EVANS APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

The 101st Session of the Missouri General Assembly recently began, and Representative David Paul Evans of the 154th District was appointed Chair of the standing Committee on Judiciary and as Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, National Resources, and Economic Development.  Evans was also appointed to the Missouri Rights of Sexual Assault Task Force as well as to the following committees:  Budget, Special Committee on Criminal Justice, Special Committee on Government Oversight, and the Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect. 

 

In a press release announcing his appointments, Evans said that he greatly appreciates the recent appointments by Missouri House Speaker Rob Vescovo and looks forward to working hard in these jobs to make Missouri a better place to live.  

 

Evans explained that the Judiciary Committee meets throughout session every Wednesday evening.  The chair’s job is to preside over all sessions of the committee, to maintain order and decorum, to conduct hearings on bills referred to committee, and to call for votes on whether any bill should or should not be forwarded to the House by voting either “Do” or “Do Not” pass.  Evans notes the Judiciary Committee may consider referred bills on criminal and civil matters, court procedures, administrative procedures, and ethics of public officials.  The first Judiciary Committee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27th, and discussions will include bill hearings on 1) limiting the power of condemnation, 2) allowing for marriage licenses to be obtained over the internet, and 3) allowing for introduction of witness statements by an unavailable witness in a criminal trial when the unavailability of the witness at trial was caused by the defendant.  Evans notes that you can watch the streaming Judiciary Committee hearings each week by visiting the Missouri House website, and he asks, that if you do, then please offer both comments and criticisms to his House email (david.evans@house.mo.gov).

 

The Budget Committee in the Missouri House along with the appropriation subcommittees will meet several times each week for the first few months of session.  Evans states that the budget process is difficult and demanding.  Budget hearings start in the House, and each appropriation committee meets with various state department heads in hearings to review each line item of the budget.  “Budgeting is a long process but extremely important.  It’s our constitutional duty to balance Missouri’s budget every year and to set priorities among many competing needs.”  As appropriation vice-chair, Evans will be assisting the chair as needed and will fill in for the chair at hearings in the chair’s absence.    

 

Evans said he is excited about serving in the upcoming session, and his overall goals for the year include helping balance a challenging state budget, protecting and preserving fundamental individual rights and religious freedoms, improving the lives of foster children, and providing better protections both to communities and to law enforcement officers.  Evans serves the 154th District which district covers the majority of Howell County including the cities of West Plains, Willow Springs, and part of Mountain. View.