Denison: Interim Committee on Criminal Justice Update, Pre-Filed Bills On Higher Education, Holiday Driving Tips

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” – Andy Rooney

Interim House Committee Looks at Ways to Improve Missouri’s Prison System

The Interim Committee on Criminal Justice has spent the last few weeks reviewing a report issued by a state task force charged with revamping Missouri’s prison system. Committee members have taken a close look at the task force’s findings and are now looking at ways to implement some of the suggestions outlined in the report. The need for change is based on some startling numbers indicating that our prison system isn’t rehabilitating those who enter into it, while the cost for housing prisoners continues to rise. The Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice has said we are failing in our approach as more than half of all prisoners return to prison within a few years of being released. At the same time, the prison population continues to grow and costs continue to increase. In fact, corrections costs have gone up by 39 percent since 2000.

The committee hopes to make recommendations for legislation that would help reverse that trend. One idea presented by the state task force would require offenders who violate the terms of programs such as drug courts to be placed immediately into detention in county jail. Such a change could save the state up to ten dollars a day per inmate. Overall, the recommendations of the state task force could save the state from $7.7 million to $16.6 million over the next five years. We will gain a clearer picture of which policies may become legislation when the 2012 session begins January 4^th.

House and Senate Education Leaders File Legislation to Improve System of Higher Education

The chairmen of the House Higher Education Committee and the Senate Education Committee recently announced a joint legislative effort to ensure more Missourians get college degrees. The legislation filed in both chambers is meant to fix some existing issues in Missouri’s system of higher education that will help to keep students in school. One component of the bill [HB1042] would create a statewide course library of at least 25 courses that would be transferable among all public higher education institutions. The bill also would allow a student to transfer credits from a four-year institution to a two-year institution so that an associate’s degree is attainable in situations where the student may be incapable of finishing up a bachelor’s degree. In addition, the bill would require institutions to identify and use the best practices in helping students catch up in core courses like Math and English. The idea is to give students’ a fighting chance to succeed in college and to keep them in college until they receive a degree. It’s an issue I am sure we will discuss in greater detail this legislative session.

Holiday Driving Tips

Below are some driving tips provided by MoDOT. Please drive safe.

• ALWAYS wear your seat belt
• Never drive when you're tired
• Obey speed limits
• Don't run red lights
• Don't overload your car with passengers (everyone must have a seat belt)
• Don't drive distracted (pull over to use your cell phone and NEVER text and drive)
• Don't fiddle with the radio or any other device in your car while driving
• Don't have the radio cranked up; you can't hear sirens or a horn warning you of possible trouble
• Don't drive like you own the road; drive like you own the car
• Don't drink and drive (always have a designated driver if you do drink alcohol).

I look forward to hearing from you. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office. Best wishes.

Kander: Ethics Reform Legislation Filed

This week, I filed sweeping ethics reform legislation [HB1080] that would ban lawmakers from accepting lobbyist gifts, reinstate campaign contribution limits, and close the political revolving door by prohibiting elected officials from lobbying for two years after their service. In all three of these major areas, current Missouri ethics laws are significantly more lenient than federal law.

It’s a sad day when the ethics laws in Washington D.C. are stricter than in the Show-Me state. Strengthening these laws is far from a partisan issue. Democrats and Republicans alike should be ashamed that Missouri operates in a political system that doesn’t even match the current ethical standards in our nation’s capital.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch this morning echoed my call for ethics reform, pointing out that Missouri is the only state in the country where lawmakers can take both unlimited campaign contributions and unlimited gifts from lobbyists. In praising my legislation the Post said, “he correctly has identified the three big evils that lawmakers must address if they want to reduce the pernicious effects of special-interest donations on the political process.”

I have championed ethics legislation every year that I’ve served in Jefferson City. If passed, this bill would help instill greater faith in the Missouri legislature.

Here is a sampling of the reforms contained in the bill:

• Banning all lobbyist gifts, up to and including a cup of coffee.
  
• Closing the political revolving door by establishing a two-year ban on lobbying after elected officials leave the legislature.
  
• Establishing campaign contribution limits, including $500 for House races, $1,000 for the Senate, and $2,000 for statewide elections.
  
• Banning lawmakers from soliciting lobbying positions while still in the legislature.
  
• Banning lawmakers from serving as political consultants.
  

Public service loses its true meaning when a system exists that allows elected officials to serve themselves at the expense of the general public. Every time an elected official accepts a gift from lobbyists, special interests gain influence and everyday citizens lose. The time has come for politicians to stop trying to find a way to make public service work for them and instead start working for all of us.

Davis: “Big Government” Wants to Ban Cell Phone Use

It seems, every time you turn around these days, the federal government issues another edict. Bureaucrats and politicians seem to be in a constant search for opportunities to transfer common sense from the people to the government, including parenting, safety and even our health. Meanwhile, our freedoms are eroding day by day.

This time, “big government cometh” in the form of telling you what you can and cannot do while driving in your own vehicle.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now calling for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, primarily tractor-trailers. This move comes after a fatal accident in Missouri that started when a man driving a pickup truck ran into slow traffic in a construction zone. Authorities say he had sent 11 text messages in just as many minutes, right before the wreck happened. As soon as he ran into traffic, his truck was then rear ended by two school buses. Government cannot seem to pass laws quickly enough. What he was doing was already illegal, as he was under the age of 21.

In addition — before anyone in the Missouri General Assembly could have a say in this matter — the edict has come down from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to ban truck and bus drivers from using cell phones. Even hands-free devices are included in the ban. This move went largely unnoticed when it was announced in late November.

While I am not ignoring the tragedy that occurred on that August morning, I am questioning the federal government’s constant move to dictate every aspect of our lives.

When Missouri lawmakers passed a ban on texting while driving for folks 21 and under two years ago, it came with a great deal of discussion. Since then, repeated efforts have been made to ban texting while driving for everybody; they have failed every time.

If texting and using a cell phone while driving is so dangerous, why not include law enforcement in the ban? Why not ban folks from changing radio stations while driving? Or, maybe no sound should be allowed in a vehicle while driving? Where does this stop? Why does the federal government think it is necessary to creep into everybody’s lives in every way imaginable? There are a lot of us who have had more than enough, and will fight to end the ridiculousness coming out of Washington, D.C., on what seems to be a daily basis now. I will continue to fight for our state’s right to govern its own citizens.

I am asking you for your feedback. What do you think about this possible ban. Is it right, wrong, unconstitutional or do you think it is a good thing to do? At what point does government interfere too far in our personal lives?

I encourage you to contact me with any suggestions that you may have for Missouri legislation. Also, if you should experience problems in contacting or resolving an issue with a Missouri state agency, please feel free to call my Capitol office at (573) 751-7082 or email at charlie{dot}davis{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov. Thank you for the honor to serve as your Representative in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Stouffer: “Big Government” Wants to Ban Cell Phone Use

It seems, every time you turn around these days, the federal government issues another edict. Bureaucrats and politicians seem to be in a constant search for opportunities to transfer common sense from the people to the government, including parenting, safety and even our health. Meanwhile, our freedoms are eroding day by day.

This time, “big government cometh” in the form of telling you what you can and cannot do while driving in your own vehicle.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now calling for a nationwide ban on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, primarily tractor-trailers. This move comes after a fatal accident in Missouri that started when a man driving a pickup truck ran into slow traffic in a construction zone. Authorities say he had sent 11 text messages in just as many minutes, right before the wreck happened. As soon as he ran into traffic, his truck was then rear ended by two school buses. Government cannot seem to pass laws quickly enough. What he was doing was already illegal, as he was under the age of 21.



In addition — before anyone in the Missouri General Assembly could have a say in this matter — the edict has come down from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to ban truck and bus drivers from using cell phones. Even hands-free devices are included in the ban. This move went largely unnoticed when it was announced in late November.



While I am not ignoring the tragedy that occurred on that August morning, I am questioning the federal government’s constant move to dictate every aspect of our lives.



When Missouri lawmakers passed a ban on texting while driving for folks 21 and under two years ago, it came with a great deal of discussion. Since then, repeated efforts have been made to ban texting while driving for everybody; they have failed every time.



If texting and using a cell phone while driving is so dangerous, why not include law enforcement in the ban? Why not ban folks from changing radio stations while driving? Or, maybe no sound should be allowed in a vehicle while driving? Where does this stop? Why does the federal government think it is necessary to creep into everybody’s lives in every way imaginable? There are a lot of us who have had more than enough, and will fight to end the ridiculousness coming out of Washington, D.C., on what seems to be a daily basis now. I will continue to fight for our state’s right to govern its own citizens.

Nolte: Missouri’s Future Agricultural Leaders Welcomed to State Capitol

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – State Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Gladstone, welcomed a group of Missouri’s future leaders in the field of agriculture to the state Capitol Thursday. Nolte spoke as part of the Missouri CornRoots Leadership Academy on Dec. 15. The academy held events in Jefferson City on Dec. 14 and 15.

“Our agriculture industry is vital to our state’s economy and legislators like me are dependent on the input of farmers to help in making policy decisions that will move us in a positive direction,” said Nolte, who has a 100 percent voting record on agriculture issues during the last few sessions. “The CornRoots Leadership Academy gives participants a closer look at how legislative policy is created and empowers them to effectively communicate their needs and wants to legislators. The end result will be better agriculture policy that will strengthen what is one of the most important components of our economy.”

The Missouri CornRoots Leadership Academy is designed to identify future grower-leaders and provide the tools to organize and increase grassroots involvement in the political process. Academy participants visit the state Capitol in Jefferson City to see firsthand where policy is made and visit with key legislators to gain an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes.

Rupp: Protecting Privacy in Missouri

There is almost nothing more annoying than when you are about to sit down and enjoy a meal with your family and the telephone rings, alerting you to a robotic, soliciting phone call, asking for your time or business. My friends in the 2nd Senatorial District have voiced their concerns to me regarding their privacy, and I want to help ensure that Missourians won’t continue to be bothered by impersonal, automated “robo-calls.” To address this matter, I have prefiled SB 484, which would modify Missouri’s No-Call list and create “paid for by” requirements for political phone calls.

My bill has the ability to expand our state's No-Call list to include personal cell phone numbers. The legislation would also prohibit similar methods of programmed solicitations via text messaging or faxing. Furthermore, entities that make automated calls would be banned from preventing the appearance of their number on any caller ID service. Certain types of automatic calls would be exempt from the act, including calls that a person has given his or her permission to receive, and from public safety agencies notifying a person of an emergency.

If you’re not aware of Missouri’s No-Call list, allow me to share some information with you. According to the attorney general’s website, there are more than 2.7 million phone lines in Missouri registered on the list. The No-Call law gives Missourians the opportunity to decrease unwanted telemarketing calls made to their homes by signing up on the complimentary No-Call list, which is overseen by the attorney general's office. Although not all robo-calls are illegal, the No-Call list is effective in eliminating some irritating phone calls. At this time, the attorney general's office has acquired court orders requiring telemarketing companies that violated the No-Call law to pay $3,793,000 to the state.

I’m thankful our state has the No-Call law. When I come home from work to spend some quality time with my family, or enjoy a
get-together with friends, the last thing I want is to be bothered by a robo-call. My legislation will help protect our time from misuse and waste, and I hope you will support this bill as it goes before lawmakers in the Senate in January. If you’d like to learn more about robo-calls and the No-Call law, please visit ago.mo.gov/nocalllaw.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this bill, please feel free to share them with me. You are welcome to e-mail me, or call my Capitol office at (573) 751-1282.

Hoskins: New District Boundaries

Redistricting

According to the Missouri Constitution, every time a decennial census occurs, the new state population must be divided by 163 and new districts drawn to account for population changes and shifts. Each district should contain, as close as possible, the same number of citizens. In theory, everyone receives equal representation. Sounds easy enough, but the elephant in the room is, “where do you draw the lines to make everyone happy?”

The new state population, reported by the 2010 census, is 5,988,927. Divided by 163, is equal to 36,742 per district. 36,742 per district is an approximate 7% increase from the 2000 Census totals. If the existing districts contained populations close to 36,742, the districts, in theory, could remain the same. Unfortunately, the 2010 Census totals demonstrated a need to redraw the boundaries for the 163 districts.

New district lines for the House districts were to be drawn by the House Apportionment Commission. The House Apportionment Commission is selected by the Governor from a pool of candidates nominated by the congressional district committees from the two parties in each of Missouri's nine congressional districts. Each party nominates two candidates to represent their party in each of the nine districts for the governor to choose from. In the end, each party (Republican and Democrat) is guaranteed one committee member for each of the congressional districts, totaling 18 members.

Violet Corbett (R) and Paula Willmarth (D), selected by the Governor to be members of the House Apportionment Commission representing the 4th congressional district (which includes our 121st district), actually came to an agreement on redistricting lines for the district. The other 16 members of the commission could not come to a consensus on new lines for their respective districts. The failure of the commission to come to a consensus forced the issue to be resolved by an Appellate Apportionment Commission appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court; as per our State Constitution.

Understanding this process, you can see how it is somewhat disingenuous, and clearly simplistic, to report the legislature failed to redraw the district lines and forced the Missouri Supreme Court to appoint an Appellate Apportionment Commission to make the new maps. The process is actually much more complicated.

District 54

The redistricting map drawn by the six appellate judges divided Johnson County into four House legislative districts (we currently have 3 districts). It also divided Warrensburg between the 51^st and the 54^th district. Knob Noster and Whiteman AFB will be in the 52^nd district with Sedalia, MO. As the dust settled from the alarming, and at times confusing, new district lines, it became clear I should run for office as State Representative for the 54^th District in the 2012 elections. The new 54^th District contains the largest portion of the 121^st District I currently represent. The 54^th encompasses Centerview, Chilhowee, Green Ridge, Holden, Kingsville, La Tour, Leeton, the western half of Warrensburg,
and a small portion of Windsor. I am very familiar with the communities of Johnson & Pettis counties included in the 54^th District and look forward to working very hard as the 54^th District’s State Representative to the Missouri House.

If you would like to voice your thoughts and concerns, both positive and negative, to the Appellate Judge Redistricting Commission, I have included their information below. I encourage you to call them and give them your opinion on the redistricting maps.

Appellate Judge Apportionment Commission:
Chair - Judge Lisa White Hardwick - 816.889.3600
Vice-Chair - Judge Roy L. Richter - 314-539-4300

2012 Legislative Session Priorities

Economic Development, Spending and Taxes, Education, and Healthcare, are just a few of the areas the Legislature will be focused on during the 2012 Regular Session. In the area of economic development, we plan to make it easier for entrepreneurs to access vital information necessary for the planning and development stages of starting a new business by pooling this information together in one website. While regulations on starting up a business may be grounded in sound reasoning, multiple layers of regulation can make the process of starting a new business a regulatory nightmare and actually discourages the investment and job creation our state desperately needs. The pool of information offered at this website should prove to be invaluable in helping cut through the red tape involved in business development and job creation. If we can make it easier for entrepreneurs to start businesses, more Missourians will be able to find employment.

I will discuss more about the 2012 Legislative Session Priorities in subsequent issues of the Capitol Report.

Visiting the Capitol

Anytime you find yourself near our Missouri State Capitol (201 West Capitol Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65101) please feel free to pay a visit. Our state boasts one of the most beautiful Capitol buildings in the nation and you are welcome anytime.

Ways to Keep in Contact

I consider communication with my constituents a high priority. My weekly Monday morning chat at 8:45 a.m. with Woody at KOKO Radio on AM 1450 is one of the best ways I’ve found for you to literally “hear” from me. During session or interim, tune in every Monday morning at 8:45 to hear the latest concerning District 121.

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.

Kraus: New Legislation

Saving Taxpayer Dollars

Saving taxpayer money continues to be a priority for me, and this week I am filing four bills to further this goal. The first three, with some modifications, were measures I filed last year, and I will continue to work to get them passed.

Elections

The first bill [SB569] seeks to remove the February and June dates on which an election can be held. Currently, there are five calendar dates that can be used for an election. It costs taxpayer dollars to conduct elections. Often, these dates feature a single election issue that could be easily filed on another election date within two months preceding or following February or June, when other issues may be under consideration. Last year, I was able to get legislation passed that eliminated the June date; however, the bill was vetoed by the governor.

Taxpayer Refunds

This measure [SJR38] proposes a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would require refunds to taxpayers in any fiscal year in which total state revenues increase over the preceding fiscal year’s total state revenue by 7.5 percent or more. In such a case, 25 percent of the excess would be returned to those who pay their income tax.

When the economy recovers and the state starts to pull in better revenue, we need to have controls in place to keep the government from going out and spending all the new revenue. Some of it needs to go back into the pockets of taxpayers rather than to building bigger, more costly government.

Single License Plate Issuance

Simply removing the requirement for a second license plate on motor vehicles would save the state more than $1 million a year. Property-carrying commercial motor vehicle applicants will be eligible to request a second plate. [SB570]

Transparency on Tax Credits

This bill [SB571], if passed, would require that tax credit recipients to file an annual report with the Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) documenting all contributions and expenditures made to or on behalf of all committees. This information must go on a separate page on the MEC website. In order to maintain accountability for how tax credits are distributed, we must have transparency on who received tax credits, as well as who received political contributions from the recipients.

As always, you can also go to my Senate web page, www.senate.mo.gov/kraus, hover over “Legislation,” click on “Sponsored Bills,” to read, in entirety, each piece of legislation that I file. I welcome any comments from you.

Revised Map Issued for Senate District 8

After the release of my Capitol Report last Wednesday, it was most surprising to me when the Appellate Apportionment Commission filed a second state Senate redistricting plan and map that completely revised District 8. This new map shows the district extending into Lafayette County. There is some question as to whether the courts have the authority to issue yet another map. As the situation becomes more final, I’ll provide more information in this report. An outline of the latest district map can be found at Senate District 8.

We received a few questions from readers that address some general issues, regardless of the final map. I thought the information would be useful to all of my readers. Voters asked what they needed to do, as well as who they would be voting for in the next election. No additional paperwork will be required from voters for 2012 elections. Sometime after April, the Jackson County Election Board will mail voters a new and updated voter ID card, which will contain information on districts in which the voter resides. On Election Day, the ballot that voters receive will name those candidates for office in their new district(s), so voters will be deciding who represents them in their new districts. However, technically, current representation will still be in place until the newly elected official assumes office in 2013.

My focus during this time will continue to be on the current District 8 and those who I represent. My office stands ready to assist residents of District 8 in whatever way we can.

Dugger: Appellate Apportionment Commission Releases New Legislative Districts

Every ten years, following the census, Missouri must redraw its 34 Senate and 163 House districts. This tedious process began several months ago with the appointment of two bi-partisan commissions tasked with the responsibility of creating new districts that reflected the change in Missouri’s population since 2000. Unfortunately, neither the Senate Apportionment Commission nor the House Apportionment Commission was able to agree on new lines and the undertaking was passed on to a panel of six appellate court judges.

Late last week the Appellate Apportionment Commission released the new maps bringing several drastic changes to the layout of Missouri’s legislative districts. For me personally, the 144^th District which I now represent will become 141^st District. My new district will contain all of Wright County and the eastern half of Webster County. Douglas County will become part of the 155^th District which also includes Ozark County and the most of Taney County. Texas County will be entirely in the new 142^nd District along with southern parts of Pulaski County and Phelps County.

Click here to see the Senate redistricting plan.
Click here to see the House redistricting plan.

These newly drawn districts will not actually become reality until Representatives are elected to serve those new legislative districts in the November 2012 elections. In the meantime, I remain committed to serving the people of the 144^th House District. It has and will remain to be an honor to serve you in the Missouri House of Representatives.

God Bless.

Engler: 2012 Session Preview

I usually don't send a Capitol Report out over the interim, but I thought you would be interested in this Power Point presentation on the 2012 Session.

http://www.senate.mo.gov/media/11info/Engler/multimedia/Engler-2012SessionPreview-121411_files/frame.htm

This is a quick overview of what was discussed during our recent caucus and I wanted to share with you what we are up against this coming year.

Good news is that Missouri (as compared to other states) is doing OK…bad news is that revenue still is not picking up and there will be cuts. Nothing has been committed to yet and discussion and debate will be ongoing.

Session starts on January 4th and my regular Capitol Reports will be sent weekly.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!

Kevin Engler
Senator

Oxford: Gas Tax Report Connects To Toll Road Proposals

Attached please find a release about a report about the erosion of gas tax and rising construction/maintenance costs issued by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) today. This is especially relevant here in Missouri where MoDOT has made deep cuts and a proposal for an I-70 toll roll is under discussion.

I am on the executive committee for Missourians for Tax Justice (MTJ) which has joined ITEP in issuing the report. Media contact for this release in MO is Ben Martin.

Here are descriptions of Missourians for Tax Justice and ITEP:

Founded in 1980, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan research organization, based in Washington, DC, that focuses on federal and state tax policy. ITEP's mission is to inform policymakers and the public of the effects of current and proposed tax policies on tax fairness, government budgets, and sound economic policy
(www.itepnet.org).

Missourians for Tax Justice (MTJ) is a statewide grassroots advocacy organization comprised of more than 30 religious, labor, and community organizations. MTJ Justice supports a fair and balanced state tax structure that will produce adequate revenue for needed public services.
(http://missouriansfortaxjustice.org/)

I have also attached the full text of the report.

Stouffer: New Boundaries Have Been Drawn for State Senate and House Districts

The results of the 2010 census have become reality, as new boundaries have taken effect for Missouri’s 34 senators and 163 representatives. Now, Missourians know more about who will be representing them in Jefferson City at the end of 2012.

These newly drawn districts actually will not become reality until individuals are elected to serve those new legislative districts in the November 2012 elections. However, senators serve staggered terms, so those with even-numbered districts will not be up for re-election next cycle.

In the case of the 21^st Senatorial District, some shuffling did take place. As this is my final term in the Missouri Senate, we already knew every county in our area would be represented by a new senator in 2013.

Macon, Ray and the portion of Clay County in our district will all be moved into even-numbered districts. This means they will be represented by incumbent senators, if they decide to finish their full four-year term. Macon will be represented by Sen. Brian Munzlinger. Ray and Clay’s portion of our current area will be represented by Sen. Brad Lager. In addition, Howard will be paired with Boone County. Livingston, Pettis and part of Johnson will be added to our area. Meanwhile, Carroll, Chariton, Saline and all of Lafayette County except for Odessa and the area north of that community will remain in the 21^st District. That makes seven counties for the new district, total.

The judges released an earlier version of the senate map that kept all of Lafayette County intact. The second map came after the original had already been finalized. Many wonder if it is legal for the new map to be used when the original had already been sent on to the Secretary of State.

The changes to the maps for the House are much more significant: All of Macon County was added to extreme eastern portion of Linn County, including Bucklin and part of Marceline, and the northern half of Randolph, including Moberly, to comprise the new House District 6. The Lawson area was placed with Clinton and Caldwell counties in the new House District 8. Kearney goes west and pairs with Smithville in the new House District 12. Excelsior Springs will be in the new House District 38 in Clay County towards Liberty.

Carroll, Ray and Chariton counties will make up a new House district as well. However, Lawson and the southern portion of Chariton County, including Brunswick, will be elsewhere. The new House District 39 will include cities like Richmond, Carrollton, Salisbury and Keytesville.

A small sliver of Cooper County east of Boonville and running along the Missouri River towards Wooldridge was added to the Boone, Howard and Randolph County House District 47, which is centered in Harrisburg. Other towns include Higbee, Rocheport and several residents living near Columbia.

The most significant and confusing district may be House District 48, which includes parts of six counties: Randolph, Howard, Cooper, Pettis, Saline and Chariton. This Booneslick area district will include the communities of Brunswick, Armstrong, Slater, Glasgow, Fayette, Arrow Rock, Nelson, Blackwater, New Franklin, Boonville, Pilot Grove, Otterville and Smithton.

Eastern Cooper County was partnered with Northern Moniteau and Cole, as well as the southern half of Boone. This House District 50 will include the communities of Prairie Home, Jamestown, California, Ashland and Columbia area residents living roughly south of I-70.

Marshall and the western half of Saline County all the way to the northwest portion of Pettis moving toward a portion of Warrensburg in Johnson County will encompass the new House District 51. Other communities included in this district include Hughesville, Houstonia and Malta Bend.

All of Lafayette County will be in the new House District 53, with small portions of Jackson and Johnson counties.

I remain committed to serving the folks in the 21^st Senatorial District, as our next legislative session begins in January. Rest assured, I will be fighting for you in the coming year.

Click here to see the Senate redistricting plan.
Click here to see the House plan.

Rupp: Ensuring Our Children’s Safety

December 1 marked the date prefiled bills for the 2012 regular session received their numbers. I was happy to have the opportunity to prefile several pieces of legislation for the upcoming session, including SB 448. This measure would establish “Sam Pratt’s Law” and “Nathan’s Law,” and modify provisions relating to child care providers. I have addressed this important issue before, and I am determined to see this important bill enacted into law so Missouri families will have the peace of mind knowing their children are safe in daycare facilities.

I became aware of numerous children’s safety issues when I was notified that kids were sustaining injuries, or in some cases, losing their lives, after preventable situations occurred under the watch of irresponsible child care providers. There is no excuse for our children’s safety to be in jeopardy, so I’ve taken action to protect our kids’ well-being. As a parent, the health and safety of my children and family takes precedence before anything else in my life, and I’m sure all Missouri parents and guardians feel the same.

Sam and Nathan, the two children whom my legislation is named for, died tragically while in the hands of unlicensed child care services. I can’t imagine the loss that these boys’ families have had to come to terms with, and they are in my thoughts and prayers. My bill would address many important issues, including the licensure of child care providers and how many children a provider may have under his or her care. I want to do all I can to prevent what happened to Sam and Nathan from occurring again.

The children of Missouri and their families deserve the absolute best care, and I hope the people of our state will support this measure throughout the 2012 legislative session, which will begin at noon on Jan. 4. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this bill, please feel free to share them with me. You are welcome to e-mail me, or call my Capitol office at (573) 751-1282.

Lant: Southwest Legislators Meet To Discuss Common Goals

Well we certainly had a fun filled week! We covered a lot of miles and attended a bunch of meetings and I don't know if I'm any better informed now than when we started. We got a great start on Monday and Tuesday by attending two functions where AT&T presented checks to worthy causes in the Joplin area. AT&T has been most generous in investing in the rebuilding efforts and has an ongoing commitment to us. In an age when big corporations are constantly criticized for making profits it is refreshing to see a company invest some of its profits in the future of our children.

We went to Springfield for a meeting on Tuesday where we heard a presentation on the Ballot Initiative to replace Missouri's State Income Tax with a sales tax. This will be an issue that the voters decide in November and I'm sure it will be well advertised by both sides for months before the election. They had facts and figures from comparable states that have eliminated the income taxes and from what we saw it does look like it would work. I'm looking forward to hearing the other side of the argument as I'm sure they have a compelling case also.

On Wednesday we were again in Springfield for a meeting with other Representatives in this Southwest Region. The purpose for the get together was to explore the advantages of meeting on a regular basis and developing an agenda of issues that will help us to pass legislation that is good for our region. There were 14 Legislators present for the discussion and it was decided that it would be good for us to get our heads together occasionally and talk about our local issues.

Thursday afternoon Bill Reiboldt and I had a meet and greet for Shane Schoeller, the speaker pro-tem who has announced his candidacy for Secretary of State. After a couple of hours of mingling, we went down to the McDonald County High School for a Republican Club meeting. Our dinner was served by the culinary class and from what I can tell they have learned their lessons well! The food was excellent and we heard from some State Senate candidates as well as getting to listen to Shane again. The meeting was well attended and Bill and I got to explain our take on the redistricting results.

The meeting was over about 7:30 after which I started for Jefferson City. We had a Caucus meeting scheduled for 9:00 on Friday morning and I didn't want to get up that early and drive up. As you could probably guess, the Caucus meeting was about all the new districts that have been created from one end of our state to the other. I certainly hope future commissions take note of this mess before they let Appellate Judges decide it for them again. Some of the Districts in Kansas City and St.Louis are completely different from their current configurations. Incumbents who desire to run in the new Districts will be required to move and to campaign in areas they have never been in let alone have any name recognition. Some urban Reps now find themselves thrown into farming communities and vice versa. On closer look, it doesn't even seem to be particularly partisan. The Democrats and Republicans alike are bewildered by the total chaos the Appellate Judges have created. On the bright side of this mess, Bill Reiboldt and I have come out much better than most. I have pledged to help him campaign in some of my district and he has agreed to do the same. We are extremely fortunate to represent a part of the state where everyone has common goals. Newton and McDonald Counties are in my estimation, the finest places in the world to live. Neither one of us are complaining about who we will be representing! The Constitution provides that I can run for my new district and when elected, I have one year to move my place of residence. I must be a resident in the new district by November of 2013. I erroneously reported last week that Jane would probably start looking at house plans soon. It turns out that she has been looking at plans for the past month. There are some things that it is just better not to know!

Saturday evening we were at the Pineville Christmas Parade. The weather was good and there were a lot of happy children. It doesn't get much better than that. This week promises to be a busy one also with another trip to Jefferson City. I'll give you a full report next week. Until then, I am and remain in your service.
Bill Lant