Shown above, student Ilinca Popescu stands for recognition before the Missouri Senate on Wednesday, Feb. 19.

I was honored to sponsor the gubernatorial appointment of three District 19 residents during the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Karen Pohlman Hess was appointed to the State Board of Pediatric Medicine; Martha John was appointed to the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects; and Laura Noren was appointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

I met with multiple groups in my office this week. Thank you to theMissouri Cattleman’s Association, the Missouri Sierra Club, managers from Cargill, Missouri Athletic Trainers, University Promo members, advocates from Decoding Dyslexia, and nurses participating in Nurse Advocacy Day for making the trip to the Capitol and stopping by my office. I greatly appreciate the time constituents take to express their commitment to our state.

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, I introduced 10 students participating in the annual History Day at the Capitol. I presented one student from my district, Ilinca Popescu, with a courtesy resolution honoring her participation and educational endeavors.

I would like to congratulate the 39 outstanding students who received the University of Missouri ’39 Award, which honors students each year for their academic achievement, leadership and service to Mizzou and the community. Congratulations and best wishes to you in your future endeavors!

On Thursday, Feb. 20, I was happy to make Andrew Beaty honorary page of the day in the Senate.  Andrew, a 5th grader with Mill Creek Elementary in Columbia, was visiting the Capitol with his father, Jim.

Shown above, Karen Pohlman Hess (top) was appointed to the State Board of Pediatric Medicine; Martha John (middle) was appointed to the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects; and Laura Noren (bottom) was appointed to the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

Also on Thursday, I filed Senate Bill 908, which modifies thecomposition of the University of Missouri Board of Curators.

I am pleased to let everyone know that Senate Joint Resolution 36 was third read and finally passed today (Feb. 20) by a vote of 29-4.

The status of my sponsored legislation for the 2014 session is as follows:

• Senate Bill 498, which would require health insurance navigators to be bonded and create a private cause of action against navigators for the unlawful release of information, was perfected and approved by the Senate on Thursday. The bill will now be placed on the House calendar to be first read.
  
  
• Senate Bill 696, which increases the penalties and driver’s license suspension periods for those who fail to yield the right-of-way in certain instances, was second read and referred to the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Jan. 30; it awaits a hearing before the committee.
  
  
• Senate Bill 697, which allows the Department of Revenue to disclose the annual number of cigarettes sales by the tobacco manufacturer, was second read and referred to the Appropriations Committee.  A hearing was held on the bill on Monday, Feb. 10.  
  
  Currently, the Department of Revenue is prohibited from disclosing information relating to a person's tax return, with certain exceptions under Section 32.057, RSMo. This legislation opens the confidentiality section and creates an exception allowing the Department of Revenue to disclose to the public the annual cigarette sales by a tobacco product manufacturer.
  
  The legislation would provide government transparency and availability of data that is otherwise difficult to obtain and readily assemble. Existence of public information may provide state legislators with insight on growth or decline in the state smoking population and its potential effect on future state revenues.
  
  
• Senate Bill 733, which reduces the rate of tax on personal income over a period of five years, was heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Feb. 13.

• Senate Bill 756, which would modify the elementary and secondary education funding formula by adding an additional weight for gifted education, was first read on Jan. 21 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 762, which defines automobile event data recorder and limits the release of data collected to five circumstances, was referred to the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
  
  
• Currently, trustees of a county hospital formed under Chapter 205 are prohibited from providing health care services or entering into partnerships with other local or county hospitals if such adjoining or nearby counties also have a county hospital.  Under Senate Bill 763, so long as the trustees of such county hospitals provide consent, county hospitals in Boone and Cooper counties shall be allowed to provide such health care services or enter into such partnerships.  The bill was referred to the Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee and awaits a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 820, which modifies the formula for determining how much money a tobacco product manufacturer that does not participate in the Master Settlement Agreement will receive back from the escrow fund when the manufacturer is required to deposit money from the sale of cigarettes, was first read on Feb. 3 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 821, which adds a motorcycle registration surcharge of $5 to be deposited in the motorcycle safety trust fund, was first read on Feb. 3 and awaits referral to committee for a hearing.
  
  
• Senate Bill 843, which modifies provisions of the Missouri Sunshine Law, was first read on Feb. 6 and awaits referral to committee.

• Senate Joint Resolution 36, which modifies constitutional provisions regarding the right to keep and bear arms, was heard in the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on Monday, Feb. 10.  The legislation was perfected and approved by the Senate on Thursday, Feb. 20. It will now go to the House for possible debate.

• Senate Joint Resolution 44 is a constitutional amendment that, if approved by the voters, would require any revenue received by the state in a fiscal year in excess of the amount appropriated for such fiscal year shall be returned to taxpayers in the form of a refundable tax credit.  The bill was heard in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Feb. 13.

I recently added new audio and video links to my multimedia page, which is located on my Missouri Senate website. This page features audio and video links (both streaming and broadcast quality — when available) for visitors to listen to and watch as I address issues that are important to me and the citizens of the 19th Senatorial District.

The newest audio and video links include Senate Joint Resolution 36 floor debate. I will continue to add audio and video clips throughout the year. You can download, watch or listen by going to my multimedia page: www.senate.mo.gov/media/14info/schaefer/Multimedia.html.

Thank you for your interest in the issues that affect the citizens of Boone and Cooper counties.  If you have any questions or concerns throughout this session, or plan on coming by the Capitol, please contact my office at (573) 751-3931.

Did you know...?

Adelaide Gehrig was the first woman in U.S. history to win four consecutive titles as a foil fencer at the AFLA Women's Foil Champion (1920 to 1923), a feat unmatched by any other American woman.  In 1924, she represented the U.S. in Paris, in the first Olympic Games in which women competed.