What a productive week we had at the Missouri Capitol as we
saw the successful perfection and passage of HB 87; The Benevolent Tax Credit
Bill. This bill basically
allowed the restoration of the charitable tax credits for food banks, pregnancy
resource centers and child crisis nurseries. Many of these groups have been hurting since the legislature
failed to extend these credits during the previous session. I was glad to be able to cast a vote in
support of these organizations working hard every day to take care of our most
vulnerable Missourians, including the unborn.
Outside of the House Floor, most of my time was spent
working on some personal pieces of legislation and conversing with visiting
constituents about issues confronting our district. One piece of legislation that I am currently working on is
the creation of standardized procedures for the buying and selling of Travel
Insurance. This legislation will
ensure consumer protection for those wishing to purchase traveler’s insurance
before heading out on a trip. The
bill will also establish a statewide procedure for the distribution of this
insurance, ensuring our licensed agents are aware and able to follow proper
protocol. This bill is something
that several other states, in hopes of creating an uncomplicated nationwide
protocol, are currently trying to pass.
This Friday, I was able to meet with the local
Superintendents from the district.
It was a great meeting and we covered a pretty vast range of
topics. One of these topics is
something I plan on spending a great deal of time working on while serving in
the legislature—Vocational-Technical Schools. We have to do more to ensure a strong workforce for the
future. VoTech Education provides
students with the ability to join the workforce right after graduation, if not
before! Four year university
educations, Community College, no matter what it is, it’s not for
everyone. Some kids just want to
work with their hands. We need to
ensure that adequate funding is being provided to our VoTech schools and work
to improve Missouri’s VoTech programs.
We also discussed a pilot program for teacher evaluations and the
importance of local control when it comes to school safety.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of
assistance to you. I can be
reached by phone at 573-751-4028 or by email at jim.hansen@house.mo.gov
All the best,
Jim Hansen
40th District
State Representative