Stouffer: Ready to Return to Missouri’s Capitol

January not only means a new year, but it also means it is time for the next legislative session in Jefferson City.

The Second Regular Session of the 96^th General Assembly will begin on Jan. 4, 2012. It has only been a couple of months since lawmakers were in the Capitol dealing with tax credits and job creation, as part of the special session. I have no doubt most of the topics of the special session will carry over into January.

I plan to hit the ground running with several measures that have already been prefiled, including:

• Senate Bill 442, which would establish photo identification requirements for voting. Because of the governor’s veto, the plan to enact this — upon voter approval — was scrapped; however, it will still be on the November 2012 ballot. Senate Bill 442 would ensure the proper steps would be enacted into law, requiring photo IDs to vote, assuming the ballot measure were to win approval.
  
• Senate Bill 443, which would make changes to several transportation issues, including drunk driving. The biggest change would be made regarding limited driving privileges for repeat offenders.
  
• Senate Bill 444, which would make changes to binding arbitration cases involving MoDOT.
  
• Senate Bill 481, which would create a tax credit for contributions to care providers for the developmentally disabled, legislation I have filed in previous years.
  

These are just a few of the measures I have already filed. For a complete list, go to www.senate.mo.gov/stouffer and click on the sponsored bills link under my legislation tab.

As always, I thank you for your continued calls and e-mails to our office. Without you, I would not be able to address the issues that are important to rural Missouri. I pray we make the right decisions when we return to Jefferson City. It will be another difficult year. With your help, we will be able to make Missouri even better for our children and grandchildren, not only now, but in their future.