Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Jefferson City, Missouri - Gov. Jay Nixon has signed into law Senate Bill 892, which moves the presidential primary from February to March to comply with national party committee rules and ensure more Missourians have a voice in the nomination process. Under the bill, Missouri’s presidential primary will be held on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in March.
“This measure will help avoid the uncertainty and disruption seen in 2012 and ensure more Missourians have a voice in the nomination process,” Gov. Nixon said. “I thank the legislature for getting this responsible measure to my desk well in advance of the 2016 presidential election.”
As in 2012, both parties are expected to authorize penalties for states that schedule their presidential primaries earlier than required by the national party committees. For 2016, the Republican National Committee has issued rules that would penalize states, with the exception of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, which hold presidential primaries before March 15.
In addition to Senate Bill 892, the Governor also signed House Bill 1064, which replaces the terms “mentally retarded” and “mental retardation” with the terms “intellectually disabled” and “intellectual disability” in state law.
“Eliminating these outdated and hurtful terms from our laws builds on our efforts to root out discrimination and make sure all Missourians are treated with dignity and respect,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri has been recognized as one of the top states in the nation for helping its citizens with developmental disabilities live up to their God-given potential, and today we’re making sure the words we use are consistent with the values we share.”
The Governor also signed the following bills:
House Bill 1136, which relates to election laws;
House Bill 1301, which relates to the Police Retirement System of Kansas City;
House Bill 1376, which deals with the Uniform Commercial Code;
`House Bill 1656, which corrects a typographical error in the Uniform Anatomical Gifts Act of 2008;
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
8th Congressional District - Missouri - On Thursday, June 5th, 2014, Congressman Jason Smith will be touring Wappapello Lake with Colonel Hall from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Colonel Hall will also be providing the Congressman with a briefing.
Wappapello Lake, MO is a 45,000-acre project nestled in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains on the St. Francis River in Southeast Missouri. Completed in 1941, Wappapello Lake annually provides an estimated $3.9 million in flood protection to agricultural lands and developed areas along the St. Francis River. Wappapello Lake averages nearly 2.5 million visitors per year.
WHO: Congressman Jason Smith
WHAT: Tour of the Lake and Briefing with USACE
WHERE: Bill Emerson Visitor's Center,
10276 Highway T, Wappapello
WHEN: Thursday, June 5th, 2014 beginning at 9:00
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
8th Congressional District - In May we celebrate Small Business Week and the many entrepreneurs who take risks in pursuit of the American Dream. Small businesses help tell the story of our Eighth Congressional District. Many of these businesses provide unique goods and services that cannot be found in other stores. Still others are passed from one generation to the next and become cornerstones of our local communities. Too often, Washington gets in the way of success for small businesses in Missouri.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that nearly half of the private sector jobs in America are with small businesses. Over the past 15 years, the Administration found that small businesses produced 64% of new jobs created. With this significant impact on job growth, it is clear that small businesses are vital to the strength of our economy. Small business owners create jobs. Not bureaucrats in Washington.
Unfortunately, too many small businesses are struggling to overcome red tape from Washington. Studies have shown that small businesses are hit harder with the cost of environmental regulations than large corporations. Furthermore, small businesses pay 67% more to comply with the overly complex tax code than big businesses. It has even been estimated that one million small business jobs will be eliminated as a result of the Obamacare employer mandate.
Overregulation from Washington is stifling growth and punishing business owners for their hard work and sacrifice. I am committed to fighting intrusive and burdensome regulations from the Obama Administration. For too long, the EPA and IRS have created unnecessary hurdles that slow economic growth and progress. Now Obamacare threatens to unravel the American Dream of owning a business. The House of Representatives has passed nearly 40 bills aimed at helping small businesses prosper, but the Senate has refused to even bring these bills up for a vote.
The Eighth District of Missouri boasts a diverse and lengthy list of small businesses. From concrete, to lumber, to automobiles and agriculture, our home is full of innovative entrepreneurs. I am proud to represent so many industries and the vitality that they uniquely bring to our communities. I trust small business owners to learn, grow, and thrive without the oppressive scrutiny of a bureaucrat. A small business should be locally owned and controlled, not Washington regulated.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Jefferson City, Missouri - This week's town feature is Dexter. Dexter was established by the Cairo, Arkansas and Texas railroad company. At the time, there were already people who had settled in the area. The purpose in establishing Dexter was to have a railroad that went from Cairo to Texas. That dream became a reality in 1873 when the first train went through Dexter. Dexter became one of the main depots for the train companies. The same is true today in Dexter, you can drive through the largest town in Stoddard County and you are bound to be stopped by a train. The main industry of the time was timber. Many businesses were formed specifically to accommodate timber workers. Downtown Dexter today still features some of Dexter's oldest buildings. Also, the Heritage House located on Cooper Street is a house built in 1870 that features farm equipment of the era. If you haven't visited Dexter, it is a great place to visit with lots of history. You can view all Stoddard County attractions on www.visitdexter.com.
Conservation Department’s Offer Free Fishing Days June 7-8
The Department of Conservation is offering Free Fishing Days June 7 and 8. During Free Fishing Days, anyone can fish in the Show-Me State without having to buy a fishing permit, trout stamp, or trout park daily tag. Normal regulations remain in effect, such as limits on size and number of fish an angler can keep. Some private fishing areas may still require permits, and trespass laws remain in effect on private property.
Conservation makes Missouri a great place to fish, and Free Fishing Days encourages people to sample the state's abundant fishing opportunities. Missouri is blessed with more than a million acres of surface water, and most of it provides great fishing. According to the Department, more than 200 different fish species are found in Missouri, with 40 of them being game fish for the state’s more than 1.1 million anglers.
Conservation also enriches Missouri’s economy and Missourians’ quality of life. Fishing in the state generates more than a billion dollars for local communities and the state’s economy, and supports thousands of jobs.
Public fishing areas are available in every county in Missouri. Many state-owned fishing areas also have special facilities for anglers with disabilities. Contact your local MDC office for Free Fishing Days near you, or go online to mdc.mo.gov/node/3675.
As always, it is an honor to serve you in the Missouri House. If you would like to discuss any issue, please call 573-751-3629. You can also email me at kent.hampton@house.mo.gov . I look forward to hearing from you.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
8th Congressional District - Missouri - May marks National Military Appreciation Month when events are organized to honor our brave men and women in uniform and the sacrifices they make defending our freedoms at home and abroad. Across our country, civic groups and average American citizens are joining together to host everything from appreciation dinners to parades and even a fishing tournament to let our military members know we honor their service. In the House of Representatives, I am working to ensure our federal government keeps its promises to members of the military.
Caring for our veterans should be a top priority in Washington. The Veterans Administration (VA) has thousands of doctors, nurses and public servants who work hard to give military members the best healthcare we can offer. But, too often, the VA system fails those it was created to help. An outrageous backlog at the VA has caused veterans to wait months for answers on disability claims. Unfortunately, the same is true of VA medical services where wait lists for some critical services are extremely long. In some tragic instances, veterans have passed away waiting for healthcare services from the VA. This is unacceptable.
This month, the House of Representatives took action to provide critical funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to funding, the House has acted to make systemic changes in the VA to improve access to healthcare services for our veterans. The legislation provides specific funding for medical care, mental health services, traumatic brain injury treatment for our most seriously wounded American heroes, homeless services and job training to ensure that the transition back to civilian life is successful for our veterans. Additionally, the House is working to modernize the VA with a new electronic health record system and an updated paperless claims processing system. These updates are the first step toward ending the unacceptable backlog of VA disability and medical claims.
Another way that Congress can improve access to care for our veterans is through the Patient-Centered Community Care program that allows the VA to contract with local healthcare providers. In our Eighth Congressional District there are veterans who are forced to travel one hundred miles to the closest VA clinic or hospital. Many veterans have injuries or are elderly. Extended travel often times only adds to veterans’ frustrations. The Patient-Centered Community Care program is relatively new and not yet widely available. I am working to grow the program and make healthcare options more accessible for our veterans.
Like other Americans, the House of Representatives is committed to honoring members of the military during Military Appreciation Month. While people across the country are holding special events for our service members, I have been working in the House of Representatives to keep the promises made to our veterans and honor their service to our nation. We must always honor the service and sacrifices of our military members.
