CAPITOL REPORT

At the Missouri Capital we are now wrapping up the spring session in Jefferson City, but you should expect at least one summer special session, then a fall veto session, and likely, a special session sometime later.  

Over 2,200 new proposed bills were filed this spring session between the Missouri House and Senate, but fortunately, we will likely only pass about 150 or fewer.  Because smaller government is better government, I’m not disappointed that more bills aren’t passed each year.  It’s how government checks and balances is supposed to work.  I’ll fill you in on what did pass after spring session ends.

One of my personal highlights each year is meeting new representatives and making new friends.  In our local area, we had 3 new state representatives come on board this past January in counties surrounding Howell County, which include: Travis Smith (155th District) to our west; Bennie Cook (142nd District) to our north; and Ron Copeland (143rd District) to our north/east.  Ron and I sit next to each other on the House floor, and I’ve come to value both his humor and his knowledge of law enforcement issues.  

Ron retired after 28 years from the Missouri Highway Patrol.  He and I worked together this session backing our friends in blue. As a new representative, Ron earned special recognition as a “freshman legislator of the year” for his work on law enforcement issues.  To both of us, protection against enemies (folks intending us harm) both foreign and domestic is perhaps the one of the most important responsibilities of our government.  During session, you can see Ron and I sitting front row center on the House floor.  Our House session streams live on the Missouri House website.

This summer and fall, a bipartisan committee will be meeting to draw up new district maps for both Missouri and US representatives, as well as Missouri Senate districts.  Redistricting of political boundaries is required by our constititions every 10 years following the census, and estimates of the 2020 Missouri census figures are now being reported.  The state is expected to see a slight increase in population over the last 10 years.  As a result, we should neither lose nor gain any US representatives.  

Believe it or not, the federal government is expected to be several months behind in reporting final census figures later this year.  If the final figures come in too late, it might cause state and federal filing election deadlines to be pushed back as lawsuit challenges to the new district boundaries drag on into 2022.  It’s something to keep an eye on in the coming year.  

Before this gets too long, I’ll wrap up with one of my favorite quotes from my favorite President, Abraham Lincoln:  “I should be the most presumptous blockhead upon this footstool if I for one day thought I could discharge the duties which have come upon me, since I came to this place, without the aid and enlightenment of One who is stronger and wiser than all others…I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right; but it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation may be on the Lord’s side.”  

May we always be on His right side.  Please keep this country in your prayers.

I look forward to continuing to represent your common sense, conservative values. Please let me know If you have concerns and suggestions.  If you would like to schedule a specific time to meet locally, please call my office at 573-751-1455, or email my office at david.evans@house.mo.gov.  

Best regards,

 

Missouri State Representative