Dugger: Voter ID Bill Protects People From External, Internal Threats

“A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicity.” —Thomas Jefferson

Our founding fathers envisioned a government which worked for the people, not against them. Needless to say, they would probably not be too satisfied with the mess that is Washington, D.C. As the Washington insiders and career politicians continue to lose touch with what the people really want; I like to think that here in Jefferson City, we are keeping the founding fathers’ vision alive. Just this week, the Missouri House passed several measures that ensure that our state government is a service to the people not a restraint on their individual liberties.

Without an informed citizenry it is hard to keep government in check. On Wednesday, the House passed House Bill 1140 which would require counties and schools to submit their debts and holdings to the Office of Administration for posting on the Missouri Accountability Portal. Currently, information about state spending is available online. Extending the requirement gives the Missouri taxpayer the ability to track how both their state and local tax dollars are being spent and thus make sure that their state and local governments are functioning efficiently.

Not only should government be accountable to the people it works for, but it is also there to protect the people from external and internal threats. To this end, the House Committee on Elections passed House Bill 1104 out of committee. HB 1104 requires a voter to provide photo identification at the polls on election day. The goal of the bill is to protect the integrity of the election process, not to restrict people from voting. In fact, there are provisions in the bill that would help those segments of the populace who might not have or be able to afford an ID to obtain a proper form of ID or provisional ballot. Thus, allowing everyone to partake in the democratic process while safeguarding against voter fraud.

As we work to protect the people of Missouri, it is important that our state government not impede on the ability of its citizenry to live free and prosper. Next week, the House Committee on Agriculture Policy will hear testimony on House Bill 1324, which affirms the right of Missouri citizens to raise livestock in a humane manner without the state imposing an undue burden on their owners. With these precautions we can provide a state government that is answerable to the people it represents rather than being a chaotic mess.

For more information about the pieces of legislation mentioned above or about any others that have been introduced, please visit the House of Representatives website, www.house.mo.gov. As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Missouri House of Representatives.