Freshman legislator reflects on first session

Now that the legislative session is over, Rep. Dennis Fowler (R-Dist. 151) has had time to look back and reflect on his time in Jefferson City. He worked to defeat SB 13, a bill that would have abolished solid waste districts, because he received a lot of opposition from his home district. He supported several bills that were passed to aid military veterans, and opposed education bills that he felt were targeted at schools in Kansas City and St. Louis.

It was an interesting session, according to Fowler.

Fowler received the Freshman of the Year award for his work on Rural Community Development issues.

"It was a little bit busier than I expected," said Fowler. "It started out slow and then n the final week it was so hectic that you didn't have time to go over things like you would have liked to."

Fowler serves on the Appropriations for Transportation Committee, the Corrections Committee, the Natural Resources Committee and the newly created Emerging Issues in Agriculture Committee. As a member of the Natural Resources Committee, he was involved in the discussion about abolishing solid waste districts. The bill never got out of committee.

"I received numerous calls and emails from people in my district," said Fowler. "Nearly all of them opposed the bill."

Fowler said most people didn't like the idea of turning control of the tipping fee funds to the Mo. Department of Natural Resources. The fees collected by the local district help fund the Stoddard County Sheltered Workshop and recycling efforts in several Bootheel counties. Fowler said people were uneasy about whether the money would ever be returned to Stoddard County.

"People who contacted me just didn't like the idea of the money going to a state agency," noted Fowler.

He supported several veterans' bills that passed through the legislature this past session. One bill provided that a veteran coming into Missouri from another state could receive in-state tuition fees to state universities. Another bill delayed hearings for permanent child custody involving veterans until the veteran returns from overseas duty. A third bill was aimed at National Guard or Reserve members. The bill provides that the soldier does not have to take a school or college test until a set number of days after he returns from duty.

Fowler said there was a lot of debate about SB 125. The bill would require the State Board of Education to develop rules on how public schools are classified and allows state education officials to intervene more quickly in unaccredited school districts. It was defeated twice before being passed by the House.

"Education reform was a code word for Kansas City and St. Louis school districts," said Fowler. "I don't believe Jefferson City needs to dictate how our local schools are run."

The local school boards should be left to make decisions about their schools, Fowler believes.

Fowler said the session focused heavily on second amendment rights, something he believes is fundamental. He said much of the discussion was fueled by federal gun controls proposed by President Barack Obama.

Legislation passed by the legislature for the protection of Second Amendment rights would declare federal gun regulations unenforceable in Missouri. Among other things, the bill also would allow special "protection officers" to carry concealed guns in schools and let people with concealed-carry permits openly tout firearms up to 16 inches long.

As for teachers carrying guns in the schools, Fowler said, "I don't think many school boards will want to go down that road."

Two bills were passed concerning prevailing wages for certain rural counties and school districts. Fowler said the bills passed with 90 to 91 votes, which is short of the votes needed for an override if Gov. Jay Nixon vetoes them. He said again the House is divided between urban and rural legislators. The urban legislators are less likely to vote against union interests, Fowler said.

Fowler did not say whether he supported a transportation bill that would have taken a proposed one-cent sales tax increase to voters. It appeared the legislation would pass the bill until the last week, when it failed.

"I think there were concerns about where the money would be spent," said Fowler.

Fowler voted against the income tax reduction. The bill passed, although any reductions are contingent on prescribed levels of overall revenue increases. Nixon has said he will veto the legislation.

Fowler said he voted against the bill because "there is too much unknown." He points to the fact that the state has not even fully funding the public school formula, and yet legislators proposed cutting taxes. He said it started out as a proposal to lower income taxes and raise the sales tax. The sales tax increase was dropped from the bill in an effort to gain support, and yet the final bill was approved which cut income taxes without a sales tax increase. Fowler said he is skeptical that the revenue growth in the state will ever reach the required growth level to lower income taxes. He hopes it will, though.

There is a possibility that legislators will be called back to Jefferson City for a one-day session in September. The session would be strictly to act on any bills vetoed by Nixon. Fowler said a party caucus would be held first to examine whether the required number of votes could be reached to override a veto.

He is glad to return to the district and get more input from the people he represents. While he sponsored no bills in the past session, he believes he was gaining insight into the legislative process.

"There is a definite learning curve," Fowler reflected about his first session.