Volume 1, Issue 12 – The Week of April 15, 2019
Heading to the Missouri House
I am happy to report that this week, the Missouri Senate approved my Senate Bill 210, regarding state symbols. This legislation designates the pawpaw tree as Missouri’s state fruit tree and the hellbender salamander as the state endangered species. It has been a wonderful opportunity to work with the school students who have been the driving force behind this legislation. I look forward to continuing to work with them as SB 210 makes its way through the Missouri House of Representatives.
Another piece of legislation heading to the Missouri House is Senate Concurrent Resolution 14. This is a bonding proposal that will provide funding to repair a portion of our state’s transportation system. It issues $301 million in bonds, to be repaid over the course of seven years, to go toward building and repairing 215 bridges across the state. I believe SCR 14 addresses some of our immediate infrastructure needs, while also working to free up funding for the Missouri Department of Transportation for other important projects. As SCR 14 moves through the legislative process, I believe this an important step toward solving some of our state’s infrastructure needs.
On April 16, we discussed two other major pieces of legislation on the Senate floor. Senate Bill 391 prevents county commissions and county health center boards from regulating concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) beyond state regulations. I understand this bill is attempting to apply a uniform standard for these industrial-sized livestock operations, but my concern is that it undermines local control. I believe local communities should be allowed to make decisions for themselves that help keep their communities healthy, and the state should not attempt to stop them. After several hours of debate, SB 391 was laid over.
We also discussed proposed changes to the Title IX processes used by our state’s colleges and universities. Proponents of Senate Bill 259 argue that it would increase due process opportunities to the sometimes controversial Title IX process. However, I do not believe the changes proposed in SB 259 are the answers we need. This bill adds bureaucracy to a process that was never meant to operate as a court proceeding. Rather than pass this legislation, I think it would be more productive to establish a joint committee to study Title IX with colleges, universities and other stakeholders to identify possible means of improvement. The Senate did not vote on this legislation, and ultimately, SB 259 was laid over for further debate.
While it has been a busy week on the Senate Floor, senators also continue working in committee. This week, in the Seniors, Families and Children Committee, we heard House Bill 229, dealing with child custody arrangements. This bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that an award of equal or approximately equal parenting time is in the best interest of the child, unless the specifics of the case indicates otherwise.
Thank you for your interest in the legislative process. I look forward to hearing from you on the issues that are important to you this legislative session. If there is anything my office can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3599.