Burlison: Upcoming Legislation

Wednesday, January 6^th, kicked-off the opening day of the second session of the 95th General Assembly. The Capitol halls were once again filled with legislators and staff all preparing for the work ahead.

The Speaker of the House gave his Opening Day Address in the Chamber at noon and outlined his priorities stating, "We must never forget we sit in the people's chamber and our sacred duty as their elected officials is the maintenance of the integrity and sanctity of the Missouri House of Representatives. We are here to make our state a better place for Missourians to work and live."

As the State Representative for our district, I am passionately committed to doing your work and serving you as I travel to Jefferson City each week. This is why I would like to take a moment and share with you some of the up-coming legislation I am proposing:

• The "Show-me Green Initiative." This bill will allow any persons or entities to submit bids to mow grass, such as switchgrass or other vegetation, along state roadways to be used in bioenergy projects as a form of renewable energy. It will also help save MODOT important dollars by eliminating a portion of their roadway maintenance expenses. [HB1659]
  
• Legislation to prohibit state departments from providing moneys to entities that are guilty of violating any election law, tax law, or immigration law of Missouri. [HB1660]
  
• Increasing the period of time a concealed and carry endorsement is valid from three years to five years from the date of issuance or renewal. [HB1291]
  

As I work on this legislation I look forward to talking with you each week through my Capitol Reports in the hope to provide you with an inside look to the Missouri House of Representatives and the important issues we are discussing to make our state a great place to live, work, and raise a family.