EOS


  
 
SJR 29 – Defense of Marriage
It is important to protect the institution of marriage from a few activist judges. This legislation will allow Missourians to vote on a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
HB 978 – Small Business
Creates the Small Business Regulatory Fairness Board that will work on helping alleviate the burden that government rules and regulations have placed on small businesses and allow them to get back to the business of creating jobs.
HB 1268 – Unemployment Insurance
Contains a three-year plan to return Missouri’s bankrupt Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to solvency and prevents employers from paying additional fees to the government. Additionally, employers can dismiss an employee for drug and alcohol abuse or absenteeism and not be forced to pay unemployment benefits.
 
 
HB 1548 - State Employee Overtime Pay
This bill ensures nonexempt state employees are timely and fairly compensated for overtime work and may retain up to eighty hours of compensatory time.
HB 1274 – Domestic Violence
I was co-sponsor of this bill with Rep. Sherman Parker of St. Charles County, which requires adult orders of protection to apply to any children who are in the custody of the adult seeking the order, as well as the adult victim. The bill also specifies a process by which a law enforcement officer can remove a firearm when responding to the scene of an alleged act of domestic violence. This bill did not receive final approval.
HB 916 – Identity Theft
As technology advances some types of crimes have become more prevalent. Currently Missouri law classifies Identity Theft as a misdemeanor. The new legislation makes it a felony punishable by four years to life in prison.
HB 1706 – Tax Credit for Volunteers
For all taxable years beginning on or afte January 1, 2005, this bill creates a tax credit of up to $250 for any person who owns real property in St. Charles County, has paid the property tax for the tax year in which the credit is claimed, and has performed at least 30 hours of volunteer work in any school district in the county during the tax year. This bill did not receive final approval.
HB 1174 – Childrens Mental Health
I co-sponsored this bill with Rep. Jodi Stefanick of St. Louis County. This legislation will establish a comprehensive mental health services system for children. This system will be child centered, family focused, and family driven. It will provide community-based mental health services to children and their families and respond in a culturally competent and responsive manner.
HB1453 - Foster Care Reform
This bill is a sweeping reform of the state's foster care system. It sets a structure in place to prioritize hotline abuse reports along with mandating that a child/family gets a hearing within three days after their child is taken into custody by the Division of Family Services. It includes many other much needed reforms.
SB 730 – Senior Property Tax Relief
Many disabled and elderly citizens who own homes find it very difficult to pay property taxes as they increase up to 40% each two-year cycle. SB 730 allows senior citizens and disabled persons to obtain a credit against their property taxes for an increase that exceeds 5% in a reassessment year.
HB 1151 – Human Cloning
This bill prohibits individuals from knowingly engaging or participating in human cloning and from knowingly using public funds or public facilites to engage or attempt to engage in human cloning. This bill did not receive final approval.