The 2020 legislative session began on Jan. 8, 2020. I am excited to be back in the State Capitol and resume working with my colleagues on important legislation, and I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about my priorities for the 2020 legislative session.
Second Amendment Protections
One of my top priorities is protecting our Second Amendment rights. All too often, bills concerning firearms aim to restrict the rights of responsible gun owners who follow the laws. For this reason, I have filed several bills intended to ensure the right to bear arms is protected.
Two bills in particular will affirm and strengthen our Second Amendment rights. Senate Bill 588 prohibits state and local entities from enforcing unconstitutional firearms restrictions. Senate Bill 663 abolishes gun free zones, and I believe this legislation has the potential to deter violence from happening against defenseless citizens. These firearm related bills are top priorities for me.
Fighting Illegal Immigration
Another one of my top priorities is modifying sanctuary city policies in our state. I was first prompted to file this legislation during last year’s session because of a tragedy that occurred in Springfield. Three people were killed by an individual illegally present in the United States. This individual was released by a county jail in New Jersey because they did not follow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies. I believe this tragedy could have been avoided had the New Jersey jail followed ICE policy, rather than their local policy. For this reason, I have filed Senate Bill 589 this session.
Senate Bill 589 states that municipalities and counties cannot enact or adopt sanctuary policies, including policies that limit communication with the Department of Homeland Security, restrict the municipality’s cooperation with ICE to obtain custody of or transfer any individual into the custody of ICE and prevent the municipality’s law enforcement officers from asking an individual about his or her citizenship or immigration status. The purpose of this legislation is to increase and encourage communication and cooperation between local and federal law enforcement. The safety of our citizens must be one of our top priorities, and I am hopeful this legislation will help prevent future tragedies from occurring in our state.
Call Spoofing Protections
Call spoofing is an attempt by telemarketers and scammers to get you to pick up your phone by replacing their obvious spam phone number with a more recognizable, familiar number. Often this can resemble your area code. I have even heard of cases where someone gets a call from their own phone number! These calls are often scams, where the caller tries to defraud you and steal your hard-earned money. For this reason, I have filed Senate Bill 664 which adds call spoofing to the no-call list.
Less Government Intrusion
Finally, I support legislation that includes freedom for my constituents and less government intrusion. One of the bills I filed this session is Senate Bill 590, which will lift the requirement that everyone operating a motorcycle or motortricycle must wear a helmet. The requirement to wear a helmet will still apply to operators under the age of 18 or those with an instruction permit. Operators over the age of 18 may ride a motorcycle or motortricycle without a helmet if he or she is covered by a health insurance policy that would cover any injuries sustained from an accident. This may seem like a small issue, but I believe Missourians should have the choice of whether or not to wear a helmet. Many experienced motorcycle riders would prefer not to wear a helmet, and I believe they should be able to make that choice for themselves.
As the legislative session begins, I will examine every bill carefully to ensure your constitutionally-protected freedoms are not infringed upon by any action taken by the General Assembly. It is an honor to represent you in the Missouri Senate, and I will continue to fight for your rights.
Please visit Sen. Burlison’s official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/burlison for more legislative and constituent resources.