We have officially made it through the second week of the 2018 legislative session. This week saw the first action on bills as they were first read and a few proposals were heard in committee.
One of my priority pieces of legislation is Senate Bill 567, which I pre-filed in early December. This proposal reforms the Missouri Property Tax Credit commonly known as the ‘circuit breaker’ tax credit. This legislation caps income for program participants at 100 percent of the federal poverty level. The plan also caps the maximum available credits at $750 per household for home owners and $450 for renters; and reduces the percentage of rent that constitutes property tax to 8 percent. I am happy to see this legislation moving so quickly and I look forward to working with my fellow lawmakers to ensure it is passed for the benefit of seniors in our state.
This week, another of my legislative priorities was first read and will soon be assigned to committee for a legislative hearing. Senate Bill 820 allows the General Assembly to declare that expanding and accelerating access to high-speed broadband communications services is in the best interests of all Missourians. This legislation encourages rural electric cooperatives to work with telecommunications companies in order to help bring high-speed internet to every corner of Missouri. I understand there are large costs associated with this type of endeavor, but I believe this type of project is vital to helping our rural communities prosper in a technology-driven age. Improving access to high-speed internet services is a priority of mine and I believe by working together, my colleagues and I can help bring this vital service to all Missourians.
As always, I appreciate it when groups from around Missouri and from our community back home come to visit me at the Capitol. If you would like to arrange a time to come and visit me in Jefferson City, or if you ever have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact my Capitol office at (573) 751-1882.