Representative Luke Scavuzzo in the News
Photos from "Luke's Luau" 2010
The Photo Gallery of pictures from "Luke's Luau" 2010 campaign kickoff event, held Friday, August 6th at the home of Scott and Leigh Ann Friedrich in Harrisonville is now online for viewing.
special session that was thought to last only a few days instead took a number of unexpected turns and lasted three weeks. The General Assembly brought the special session to a close on July 14th with the final passage of separate bills that will provide tax incentives for automotive manufacturing plants and make changes to the state employee pension system....
(Read the full press release...)
Luke Scavuzzo Honors Veterans on Memorial Day
Missouri State Representative Luke Scavuzzo lays a wreath at the Vietnam Memorial in Harrisonville on Monday. Luke spent the morning with members of the VFW and Elks Club at Memorial Day ceremonies throughout Harrisonville.
The Second Regular Session of the 95th General Assembly came to a close on Friday, May 14th at 6:00 p.m. This session resulted in the fewest bills passed since 2000. With 74 House Bills and 32 Senate Bills passed, this session will go down as one that was dominated by the state budget... (Read the full press release...)
With a week to spare, the General Assembly passed a $23.2 billion state budget and sent it to the governor to be signed into law. Even with the $582.8 billion in cuts to the budget that the governor proposed back in January, it is still very likely that Governor Nixon will make additional cuts through the line-item veto or through spending restrictions. Nobody was left untouched by the cuts... (Read the full press release...)
More Budget Difficulties for Missouri
Last week Governor Nixon made another $45 million mid-year cut. As revenue continues to decline, Governor Nixon had to make these cuts to keep the current state budget in balance as required by the Missouri Constitution. The governor has cut more than $900 million to date from Fiscal Year 2010 fiscal year budget, which ends June 30th.
As of April 20, net revenue collections for April have fallen 19%. Several factors have contributed to the decline...
(Read the full press release...)
Representative Luke Scavuzzo to Speak
On Saturday, June 12th as a part of the City of East Lynne, Missouri Annual Festival, Representative Luke Scavuzzo will speak during the Iraq/Afghanistan War Memorial dedication at the Rose Garden in the Rodeo Park. The event begins at 9:00 am.
The Senate passed their version of the $23 billion budget on April 14th, cutting $453 million from the proposed spending budget that Governor Nixon recommended back in January. This is nearly double the $224 million in cuts the House approved last month. Now House and Senate members must work out the final version of the budget. Both chambers have to approve the Fiscal Year 2011 budget by May 7th... (Read the full press release...)
Luke Meets with Visiting Student at the Capitol
Representative Luke Scavuzzo with Austin Andrews and Austin's grandfather, Larry Andrews. at the State Capitol recently. Austin and his grandfather visited the state capitol in Jefferson City to participate in the Sophomore Pilgrimage. Pictured from left to right are: Representative Luke Scavuzzo, Austin Andrews, Larry Andrews.
On April 8 the House passed House Bill 2014 by a vote of 96 to 51 to send the bill to the governor to be signed. House Bill 2014 is a supplemental appropriation bill that appropriates money to several departments and offices of state government. The passage of House Bill 2014 was not an easy task. The House first approved the bill, then rejected the bill and then a day after rejecting House Bill 2014, the House passed the spending bill. The flipping on the bill was due to a provision in the bill that would spare 152 school districts from mid-year spending cuts, but it would impose bigger funding reductions on the state’s other 371 districts...
(Read the full press release...)
The Missouri House of Representatives completed work last week on a $23.6 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2011. From the time Gov. Nixon proposed the 2011 budget in January, revenue has continued to fall. Because of this, cuts in the amount of $224 million were made from the governor’s proposed budget. The cuts were made to help put the budget in balance, but there is still $300 million in federal funds in this budget that the state has yet to receive, so there is doubt about whether this budget really balances because we really don’t have that money... Read the full article from the Cass County Democrat Missourian...
Luke Scavuzzo Meets with Visiting Students
The fourth grade students from McEowen Elementary in Harrisonville visited the capitol recently, and posed for pictures with Representative Luke Scavuzzo. It is always an honor to have students from the district visit the capitol and see how state government works first hand.
The House of Representatives started debating the 2011 Budget this past week as the state faces some of the toughest times, fiscally, in our history. Revenues continue to fall, forcing Governor Nixon to relook at the proposed 2011 budget and do another withhold from the current budget year. Revenue is down 12.7% from last fiscal year and the revised estimates for the current fiscal year, is that general revenue will fall to $6.73 billion. That is a $700 million decrease from fiscal year 2009 and the largest decline in our state’s history.
(Read the full press release...)
A Taste of Italy Fundraiser for Luke Scavuzzo
Enjoy a relaxing evening and a spaghetti dinner, made with Scavuzzo special sauce, on Friday, March 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the VFW Hall, 1804 N. Commercial Street, Harrisonville. This is a fundraiser for Luke's 2010 campaign for State Representative of the 124th District.
More information is available on the event invitation...
Last week was a busy week here at the capitol. Several pieces of important legislation were passed out of the House by wide margins and six house appropriation committees started the hard task of making cuts to Governor Nixon’s proposed operating budget.
(Read the full press release...)
Luke Scavuzzo Announces his Candidacy for State Representative
of the 124th District
Luke Scavuzzo (D), a life-long resident of Harrisonville, Missouri, filed in Jefferson City for State Representative of the 124th District. Luke was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2006. He currently serves on the following committees: the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, the Special Committee on Small Business, the Special Committee on Homeland Security, the Joint Committee on Terrorism, Bioterrorism, and Homeland Security, and the special Committee on Rural Community Development. He also serves a special appointment on the Small Business Regulatory Fairness Board.
There is still a lot of work to do
Six weeks have come and gone in the Second Regular Session of the 95th General Assembly. As of Feb. 15, the number of House Bills filed is 991, but only 289 of those bills have been referred to a committee. That means only 29 percent of the bills filed have been placed in committee and only 19 of those bills placed in committee have been voted out of committee. Of those 19 bills voted out, only four have been voted out of the House and sent to the Senate. So you can see there is a lot of work still to be done before the end of session... Read the full article from the Cass County Democrat Missourian...
Things are taking shape in Jeff City
With our first month now behind us, things are starting to take shape. Bills are beginning to be placed in their appropriate committees for hearings and discussion. Some committees, like budget appropriations, have been meeting with the state agencies since session began in January... Read the full article from the Cass County Democrat Missourian...
Christmas on the Square slated for Dec. 5
Harrisonville’s annual Country Christmas on the Square will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Harrisonville’s historic downtown square. The event will begin with the lighting of the Mayor’s Christmas Tree at 5 p.m. at the Marler-Wirt-Allen Fountain Park. Missouri State Representative Luke Scavuzzo is scheduled to read the Christmas story from the Bible.
4th Annual Ice Cream Social a Success:
Supporters for Representative Luke Scavuzzo came out to enjoy some cake and ice cream at his 4th Annual Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social held in Harrisonville on Saturday, September 12. Among the many guests was Representative Paul LeVota, Minority Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives. 4th Annual Ice Cream Social photos...
Big money, big relief:
Federal grant eases financial burden of new Harrisonville waste water treatment plant...
Harrisonville city administrator Keith Moody received word that the city was awarded a $3 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant to fund improvements to its waste water treatment plant and another $4.3 million in low interest loans to complete the project. “We are so grateful to Rep. Luke Scavuzzo and Sen. David Pierce who helped make this happen by getting our project the attention it deserved,” Moody said. (Read the full article...)
Bidding begins for fee offices
For the first time in Missouri's history, all 183 fee offices in the state are being bid out through a competitive process rather than awarded to political cronies of the governor. Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, was proposing to bid out all of the state offices, giving preference to nonprofit agencies and school districts. Scavuzzo's bill went nowhere as the Republicans who control the Legislature saw it as a political attack on Blunt. This year Scavuzzo is a co-sponsor on a Republican bill backed by top House leaders. The bill has already passed a committee and awaits debate on the House floor. (Read the full article...)
Luke Scavuzzo Meets with Visiting Students
The fourth grade students from McEowen Elementary in Harrisonville visited the capitol recently, and posed for pictures with Representative Luke Scavuzzo. It is always an honor to have students from the district visit the capitol and for them to see how state government works first hand. (More pictures...)
Legislative session under way
The 2009 Legislative Session is starting to get rolling. After several days of ceremonies and general housekeeping, like passing rules for the House and setting committees, legislators are ready to tackle these tough times our great state is facing. I have been appointed as a member to the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, the Rural Community Development Committee, the Small Business Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. (Read the full article...)
Rep. Scavuzzo secures key committee assignments
State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, has been appointed to several key House committees: Elementary and Secondary Education; Rural Community Development; Homeland Security; and Small Business. (Read the full press release...)
Nixon sets sights on license changes
Gov. Jay Nixon said his administration has a motor vehicle license office in Springfield up for bid as an effort to end the patronage system of governor's awarding the contracts to political allies. State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, intends to refile a bill to make competitive bidding permanent. House Democrats have been pursuing the legislation since 2005 to no avail in a Republican-led legislature. (Read the full article...)
Missouri Democrats Hope to End Fee Office Patronage
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is changing the way contracts are awarded for Missouri's license fee offices. State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, has been the primary sponsor of that legislation since 2007 and will file a similar bill this year. "Governor Nixon should be commended for voluntarily ending the patronage system and becoming the first Missouri governor since the advent of the automobile to forgo using license fee offices to reward political supporters," Scavuzzo said. (Read the full article...)
Democracy in Action...
Voters in the southern half of Cass County returned Luke Scavuzzo to the statehouse in the 124th District house race by a convincing margin. (Read the full article in the Cass County Democrat Missourian)
Kansas City Star Endorses Luke Scavuzzo for State House District 124
In their October 27th Monday Editorial, "Choices for Missouri General Assembly seats", the Kansas City Star endorsed Luke Scavuzzo, noting, "Democratic incumbent Luke Scavuzzo of Harrisonville led the charge to hold Aquila Inc. responsible for building a Cass County power plant in violation of local zoning laws. His defense of the area should earn him another term." (Read the full article in the KC Star)
NFIB Endorses Luke Scavuzzo for State House District 124
The National Federation of Independent Business, Missouri's leading small business association, announced its endorsement of Luke Scavuzzo in his bid for re-election to the Missouri House. Rep Scavuzzo secured the group's nod because of his strong record on small business issues critical to Main Street. (Read the full press release...)
Rep. Scavuzzo named 2008 Legislator of the Year
State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, a first-term Democratic lawmaker from Harrisonville, has been named a 2008 Legislator of the Year by House Minority Leader Paul LeVota. LeVota picked Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, for the honor in part for Scavuzzo’s efforts in fighting legislation sought by Aquila Inc. to provide retroactive approval of a Cass County power plant that Missouri courts had repeatedly ruled was illegally built. (Read the full press release...)
Scavuzzo appointed to special agriculture committee
State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, has been appointed to the House Interim Committee on Emerging Issues in Agriculture. The 12-member committee, which will meet during the coming months while the Missouri General Assembly is not in session, will study the recent impact of existing state agriculture policies and recommended changes in state law to strengthen Missouri’s farming economy.(Read the full press release...)
124th Legislative District - second quarter campaign finance reports
Luke Scavuzzo (D), the incumbent, will face Jim Danner (R), a replacement candidate, who was put forward as a candidate after the original republican candidate was disqualified for failure to file a financial disclosure statement. Luke Scavuzzo filed his second quarter 2008 campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 12th... (Read the full article)
Rep. Scavuzzo Honored by Cass County Composite
Missouri Representative Luke Scavuzzo was honored by the Cass County Composite Squadron recently when the squadron presented him with his official Legislative Membership certificate and pocket badge. Participation in the Legislative Squadron allows our distinguished Congressional members to enter as a Major in grade, and each member is encouraged to participate in the Missouri CAP program. (Read the full story...)
Missouri State Teachers Association endorses Missouri House and Senate candidates
The Missouri State Teachers Association released a spate of endorsements on June 12th. Endorsements included Luke Scavuzzo for House District 124. (Read the full story...)
AFL-CIO releases endorsement list
The state branch of the AFL-CIO released a flurry of endorsements today for individuals seeking state legislative, congressional and statewide offices this year. Endorsements included Luke Scavuzzo for House District 124. (Read the full story...)
Legislative Update
The main focus this week has been the budget. It must be completed by Friday, May 9th at 6 p.m. and we are about two-thirds of the way to completion. This will be the largest budget in Missouri history. When completed, the budget for Fiscal Year 2009 will be right around $22.5 billion dollars... (Read the full press release...)
Legislative Update
There is a lot going on here at the Capitol this week. With only two weeks left, there is plenty of work to be done. The budget has to be passed by May 9th at 6:00 p.m. We should start working to finalize the budget sometime at the end of this week and most of next week... (Read the full press release...)
Problem power plant south of KC could be spared by legislature
A problem power plant south of Kansas City that has caused considerable controversy might be spared by the legislature. The House has voted in favor of Aquila even though the representatives closest to that plant urge it not to.Rep. Luke Scavuzzo (D-Harrisonville) argued during House floor debate that Aquila doesn't deserve the break, "because I do not feel they have been forthright with the people of my district, the citizens of Peculiar and the people of Cass County." (Read the full story)
House approves unconstitutional bill to let Aquila off the hook
The House of Representatives today gave first-round approval to a likely unconstitutional bill that would give the Missouri Public Service Permission the authority to retroactively approve an Aquila Inc. power plant that the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District has twice ruled was illegally built and should be dismantled. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, led the fight against the legislation. “After consistently and repeatedly losing in court, Aquila wants the rules changed so they can turn their defeat into a win after the game has been played,” Scavuzzo said. (Read the full press release...)
House passes Aquila bill to let the company keep operating Cass County plant built without permission
The Missouri House gave preliminary approval Wednesday to legislation that would allow Aquila Inc. to avoid dismantling the Cass County power plant built in violation of local zoning laws. Rep. Jeff Harris, a Columbia Democrat, pointed to a crowd of school children in the gallery and told them that the legislation provided an important lesson. “This sends the message that if you are big enough and powerful enough, you get what you want in this building,” Harris said “You don’t have to play by the rules the rest of us do and you can ignore the law.” Rep. Jake Zimmerman, a St. Louis County Democrat called the legislation a “stunning violation of the principle of local control and the principle of the rule of law.” Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, a Harrisonville Democrat, said Aquila became conciliatory only after a string of court decisions against it. (Read the full story)
Local control in the Missouri House? Not on utility bills
Here’s a circumstance that you don’t see in the Missouri General Assembly very often. The House today passed a bill that is intended to deal with a situation strictly in Cass County. The two representatives from that area, Rep. Brian Baker, R-Belton, and Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, were vehemently opposed to the legislation. And yet a bill supported by two representatives from far away, Rep. Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, and Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, passed in the House against the wishes of the local representatives. Why? It’s a power utility bill. More specifically, it’s a bill that would allow Aquila to keep its Cass County power plant, even though they built it in violation of both county zoning and a court order. (Read the full story)
Legislative Update
With only four weeks left in the session, the pace here at the capitol is a sprinters speed. Last week two very important bills were debated on the Floor of the House. On April 9th, by a vote of 80-58, the House of Representatives stripped a private school voucher provision from a bill to raise minimum teacher salaries. The second bill was House Joint Resolution 70. This bill would limit annual growth in general revenue spending to the rate of inflation with a further adjustment for population increases. (Read the full press release...)
Aquila power plant a case for the courts, not the legislature
Missouri lawmakers should not approve Aquila’s brazen and retroactive attempt to keep its $140 million power plant operating in Cass County. This is a legal issue that the state Supreme Court ought to decide... (Read the KC Star Editorial)
Help for Aquila advances in Missouri House
A House panel voted 6-5 to approve legislation that would let Aquila avoid dismantling the Cass County power plant it built in violation of local zoning laws. The vote, which sends the bill to the full House, came one day after the House Special Committee on Utilities heard from a wide range of witnesses who ripped Aquila and the very idea of rewarding a company that flouted a court order against building the plant. (Rep. Luke) Scavuzzo called the committee’s vote “just the opening skirmish in the battle against this misguided legislation.” (Read the full story)
Backers of bill receive campaign contributions from Aquila PAC
Missouri Rep. Ed Emery (R-Lamar), chairman of the House Special Committee on Utilities, received $2,975 in campaign contributions from area utility companies during the 2007 and 2008 reporting periods, $325 specifically from Aquila’s Employee Political Action Committee.
(Read the full story)
Republicans force through committee passage of Aquila bill
Rep. Luke Scavuzzo vowed to continue fighting legislation approved today by a House committee that seeks to grant retroactive active approval for an Aquila Inc. power plant in Cass County that the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District has twice ruled was illegally built and should be dismantled.... (Read the full press release...)
House panel approves pair of bills to let Aquila keep operating South Harper plant in Cass County
A House panel voted 6-5 Thursday to approve legislation that would let Aquila Inc. avoid dismantling the Cass County power plant it built in violation of local zoning laws. The bill will face considerable opposition when it reaches the House floor. Democrat Luke Scavuzzo called the committee's vote "just the opening skirmish in the battle against this misguided legislation." (Read the full story)
Cass County residents testify against Aquila bill
A group of Cass County residents traveled to the Missouri Capitol today to join state Rep. Luke Scavuzzo in opposing legislation that attempts to grant retroactive approval for an Aquila Inc. power plant near Peculiar that the state Court of Appeals has twice said the company had no authority to build... (Read the full press release...)
Update on State Budget
The House of Representatives approved a $22.45 billion state operating budget for the 2009 fiscal year which begins July 1st. This budget is nearly a half-billion dollars under the $22.94 billion Governor Blunt requested. This is the largest budget in Missouri history, but it still falls short in certain areas... (Read the full press release)
House committee hears Rep. Scavuzzo’s bill to eliminate political patronage at license fee offices
The House Special Committee on Government Affairs held a public hearing today on a bill sponsored by state Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, to eliminate the longtime practice of allowing the governor to award contracts to run the Missouri’s license fee office as perks to his political supporters. (Read the full press release)
Luke Scavuzzo Tours Capitol with Visiting Students
The fourth grade students from McEowen Elementary in Harrisonville visited the capitol last week. They were very busy touring the Capitol, Supreme Court, Governor’s Mansion and observing the House and Senate in session. It is always an honor to have students from the district visit the capitol and for them to see how state government works first hand. (More information...)
Luke Scavuzzo Announces His Candidacy for State Representative of the 124th District
Luke Scavuzzo (D), a life-long resident of Harrisonville, Missouri, announces his candidacy for State Representative of the 124th District. Luke was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2006. He currently serves as the Minority Deputy Whip for the House... (Read the full press release)
Committee passes resolution on Hydrocephalus Awareness Month
A House committee unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by state Representative Luke Scavuzzo declaring March as Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and urging the federal government to undertake a comprehensive study on the impact of the condition. “There has been little serious research or advances in treatment on this chronic and often debilitating condition in the last 40 years,” said Scavuzzo. (Read the full press release )
Harrisonville Wildcat Football Team Honored
On Tuesday, February 12th, the State Champions Harrisonville Wildcat Football Team was recognized by the Missouri General Assembly for their outstanding 2007 season. Representative Luke Scavuzzo introduced the young men and their coaches to the General Assembly...
Floor Debate Begins on Insure Missouri Program
As the Second Session heads into its 4th week, bills are starting to come out of committees and going to the House Floor for debate. An issue that has started to get a lot of attention is the governor’s Insure Missouri plan. Insure Missouri is a new program intended to offer working adults Medicaid Managed Care coverage with more limited benefits than traditional Medicaid (Read the full press release)
Scavuzzo files fee office bill, calls for end to political patronage
For the past three years Missouri Democrats have criticized procedures Gov. Matt Blunt (R) used to award licensing and fee offices to campaign donors. Yesterday, State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo (D-Harrisonville) filed a bill to end the political patronage system involved with doling out the offices. Scavuzzo's bill, HB 1866, would require the Missouri Department of Revenue to first give consideration for fee office contracts to school foundations and charities, relying then on a competitive bidding process if necessary. (Read the article )
House Democrats to champion change in 2008 session
The 2008 legislative session began Wednesday, January 9th with House Democrats renewing efforts to restore health care services to thousands of Missourians, improve the quality of and access to public education and reform state government, among other goals in their 2008 Moving Missouri Forward legislative agenda. (Read the full press release)
House Democrats propose supplement to A+ Schools program
Building on the successful A+ Schools program, House Democrats on Monday proposed a supplementary scholarship called Missouri Promise to allow A+ participants to advance to a public four-year college or university to complete their bachelor’s degree. (Read the press release)
Governor Blunt and others join the Civil Air Patrol
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is now a major in the Civil Air Patrol. The Missouri Wing's Legislative Squadron was formed following the successful passage this year of Missouri House Bill 619. Membership in the squadron is open to all state legislators, elected state officials, and key legislative staff. Other inductees include State Representative Luke Scavuzzo and many others... (Read the full article)
House Vote on English language requirement amendment
The Missouri House voted 127-29 by roll call to pass a proposed constitutional amendment requiring English be used in official proceedings.
Rural Democrats make county outreach top priority
In an effort to provide out state Missouri with stronger representation in the General Assembly, the Rural Democratic Caucus has designated certain members to take the lead on a variety of important issues affecting county governments and rural residents. Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, has been assigned to spearhead legislative efforts pertaining to prosecuting attorneys and judges. (More information...)
House Honors State Champion Football and Softball Teams
Harrisonville High School’s state champion football and softball teams were honored today by Representative Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, and the Missouri House of Representatives. The legislative body applauded the two teams and Rep. Scavuzzo presented each with a congratulatory resolution signed by himself and Speaker of the House, Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill. “These student athletes have achieved great success on the field and in the classroom,” said Rep. Scavuzzo. (Read the full article)