St. Louis could see major downtown renovation in the coming years helped by legislation signed into Missouri law by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Monday.
Kehoe signed a large economic development bill that includes incentivizing the conversion of vacant or underused properties into new housing.
For St. Louis, that could mean changes to the AT&T tower and Railway Exchange building.
Through the legislation, cities could apply for an area to become a Missouri innovation zone and be able to use incentives distributed by the state Department of Economic Development.
Cities must include proposed district boundaries, identify vacant and underutilized properties as well as provide projections of anticipated housing and employment growth in their application. Cities may only establish one of those districts.
Additionally, the legislation allows for up to $50 million annually in tax credits toward the conversion of buildings into residential spaces.
Sen. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis, said the legislation will ultimately lead to more people living in downtown St. Louis.
"The passage of House Bill 3231 was critical in our efforts to continue revitalizing Missouri's main streets, central business districts, and downtowns," Kehoe said in a statement.
The governor signed seven other bills into law Monday, including a wide-reaching health care bill that contains several policies related to reproductive health.
The nearly 200-page bill allows for Missourians on private insurance to obtain 12 months' worth of birth control pills at once.
It also expands Medicaid coverage to doula services. It would apply to more care before, during and after a pregnancy. The state health department must also create and operate a registry of available doula services.
Additionally, the bill requires insurance companies to cover blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum mothers.
The bill also requires Missouri to track and report cases of Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome. Alpha-gal is a tick-borne disease that creates an allergy to mammalian products like meat.
Any identifiable information on the blood test could only be shared between patient and physician.
The legislation also:
- Allows patients to begin their care through telemedicine, as opposed to a physical examination whenever possible.
- Permits the sale of ivermectin, a drug that's grown in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, over the counter. It also expands the types of vaccines pharmacists can administer.
- Prevents insurance companies from capping payment for anesthesia by imposing time limits.
- Permits schools and daycares to provide epinephrine either via injection or orally to treat allergic reactions.
Additionally, Kehoe signed a bill that provides rights to "a child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion."
The legislation is called the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Anyone who would kill or attempt to kill a fetus born alive after an abortion attempt could be prosecuted for first-degree murder under the bill.
Those against the bill say the focus on abortion causes consequences regarding maternal care in Missouri.
Fetal viability, or the point when a fetus would be able to survive outside the womb, is generally around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
According to KFF health research, abortions at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy are uncommon, representing 1% of all abortions in the country.
Kehoe said in a statement that he was proud to sign bills that will improve health care services across the state.
"I would like to thank the members of the House and Senate for their work to protect our most vulnerable, hold insurance companies accountable, and change the landscape of healthcare access and outcomes in communities across the state," Kehoe said.
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