May Clay County Republican Central Committee Meeting – Wednesday, 5/9 **NEW LOCATION**
Due to the courthouse being closed on May 8th for a state holiday, will hold our Clay County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) meeting this coming Wednesday, May 9th at 7:00 pm at the Elms Resort and Spa in Excelsior Springs. You will get to see the newly renovated building where we will be holding our 2012 Lincoln Day Dinner!! Please be sure and share the new date/location with anyone who may be interested. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday!
What: CCRCC Meeting
When: Wednesday, May 9th, 7:00 pm
Where: The Elms Resort & Spa: 401 Regent St, Excelsior Springs, MO 64024
Clay County Republican Central Committee Meeting CANCELED for April
Due to scheduling conflicts, this month’s regularly scheduled Clay County Republican Central Committee meeting has been CANCELLED. We look forward to seeing you at next month’s meeting!
Clay County Republican Central Committee Meeting Reminder – Tuesday, 3/13
There will be a Clay County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) meeting this coming Tuesday, March 13th at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Clay County Courthouse in the Commissioner’s Room on the 3rd floor. Please enter through the handicapped entrance on the east side of the building. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!
What: CCRCC Meeting
When: Tuesday, March 13th, 7:00 pm
Where: Clay County Courthouse, 3rd floor – Commissioner’s Room
Clay County Republican Caucus – 3/17
On March 17th, the Clay County Republican Central Committee will hold the 2012 Clay County Missouri Republican Caucus. The purpose of the Caucus is to elect Republican Delegates and Alternates to the Republican Fifth and Sixth Congressional District Conventions, and the Republican Missouri State Convention. These delegates will represent Clay County’s choice for Presidential Nominee and Republican Party platform submissions at both conventions. All Republicans are invited to attend.
The Caucus will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 17th, 2012, at the John Gano Memorial Chapel at William Jewell College. William Jewell is located at 500 College Hill, Liberty, ,Missouri. Signs will direct you to Gano Chapel. Registration will begin at 8:30 AM. Doors will close at 10:00 AM, and no registration is allowed after voting begins. Active participants must be current registered voters in Clay County and must certify that they are Republicans. Please bring your voter identification card and photo I.D. to expedite registration.
Clay County Republican Central Committee Meeting Reminder – Tuesday, 2/14
There will be a Clay County Republican Central Committee (CCRCC) meeting this coming Tuesday, February 14th at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Clay County Courthouse in the Commissioner’s Room on the 3rd floor. Please enter through the handicapped entrance on the east side of the building.
Dave Spence, candidate for Governor, will be our guest speaker this month. We will also be discussing our upcoming State Lincoln Days, as well as the location for our county caucus in March. All are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!
What: CCRCC Meeting
When: Tuesday, February 14, 7:00 pm
Where: Clay County Courthouse, 3rd floor – Commissioner’s Room
Myron Neth Capitol Report – 2/10
| Update on LegislationStudent lead effort
This week I filed HJR 75 that would allow 17 year old citizens to vote in certain elections if they will be 18 at the the time of the election. This effort was initiated by the AP Government classes at Libety High School and Liberty North High School taught by Kurt Gates. In a prior Capitol Report I went into detail on the effort.
The students have been active in contacting my colleagues in support of this issue and were able to get several co-sponsors for it. At this point, I am asking for a hearing in the Elections Committee (which I am on). I hope to confirm in the next week or so if I will be able to get a hearing and hope to get some of the students to Jefferson City to testify on behalf of the bill.
I have discussed the bill with the Elections Committee chairman and expect to have a hearing on the bill in the next few weeks. We hope to get a few students to come to Jefferson City to testify on its behalf. |
Visitors to the Capitol
Lori Streu and her sons Nathan and Garrett came to the Capitol for a visit and tour. Their main purpose was to meet a requirement for Nathans for Boy Scouts. They spend some time in the Chamber seeing the action of the House and then taking a tour of the building. An interesting thing to note is that Lori’s grandfather was a legislator in Nebraska.
Marvin Weishaar and Steve Potter stopped by on behalf of Mid Continent Public Library. |
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This Week in Committee
Elections Committee: HB 1340 (Hearing): This Bill addresses the issue of vacancies in the offices of County Clerk, Collector, and Assessor and how those offices may be filled. This bill also addresses vacancies with the county Auditor which has been an issue in Clay County before.
HCS HB 1059: Changes the required percentage necessary to initiate a recount of the votes cast in an election. Voted Do Pass Consent (10-0)
HCS HB 1106: Changes the laws regarding county collectors and collector-treasurers. Voted Do Pass Consent (9-1)
HCS HB 1457: Requires a candidate for county treasurer to file a signed affidavit stating that the candidate meets the minimum bond requirements for the office of county treasurer. Voted Do Pass Consent (9-0)
HCS HB 1442: Fills a vacancy in the office of United States Senator, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, or State Treasurer by appointment by the Governor with the rule that the person appointed cannot run for that office at the next election. Voted Do Pass (7-3)
HCS HJR 41: Proposes a constitutional amendment modifying term limits. It would allow someone to serve in the General Assembly for a total of 16 years total in any combination of the House and the Senate. Currently it is limited to 8 years in one and 8 in the other. Still a total of 16 years potentially. (9-1)
Elementary and Secondary Education: HCS HB 1228: Specifies that a student at certain institutions of higher education has the right to record public classroom lectures for his or her personal use. Voted Do Pass (14-4)
Emerging Issues in Animal Agriculture: HCS HB 1444: Prohibits the sterilization, adoption, euthanasia, or other disposal of animals seized or removed from an owner until final disposition of the charges against the owner. Voted Do pass, with amendments.
HCS HJR 61: Proposes a constitutional amendment affirming the right of persons to raise livestock in a humane manner without the state imposing an undue economic burden on their owners. Voted Do Pass (12-0) with amendments |
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This Week on the House Floor The following bills were passed out of the House: HCS HB 1140: Changes the laws regarding elections by requiring a voter to provide photo identification. Passed out of the House. HB 1219: The would change Missouri law regarding discrimination law and whistleblower protection. HB 1311: Authorizes a state and local sales and use tax exemption on items related to data storage centers and server farm facilities |
The Stouffer Report – 2/7
Without Education: Prison, Poverty or Death
When it comes to providing a world-class education to all Missouri students, the stakes are extremely high. If we are to compete in the global economy, we must have a skilled work force. Among the issues related directly to this topic in 2012 is a look at school reform.
As a society, we are failing kids by not providing them with equal educational opportunities — these are the same kids who often end up in prison, poverty, and in some instances with a death sentence because they have gone down the wrong path. We have some of the best teachers in the United States right here in rural Missouri. However, this is not always the case in urban schools. I have visited urban schools where teachers show up every other day to “teach.” Meanwhile, students pass through grades without the ability to read.
Education must be a top priority, not just for job opportunities, but for our students.
Some in the education lobby believe that education reforms are attacks on good teachers. This could not be further from the truth. Good teachers know and care more about kids learning than anyone. We should all be searching for ways to replicate what good teachers are doing by allowing teachers to teach. We should also rid our schools of burdensome regulations and return to more local control.
One idea for more local control is charter schools. First opening their doors in Kansas City in 1999, and a year later in St. Louis, charter schools are a relatively new approach to education in Missouri. A charter school is the same as a public school, with the exception of its organization. A charter public school is governed by an independent school board. Just like standard public schools, charter schools are free and open to all students in the districts where they operate, and are held accountable for the results they produce. This year, I am sponsoring Senate Bill 576, which would expand charter schools to all areas of Missouri with certain limits. Currently, charters can only be found in St. Louis and Kansas City.
Unfortunately, charter school performance is mixed; however, they also deal with some of Missouri’s students who struggle the most. I am open to any ideas that would give our children a better opportunity. My legislation would increase accountability for all charter schools and allow only school boards in rural Missouri the opportunity to operate a charter school. This option provides more local control for communities.
I have not found a strong correlation between school spending and performance; however, delivery and passion within each building and the ability to improve every student every year seems to be the most important factor. We can improve the way we educate our future here in this state by giving every student a fighting chance. I invite the education community to continue to bring forward new ideas to get this accomplished. It is a topic that affects all of us.
Everybody agrees — a good education system here in Missouri will provide our future with a skilled labor force and less societal costs.
Senator Stouffer serves the counties of Carroll, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray, Saline, and a part of Clay.
Bob Nance Capitol Report – 2/6
“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.”
– William E. Simon
Tomorrow, citizens across Missouri will go to the polls to vote in the presidential primary election. And, while this year’s primary is nonbinding, it is still an opportunity for you to have a say in who should be the presidential nominee.
As DeForest Soaries once said, “Voting is the foundational act that breathes life into the principle of the consent of the governed.” All power in government is derived from the citizens of this great land, and voting is the way you give that consent. This week, you will have your chance to raise your voice in choosing the direction of our country.
There has been a lot of news lately calling this year’s primary an exercise in futility. However, they are misguided. As someone who is fairly active in politics, I know that I will be paying close attention to the outcome of the primary.
Your vote is important and your voice in the process matters. Let the rest of America know who Missouri wants as the presidential nominee. Please take the time to vote in the primary on Feb. 7.
Political parties in Missouri will rely on the outcome of caucuses, rather than the presidential primary, in regard to the distribution of delegates. This was prompted by new rules from the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee requiring states to move their binding nominating contests to March 2012 or later. Failure to comply with these rules resulted in the loss of half of Missouri’s delegates at the national convention..
The Legislature passed SB 282, but ultimately Governor Nixon vetoed the legislation that would have moved the presidential preference primary from February into March. SB 282
The GOP now plans to stage its caucuses on Saturday, March 17. Democrats will meet in “mass meetings” on Thursday, March 29.
While the primary will have no bearing on the division of delegates, any Democrat who wants to participate in a mass meeting must vote in the Feb. 7 primary election. Republicans do not face that requirement. Any registered voter who declares that they are a Republican can participate in the caucus in the county in which they are registered.”
Ultimately, the primary’s estimated cost to the state will be between $6 million and $8 million.
In the District
I attended the Northwest Missouri Legislative Forum with the Northwest Association of Secondary School Principals, February 3rd.
Under Construction!
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