Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander has released his 2016 legislative proposals.
He said in a news release that legislation already has been filed to implement his goals, which he listed as aiming at keeping elections secure, open and accurate; protecting Missourians; restoring public trust in government; and growing Missouri business.
"These common-sense solutions will help move Missouri forward," Kander said in the news release, "from making it free to start a new business with my office, to strengthening our program to help protect survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape."
His legislative goals for elections include:
• Implementing no-excuse absentee voting. Current law requires Missourians to give a reason for asking for an absentee ballot, such as being out-of-town, having a scheduled surgery or being unable to get to the polling place on election day.
• Ensuring ballot access for emergency disaster workers who have been called away from their homes.
Kander would expand the "Safe at Home" program in two ways - making it a felony to stalk someone who already is part of the program and adding language to protect the survivors of human trafficking. Safe at Home allows someone to receive mail through the secretary's office, so personal addresses are hidden from the public's view.
Kander has added his voice to the group of lawmakers and state officials who want ethics reform.
The secretary of state's goals include winning changes to the state's existing ethics, lobbying and campaign finance laws; strengthening disclosure laws; and requiring state officials to take ethics and public disclosure education.
The secretary of state's office keeps the records about all companies in the state, and Kander wants his office to be more business-friendly.
His proposals include:
• Reducing Missouri's business fees to the overall lowest in nation.
• Cutting red tape for family farms by exempting family farm corporations from filing corporate registration reports - unless certain information has changed within the last year.
• Expanding the "Startups for Soldiers" program eligibility to include Missouri veterans.
Kander also voiced support for expanding Medicaid, as envisioned by the federal Affordable Care Act, and passing a Missouri Nondiscrimination Act that would include protections based on a person's sexual preferences.
The 2016 policy agenda builds on Kander's past legislative accomplishments, he said.
Details of the proposed new policy can be viewed online, at www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/NewsReleases/PolicyAgenda2016.pdf.