This January, the Capitol seems to have a pervasive sense of joy. This week, the Transportation Committee has been working on a bill to help grow Missouri jobs. And, Governor Eric Greitens’ State of the State address gave us a strong purpose for the rest of this year and for the future of our state.
This week, the Transportation Committee I chair held a hearing on a bill that would allow companies like Uber and Lyft to operate statewide. Currently, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) are only permitted to operate on a city-by-city basis.
The current policy is a prime example of government overreach and unneeded regulation. If passed, this bill would be a huge boon for our state. It would unleash up to 10,000 or more jobs with many drivers going into business for themselves instantly. As Transportation chairman, I decided to hear this bill immediately because I know it will increase employment on Day 1.
This bill means Missouri would join 38 other states that have passed similar bills to allow ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft to operate statewide.
This bill also mandates that a prospective driver be background checked in a local and national database as well as scanned-for in the sex offender registry and terrorist watch list, if a person is a match in either database, they are disqualified as a driver.
Allowing companies like Uber to operate statewide makes Missouri a safer place. A study by Temple University showed that once Uber began operating in cities, there was a 3.6 percent – 5.6 percent decrease in the number of people killed in drunk driving accidents. If Uber was available nationwide, they estimate that it would save 500 lives a year and stop $1.3 billion in losses
Uber and Lyft-type services may be more immediately useful in the St. Louis County part of my district, but I believe that these services will spread to smaller towns and spur convenient employment across the state.
State of the State
The other highlight of the week was the annual State of the State address delivered by newly sworn-in Governor Eric Greitens. In his nearly 37-minute speech, the governor pledged to work to improve Missouri’s economy; support a constitutional amendment to apply term limits for statewide officials; and increase penalties for anyone who assaults or attacks a member of law enforcement.
The speech also focused heavily on the need to increase the workforce, attract new jobs and businesses and also on the need for increased public safety. One piece of legislation already filed in the Senate, which I sponsored is Senate Bill 265, the Blue Alert bill. This legislation is a priority of both myself and the governor. A Blue Alert is similar to the current Amber Alert and will occur whenever a criminal has shot or harmed a police officer. At that time, law enforcement will need to alert citizens in the area of the assault so the citizens can assist in finding the perpetrators. This new system will help law enforcement track down and arrest criminals who have harmed our law enforcement officials.
With a new governor who is willing to communicate and work with the legislature, this is an exciting time in the capitol. I am looking forward to making Missouri a better place to work and grow businesses and that work has already begun.
Thank you for reading this weekly column. Please contact my office at (573) 751-3678 if you have any questions.