Things have really picked up here at the Capitol!  I wasn’t sure how I could get any busier but
early mornings and late nights have certainly proved me wrong.  Recently we didn’t get off the House floor
until midnight!  Even with all of this,
and thoughts of “Aren’t I retired?”, I am grateful for the opportunity I have
been given to serve the people of the State. 
I am very blessed to be working on behalf of the 40th District.

Department of Revenue—An update

It seems every day more and more information related to the
scanning and sharing of Missourians CCW information is being revealed.  Unfortunately, many news outlets have refused
to cover what is one of the most important issues we are currently dealing
with.  We now know that the Department of
Revenue AND the Highway Patrol have released the entire list of Missourians
with CCW permits—the Highway Patrol recently admitted to releasing this
information to the Federal Government twice!  
We are working hard to figure out exactly what has been going on and who
is responsible.  We are giving this issue
a considerable amount of time and will work to ensure that proper actions are
taken and people are being held accountable. 
Governor Nixon has still refused to address this issue and says he knows
nothing about it.

Agriculture

A lot of attention has been given to agriculture this
session and we are working hard on behalf of our farmers and Missourians all
around the state.  Much of this attention
has led to my committee on Emerging Issues in Agriculture being front and
center in policy debates.  One topic of
discussion has been the new Federal food program for school lunches.  This program requires all students to be
given the same amount of food.  It is
hardly fair that a football player, for example, is being served the same
amount of food as a student half their size. 
Student athletes need more carbohydrates and proteins to help get them
through their day which often includes two instense practices!  Atheletes aren’t the only ones either.  This is just another example of an
overreaching government with a “one size fits all” type of program.

Legislation Spotlight

HB 322: Allows the insurance identification card that
contains proof of insurance information for a motor vehicle and certain
policies and endorsements to be available electronically. (Have you ever wished
you could just show someone via your smartphone instead of having to find that
single-issued paper card?)

HB 468: Gives sheriffs or any other law enforcement officer
immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, while conducting service of
process at the direction of any court to the extent that the officer's actions
do not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights that a
reasonable person would have known.

HB 787: Prohibits the Department of Revenue from retaining
copies of source documents used to obtain driver's licenses and nondriver's
licenses (PASSED the House)

HB589: Changes the laws regarding sexual offender
registration and classification. (Sets up a 3 tier registration system based on
the crime)

SB186:  Authorizes
funeral establishments to release information to veterans' service
organizations for military burial and modifies provisions relating to the
registering and issuance of death certificates