House Seeks to Protect Women and the Unborn

This week the Missouri House third read and passed House Bill 400, sponsored by Representative Jeanie Riddle (R-49). This legislation will ban web-cam abortions in the state of Missouri and ensure that women will meet with a doctor, in person, in the same room while receiving an RU-486 abortion. This legislation protects women from an industry that is seeking to make a profit by providing sub-standard care to women.

During a web-cam abortion, a doctor can sit in front of a computer at a remote location – even in another state – and give the thumbs up for the abortifacient, RU-486, to be administered by a nurse. A woman takes the first dose of this drug, which starves the baby, at the office. She then is sent home with a second pill that induces labor.

The tragedy is that women seeking abortions of any kind are already in a difficult situation. Proponents of chemical abortions say that women can expel their baby surrounded by who they choose. But the truth is these women are often alone. Web-cam abortions only intensify that isolation. If complications arise because of the side effects that RU-486 can cause, the woman has no trusted doctor to call. Meanwhile, she is charged the same amount of money for the chemical abortion as for a surgical abortion, while the clinic saves all the expense of getting a doctor to come and supervise. Clinics are turning a profit at the expense of women—that is unacceptable.

 
HB 400 is about protecting women’s health and safety. While it is tragic if a woman makes the choice to abort her baby, she should still have access to the utmost quality care of a physician. It is already heartbreaking to lose one life – why put the life of the woman at risk, too? One hundred and fifteen members of the House of Representatives, in a veto proof bipartisan manner, agree and have sent this bill to the Senate.

Rep. Davis’s Veteran’s Proposal Moves to Senate

If there is one thing we can all agree on in Missouri, it is that we respect and should honor our veterans. Our state has many young veterans - women and men fresh from Afghanistan and other posts around the globe. These new vets have sacrificed four or more years of their lives serving their country, even as their peers attend college and raise families. These service members are there for us in national crises and in natural disasters, and it is important that we are there for them when they return to civilian life.

House Bill 114, sponsored by Representative Charlie Davis (R-128), aims to recognize the training veterans receive in the military. Beginning in January 2014, every university, college, and vocational or technical school will be required to award academic credit to students who have already taken equivalent courses as part of their military training.

This bill also makes it easier for nurses and other health-related professionals to keep their civilian certification while serving in the armed forces. Active duty healthcare professionals will be exempt from license renewal fees and, under certain conditions, from continuing education requirements. If a person is assigned to a combat area, it is unreasonable to expect them to take continuing courses: they are already on the scene in the classroom of experience. If a serviceman or servicewoman is continuing their professional training through the military, this bill allows those courses to meet the licensure board’s requirements.

We need qualified employees in this state and country. Who better than veterans to fill that role? Veterans have the discipline and commitment to take full advantage of higher education. Here in the Missouri House, we are working to fund those educations, and to remove the barriers that might discourage veterans from seeking more training. They have served us and it is our responsibility to do our best to serve them.

House Bill 114 passed the House this week and is now awaiting a hearing in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs and Health Committee.

House Honors 2nd Amendment

Protecting our Second Amendment rights has never been more salient than this session. With the US Congress and President Obama striving to limit Americans’ access to firearms and ammunition, we must do everything within our power to protect our rights. The Missouri House recently gave final approval to several pieces of legislation that protect our rights to defend ourselves, our homes, and our families.

House Bill 436, sponsored by Representative Doug Funderburk (R-103), establishes the “Second Amendment Preservation Act.” This act declares that self-defense is an unalienable right, which cannot be corroded by any level of government. In the Declaration of Independence our Founders made “Life” the foremost of our unalienable rights. The right to self-defense is paramount in guaranteeing the right to life.

House Bill 170, sponsored by Representative Casey Guernsey (R-002), nullifies any federal laws that seek to cripple Missourians’ right to self-defense. This bill, called the “Firearm Protection Act”, specifies that no official shall enforce a federal firearm law when the firearm is manufactured, sold, and owned solely in Missouri. This is an important protection against future federal government overreach.

For too long, the federal government has expanded its powers through the “interstate commerce clause.” This clause was written to ensure a unified currency in this nation and to encourage business among the states. It was never meant as a means to regulate values or infringe on rights.

 
We must always remember that the true chain of authority in this country starts with the citizen, who loans power to the state. The national government is the child – not the big brother – of the states. We in the state legislature have the direct responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of you, the citizens who granted this authority. That is our goal in the Missouri House.

House Advances Triple E Agenda

This week the House took action on Rep. Anne Zerr’s HB 698, which contains many of the legislative proposals I outlined as part of my “Triple E” Agenda.  This agenda, with its focus on education, energy, and economic development, hones in on what Missourians have consistently told legislators are the focus of their families and co-workers. 

What Does HB 698 Do?

This legislation has many proposals that aim to cut, cap, and create tax credits.  We have focused on several industries that have great potential for economic impact or already offer great benefit and could become stronger if government would not penalize them so greatly with taxation.  A few of these are listed below and I would encourage you to visit www.house.mo.gov for more information. 

Data Storage – This multi-billion dollar industry is bringing high-paying jobs to local communities across the country.  Other states are benefiting greatly because of the incentives they have in place to encourage investment within their communities and we want Missouri to follow suit.  If a facility were to come to Missouri, the construction costs, which are much greater than normal warehouse construction, would be a boon to the construction industry and those that supply it.  The high-tech jobs that would result would add millions in payroll to the local economy and bring with it benefits and healthcare to more Missourians. 

Angel Investment – Our angel investors take enormous risk to bring new products to their full production and sales potential.  Investors will be treated in much the same way as donors to charities – they will get a portion of that investment back in the form of a tax credit that can be utilized against their state tax liability in 2013 or in the next five (5) tax years.  The science and manufacturing industries stand to make great gains whenever the government lets innovation take over and the private sector do what it does best – create jobs.
 
Historic Tax Credits – For many years we have authorized tax credits on qualified renovations to our state’s historic buildings.  Downtowns have been revitalized, new housing opportunities have become available, and Missourians have been put to work in the construction, real estate, and other industries.  We have continued this incentive with added budget controls because of its great benefits to local communities large and small.  With a little reworking, our state’s budget makers will be aiding in predicting revenues and the private sector can continue keeping Missourians employed and our historic districts from wasting away.

HB 698 Economic Development Vlog