Legislative Priorities Signed Into Law
Passing a bill out of the General Assembly and sending it to the governor’s desk is no easy feat in a normal year, much less one complicated by a pandemic. Despite the challenges we faced this year, I believe the General Assembly managed to pass some important bills that will help our state and our community. Perhaps even more importantly, many of these bills were signed into law by the governor. In fact, I’m glad to report that two of my legislative priorities from the 2020 legislative session were signed into law on July 14.
House Bill 1330 conveys several pieces of state property, including property in Cole County to the Heartland Port Authority of Central Missouri. The plan is for the land to be used to construct a port along the Missouri River. This is a good thing for our community. The port project has been in the works for some time now, and this land conveyance moves it one step closer to becoming a reality. I’m optimistic that a port in Jefferson City will mean jobs and an economic boost to our community for years to come.
The other bill signed by the governor deals with donations to food pantries. House Bill 1711 allows shelf-stable, packaged venison, such as deer jerky, to be donated to food pantries in Missouri. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, this past deer season hunters donated 348,535 pounds of venison through the Share the Harvest program, including 6,795 whole deer. By expanding donation opportunities, I’m hopeful we will continue this already impressive legacy of generosity and reach more Missourians in need. Not all food pantries and those they serve can take in large quantities of meat that require large amounts of valuable freezer space. House Bill 1711 is simply providing an alternative for Missourians in need to receive a safe source of shelf-stable protein.
I’m thankful for the governor signing these bills into law. It is an honor and privilege to serve the 6th Senatorial District.
Please feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.