A Few of My Priorities for the 2021 Legislative Session
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, legislators had the first opportunity to pre-file bills, signaling the unofficial start of the 2021 legislative session. It is always interesting to read the pre-filed bills and speculate which priorities we will discuss when we return to the State Capitol in January. I pre-filed several pieces of legislation this year, but for this column, I want to focus on two specific proposals.
Senate Bill 39 creates the “Second Amendment Preservation Act.” This legislation prohibits state and local entities from enforcing unconstitutional firearms restrictions. This act declares that all federal laws that infringe on this right by way of certain taxes, certain regulations and tracking laws, or laws that prohibit the possession, ownership and use of a specific firearm are invalid.
Through this legislation, I hope to protect law-abiding Missourians from federal gun laws that I believe are unconstitutional, like red flag, gun-seizure laws. I am continuously shocked that we must keep fighting to keep our Second Amendment rights from being infringed upon. Our personal liberties are too important to not be protected by state law. As I prepare for the 2021 legislative session, I am committed to doing everything I can to get this important piece of legislation across the finish line and into law.
Senate Bill 40 requires the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, when issuing fines or penalties, to provide information to the alleged violator about the nature of the violation. It also states that when issuing administrative penalties for violations of the Missouri Clean Water Law, the Clean Water Commission must communicate potential resolutions for the violation through writing. I am committed to ensuring we preserve our state’s most precious resources, but I also recognize that violators should know how they violated the law and provided with potential ways to prevent it from happening in the future. I believe that is how we move forward and innovate without damaging our state’s natural resources.
It seems hard to believe we are already discussing legislation for the upcoming legislative session. I look forward to discussing the rest of my legislative priorities in a future column, and I am thankful for the opportunity to once again serve you in the Missouri Senate.
Please visit Sen. Burlison’s official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/burlison for more legislative and constituent resources.