House Report

Posted

It is great and such an honor to be back in Jefferson City and back into another session in the House of Representatives! Last week we were here on Wednesday to be sworn in and also to attend the Legislative Ball. My wife and three daughters, son-in-law, one granddaughter and sister and brother-in-law were here to participate in this special occasion with me. It is humbling to take that oath and to represent the people of the 126th district! An enjoyable time was had by all with good friends, good food and music and dance at the ball.
Back to work this week, where we adopted the House Rules, the first thing we have to do before we can conduct any other business. Then committee assignments were handed out by the Speaker of the House and I am excited about my assignments for the next 2 years. I am on four committees, Budget, Rural Community Development, which I am the Vice-Chairman, Transportation (accountability) and Subcommittee on Appropriations-Public Safety, Corrections, Transportation and Revenue. I’m excited to be on Budget, in this committee you really get to dig in and see and be involved in how the money is appropriated throughout the whole state budget. It’s an honor and privilege to be a vice-chair of any committee and Rural Community Development is important in the 126th district, and the Chairman of the committee is Rep. Rodger Reedy, who many of you know, and looking forward to working with him! Transportation is an important committee as it pertains to all our highways, roads, ports and railways in the state. The appropriations committee will dive into those specific areas for funding issues.
It will take a week or two to get bills assigned to committees and then to start having hearings on them, but the ball has started rolling and all of us are eager to get some good things done for the state of Missouri.
I have four pieces of legislation filed that I hope will soon be assigned to committees: 1) A bill that would change when a school bus driver has to start taking the driving test each year, from age 70 and changing that to age 75 2) A bill that would freeze the cost of senior citizens (70 and over) residential property tax 3) A bill that would allow the cities of Clinton and Lincoln, to put on the ballot, a tax issue for public safety 4) A bill pertaining to outdoor advertising (billboards). I will get into depth into each of these in later reports, as they are assigned to committees.
Again, it is an honor and a privilege to represent each of you in Jefferson City! Never hesitate to reach out to me for any concerns or help you may need!!