Hoskins: Big Government Get Off My Back Act, Vote To Bring Steam Train Through Missouri

Week #2 of the legislative session has gotten off to a fast start. Committees are meeting and we have been hearing legislation in the House Chamber. Leadership has sent a clear message that there’s much to be accomplished during the session and time is not to be wasted. I’m here to get things done so that suits me just fine.

­Legislation

The first bill heard by the House Small Business Committee was HB 45, which is my bill to extend the Big Government Get Off My Back Act. HB 45 provides a tax deduction for small businesses with 50 employees or less who create new full-time jobs. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Restaurant Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) all entered testimony in support of my bill. Due to term limits, most of the members of the committee are newly elected so there were more questions during testimony than normal which made background information more important than ever. There was no testimony in opposition to my bill and the committee approved it 19-1. I am hopeful that HB 45 will be scheduled to be heard by the full House next week.

I am committee chairman of Appropriations – Transportation and Economic Development. I have divided the nine freshmen members of the committee into three working groups to look more closely at one of the agencies from whom we will receive testimony in support of their budget requests. The groups will either be assigned to MoDOT, Department of Economic Development, or Departments of Labor and Insurance, Financial Institutions, and Professional Registration. My purpose in doing this is to help these new members become more familiar with at least one of the agencies coming before us. With the economic challenges of the budget process, I see my responsibility as chairman to help the members of my committee be as prepared as possible.

The full House already voted on some bills this week. I’m pleased to report on a resolution to urge Missouri to join 20 other state attorneys general in a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the federal health care requirement. I voted for HCR 39 and am hopeful Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster will enter into this lawsuit to make health insurance a personal choice.

In Other News

Please join me in voting to bring the Union Pacific Steam Train through Missouri this year. Union Pacific will host a steam train excursion in 2011 with the specific route to be chosen by public vote. There are four routes under consideration including the Little Rock Express (Missouri-Arkansas), the Tuscola Turn (Iowa-Illinois), the Baton Rouge Rambler (Texas-Louisiana), and Boise Limited (Idaho-Utah). Currently the Missouri-Arkansas route is just slightly ahead of the Iowa-Illinois route but we need your vote. The excursion will come through Warrensburg on its way to the first stop in Boonville. You can vote once a day until January 17th at www.upexcursion.com. Please vote for the Little Rock Express so Johnson County can share in this piece of railroad Americana!

Capitol Visitors

I was pleased to welcome several people from back home to my Capitol office this week. Visitors included Mark Curtis, Jason Lake, Tom Hobbs, Carol Gregg, Michael Davis, Mark Reynolds, and George Taylor. I remind you that my door is always open to my constituents.

Please share this report with anyone you feel would be interested in this information. It is genuinely a privilege to serve as your state representative. In the meantime, keep warm and be safe during this bitter cold weather.