freshmeat

Hot Off The Presses

2009-09-29T21:39:00.004-05:00

My 2009 Legislative Report is hot off the presses and headed to a mailbox near you in the 10th District. If you just can't wait for your very own copy to arrive, you can view the entire report here, including a scorecard of bills I passed this year, a big victory for education of foster kids and help for the housing crisis. There is even a kid's corner and a breakdown of how YOUR state tax dollars are spent.

The 10th District had a great year in a tough time. Next year it will be even tougher. Please let me know if you have ideas, questions, concerns about the upcoming legislative session. Comment on this blog, come to Coffee Break on Friday mornings from 9-10 at 5400 Troost Avenue, or just track me down on Twitter or Facebook. What do you see as the biggest wins this year and what can we do better next year?

Coffee Break Schedule

2009-09-24T15:42:00.004-05:00

UPDATED!!!!

Back in January I started a weekly coffee with constituents that has become known as "Coffee Break w/ Senator Justus." Every Friday morning from 9-10 AM we meet at Coffee Break, 5400 Troost Avenue, to talk politics, meet our neighbors and enjoy a great cup of coffee.

This is an opportunity to ask questions, share information about local events and pitch your ideas for state legislation. From January-May I provide weekly updates from the frontlines in Jefferson City. When I'm not in legislative session we continue our lively political talks and it has become a great way to exchange ideas and network with community activists and local non-profits.

Fall is a busy time and there will be a handful of Fridays through the end of the year when I am out of town and not available to attend Coffee Break. For your planning purposes I've compiled a list of Fridays when I WILL be at Coffee Break.

October 2
October 16
October 23
November 6
November 13
November 20
December 11
December 18

To be clear -- we will NOT meet on September 25, October 9, October 30, November 27, December 4 & December 25. Please check my Twitter feed, Facebook page or this blog if you ever have a last minute question about whether we are meeting on any given Friday.

Foster Care Education Bill of Rights

2009-05-13T21:50:00.003-05:00

Great news for foster kids from Jefferson City Wednesday night. After a two year fight, we truly agreed to and finally passed the Foster Care Education Bill of Rights. Originally filed as SB96, I successfully added the same language to HB154, which passed 34-0 Wednesday night and it is now headed to the Governor's desk for his signature.

The Foster Care Education Bill of Rights addresses the deficiencies that this state has when it comes to educational outcomes for kids in foster care. These kids are our most vulnerable citizens and as the guardian of these kids, we owe it to them to make sure they have every opportunity available -- including a quality education.

Truly Agreed To & Finally Passed

2009-05-06T10:11:00.004-05:00

Late last night we scored a victory for tenants who live in houses that are sold as a result of foreclosure.

Current law allows the new owner of a foreclosed property to immediately sue the tenants for eviction, even if they are current on their rent. The tenants lose their rent money for the month, their security deposit and have to scramble to find new housing. All with no notice.

To make matters worse, the tenants are forced to search for new housing with a black mark on their credit record in the form of an eviction lawsuit.

Representative Kiki Curls (D-Kansas City) and I filed bills this year that would provide notice and some relief to those tenants who find themselves homeless through no fault of their own. In addition to notice, the tenants will receive 10 business days to negotiate a new lease with the new owners or start the search for new housing. No legal action can be taken against the tenants during that time.

Late last night HB836 was truly agreed to and finally passed by both chambers. The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.

How Are You Going to Fix Our Schools?

2009-04-27T19:53:00.008-05:00

When I knocked on doors during my campaign for Senate in 2006, the most common concern raised on doorstep after doorstep, was the condition of the Kansas City Missouri School District. Since my election, the school district has remained in the top 5 concerns raised by my constituents.

The school district is one of the most politically and emotionally charged issues I have dealt with during my three years in the Missouri Senate. I have been steadfast in my belief that the majority of the issues facing the school district are local issues and must be solved at the local level. At the state level, we deal with the larger issue of school funding and we also discuss big-picture issues that impact all Missouri schools. It is rare to discuss issues that affect just one school district.

With continued bad news from the district, however, and tension about its governance on the rise, I have received an increasing number of requests from constituents who want to discuss possible Jefferson City solutions to Kansas City's number one problem.

One such meeting with concerned parents resulted in my filing SB253, which would require a special election for vacancies on the KCMO School Board. Current law says if a member leaves the board before his/her term expires, the remaining board members must appoint a person to fill the vacancy. If SB253 passes, the people of KC will make that decision.

This year I have heard from more and more parents, community and business leaders -- all concerned about the kids in the KCMO School District. The ideas presented about how to "fix" the problem are as diverse as the groups making the pitches.

Two competing organizations have come to the surface in this debate -- Do The Right Thing For Kids and Hands Off the Kansas City School District. "Hands Off" has called for a grassroots, bottom-up approach, leaving the current governing body in tact. "Do The Right Thing" argues that the district's woes will not be fixed until we change the governing body of the school district. They have a proposal that would allow the people of KC to vote on a change to the school's governance.

I submit that the answer is not one proposal or the other, but that real change will not come to the school district until we address the issues from the top-down AND the bottom-up.

Throughout this debate I have made two things very clear -- 1) I am against the status quo; and 2) the voters of KC should make the ultimate decision about how our school district is governed. To that end, the Senate passed an amendment on an education bill today that would create an interim legislative committee to address the governance of the KCMO School District. The interim committee will take testimony from all stakeholders and report back to the General Assembly in January 2010. I fully support this amendment and sincerely hope that it makes it through the rest of the process and to the governor's desk.

I also hope that all sides fully participate in the dialogue and bring genuine ideas to the table. One answer I will not accept is "just give us another chance," or "this is a different school board, just wait and see the good work we are doing." While that statement may be entirely true, the kids of KC can't wait just one more year. We are failing our kids now.

Change is going to come to the KCMO School District one way or another. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we want the decision made in Jefferson City, or whether we want the people of KC to make the decision. Every year we hear the possibility of a state takeover. Suburban lawmakers routinely file legislation requiring an appointed board or requiring all board members to run at-large. My warning to those who advocate for the status quo -- ignore this call for change at your own peril. This is not a crisis that will blow over and be forgotten during the long months between legislative sessions.

My sincere hope is that this legislative session has lit a fire under everyone who cares about the kids of KC. I want to see town hall meetings, debates and public testimony all summer long. I don't want to hear another report of one side refusing to meet with the other or complaints that the debate is taking place in a vacuum. Put the turf wars aside and get down to the business of fixing our schools KC. If you don't do it -- Jefferson City will.

Huge Week in the Missouri Senate

2009-04-23T12:02:00.010-05:00

It was a HUGE week in Jefferson City and I'm excited to report that many important bills made significant advances.

On Tuesday I was able to add my childcare subsidy bill (SB 94) and my foster care education bill of rights (SB96) as amendments on a House bill that was before the Senate. While the foster care bill has passed the Senate twice already this year, this is the first time that the childcare subsidy bill has received a yes vote in either legislative chamber.

Then on Wednesday we had two more major victories, when the Senate passed two of my housing bills, one of which I've been working on for three years. These bills would increase the money in the Missouri Housing Trust Fund and provide protection for tenants who are renting a property that is sold due to foreclosure.

All four of these bills have been my top priorities and I'm going to continue to fight to ensure they make it to the Governor's desk. Most of these bills still face significant hurdles, with stops in Fiscal Oversight and conference committees. Over the next week, I will highlight each bill on this blog, so you can learn more about the legislation and find out how YOU can help move the bills over the finish line if you are so inclined.

Many of you know that this session I have been providing real-time updates of all the action in the Missouri Senate, via Twitter. I've been using it as a micro-blog of sorts. Through Twitter, and it's link to my Facebook page, I'm able to communicate instantly with thousands of constituents who can then provide me with their comments and questions.

One unintended consequence of my "tweeting," however, is that I have allowed it to supplant my longer blog posts. Although we are heading into the busiest part of the session, I am going to make a concerted effort to generate more posts on this blog. These posts will be for those who are interested in more info than I can relay in a 140-character tweet.

If you are interested in receiving the Twitter updates, you can subscribe here.

Finally, if you want to kick it old school and just hear a verbal update of everything that's happening in Jefferson City, you can meet me Friday mornings at 9AM at Coffee Break, 5400 Troost Avenue.

How Do I Get My Hands on Some of That Stimulus Money?

2009-02-24T09:26:00.002-05:00

I've had a lot of questions over the last few weeks about where you can go to submit or review proposals for federal stimulus dollars.

Last week, Governor Nixon rolled out a website where you can submit proposals and ask questions about the stimulus dollars. The Mid-America Regional Council also has a lot of good information about the stimulus package, including a call for transportation proposals.

I'm serving on the Senate Select Committee on Oversight of Federal Stimulus. We are currently holding several meetings a week in an attempt to answer a multitude of questions about where and how the money can be spent.

If you are interested in updates on federal stimulus dollars that will flow through the state legislature, please stop by my weekly meeting at Coffee Break, 5400 Troost Avenue, Friday morning from 9-10 AM.

Foster Care Education Bill of Rights

2009-02-16T22:00:00.003-05:00

I have a hearing Tuesday morning in the Health, Mental Health, Seniors & Families committee for my Foster Care Education Bill of Rights legislation. SB96 would help create educational continuity for some of the most vulnerable kids in our state.

I successfully added similar language as an amendment to a larger education bill last year, but the bill got lost in the shuffle of the last day of session and was never perfected. For the last two years I've had opposition from the Missouri School Boards Association, but it looks like we've finally got a bill that everyone can live with.

As citizens of Missouri, we are the guardians for these kids. They are taken out of their parents' custody, mostly because of allegations of abuse and/or neglect, and it is our duty to make sure that all their needs are met -- including a quality education.

What a Long, Strange Week It's Been . . .

2009-02-11T20:15:00.005-05:00

It's only Wednesday night, but this has been one of the longest, busiest weeks I've had in Jefferson City. Here's the mid-week recap:

HPV

We had a hearing for my HPV bill on Tuesday morning in the Health, Mental Health, Seniors & Families Committee. The hearing went well. This is the third time I've introduced the bill. The American Cancer Society, Siteman Cancer Center and the Missouri Family Network testified in favor of the bill. The Concerned Women for America (CWA) testified against the bill, which wasn't a surprise because they testify against most of my bills.

After the hearing the CWA woman stopped by my office and explained that she felt compelled personally to testify against the bill because she thinks HPV isn't a very big deal and she wishes I would focus my energy on issues that affect more people. I'll pass that along to the families of the 3,700 women who die every year from cervical cancer.

We will vote on the bill next Tuesday morning during the executive session of our committee hearing.

CWIP

Yesterday the Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & the Environment Committee took nearly four hours of testimony on a bill that would repeal the CWIP law in Missouri. If this is the first you have heard of CWIP, you can check out a quick summary here.

The place was packed. It was standing room only. They set up a closed-circuit TV in the hall outside my office for those who could not fit in the hearing room. Most of the people inside were the bazillion lobbyists who have been hired to work both sides of this issue and tons of media people.

I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity and preparedness of the opposition. I heard the skids were greased and this thing was going to sail through the process. Clearly that will not be the case.

Opponents included huge corporations who are large utility ratepayers and do not want to see their energy costs go up; consumer protection advocates worried about individual ratepayers and the lack of consumer protection in the legislation; and environment groups concerned that a nuclear plant will end the pursuit of renewable energy options and better energy efficiency standards, as well as the dangers posed by nuclear waste.

Proponents stressed energy independence, economic stimulus and jobs creation. Based on the number of lobbyists who have been hired to work both sides of this issue, I have to admit that CWIP is already creating jobs in at least one sector of the economy.

My major takeaways from the hearing:

1) AmerenUE already has about $250 million invested in this plan. If this law passes, these preliminary costs can be passed on to the ratepayers, EVEN IF THE PLANT IS NEVER BUILT.

2) AmerenUE is soliciting partners to "own" the plant with them. KCP&L, municipal power companies, etc., will have the option to become a co-owner which means our rates will go up on this side the state, just like our friends and families across the state.

3) The proponents of the bill say they need the legislation because no bank will loan AmerenUE the money to build the plant. That's why they need the ratepayers to foot the bill. Let me get this straight -- they can't get the financing because the private market thinks it's too risky, so they are asking us to foot the bill?

Next week we will hear from the PSC. One question I have is why they voted (along party lines) NOT to do a rate impact analysis of the plan.

ODDS-N-ENDS

A bill severely restricting adult businesses and taking away local control of regulating those businesses was passed out of the Judiciary Committee Monday night.

I presented two bills for the city of Grandview in a committee hearing today.

The Senate finally confirmed Linda Martinez as Director of the Department of Economic Development.

We spent some time addressing the public defender crisis on the Senate floor this morning. I offered an amendment which was still pending when the bill was laid on the informal calendar this afternoon. We will probably get back to the bill next week.

Oh yeah, I also made a new friend.

If you are interested in a complete rundown of the the week's events, feel free to join me for coffee and conversation, this Friday, February 13, from 9-10 AM at Coffee Break, 5400 Troost Ave.

CWIP Hearing Underway

2009-02-10T16:07:00.000-05:00

House is packed. Haven't seen this much interest in anything in my
2.5 years in Jeff City.

HPV -- Third Time's a Charm!

2009-02-09T21:25:00.004-05:00

When I first got elected I was told it takes about three years to pass a bill in Jefferson City. While that's not always the case (I've passed over a dozen bills during my first two years down here), I hope the rule of thumb is true for my HPV legislation.

Tuesday morning I will present SB104 to the Health, Mental Health, Seniors & Families Committee. This is the third year in a row I have introduced this legislation, which would provide information about the HPV vaccine to parents of girls entering the 5th grade.

For the last two years I've successfully passed the bill out of the Senate, only to watch it fizzle out in the House. I'm hoping that an early committee hearing, coupled with a change in House leadership, will help the bill's chances this year.

HPV can be sexually transmitted and if left untreated can cause many health problems, from cervical cancer to genital warts. HPV infections can persist for many years and are common in both men and women. Approximately 80% of the adult population has a strain of HPV.

HPV is a known cause of cervical cancer and it is thought that the vaccine, coupled with regular pap tests, could virtually eliminate the cancer in a generation. Cervical cancer claims the lives of an estimated 3,700 American women every year and is the second most common cancer in women.

CWIP

2009-02-04T21:09:00.000-05:00

Until this year the bulk of my knowledge about nuclear power plants came from the Simpsons and Silkwood. As a new member of the Senate's Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & the Environment Committee, I find myself in the middle of what may be the most contentious issue, other than the budget, to face the legislature this session -- CWIP -- Construction Work in Progress.

Right now utility companies cannot raise energy rates to pay for power plants under construction. Instead, the companies must wait until the plant is completed, then apply to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to raise rates to cover the cost of the plant construction. This law was approved by the people of the state of Missouri in 1976. Senate Bill 228, filed by Senator Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City), would repeal that law and allow AmerenUE to raise utility rates now to finance the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Callaway County.

AmerenUE says CWIP is necessary because there is a need for the increased energy capacity and they would not be able to get the financing without CWIP. Opponents say CWIP is unfair to ratepayers and environmentally unsound.

I've met with lobbyists on both sides of the issue. I'm doing my research and preparing for the upcoming hearing and inevitable debate on the Senate floor. I will provide updates as the session progresses.

In addition to reading this blog, you can keep track of CWIP and all the latest news in Jefferson City, on Facebook and Twitter, or you can always join me any Friday for coffee and conversation at Coffee Break (5400 Troost Ave).

Filibuster Update

2009-02-04T16:58:00.003-05:00

Here's the scoop on today's filibuster of the appointment of Linda Martinez, Governor Nixon's nominee for Director of Economic Development.

There's also talk of trouble tomorrow when we vote to approve Margaret Donnelly, Nixon's nominee for Director of Health and Senior Services.

It's time to let Governor Nixon's staff to get to work and stop the political gamesmanship.

ERA Redux

2009-02-03T16:31:00.006-05:00

The Senate Rules Committee today heard testimony both for and against SCR 3, a resolution calling on the Missouri General Assembly to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).

This is the third year in a row I have sponsored the resolution and I wish I could say I am surprised by the intense opposition, but not much surprises me anymore.

We didn't get enough notice for the hearing to get a large number of witnesses to testify in favor of the legislation. Fortunately, two brave women came to town to testify and I truly appreciate their support.

Although the ERA seems like a no-brainer for the majority of Americans, there were several people on hand to testify against the bill. These organizations all have full-time lobbyists in the capitol, so they were not affected by the short notice. The following groups testified against equal rights for women: Concerned Women for America, Missouri Family Network, Eagle Forum, Missouri RoundTable for Life, Missourians United for Life and Missouri Right to Life.

This is the same group of folks who testify against the ERA every year. They list a parade of horribles that will alledgedly occur if gender equality is added to the Constitution including legalized gay marriage, state-funded abortion and mandatory unisex bathrooms. This year their testimony was limited to the abortion issue, which in my opinion is completely unfounded. Missouri has gender equality in its Constitution and I haven't seen any lack of abortion regulations passed in this state.

The silliest line of questioning came from Senator Gary Nodler (R-Joplin) who asked whether ratifying the ERA would require the government to spend equal sums on money for ovarian cancer research in both women and men, even though men don't have ovaries. He asked the same question about women and testicular cancer. I provided an intelligent and accurate response regarding how a court would handle such an absurd case at which point he cut me off with a preposterous rant that started with a reference to the "pregnant man" and ended with the Senator bashing the competence and integrity of judges.

Despite all that, I felt good about today's hearing. I put forth a commonsense argument that the majority of Americans agree with. The opposition relied on their old standbys -- fear and hate -- and made no logical argument for defeating the resolution.

In the end I know the Senate will not pass the resolution. I will introduce it again next year and we will go through this circus again and again until we have a legislature that is committed to simple concepts like equality. It took 144 years to secure the right for women to vote. We've only been working on ratification of the ERA for 37 years. If we can't get it done, our daughters will pick up the fight when we are gone.

If you feel passionately about this issue, I would encourage you to contact the members of the Senate Rules Committee and urge them to pass the resolution out of committee, so we can have a full debate on the Senate floor.

ERA Hearing -- TUESDAY

2009-02-02T22:00:00.003-05:00

I just received word that the Equal Rights Amendment resolution I filed will be heard in committee Tuesday (February 3). The hearing is before the Rules Committee at 1:00 PM in the Senate Lounge.

Yes, this is the same ERA that we've been trying to ratify since I was a baby. It's also the same ERA I've discussed on this blog. It's still alive and still relevant and I need your help to get this thing passed once and for all. If you happen to be in Jefferson City Tuesday, please stop by the hearing. If you are out of town, please contact the members of the Rules Committee and tell them you support equal rights for the women of Missouri. Your daughter will thank you for it.

Shakin' the Money Tree

2009-01-27T18:37:00.005-05:00

This week Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R - St. Joe) created the "Senate Select Committee on Oversight of Federal Stimulus Plan."

Thirteen senators were appointed to the committee including three Democrats -- Victor Callahan (D - Independence), Rita Heard Days (D - St. Louis County) and me.

The committee is charged with studying and analyzing strategies for securing the maximum amount of federal dollars for Missouri from the anticipated federal economic stimulus plan of 2009.

Each Senator is assigned a substantive issue to study. For instance, Senator Callahan is labor and Senator Days is housing and urban development. I am charged with "science."

The first hearing is Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 in Senate Committee Room 1.

The stimulus package is anticipated to include nearly $1 trillion (with a "T") nationwide. How would you spend the money?

Fathering Court

2009-01-26T22:03:00.002-05:00

The Senate Judiciary committee heard testimony tonight on a child support bill introduced by Senator Jeff Smith (D - St. Louis).

The bill would establish courts to handle some criminal non-support cases. Patterned after the extremely successful Jackson County Fathering Court, the law would provide an alternative to a jail sentence and felony record for the non-custodial parents who qualify for rehabilitation.

The program is holistic -- it looks at the education, substance abuse, employment and parenting skills of the participant. A case manager is involved, as well as peer support, counseling and treatment. The program's goal is to increase the number of fathers who participate in the lives of their children -- both financially and emotionally.

We heard some compelling testimony tonight from many fathers in the St. Louis area who have not had the benefit of the Fathering Court on their side of the state. These are men who are going through a similar fathering program, without the incarceration alternatives. At least one of the men served a year for non-support, a time when he could not work any job to provide assistance to his daughter. Faced with a felony on his criminal record, job prospects are slim. If a Fathering Court had been available to him in St. Louis, there is a chance he could have avoided jail, kept his record clean, found gainful employment and most importantly, provided support to his daughter. Luckily, he found out about a non-profit fathering program while he was in jail, and he is finally able to support his daughter financially, while learning what it means to be a dad.

As with anything, the devil is in the details. Some prosecutors were at the hearing tonight to testify against certain provisions of the bill, but it sounds as if some of the objectionable provisions will be taken out of future versions. I look forward to continuing the discussion as session moves forward.

The Race is On

2009-01-22T23:06:00.000-05:00

Although it's been a little slow out of the gate, we finally had some movement in the Senate this week and the steady sprint toward May 15 has begun.

We started session this year on January 7, but with two inaugurations and a holiday, we haven't had much official progress. I've been keeping plenty busy with constituent duties, meetings with advocacy groups and legislation drafting. Yesterday things finally got going with the naming and appointments of the standing committees. There were a few changes to the committee structure this year. A few of the committees were combined and others were split. The most notable change was the addition of a committee chaired by a Democrat, with a Democratic majority (3-2) as members.

The Progress and Development Committee will be chaired by Minority Leader Victor Callahan and I will serve on the committee as vice-chair. If you take a look at the bills that are assigned to the committee so far, and then take a look at the membership of the committee, it's safe to say that this may be one of the more interesting committees to watch this session (some of the most liberal bills have been assigned to the committee which is made up of some of the most conservative Senators).

Overall I was very pleased with my committee assignments. The Democrats lost three seats in November and we are now outnumbered by Republicans 23-11. Consequently we lost seats on some of the committees. I will no longer serve on Rules, but I picked up Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & the Environment.

Additionally, I will continue my service on Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections; Health, Mental Health, Seniors and Families; and Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence.

Now that committee assignments are finalized, bills were able to be second-read and assigned to committees for hearings today. The hearing schedule for next week is slowly taking shape and it looks like I'll start Monday with at least three committee hearings on topics ranging from pre-need funeral contracts to domestic violence.

I'd love to hear your thoughts or questions about the committee process or other topics related to state government. You can join me every Friday morning at 9:00 AM for coffee and conversation at Coffee Break -- 5400 Troost Avenue. If you can't make it on a Friday, I'll hold events around the 10th District on one Saturday each month and you can always contact my office with your questions or concerns.

Hector in the House (and Senate)

2009-01-20T23:56:00.003-05:00

This is Hector. He came to the capitol today to lobby us on animal welfare issues, including a bill that would strengthen penalties for scumbags who participate in dogfighting. Less than two years ago, Hector was one of roughly 50 pit bulls who were found on NFL star Michael Vick's property in rural Virginia.

Portrayed by the media as vicious monsters, Hector and 46 of his buddies were rescued and rehabilitated. Today Hector was socializing with other dogs, hanging out with little kids and posing for photos. He was a gentle, loving example of why we should "punish the deed and not the breed."

Thanks to the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation for bringing Hector to the capitol today.

Coffee & Conversation

2009-01-16T07:59:00.004-05:00

Have you ever wanted to learn more about what exactly legislators do in Jefferson City? Do you have a concern about this year's state budget? Did you ever say to yourself - there ought to be a law . . .?

Starting today and continuing every Friday morning, please join me for coffee and conversation from 9-10 AM at Coffee Break - 5400 Troost Avenue. This is an informal opportunity to exchange ideas and get questions answered.

I know that Fridays are often difficult for some folks to get away from work or other commitments, so I'll be holding similar gatherings at local coffee shops around the 10th District on one Saturday a month. Please stay tuned for future dates, times and locations.

Shame on You!

2009-01-08T22:16:00.003-05:00

We had a really short session today. We introduced a few bills, made a few announcements, then hit the road.

I introduced four more bills and a resolution today. The most notable news, however, was a remonstrance filed by Senator Timmy Green (D - St. Louis County).

SRM1 is the first remonstrance I remember being filed since I have been in the senate. Senator Green blasted the Missouri Development Finance Board for issuing $25 million in tax credits to the Kansas City Chiefs, when the money could be better spent on health care, education or job creation. I have to say I agree with Senator Green.

The Boys (and Girls) are Back in Town

2009-01-07T23:37:00.003-05:00

The first session of the 95th General Assembly started today at 11:00 AM. For those of you who followed us last season, you will be excited to see we have several returning cast members, but we've also added six new characters who should provide for some exciting new storylines.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll provide some profiles of the new players so we can all get to know them.

I pre-filed 8 bills before session started. My staff and I are in the process of finalizing the rest of my legislative package, so as soon as we get everything filed, I will highlight the different bills and keep you updated on their progress throughout the year.

Stay tuned . . . it should be a fun year!

Reading of the Bill of Rights

2009-01-07T14:15:00.000-05:00

State law requires the reading of the Bill of Rights at the start of
each legialative session. I like this tradition. I hope my
colleagues are listening.

Opening Gavel

2009-01-07T13:36:00.001-05:00

And so it begins ... we are back in session.

Exploring China

2008-12-22T06:34:00.046-05:00

Four days of our trip to China were set aside for sightseeing, informal meetings, shopping and exploration. The first day was in Beijing, two in the Anhui province and one in Shanghai. I've posted previously about sightseeing in Beijing, but my chronicle of our journey would not be complete without the details of the amazing offerings of Anhui and Shanghai.

Day 7 -- Huangshan Mountain, Saturday, December 13, 2008. We woke up early Saturday morning and took a 3-hour bus trip to Huangshan Mountain, also known as Yellow Mountain.

We took a cable car to the top of the mountain and spent the rest of the morning hiking the trails around peak. The air was thin, so we got pretty winded, but it was the first fresh (non-smoggy) air we'd had in days, so we happily gulped in the clean air while we could.

It was extraordinarily foggy, so our views were somewhat limited, but gorgeous nonetheless.

After hiking the trails we were excited to receive VIP treatment before heading back down the mountain.

We were greeted with a warm reception area and hot tea to warm us up on a cold, foggy day.

Back at the bottom of the mountain we toured the museum and were treated to another 3D movie. Actually this one was a 4D movie because the theater spit smelly water on us and the seats jerked around.

They showed two of the most disturbing cartoons I have ever seen. The first film followed cartoon animals through a history of prehistoric China. As viewers we were introduced to lovable 3D characters, only to see them fall to their deaths and be devoured by bugs and rats. The second film showed a cartoon grandfather explaining to his cute granddaughter the complete and total devastation that will occur in the event of an earthquake or tidal wave in China. It was packed with death and destruction. I'm not really sure what the take away was, other than don't take your kids to the 4D theater at the base of Huangshan mountain.

We rested on the long bus ride back to the hotel. After a nice dinner with local officials, we took an hour or so to do some shopping in Huangshan city.

Day 8 -- Hong Cun Village to Wuhu, Sunday, December 14, 2008. Sunday was another early start with a bus trip to Hong Cun Village, which was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site list in 2000.

The village was a wonderful glimpse into China's history. Notable for the preservation of its original architecture, it is also famous because Ang Lee's movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was filmed there.

After lunch in the village we boarded the bus and started the long drive to Wuhu. On the way we stopped and toured a school.

Although it was Sunday, school was in session and we were able to visit with some teachers and students.

The students live in dorms at the school and keep a schedule of 3 weeks at school, 1 week at home. Before we left we joined recess in progress, where some of our delegation shot hoops, jumped rope and got dominated at ping pong.

We finished the day at dinner with local officials from Wuhu city. They started the meal with goosefoot. It was amazing how many people wanted to join me as the lone vegetarian when the goosefoot was delivered to the table.

Day 12 -- Last Day in China, Thursday, December 18, 2008. We spent our last day in and around the city of Shanghai. We started the morning in Zhujiajiao, a suburb of Shanghai also known as water town.

We wandered through the small streets for some great sightseeing and shopping. We also took a fun boat ride through the narrow canals.

We made it back to Shanghai late Thursday afternoon and spent the rest of the day in a famous shopping district.

There was something for everyone -- even the Chinese version of a dollar store.

After a long afternoon/evening of shopping, we headed back to the hotel to pack for the journey home and for a final dinner. It was a nice end to a great trip.