Kraus: Military-Friendly Legislation

As the vice chair of the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission, one of my roles is to track and support legislation that reaches the commission’s goal of making Missouri more military-friendly. With the possibility of upcoming base closings nationwide, the better we treat local military bases and members, the more likely we are to avoid closures or cutbacks here in Missouri.

So far this year, I have filed two military- or veteran-related bills:

• Missouri has long had a militia, under the Missouri National Guard, to help with local matters if the guard is depleted by deployments. SB 715 allows the Missouri Adjutant General to waive the current age description if a professional (i.e., a doctor or an engineer) above the official age limit is needed to help in an emergency. SB 715 was requested by the Missouri National Guard.
  
• SB 768 would create a veterans’ treatment court similar to the already existing drug courts. Processing veterans who are not charged with a violent crime through a system that understands their specific needs will create a better environment for successful treatment and re-entry into society. This small step in supporting the men and women who sacrificed to protect our freedoms is a common-sense approach to caring for our military personnel.
  

My office is also tracking several other military or veteran bills filed in both the House and Senate. Two such bills were heard on the floor of the Senate this week:

• SB 564 allows members of the military who have completed certain motorcycle rider training programs in the military to have their motorcycle road skills test waived. The bill was passed in the Senate this week and is headed to the House for its consideration.
  
• SB 498 expands a current law related to charities so that veterans’ organizations can operate retail locations. Currently, cities could have laws prohibiting those locations. The bill was perfected in the Senate this week and will likely be passed next week.
  

In addition to those bills, I am looking at legislation that would make it easier for on-duty military personnel stationed overseas to vote by absentee ballot.

District Days

We continue to get RSVPs for our upcoming District Days events here in Jefferson City, but slots are still readily available. If you are still interested in coming to the State Capitol, seeing the Legislature in action, touring the Capitol, Supreme Court, and Governor’s Mansion, and getting some time with your state senator, please reply to this email and let us know. District Days are scheduled for both March 21 and March 27.