A Busy Week in Committee
In the early days of the legislative session, much of the action in the Missouri Senate happens not on the Senate floor, but elsewhere. Yes, bills are first introduced on the Senate floor, but after that, much of the real work begins in Senate committees. These small groups of senators are tasked with reviewing legislation, holding public meetings and hearing from citizens testifying for or against the bill the committee is discussing. This week, I presented the majority of my bills for the 2020 legislative session to various Senate committees for their consideration.
On Jan. 27, I presented two bills to the Senate’s Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee. Senate Bill 662 allows shelf-stable food, such as deer jerky, to be donated to local food pantries. I believe this is an important change to state law that will benefit Missouri families in need. Programs like Share the Harvest allow hunters to donate the bounties of nature to families in need, but not all families – or food pantries for that matter – have the room to take in large amounts of frozen meat. Rather than let that food go to waste, SB 662 creates the option for shelf-stable protein-packed food like deer jerky to be donated without it needing to be refrigerated. I believe this legislation is a win for hunters, food pantries and families in need. Meanwhile, another bill I presented, Senate Bill 661, encourages the safe, responsible use of prescribed burning by certified prescribed burn professionals for land management.
I also presented legislation intended to help provide some closure for military families who have a missing or unaccounted loved one. Senate Concurrent Resolution 32 calls on Missouri’s congressional delegation to support the passage of the “Bring Our Heroes Home Act,” which will help declassify POW/MIA records. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 81,900 American service members remain unaccounted for from wars stretching back all the way to World War II. More than 2,000 of those service members are Missourians. Missouri families have been waiting for answers to their loved one’s fate, and it’s past time they received those answers. My hope is that SCR 32 rallies support for this important piece of federal legislation. It’s time to bring our heroes home, and for their families to finally have the closure they deserve.
In the Senate’s Economic Development Committee, I presented a bill aiming to help preserve historic buildings in downtown Jefferson City. Senate Bill 586 creates the Capitol Complex Tax Credit Act, which will allow Missourians to receive a tax credit for donations to rehabilitation and renovation projects for buildings in the Capitol Complex area. I believe this program will incentivize giving to these important projects that will help maintain Jefferson City’s historic buildings for years to come. Lastly, I also presented legislation extending the sunset on a filing fee with the Secretary of State’s office, helping to ensure it has the resources it needs in the 21st century.
As you can see, it was a jam-packed week in Senate committees. Now that these bills have been heard in committee, the next step is for the committee to vote on them. If given approval, these bills will then go to the Senate floor for further consideration by the full Senate in the coming weeks.
Please feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.