First Weeks of Session Marked by Business-Like Approach

First Weeks of Session Marked by Business-Like Approach

We’re only a few weeks into the 2009 legislative session but already it is clear we are on pace to have one of our most productive sessions in years. Traditionally, the first month of session moves at a slower pace as we wait for our committee assignments and then for legislation to begin making its way through the committee process. That is not the case this year as the business-like approach taken by our new Speaker has rapidly accelerated the process so we are on pace to consider major policy initiatives sooner rather than later. That is good news because the time we are saving now will pay off immensely in the months to come as we have more time to dedicate to our Family Recovery Plan and to the issues that matter most to Missouri families.

At this point, we are two weeks ahead of the typical session schedule. Just days after our new Speaker was elected on opening day, he named all of his committee chairs and vice chairs. Shortly after that, all committee assignments were finalized and the House gave strong bipartisan support to the rules under which we operate. With that, the groundwork was laid for the House to begin the business of moving legislation through the process. I know many of you have been to the Capitol to see us in action or at least seen bits of the legislative session in television news stories. You’ve seen for yourself how hectic those final weeks of session become as bills and amendments fly fast and furious on the House floor. Being ahead of schedule means we can address the core issues in our Family Recovery Plan earlier in the process and hopefully avoid the final frantic moments when we wait to see if our legislation is passed before time runs out.

Already this session we’ve seen more than 300 bills filed covering issues ranging from job creation to healthcare coverage. Those bills are now making their way to the 50 House committees that will do their best to hone them into effective pieces of legislation before sending them to the full House for debate. One of the bills moving rapidly through the process will come before the House in the next few days. The piece of legislation is simple in its design but it carries with it a very powerful message that we as elected officials will not accept a pay raise recommended by the Missouri Citizens' Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials. The House has voted against the pay raise proposal each time it has come up and this year will be no different. We know that times are tough and there are far better ways to use our tax dollars. This year we will again stand firm in rejecting the pay raises and reaffirming that we are here to serve your best interests and not our own.

This session is off to an impressive start and I am excited to see what we can accomplish in the coming months. As we move along we will get a better picture of where we stand and some of the other issues we will work on, but these first few weeks have given me a great deal of hope that this session will be one of the best ever. Whether it’s through our work on the state budget, the Family Recovery Plan, or other legislation that addresses issues faced by Missourians; we will do our best to make Missouri an even better place to live, raise a family and do business.

Visitors

Although the first weeks of session have been marked with numerous meetings and events, our office has, and always will remain open to constituents who come to visit and discuss their legislative concerns. This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with several of Cape Girardeau ’s own including: Rev. Roy Jones; John Mehner, Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce; Ilena Aslin, AARP; Suzie Dufek and co., Nurse Anesthetists; Thomas Meyer, Exit Realty; David Soto, Soto Property Management; Jan McClanahan, Abernathy Realty; Brenda Miller, ERA Cape Realty; Wanda Duncan, Realty Executives. I appreciate the time we had to visit and look forward to continuing to serve the 158th district. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me or my Legislative Assistant, Sean, at (573) 751-1443 or toll free at (866) 742-9478.