This week the Missouri Senate gave first round approval to my bill exempting sales of vehicles ten years old or older from state and local sales tax. During the debate an amendment was added that requires the vehicle to have a selling price of $15,000 or less to qualify for the exemption. This is to make certain the exemption applies to used cars that will be used for transportation and not classic collector vehicles that can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
The Senate also gave first round approval to a bill removing the requirement of firing both a revolver and semi-automatic pistol to qualify for a Conceal and Carry permit. Currently an applicant must fire 20 rounds from each type of firearm to pass the course. Under this bill, firing 20 rounds from either a revolver or a semi-automatic will fulfill that part of the process. The bill would also extend from 30 to 180 days the length of time a CCW permit holder has to notify the sheriff if they have changed their name or address before the permit would be automatically invalidated. The permit holder would still be required to notify the sheriff within 30 days of the change and could be subject to a ten dollar per month fine after the first 30 days. The number of students allowed in a CCW course would change under this bill from 40 per classroom to 40 per instructor in the classroom.
Also, a bill requiring Missouri to move toward the use of paper ballots was given first round approval in the Senate. In recent years touch screen voting and other electronic machines have been increasingly used around the state, especially in metropolitan areas. Under this bill, those machines would be phased out over time and replaced with machines that leave a paper trail that can be audited and verified.
The House of Representatives passed its version of the state budget this week. Although we have been holding hearings in the Senate Appropriations Committee for several weeks, we can now officially begin work on the Senate version of the document. We must reconcile any differences in the spending plan with the House and have the final version on the governor's desk by 6:00 p.m. on May 10. Unlike some other states, we are under a constitutional mandate to produce a balanced budget.
Candidate filing for political office closed at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday of this week. I am grateful and humbled that no one filed to run against me in the 28th Senatorial District. Due to term limits, this will be my second and final term in the Missouri Senate. I appreciate the incredible support so many of you have shown me over the years and will spend my remaining time in office working to justify it. I look forward to continue working with you on issues important to our area and state.
Support for the Farming Rights Amendment continues to gain momentum as we have had great turnouts at the educational meetings around the area. The next meeting will be Thursday, April 3 at the Osceola High School. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the commons area. Upcoming events are listed below. |
