JEFFERSON CITY–Hunters can start planning for next year’s turkey and deer seasons, thanks to recent actions by the Missouri Conservation Commission.

At its Dec. 15 meeting in Jefferson City, the Commission approved 2012 turkey-hunting regulations similar to 2011. The regular spring turkey season will run from April 16 through May 6. The fall firearms turkey season will run from Oct. 1 through 31.

The 2012 youth spring turkey season will take place the weekend of March 31 and April 1. In most years, the youth season opens nine days before the opening day of the regular spring turkey season. However, the season framework shifts the youth season one week earlier in years when the usual timing would cause the youth season to overlap Easter.

Limits, shooting hours and other turkey-hunting regulations remain unchanged from 2011 and will be published in guide books before hunting seasons.

The Commission also set Nov. 10 as opening day for the November portion of firearms deer season. The Commission will set opening dates for the urban, youth, antlerless and muzzleloader portions and other regulations for the 2012 deer season at its May meeting. These will be available in the 2012 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet in July.

By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor

The map of new state senate and house districts finally released by a panel of appeals judges has taken time for adjustment in the Bootheel. 

The “old” 25th Senatorial District – represented now by State Senator Rob Mayer of Dexter – included Stoddard, Butler, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Ripley and Wayne counties.

But the “new” district  has lost some counties and gained some, too. The new district contains the “heart” of the old 25th – Stoddard, Wayne, Dunklin, Pemiscot, New Madrid. But added are Bollinger, Scott and Mississippi counties and Butler County is lost to the new District 33.

Making the situation even more cumbersome is the fact that Mayer is prevented by term limits to seeking a new term.

Enter the candidates.

On the Democrat side, there has only been one candidate for months. State Rep. Terry Swinger of Caruthersville announced last year he would be seeking the Democrat nomination for the seat in the senate.

Swinger has Dexter roots – graduated in the 1960s from Dexter High School and has family that still lives in Stoddard County. A Caruthersville eye doctor, Swinger was first elected in a special election in 2003.

But the Republican side, there has been some movement and a mix of candidates.

State Rep. Gayle Kingery and businessman Jeff Schwan – both of Poplar Bluff – attended the Stoddard County Lincoln Day Banquet last March as candidates for the senate seat.

Kingery withdrew from the race, citing family considerations. Schwan also withdrew from the race in favor of Poplar Bluff businessman Doug Libla. But when Butler County no longer in the 25th District, Libla decided to run in the new 33rd District.

Dexter’s Wright stays in the race to succeed Mayor. He has served in the Missouri House of Representatives since 2004, and has served on committees important to the region, including Appropriations, Agriculture Policy, Veterans, and Emerging Issues in Animal Agriculture.

However, Wright  is now facing a new primary opponent from a colleague from Sikeston. 

On Monday, fellow State rep. Ellen Brandom of Sikeston throw her hat into the 25th district race.

On Monday, Brandom said she has decided to stay close to home in light of the redistricting shake-up and run in the new state 25th Senate District -- not the new 3rd District. Cape Girardeau county joins with northern counties to form the new 3rd District. Scott – where Brandom lives – is in the 25th District.

Brandom could have run in the 3rd District -- it was part of her existing 160th House District boundaries, which includes a portion of Cape Girardeau County. But she would have had to move if she decided to seek re-election to the 3rd District one year before the 2016 election.

Brandom, of Sikeston, was first elected to House District 160 in 2006.

Both the Missouri House and Senate maps  were redrawn this year, a requirement of a state constitutional requirement following each census to reflect changes in population. After two commissions failed to agree on maps, a panel of appellate judges redrew the boundaries. It was the first time in Missouri history that a panel of judges decided district boundaries.

The panel actually released two Senate maps in recent weeks. The second was drawn up after the first one came under criticism for being unconstitutional.

COLUMBIA, Mo. –Missouri voters approved legislative term limits in 1992, and they have been in effect for nearly a decade. The term limits restrict Missouri state legislators from serving more than eight years in the same legislative chamber.

Now a Mizzou researcher has studied the effects of term limits, and thinks the effect has not always been good for state government. 

David Valentine, a research associate professor in the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, studied the effects of these term limits a decade after they were enacted. He found the term limits have had a negative effect on the institutional knowledge of legislators.

“Term limits have caused a dramatic decrease in the amount of legislative experience in the last ten years,” Valentine said. “It takes most new legislators about four years to learn the intricacies of the legislative process, the social organization of the House and Senate, the details of government, broader issues, and how to balance everything with the needs of their districts and the expectations of their party. By the time they gain this knowledge, they only have a relatively short time to utilize their knowledge before their term limit expires. In addition, the absence of experienced legislators precludes learning from more experienced peers.”

One of the primary arguments for supporters of term limits is that the limits will decrease the amount of influence lobbyists have on the policy-making process. Valentine found that the opposite seems to be true and that lobbyists seem to be gaining more influence among legislators.

“Many new, inexperienced legislators do not fully understand many of the complex issues for which they must make policy,” Valentine said. “They are so busy learning how to do their jobs before their term limit expires that they do not have time to adequately research each issue. This often results in legislators relying on lobbyists to educate them on issues, and while most lobbyists do not try to deliberately mislead legislators, the legislators may only get one side of multi-faceted issues.”

Valentine believes simply repealing term limits would do little to change the culture or the performance of the Missouri legislature in the foreseeable future. He suggests that a repeal of term limits should be coupled with a careful review of legislative performance to ensure that the legislature is prepared to meet the demands of the future. 

More broadly, Valentine indicates that voters should have a more realistic view of the role of legislators. He believes civic education in schools is important, as well as fostering knowledge among contemporary voters of how state government works. Valentine says the state cannot expect a significant positive change in legislative performance without a more informed and engaged citizenry.

Link of Interest

• 2011 Term Limits Report