Capitol Calling

photo via naxaf

Jo Mannies at the St. Louis Beacon filed a story Thursday asking whether the hubbub in Wisconsin could occur in the Show Me State.

From the article:

The situation in Missouri is much different than Wisconsin’s. From a practical standpoint, Missouri does not allow collective-bargaining for public employees like teachers and firefighters. Another difference: Teachers, firefighters and police in Missouri have separate pension agreements with school districts and local governments that don’t count on any financial contributions from the state government.

The other big difference between Missouri and Wisconsin? Missouri has a Democratic governor who has no desire to challenge the state’s unions because they are likely to be key in Gov. Jay Nixon’s quest for re-election in 2012.

Mannies also writes that a situation similar to what Wisconsin Democratic senators did is unlikely to happen in Missouri:

But all sides agree that’s also not likely to happen in Missouri. Aside from the lack of collective bargaining rights for teachers, Republicans hold such majorities in Missouri’s state House and Senate that they can conduct business without any Democrats present.

A spokeswoman for Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer, R-Dexter, said that the state also has tougher rules regarding absent senators. “According to Senate Rule 8, senators absent without excuse may be taken into custody wherever they may be found,” she said. “Plus, the absent senator(s) would foot the expense for the effort to find and return them to the Senate.”

Read the rest of the article here.