Rupp: Passing Historic Measures and Finishing Our Last Week in Jefferson City

It’s hard to believe that the last week of the First Regular Session of the 96^th General Assembly has arrived. We had a long list of priorities to accomplish this week, and many significant and historic pieces of legislation have been approved by lawmakers.

One of the measures sent to the governor for his signature is one of my own bills, SB 132. This measure addresses fraudulent motor vehicle contracts and warranties, as well as vehicle licensing, the “free look” period, deceptive practices, the suspension and revocation of licenses, and the registry of motor vehicles. If signed by the governor, my bill would go into effect on Aug. 28, 2011.

Several other bills I handled in the Senate have been sent to the governor as well. One of those bills was HB 193, which altered Missouri’s congressional districts to represent the 2010 census. The governor vetoed the map, but fortunately, the Legislature voted to override the veto. A two-thirds majority vote from the Senate and House is required to override a veto, and luckily, the House voted 109-44, and the Senate voted 28-6. A vote to overturn a veto is a rare occurrence — the last time the Legislature successfully overrode a governor’s veto during regular session was in 1980 — so I am very grateful that my colleagues and I were able to pull together to put the congressional map into action.

Other bills I handled in the Senate that have been sent to the governor include:

• HB 354, which will exempt qualified plug-in electric vehicles from Missouri’s motor vehicle emissions inspection program. This measure has been approved by the governor.
• HB 470, which would change the laws regarding nonresident entertainer and professional athletic team income tax.
• HB 604, which would establish a task force on foster care recruitment, licensing, and retention and the Missouri State Foster Care and Adoption Board, and changes the laws regarding parental rights and foster care placements.
• HB 648, which would change the laws regarding individuals with disabilities. The bill would change all references of “mentally retarded,” “mental retardation,” or “handicapped” in current state law to “developmentally disabled,” “developmental disability,” or “disabled,” respectively. The bill would also protect the rights of parents with disabilities.

For a full list of measures passed by the Legislature, please click on this link.

I’m honored that I have the chance to represent your voice at the Capitol. This is not a privilege I take for granted. I’d like to thank my constituents for their opinions and advice regarding legislative matters throughout this legislative session, and I’d like to thank my family for their unconditional love and support. Although session is over at the Capitol, work in our government still continues, so I encourage you to visit my website at www.senate.mo.gov/rupp to keep up with district and Senate news. As always, please feel free to call my office toll-free at (866) 271-2844 if I can be of any assistance.