New incoming lawmakers often spend a lot of time during their first legislative sessions simply getting their feet under them.
Incumbent state Rep. Willard Haley, R-Eldon, faces a challenge from newcomer Casey Pemberton for the 58th District seat. Pemberton, who works as a legislative aide, said he would be up to speed quickly, should he be elected. Haley, who just completed his first term in the Missouri Legislature, said he was no different than other freshman lawmakers. But, he did catch on quickly and was able to gain traction on a couple of his priorities during his first two years in the Legislature.
Haley, a retired educator, is married with two children and four grandchildren.
"There is a large amount to learn," he said about entering the Legislature. "I spent quite a bit of my first term listening and learning and getting to know the process. I had to learn how to get bills through committee. It's such a large learning curve, you aren't able to accomplish as much during the first two years."
Agriculture and teachers are priorities for him, Haley said.
"We have incentives for beginning farmers and small businesses -- tax credits that expired two years ago," he said, and added they need to continue. "That's another reason for a special session."
And, Haley wants the Legislature to free up some cosmetologists to expand their work. He said current law mandates a cosmetologist must provide at least 51 percent of their services in a brick-and-mortar building. However, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for some service providers to work more on the road -- and serve people in nursing facilities, or who are ill at home, or who are homeless.
Haley said he'll go back and modify his bill (House Bill 2131), which will give cosmetologists more flexibility.
At 26, Pemberton is married, but has no children yet. He said he technically lives north of Clarksburg.
"I'm running in part because ... watching the gas tax get passed kind of aggravated me," Pemberton said. "Very few people fought against it. I feel like we as Republicans tend to run as constitutional conservatives. If that's the case, we should not try to wriggle our way around what the Constitution says is technically legal."
So, overturning the gas tax is a priority, he said. Or, at the very least sending it to voters to decide its fate.
"That's the way it should have been done," Pemberton said.
Another priority, he said, is walking back the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. Missouri had been the last state left in the nation without such a program when it passed one last year. It was signed into law in 2021. Since then, the state has created a Joint Oversight Task Force for Prescription Drug Monitoring and began preparing documents to create competitive bids for operation of the program.
Pemberton said he has confidence in the current Legislature and how it will monitor the program. However, he has concerns about future Legislatures and how they might use information provided by consumers.
"I trust our current Legislature. I don't know what our Legislature will look like in 12 to 20 years," he said. "That concerns me."
Pemberton already works in the Capitol, he said. So, the transition to a lawmaker isn't that long of a step.
"I believe the position is a civil servant," he said. "I would be leading by serving."
Pemberton said he emulates Rep. Tony Lovasco, R-O'Fallon, and former Rep. Jeff Pogue, R-Salem.
"I worked with Jeff when I first came up here," Pemberton said. "He always wanted his 'yes' to mean something. If you're going to vote yes on something, it shouldn't be because you're told to or everyone else is doing it. You should do it because it is really going to help your people. And it's really good legislation."
Pemberton said he has a lot of respect for Haley.
"I just feel like I might be a little more willing than him to fight for the issues I'm really concerned about," Pemberton said. "I truly believe if they are important enough that I am going to fight for them."
Haley said he has entered a network of great lawmakers.
"We're a family. We work together well," he said. "I can bounce ideas off people within our party. We don't fight with each other -- we assist each other."
It never hurts to have a good role model, he said. His is Ronald Reagan.
"I admired his ability to speak. He used story to get his words across," Haley said. "I admire his wit. He was a great leader."
Haley has lived in the 58th District for 48 years, he said. And he knows the farmers, educators and business people there.
His experiences make him a better choice for the district than his challenger, Haley said.
"I'm in touch with the constituents," he said. "I have a background in agriculture. I farmed myself on a small scale. I know the trials and tribulations of agriculture a lot."
Casey Pemberton (Submitted photo)