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| Capitol Report For the Month of February | Contact: (573) 751- 3074 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Successful Dinner & Dialogue With the Public Half a Step Closer to Ethics Reform Working Towards Replacing Independence Unaccredited Regional Crime Lab |
Education Bill Progresses Through Senate Sen. LeVota's filed Legislation Aimed At Strengthening Missouri |
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| Successful Dinner & Dialogue with the Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This month, I hosted another Dinner and Dialogue with special guest, Mayor Eileen Weir, and the constituents of our districts. Once again, it was a great success. It is always rewarding to see my constituents come out and actively participate in their government by becoming involved and seeking out the knowledge necessary to stay informed. I appreciate the opportunity to interact with the public and answer questions. This month, we focused on city and state issues regarding the state tax policy, income tax modifications and ethics reform. It was truly gratifying to see everyone who attended and participated in the event. I am always pleased to see the public showing interest in their state government. I look forward to seeing you at the next Dinner & Dialogue.
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| Half a Step Closer to Ethics Reform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This month, a small step down the long road of ethics reform was achieved in the Missouri Senate. A 32-2 vote sent Senate Bill 11 to the House, which would bar lawmakers from serving as paid consultants, increase requirements for reporting gifts from lobbyists and require legislators to withhold from lobbying for two years after leaving office in order to create a "cooling off" period and prevent a revolving door within government. Although this is progress toward an ethically strengthened state, it is a minute step toward repairing the negative perception Missourians have toward elected officials. I was disappointed to see the Majority Caucus reject my amendment to SB 11, which would have set limits for political campaign contributions. We continue to watch constituent involvement deteriorate, as well as accountability of elected officials. Without enforcing campaign contribution limits, we will continue to spiral downward in a financial “free-for-all” during election years, which seems to lead to nothing more than slandering campaign ads and a government that seems detached from the true issues at hand. It is my hope an amendment will be added that will reinstate campaign contribution limits, which have been absent since 2008. |
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| Working Towards Replacing Independence Unaccredited Regional Crime Lab | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This session, I have been working on reinstating funding withheld last year by the gov. in order to replace the Independence Crime Lab — which will become unaccredited June 30 due to lack of funding — with a regional Highway Patrol Lab within the Independence Police Department.
These funds were already included in Missouri’s budget last year through a bipartisan effort, it was line-item vetoed by the governor, then overridden again in a bipartisan manner; the funds were still withheld. Members of both parties and chambers are working together to replace this lab. The only person absent from the discussion seems to be our governor, who professed he would become more involved yet has failed to meet that promise. Currently, the Independence Crime Lab is a regional lab, meaning all counties within Missouri can send their evidence there to be processed without fees. If funding is not placed back in the 2015 budget, the only two regional labs would be in Jefferson City and Springfield. This is common-sense legislation. This lab provides Independence and the surrounding areas with the expertise needed to solve crimes and provide peace of mind, along with answers, for the victims of crimes in our district, as well as surrounding districts. This would benefit all Missouri towns by aiding with the overflow other labs are currently experiencing. By not including these funds, more of Missouri’s time and expenses would be wasted. It is imperative the funds be released in order to replace the 11th Senatorial District's crime lab. It is always a priority of mine to ensure my constituents live in the safest environment possible. |
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| Education Bill Progresses Through Senate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This month, I spearheaded legislation that would prohibit the State Board of Education from deciding a schools' accreditation statuses without representation of all congressional districts and addresses issues with Missouri’s school transfer law.
I was pleased to see Senate Bill 70 combined with Senate Bill 1, which received initial approval in the Senate on Tuesday, Feb. 24, after lengthy debate. Senate Bill 1 is the Senate’s overall education legislation. It consists of Senate Bills 1, 22, 49 and 70. This measure's provisions range from charter school regulations to school transfer laws to school accreditations. Last year, the governor vetoed the education bill passed by both chambers, due to a provision that would allow state education funds to go towards privately funded schools. This concern has been addressed, and it is my hopes the governor will put Missouri children’s education first and allow the bill to pass. One of the most important issue we see during session is education. It is imperative we provide every opportunity available to educate every child in Missouri. Currently, there are thousands of children, whose futures are jeopardized by not receiving the education they need and deserve, because they are stuck in an unaccredited school. It is our responsibility to provide these students the opportunity to receive the best education possible. |
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| Sen. LeVota's Filed Legislation Aimed At Strengthening Missouri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As always, this session I am working towards tackling the most important issues facing our state and its citizens. The wide array of bills I have filed during this 2015 legislative session range from legislation that will benefit Missouri as a whole to measures geared toward the specific needs of the 11th Senatorial District. Continual improvement is the only way Missouri and its citizens can reach it's full potential in the future. This is why it is a priority of mine to ensure every bill I file works toward building a stronger and more productive Missouri and 11th Senatorial District. The last day to file legislation for the 2015 Legislative Session is Feb. 26, 2015. I have introduced the following bills thus far:
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| Stay Involved | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Every week, I do a podcast with Independence City Councilman Chris Whiting called “Dialogue with Missouri Sen. Paul LeVota.” The idea came from the late Congressman Jerry Litton. He held the same strong passion for staying involved with constituents that I have and talk about issues they are facing. Staying connected with the constituents I serve is of the utmost importance to me. I encourage all Missourians to listen to my podcast and contact me with any concerns you may have. If you would like to listen to my podcasts and find out what I am working on now, click here. As you can see, there is much work to be done by your elected officials in the upcoming year. It is an honor to serve as your state senator. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments at www.senate.mo.gov/levota or by contacting my Capitol office at (573) 751-3074.
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Senator Paul LeVota |
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