Mid-Session Update

NEWS RELEASE    ---     From the Office of Representative Shelley Keeney - 156^th District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:	CONTACT:    Rep. Shelley Keeney
March 25, 2011	(573) 751-5912

Mid-Session Update

We are over halfway through this year’s legislative session.  This past week was our “Spring Break” and it’s so hard to believe it’s already come and gone.  Seems like just a few days ago that we were being sworn in and taking our oath of office for the year.

I want to give you a little update on what’s been going on in the MO House.  Overall, it seems like bills are moving ahead of the normal schedule.  Many of the top priorities are making their way through the process.  On the first day of session, Speaker Tilley and the House republicans outlined our goals for the session.  We call them our “Show-Me Solutions” Initiative.

About 75% of the Show-Me Solutions measures have passed the house.  The goal was to have 75% of the bills passed by the 50^th day of session, so we are right on track to accomplish our goal.  Some of things included in the Show-Me Solutions include drug testing for welfare recipients, English-only requirement for driver’s license tests, putting the immigration status on sex-offender registries, not increasing your taxes and putting limits on the amount of regulation that our businesses and all of you have to live by.

In an effort to make Missouri a more business-friendly environment, we are striving to “Fix the Six”-- a slate of pro-business bills moving through the legislature.  We have worked with business groups from all over the state to identify changes which will make Missouri a more business-friendly state -- which will also help create more jobs.  Some of these things are phasing out the corporate franchise tax, reforming workers compensation liability and holding the state minimum wage to the federal level.

We are also working to protect life.  In fact, this past week the House passed a bill that would ban late-term abortions in our state.  We have also passed a couple of different gun reforms that would ease restrictions on law-abiding citizens’ rights to buy, use, sell and trade firearms. 

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative.  I have enjoyed my time back in the district over spring break.  I had the opportunity to attend the Piedmont Area Chamber of Commerce Banquet, the grand opening of the Marble Hill branch of SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence (SADI), Mineral Area College’s Open House at the Fredericktown Campus as well as visiting with many constituents about your concerns and goals for this year’s legislative session.

Please let me know if you would like to receive my weekly updates via electronic E-Mail, by sending an email with your name to: Shelley.Keeney@house.mo.gov

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns about state government.  Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-5912. You may write me at: Shelley Keeney; Missouri House of Representatives; State Capitol, Room 313; Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806 or email me.