OOIDA Call to Action - Missouri Members
March 8, 2005

Heads up, Missouri truckers! Two bills in the Missouri General Assembly need your urgent attention.

The House and Senate have approved differing versions of the worker's compensation bill.

A 10-member panel of House and Senate lawmakers have been named to work out their differences in the worker's comp bill - SB1. Lawmakers must agree on a final version of the bill before sending it to Gov. Matt Blunt for approval.

Last week, the House approved their version of the worker's comp bill with a provision specifically addressing a lawsuit brought forth by OOIDA on behalf of owner-operators against a Springfield, MO-based motor carrier.

The revision, offered by Rep. Bryan Stevenson, R-Webb City,is worded as follows:

"In applying the provisions . it is the intent of the legislature to reject and abrogate earlier case law interpretations on the meaning of or definition of 'owner,' as extended in the following cases: Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Ass'n. Inc. v. New Prime, Inc., .; Nunn v. C.C. Midwest ."

Todd Spencer, executive vice president for OOIDA, said this provision has the net effect of retroactively changing Missouri law to permit the violations alleged and upheld in the Missouri Court of Appeals in OOIDA vs. New Prime.

"It's pretty amazing lawmakers were able to slip this through. Not only is it outrageous, it also violates the Missouri Constitution," Spencer said.

It is vital you contact the conference committee members listed below and urge them to reject retroactive application of state law designed to influence a lawsuit. Not only is this unconstitutional, it's just plain dishonest.

Contact the following lawmakers regarding the worker's compensation bill - SB1:

In addition, the Senate is expected to vote this week on a bill to ban large trucks from driving in the far left lane on most urban highways and interstates in the state.

The bill would keep trucks to the right lanes of highways and interstates with three or more lanes in each direction.

Under SB221, violators could be subject to a fine ranging from $200 to $300.

It is important you contact your state senator and let him/her know Missouri law already requires all slower moving cars and trucks to move to the right for faster moving vehicles. New laws aren't needed. Existing laws are sufficient.

Instead, the state should post signs throughout the state making all drivers aware of current law.

For your senator's contact information, visit www.senate.mo.gov/04info/leg_lookup.htm, or call OOIDA's Membership Department at 1-800-444-5791 and they'll look it up.