The last couple of weeks at the Missouri Capitol have been very busy in the House. Instead of going into depth in this report on any one thing, I’ll try to give you a recap of several bills and issues that I’ve been working on and support. I’d appreciate your thoughts on each.
GREATER PROTECTIONS FOR VICTIMS OF ABUSE
Working with Representative Lane Roberts, I helped write and am co-sponsoring HB 1699 on adult and child orders of protection against adult perpetrators. Lane is a trusted friend and former police officer and police chief from Joplin. If passed into law, this bill is intended to make it quicker and easier for victims of abuse to get through the court process. A hearing was held on the bill in the House Judiciary Committee, which I chair, and was voted out of Committee for debate on the floor.
The Committee also had a hearing in Judiciary on my bill HB 2590. This bill was passed out of the House last year, but was bogged down and didn’t get out of the Senate. This bill both clarifies and strengthens the law on the most heart breaking cases that I faced in my previous job as a trial judge — the rape and sexual abuse of children. We had a hearing on this bill in Judiciary this past week, and I expect it to be voted out of Committee very soon.
TAX CUTS, TAX EXEMPTIONS, AND TAX REBATES
My bill (HB 2599) both clarifying and expanding the sales tax exemption on farm equipment was scheduled for hearing in one of the House ag committees last Thursday but was delayed a week because of bad weather.
I have been working on and will be filing this week a bill to cut taxes for seniors and the disabled. If passed, it will eliminate Missouri income taxes on all Social Security benefits in Missouri. I want to thank my friend and the Presiding Commissioner of Howell County, Mark Collins, for his encouragement on this bill. I will keep you advised of the bill’s progress as session continues.
I’ve also been working on and will file this coming week a bill to make it much easier for every Missouri resident to get back a full gas tax rebate. I think the current rebate process is unfair and too complicated. I’ll keep you advised.
BILLS OPPOSING FEDERAL MANDATES
In the House Judiciary Committee, we have held hearings on 25 different bills opposing COVID mandates and have already voted out of Committee over half of those bills. I wrote and filed HB 2358. In summary, this bill was written to protect and guarantee constitutional liberty interests and religious rights of every person in the state. HB 2358 has already passed its first vote on the House floor, and I expect it will be passed out of the House to the Senate the week of February 21.
EMINENT DOMAIN REFORM TO HELP FARMERS AND TO PROTECT HERITAGE FARMS
I have been supporting and working hard in Judiciary to help Mike Haffner on his 2 eminent domain bills (HB 1876 and HB 2005). Eminent domain is a very formal legal process that allows state and local governments (and sometimes even private businesses) to take private land. This process should never be abused and must only be used on a very limited basis in exchange for a fair and reasonable price.
Both of Mike Haffner’s bills are written to make the process both fairer and stricter. The passage of both bills is a high priority for both the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri Farm Bureau. We held separate hearings on both bills, and his first bill has already been voted out of the Judiciary Committee. I expect we will be voting on his second bill this coming week.
INITIATIVE PETITION (IP) REFORM
The vast majority of people that I have talked to in this area agree that it is too easy for big money special interest groups to amend our Missouri Constitution. Several IP reform resolutions to stop that influence were filed this year. HJR 79, which I am co-sponsoring, passed out of the House this past week and has been sent to the Senate. If we can get this out of the Senate and signed into law, it will be placed on the ballot for public vote on the proposed constitutional amendment.
Sadly, the influence of big money on politics is not limited to party, to the federal government, or to any state. But hopefully, we can get this reform measure on the ballot. However, it will only be passed by a very strong grassroots effort. Big money special interest groups will uniformly oppose any effort to make it harder for them to buy their way into our constitution. Big money will spend big money to keep their influence in this state.
It is my honor to represent your common sense values. If you would like to schedule a specific time to meet locally or at the Capitol, please call my office at 573-751-1455, or email my office at david.evans@house.mo.gov. Please watch the House website for updates on bills and resolutions, and remember, you can offer your testimony and your opinion on-line through that same site.
