Capitol Report: Feb. 5, 2021

Greetings from Jefferson City. This week in the Capitol was again a very full week with committee hearings. It is redundant in these weekly reports but most of my time was spent in budget committee hearings listening to different departments present the state budget. We deal with numbers from $1 that is there to simply keep an account going to over a billion dollars. These meetings begin in the morning generally at 8:15 and will run throughout the day, recessing when we are in session until we finish what is on the agenda for that day. So just like farming, there are early mornings and late nights.

The biggest news of the house this week is the passage of HB85 and 310, which strengthens the Second Amendment rights of Missourians. I did co-sponsor this legislation and voted for its passage. You can read more about it below.

On Jan. 29 I had a fun trip to Warrensburg to tour the Amtrak train station and Chamber of Commerce building. It’s always neat to see these old buildings brought back to life and made functional again. While there, I got a nice cup of coffee at Old Drum Coffee House and visited his statue by the courthouse.

For those of you that may know me, I am somewhat of a weather nerd. Farming kind of brings that into you, so multiple times a day I will be looking at the forecast. Make sure to get that extra blanket out, split some extra wood, or make sure the propane tank is full because the coldest weather of the year will be here the week of Feb. 7-13. As always don’t hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or concerns. I thank you for your support and am honored to be your representative in Jefferson City.

House Approves Second Amendment Preservation Act (HBs 85 & 310)

Members of the Missouri House approved legislation meant to protect the Second Amendment rights of Missourians against an overreaching federal government.

Known as the Second Amendment Preservation Act, the bill is meant to protect law-abiding gun owners from potential gun control legislation that could be passed in Washington, D.C. It states that laws and other actions that prohibit the manufacture, ownership, and use of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition within Missouri exceed the powers granted to the federal government. It also declares that all federal laws, acts, and orders that infringe on Missourians’ second amendment rights are invalid in the state.

The sponsor of the bill said, “If we fail to protect the Second Amendment rights from an overreaching government as a government entity, or as law enforcement, we have failed in our chief design; we have failed our constituents.”

Additionally, the bill declares it is the duty of the courts and law enforcement agencies to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners, and states that no public officer or employee of Missouri or any political subdivision of the state can have authority to enforce or attempt to enforce federal laws that infringe on the right to keep and bear arms.

“We are not saying that these laws cannot be enforced by the feds. We’re just saying that we’re not going to do it as a state. We’re not going to use our resources to enforce their unconstitutional gun laws,” said the bill’s sponsor. He added, “Our citizens deserve and I think they demand us to protect their rights.”

With the approval of the House, the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration. The House and Senate previously approved similar legislation (HB 436) in 2013. That bill was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon. During the annual Veto Session, the House secured the necessary votes to override the veto, but the Senate fell one vote short of the votes necessary to complete the motion and put the bill into effect as law.