Kraus: Remembering Our Fallen Soldiers

Next Monday, May 31, is Memorial Day – a day of remembrance for those who have died serving our country. As I go about the business of daily life, I remember that our freedom, our independence, and our way of life is, quite simply, due to those who have served in our armed forces, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice of life itself. We all owe these men and women so much.

It is the ultimate sacrifice to lose life so that others can live in freedom. But for those who put themselves in harm’s way, they see their service, not as a sacrifice, but as a job that must be done. I honor this ethic in our military personnel. As a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve who has witnessed our military men and women get up and go to work every day, I never cease to respect their unwavering effort.

As a legislator, I can honor this effort by fighting for legislation to help our military personnel. Last session, I passed HB 82. Starting in 2010, this legislation exempts 15 percent of a military pension from state income tax. The size of the exemption will grow each year until it reaches 100 percent in 2016. It is a small way to give back, but one that I was very glad to sponsor.

This session, I also introduced legislation to help the children of retired military personnel benefit from the A+ School Program after a constituent contacted me. After retiring from military service, he moved back to Missouri with his family. He wanted to enroll his daughter in the A+ school program, but found that it required three years residence in Missouri. While state law specifies an exemption for active military, it does not extend to retired military families.

Therefore, I filed a bill, HB 2261, that extends the exemption to students who are dependents of retired military who relocate to Missouri within one year of the date of the parents’ retirement from active duty. This bill was combined with other legislation to become HCS HB 2147 & 2261, and it is also included in the omnibus bill described below. I was extremely pleased with successful passage of this bill in the General Assembly and hope to see it signed by the governor. Our military personnel should not have to sacrifice educational benefits for their children in order to keep us all safe back home.

As a way of remembering, I’ve listed below the most significant military-related bills that were Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed in the 2010 Session.

Veterans and Members of the Military

SCS HCS HB 1524 & 2260 is an omnibus bill passed this session that covers several military concerns. In its main provisions, the bill:

• Requires all agencies and political subdivisions of this state to give a three-point bonus preference to a service-disabled veteran business operating as a Missouri business when letting a contract for the performance of any job or service;
• Specifies that the State of Missouri recognizes the designations of Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) as valid descriptions of casualty status and category classification for military personnel;
• Requires the Secretary of State to establish procedures for absent uniformed services and overseas voters to request voter registration applications and absentee ballot applications.

Gaming Funds

Currently, early childhood education and veterans' programs are supported by gaming money. This bill, SS#2 HCS HB 1893, changes provisions of current law that governs this distribution. The changes require grant funds to be made available for service officer training for outreach programs between veteran service organizations and the Missouri Veterans Commission and add the Vietnam War to the list of conflicts for which service medals are awarded.

Beginning in Fiscal Year 2011, the Veterans' Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund and the Early Childhood Development Education Care Fund will each receive, subject to appropriations, an additional $600,000 per year if the Gaming Commission Fund reaches the 2009 appropriation level for early childhood education. Once the $1.2 million is distributed to these two funds, any additional moneys will be deposited into the Early Childhood Development Education and Care Fund.

Missouri Youth Challenge Academy

This bill, HCS HB 2262 & 2264, allows the Adjutant General to establish the Missouri Youth Challenge Academy for at-risk high school age youth. The residential military-based academy will provide work experience and training in life skills, citizenship, life-coping and academic skills, among others. The Missouri Youth Challenge Foundation Fund is created consisting of gifts, donations, appropriations, transfers, and bequests. The Adjutant General is authorized to make grants from the fund to support the academy. Language to create this academy is also contained in the omnibus bill.

With the ending of the 2010 Legislative Session, the Capitol Report will be issued about twice a month. During this time, if you have an event that you would like me to attend or speak at, please contact my office at 1 (573) 751-1459 or e-mail at will{dot}kraus{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov.