Update on Real ID
Missourians will now be able to use their state-issued IDs to board domestic flights until 2018. This comes after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced a two-year extension before it will require states to comply with the federal Real ID Act of 2005. This means Missouri lawmakers, as well as lawmakers in three other states, will have a little more time to find a viable legislative solution for implementing the Real ID requirements.
Legislative News
At this early point in session, my colleagues and I are primarily focused on getting legislation moved through the committee process to the Senate floor for debate. Among the measures heard in committee this week are two important bills pertaining to our state abortion laws and expert witness testimony.
On Tuesday, the Senate Seniors, Families and Children Committee conducted a public hearing on Senate Bill 644, which seeks to modify certain provisions relating to Missouri’s abortion laws. The proposed changes included in SB 644 are a direct response to information uncovered by the Senate Interim Committee on the Sanctity of Life, which held several hearings during the interim to investigate allegations against Planned Parenthood and shed light on the organization’s business practices. If passed, SB 644 would not only strengthen our state laws governing abortions, but also hold abortion clinics to higher medical standards and provide added protection for women receiving care at these facilities.
Missouri is one of only 10 states that have not adopted the updated Daubert Standard, which helps ensure that only those individuals who are truly expert witnesses may provide expert witness testimony. Essentially, the standard allows judges to act as gatekeepers so juries are not subjected to irrelevant or unreliable testimony.
The Show-Me State’s failure to adopt the updated Daubert Standard has had the unfortunate side effect of calling negative attention to our judicial system and is one of the reasons the American Tort Reform Association recently ranked Missouri as the fourth worst judicial hellhole in the country — preceded only by California, New York and Florida. We have clearly fallen behind in this area, which is why I’m especially pleased to say Senate Bill 591, relating to expert witness testimony, has been passed out of the committee and is now headed to the Senate floor for debate.
This measure does not favor any one party over another; it simply ensures that our juries are given the most reliable, factual evidence on which to base their decisions. Additionally, SB 591 realigns Missouri’s outdated standards with the same high standards found in our federal court system and a majority of other states.
Last week, the president announced he is issuing another executive order that will deliberately stomp on our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. The order states that it doesn’t matter whether you sell your gun from a store, at a gun show or over the Internet, you must conduct background checks and be licensed. What the president doesn’t say is that federal law already requires license and background checks for gun dealers at stores and gun shows. His executive order doesn’t change that.
The president has made it clear: he cares more about political posturing than he does about the Second Amendment. The fact is his executive order to tighten background checks for gun owners is hollow in nature and will not reduce crime. If we want to continue moving our state forward, we must work together to protect the rights of our citizens and push back on a federal government that continually overreaches its authority.
Finally, I was honored to sponsor Ms. Alison Hershewe’s appointment to the Missouri Southern State University Board of Governors at the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee on Wednesday. Following confirmation by the Senate, she will serve for a term ending Aug. 30, 2020. Ms. Hershewe is a member of the Hershewe Law Firm, PC of Joplin. She has practiced law since 1994 and has worked in professions related to the law since the 1980s.
Helpful Consumer Financial Information
This week, the Heartland Credit Union Association offers information to help you save money over the course of the year. Is saving money one of your New Year’s resolutions? Or do you have trouble saving consistently over the year? If so, you’re not alone. According to recent data, nearly 40 percent of Missourians don’t have enough savings to pay for three months of basic living expenses. If you find it difficult to save, for whatever reason, the Heartland Credit Union Association suggests trying the 52-week Money Challenge.
Here’s how the 52-week Money Challenge works:
In week one, deposit $1 into your savings account. In week two, deposit $2. In week three, deposit $3 and so forth. This slow ramp up will get you in the habit of saving, which is critically important for creating savings. By week 26, when you deposit $26, you will have saved $351. And by the end of the year, after depositing $52 into your account, you’ll have saved $1,378!
If you don’t trust yourself to make the weekly commitment and trip to your financial institution, set up an automatic deposit into a savings account to get the same annual result. Earmark $26.50 per week from your paycheck to go to a specific account.
Contact Me
I always appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-2173. You may write to me at Senator Ron Richard, Missouri Senate, State Capitol, 201 W. Capitol Ave., Rm. 326, Jefferson City, MO 65101; e-mail me at ron.richard@senate.mo.gov or visit me on the Web at www.senate.mo.gov/richard.
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