Perspective: Post-session review

Time and space create room for perspective. When session ended two weeks ago, it was difficult to see or explain the scope of what the Legislature accomplished this year.

Now, after a couple weeks of reflection, I believe that this session was the most productive of my four years as your state representative.

With government, less is generally more. The genius of our United States Constitution and Missouri Constitution are that the very structure of government - federalism and separation of powers - protects the people from rapid policy changes. The most frustrating part of serving in the General Assembly, i.e. how difficult it is to pass a law, is also its greatest virtue.

Our system is designed to thwart big, quick, untested changes. We don't do big things quickly. That's why the vast majority of proposed bills fail. This year, 1,777 bills and 83 constitutional amendments were proposed in the Legislature. Only 190 of them passed. This number is not, by itself, good or bad. Measuring the productivity of the Legislature is far different from that of a factory. Our productivity is measured in quality not quantity.

I proposed 23 bills or resolutions - nine of which found their way into bills that are on their way to Gov. Nixon. Two bills passed on their own and another seven were incorporated in some form in other bills.

This year's General Assembly passed several notable bills to improve our state:

• Historic Tax Relief - Much ink has already been spilled over SB 509, the first significant income tax cut for Missourians in nearly 100 years. This historic legislation moves our economic development policy away from special interest tax breaks and toward lower taxes for all Missourians.

• Criminal Code Reform - In a massive undertaking and for the first time since 1979 (before I was born), the Legislature updated Missouri's criminal code. Among other things, this legislation added a new class of felony to allow prosecutors, judges, and defense lawyers greater flexibility to ensure that punishments "fit the crime," and increased penalties for sex offenses against children. The criminal code revision incorporated the provisions of HB 1878, which I sponsored, to include incest as an aggravating factor in sexual abuse case.

• Education Reform - While Gov. Nixon ducked the student transfer issue over the past five months, the Legislature grinded out a compromise on SB 493, the most substantive education reform bill to pass in over two decades. The Senate passed the bill by the incredible margin of 29-3. Unfortunately, Gov. Nixon not only failed to lead on this issue during session, but has announced he will veto the bill. Having promised to reject the bi-partisan, cross-ideological, cross-regional compromise reached by the Legislature, Gov. Nixon must now propose a plan of his own. It's easy to cast aspersions from his perch; Gov. Nixon should take responsibility to come down from his perch and get in the action. For six years as governor, Gov. Nixon has urged elected officials to work together to solve big problems on controversial issues. In each State of the State address, he's emphasized the need to reach across partisan, ideological, and regional divides. But Gov. Nixon's actions on SB 493 belie his rhetoric as stale political posturing that undermines the public's faith in government. As an elected official who has proven myself willing to work with Gov. Nixon on controversial, but vital issues, I am extremely disappointed in his refusal to live up to his own words.

• Welfare Reform - SB 680 makes several substantive changes to cut welfare fraud and improve the health of recipients. In response to an audit revealing long-term, out-of-state use of EBT cards in places as far flung as the Virgin Islands, the bill automatically terminates welfare benefits for recipients who do not use them anywhere in the state of Missouri for a 90-day period. It also prohibits the use of EBT cards in any place for the purchase of alcohol, lottery tickets, or tobacco products, and requires the Department of Social Services to verify eligibility for welfare programs by cross-checking applicants' names against other information. It creates a pilot program to reward food-stamp recipients who buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat at farmer's markets. And it ends the lifetime ban on food stamps for convicted drug felons.

• Increasing Waiting Period for Abortions - HB 1307 increases the waiting period for an abortion to 72 hours. This bill was passed in the last few weeks after a compromise where Senate Democrats agreed to end their filibuster on the bill if Republicans shelved a ballot initiative on political donations from labor organizations. I voted against the other labor bill anyway, but in the words of Rep. Bill Lant, "I'll trade saving babies lives for an uncertain ballot initiative on a labor issue any old time!"

Gov. Nixon has 45 days from Friday, May 30 in which to sign, veto, or let bills become law without his signature. As he signs legislation over these next six weeks, I will update you in these Capitol Reports.

State Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, represents Missouri's 60th District.