Greetings from your State Capitol!
This has been another busy week. Bills are being filed at a more rapid rate. Committees are conducting hearings on selected bills everyday. Legislation is moving some of those bills out of committee and closer to debate on the floor.
This week’s results of floor debate:
HCR 9 is commonly referred to as the Repeal Amendment Bill. If ever initiated by 33 of the states, the Missouri delegation to a federal Amendment Convention would submit the following amendment for consideration:
“Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed.”
If there is a two-thirds approval by the several states, the approved resolution (for the purpose of repealing a federal provision of law or regulation) would then return to the states where approval of the resolution from the state legislatures of three-quarters of the states would be required for repeal to occur. If this is successful, it would strengthen state sovereignty for every state in the nation and would help defend our state against unwanted federal mandates, disastrous federal legislation and overreaching federal regulation.
The question has been raised, “What does this have to do with creating jobs for Missourians?”
The answer is, in order for us to responsibly do the business of the people, we need to not only be reactive to current crises, but, proactively respond to future problems we may encounter. Ignoring the projected job losses in the hundreds of thousands due to the recent, and soon to be proven unconstitutional, federal healthcare mandate, would be irresponsible.
It is important to note that both U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Rand Paul have recently advocated for an Article V Amendment Convention to force Congress to balance the federal budget. The same tool that these two great conservatives support is the tool contained in HCR 9, The Repeal Amendment.
HCR 9 would provide an active tool for the states to protect themselves from on out of control federal government. We have a responsibility to pass along to future Missourians a strong state; full of opportunity. Not a state that has allowed the federal government to strangle it with regulation and job killing legislation. Debate on this bill will continue next week.
For the fifth consecutive year, Missouri has seen a reduction in roadway fatalities; 436 fewer deaths occurred in 2010. It is astonishing to think Missouri has not seen this few of highway crash fatalities since 1949.
The State Parks Youth Corps is a program helping 17-21 year old Missourians gain work skills. It is a great opportunity to experience Missouri’s beautiful state parks and historic sites while earning money. Some of the responsibilities could include: excavating historical sites, designing marketing campaigns, leading tours, and building trails; to name a few.
The positions are limited and do have income eligibility requirements. If you are interested, or know someone who might be, you/they can receive more information and apply on-line by visiting www.mo.gov.
It is a pleasure to serve as your State Representative in state government.
