Bill pre-filing for the upcoming 2016 legislative session opened on Dec. 1. Because bills must be brought up and assigned to committees in the order in which they are filed, pre-filing priority legislation helps bills move more quickly through the legislative process. During the upcoming session, I plan to focus on protecting the integrity of our elections, helping businesses grow and prosper in the state and protecting our civil liberties. My priority bills aimed at addressing these issues are listed below.
Protecting the Integrity of Elections
Senate Joint Resolution 20 (SJR 20) – A joint resolution is required in order to put a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution to a vote of the people and must be passed by both the House of Representatives and Senate. If passed, this resolution would give Missouri citizens the chance to vote on allowing the Legislature to require photo identification for voters, in order to protect the election process.
Senate Bill 594 – If passed, this bill would be contingent on the approval of the voter identification amendment, SJR 20, by Missouri voters. It would implement a photo identification requirement for voters and provide a free ID for individuals without proper identification.
Senate Bill 786 – This measure would allow the Missouri secretary of state, the state’s chief election officer, to investigate and prosecute cases of voter fraud. Because local prosecutors are often forced to devote much of their limited resources to violent crime cases, extending this authority to the secretary of state would allocate more resources to identifying and prosecuting possible voting fraud cases.
Senate Bill 787 – Under current law, nonpartisan volunteers who monitor polling places for fraud, also known as “election challengers,” are only allowed to stay until a polling place closes on Election Day. This bill would allow election challengers to monitor the process until the ballots are delivered to the election authorities, increasing oversight and preventing possible fraud.
Reducing Government Burden on Businesses
Senate Bill 798 – This bill would require the Missouri Department of Revenue to pay the legal fees of an individual or business if the department sues for back taxes and loses. Businesses should not have to bear the cost of erroneous lawsuits the government brings against them.
Senate Bill 799 – This bill would waive fees required by the Missouri Secretary of State’s office for veterans looking to start a new business. Eliminating this barrier would help veterans thrive in civilian life and help Missouri businesses grow.
Protecting Our Civil Liberties
Senate Bill 811 – In order to protect our Fourth Amendment rights, this bill would require police to obtain a warrant before using cell site simulator devices, which allow police to collect data from cell phones. Using these devices without a warrant should be considered unreasonable search and seizure. |
