It
is not often we write on the actual inner workings of the legislature – we
often talk about the ideas and policies being proposed, debated, passed or
defeated. But this week, leadership of
the House and the Senate faced extraordinary circumstances. Though we had planned for a routine week –
amending bills on Tuesday and Wednesday and then passing the final versions on
Thursday – Mother Nature had other things in mind.
Early
on Tuesday we started hearing about the impending Winter Storm “Q”. As time progressed, it became clear that “Q”
was not going to be a light dusting of snow.
The Capitol and most of Missouri was likely to see a range of wintery
conditions from freezing rain to snow.
It was clear that a decision on whether or not to ask legislators and
staff to remain at the Capitol through the rest of the week had to be made.
I
wrote to you last week about public safety being the chief concern of
government. With this in mind, we
decided that we could not guarantee the safety of the hundreds of legislators
who drive in from across the entire state and the staff who support us here in
Jefferson City should we continue with our planned business. We adjourned on Wednesday for the remainder
of the week and asked legislators to be mindful of the storm as they planned
their weekends. We also granted an
internal holiday for staff on Thursday so they could stay at home with their
families as schools would likely be closed and roads in nearby cities would be
dangerous to travel.
As
I woke early on Thursday I was reassured we made the right decision. Kansas City alone saw record levels of
snow. Some parts of Missouri were
spared, but I-70 was at a standstill during parts of the day and I have heard
accounts of the many abandoned cars dotting Highways 63, 54, and 50 (three main
arteries to Jefferson City used by our staff and members). The legislature’s business is important, but
not so important that we risk the safety of the hundreds who come to work and
serve at your State Capitol.
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