniform school starting dates to minimize the impact on the tourism, retail and other industries that hire students.

 

Telecommunications

•  Support updating the current intrastate access fee structure to encourage greater competition and remove a potential barrier to greater access to communications technology and investment.

 Taxes, Licenses and Fees 

• Support cleanup of the 2008 property tax reform statutes, including correcting critical dates and simplifying property tax appeal procedures.

 

Health Care 

• Support the development of original biologic products by protecting the substantial investment that is required in researching and developing such products and allow for recovery of those costs by opposing any measure that would allow the producers of biosimilar products to unfairly compete with the producers of original biologic products.
   
• Oppose legislation or initiatives that reduce or eliminate the ability of health care providers or insurers to negotiate rates that benefit health care consumers.
   
• Oppose the intrusion of the government into the free market through new government-operated and taxpayer-funded health care initiatives. Continue to evaluate, and support as appropriate, future proposals that use additional contributions of federal reimbursement allowance moneys from hospitals for the purpose of expanding Medicaid coverage in Missouri.