Flags, Resolutions, Visits and More!!

Flags, Resolutions, Visits, and More!

Requesting a Courtesy Resolution

Courtesy resolutions can be requested for many reasons including, but not limited to, an Anniversary, Birth, Eagle Scout Award, Marriage, Birthday, Business Opening, Special Award, Retirement, or Sports.  Please do not hesitate to contact my office should you like to request a Courtesy Resolution.  If you would like to have me personally present the Courtesy Resolution, please call my office and my assistant will be happy to work with you to schedule for this.  My office number is 573/751-1494. 

Scheduling a Visit with Me Back in the District

I always enjoy visiting with my constituents in the 151st District. Some of my favorite groups are school aged children but I also enjoy meeting with every age group! If you would like to schedule a visit with me, please call my office at 573/751-1494, my assistant will be happy to work with you to arrange a time for us to visit.  Visits can include reading and talking with school children, visiting retirement centers, visiting non-profit groups, businesses, coffee talks, and more.

Visiting the Jefferson City and the Capitol

Even though we are out of session from June to December, any time of the year is a great time to visit the Capitol.  The building is a beautiful place to visit and my assistant will be happy to arrange a tour for you while you are in Jefferson City. There are many interesting places to visit during your visit to our state Capitol. A great way to get to Jefferson City is via Amtrak if driving is not possible or challenging.  Visitors can tour the Missouri Supreme Court, Old Missouri State Penitentiary, the Missouri Military History Museum, the Missouri State Highway Patrol Museum, and more. 

Missouri and United States Flags

If you know of a school, retirement center, non-profit group, or someone else that is in need of a flag, please contact my office at 573/751-1494 and we will arrange to have a new flag sent or delivered to them.

Scheduling Class or Large Group Visits at the Capitol

If your school is planning on traveling to the Capitol between January and May, contact my Capitol office as soon as you know a date to set up the tour, things become busy very quickly during the session.  Tours of the Governor's Mansion and Capitol fill up rapidly with schools from all over Missouri, so, the sooner, the better.  It is best to set up your school visits or large group visits at least 6 months out if possible.  If this is not possible, contact my office and we will try very hard to see what we can arrange for you, rest assured, not all will be lost though, there are plenty of self-guided tours and other sites to visit.  If you are planning a visit during the Interim Period, June through December, please call my office, if I am in Jefferson City during your visit, I would enjoy scheduling a visit with you and showing you the Capitol!

Service Member and Veterans Services

Enough cannot be said of the sacrifices our brave men and women of the Armed Forces make for our freedoms every day, both at home and abroad.  The Missouri Veterans Commission has put together a guide for Missouri resources for military service members and their families with contacts for local VA Hospitals and Centers, the American Legion, the VFW, the other resources for our veterans.  To request one, please contact my office at 573/751-1494 and we will be more than happy to provide you with a copy of this helpful guide.

Week of August 30th, 2015

Things are becoming very busy, even though we are in what is called the interim period.  Much work is ongoing in preparation for Veto Session.   Veto Session will be held on September 16^th beginning at noon.  I have been receiving inquiries as to what exactly will be discussed for override, I am not sure yet as this issue is still being decided.  Both sides of the General Assembly, Senate and House, are discussing at length the legislation that was vetoed by Governor Nixon.  Much discussion and debate is happening on the pros and cons of each of these as well as the pros and cons of an override or the attempt to override.  I will give a report after Veto Session as to what actions were taken and the outcome of these actions.  I do not feel comfortable speculating about what will be brought up at Veto Session as this is still being decided by the members of the General Assembly.

I will conduct the first meeting regarding the challenges facing Long Term Care on September 8^th at the Capitol.  I have been very busy the past few weeks meeting with the many stakeholders of this issue including senior citizens that are residents of Long Term Care facilities.  If you have a concern in this area, please email me with the full details of your concern, I will include your concern in the discussion.  This will not be an issue that will be fixed overnight but I do feel that we have a great start towards improving the care delivery system of Long Term Care. 

I have also been working to finalize preparation for legislation that I will file this next session. Drafting of new bills will begin on October 1^st.  I have several pieces finished and ready to go to draft as well as some still needing to completion of the preparation work/research.  I will be refiling the Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act as well as 2 pieces of legislation that I filed last session related to duplicative regulations for long term care facilities.  I will be refiling the bill to form a committee to review the Schools for the Severely Disabled’s regulations and requirements, my goal is to remove any duplicative or unreasonable regulations to allow the schools to better meet the needs of these special children. 

As many of you are aware, I am serving on the committee in the House that is investigating the questions regarding Planned Parenthood and the possible sale of aborted baby organs and tissue.  I have been following closely the Senate’s investigation as well as reviewing many documents and the videos related to this matter.   The further I delve into this issue I am finding more questions and more complicated and unclear processes and procedures.  I hope we will find the answers to these questions but more importantly I hope we will be able to develop a plan of action that will make clear any areas that are currently not clear to prevent any future occurrence or possibility of this horrible sale from taking place in Missouri.  If the sale of baby organs and/or tissue is proven, action will be taken as this would be in clear violation of Missouri State Law.  I have received letters related to the funding of Planned Parenthood, I will be honest, I am not sure total defunding can occur as it is tied to many other Federal Funding sources with many rules and regulations.  We are researching into this and working very hard to untangle the complications of the funding.  We are all committee to ensuring Missouri Law be followed and funding be done according to the law.  I will work to see tax dollars go to organizations that clearly follow the law as well as the related rules and regulations.