Grain Valley News
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Online Puzzles
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • 2022 Garage Sale Directory
    • Holiday Lights Contest
    • Parade
  • Job Board
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Online Puzzles
  • Community
    • Events Calendar
    • 2022 Garage Sale Directory
    • Holiday Lights Contest
    • Parade
  • Job Board
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member








​news

Capitol Report: Sen. Mike Cierpiot

4/7/2022

 
Picture
     It’s hard to believe, but the 2022 legislative session is more than halfway over. Lawmakers have managed to make some progress on several important pieces of legislation, while other issues remain to be decided.
     For instance, one of my priority pieces of legislation has made it through the Senate committee process and was recently debated on the Senate floor. Senate Bill 657 establishes procedures for recall elections for school board members. Under my legislation, a recall election can be held if a recall petition is signed by at least 25% of the number of registered voters who voted in the most recent school board election. Recall proceedings would not be allowed against any member during the first 30 or last 180 days of their term or against any member who has had a recall election decided in their favor during the current term.
     Ultimately, this bill is about introducing some accountability into the school board system and ensuring the values of the community are always represented on these important boards. If we held municipal and school board elections during our regular elections in November when turnout is higher and better representative of the community, I believe there would be no need for a recall. Until that change is made, however, I believe allowing for a recall election is the next best thing. Senate Bill 657 has not yet been approved by the Missouri Senate, but I am committed to working on this issue further with my legislative colleagues and seeing it become law this year.
     Another one of my priorities was recently passed by the Senate and will soon start making its way through the Missouri House of Representatives. Senate Joint Resolution 46 is a proposed constitutional amendment, which, if approved by voters, would allow the Jackson County assessor to be elected rather than appointed. Currently, the Jackson County assessor is the only county assessor in the state that is an appointed, rather than elected, position. I hope this change will help promote accountability and consistency across the county. 
     The Senate has also taken steps to crack down on critical race theory (CRT) from being taught in our schools. The Senate’s Education committee, which I’m a member of, recently passed several measures including Senate Bill 638, Senate Bill 645, Senate Bill 694 and Senate Bill 734 that would effectively ban CRT. I was pleased to vote “yes” on all of them. I’m eager to get these bills to the governor’s desk and get these divisive materials out of our schools.
     Meanwhile, the General Assembly continues to be bogged down on the issue of congressional redistricting. Recently, the Senate passed a modified version of House Bill 2117.  After hearing from my constituents on the importance of a 7-1 map, I voted “no” because I believe a 7-1 map is possible, and we should strive to pass such a map. It may cause issues with communities of interest, but I’m hoping we work through that on the final map.
     I do have some concerns about this map surviving a court challenge. No one can predict exactly how the courts may rule, and that uncertainty and unpredictability bothers me – as it should many conservatives. If the map goes to court, it will go to the Western District Federal Court which is largely composed of Obama-era judges. Safe to say, these are not the people we want drawing our congressional districts.
     That said, there’s still work to be done on the map. Despite the Senate passing a version of the congressional redistricting bill, the House has rejected it and asked to go to conference to find a better solution. Unfortunately, that motion was rejected by the Senate, leaving the House in a take-it-or-leave-it situation. The House stood its ground, and requested another conference committee. It remains to be seen how this will ultimately play out. As I said before, I value a map that provides stability over the long-term and can withstand a court challenge. As we continue to work on this issue, that’s exactly what I’ll be pushing for.
 
Capitol Visitors
     Over the past couple weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with several student groups here in the State Capitol. On March 30, I met with Oak Grove’s AP Government and Student Council students, and the Blue Springs School District leadership team during their visit on March 31. It was great meeting these young people and area leaders and seeing them take an interest in their state government.
     I also had the honor of recognizing Dr. Marion Pierson during the Lt. Governor’s Women of Achievement Awards Ceremony on March 24. Dr. Pierson, a Kansas City native, founded the nonprofit MO Hives KC with a goal to place and support urban apiaries in blighted urban areas, to pollinate urban food gardens, and to provide teaching and economic opportunities for the community. The organization maintains four active hives, housing nearly a quarter of a million bees at the apiary, provides hyperlocal honey as well as offers a six-week summer program for high school and college students to learn the apiary process.
     I am honored to continue serving the citizens of the 8th Senatorial District. Please feel free to contact my office in Jefferson City at (573) 751-1464. For information about committees or sponsored legislation for the 2022 session, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Cierpiot.

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Burton Kelso
    Business
    Cathy Allie
    Celebrations & Transitions
    Census
    City Of Grain Valley
    Columnists
    Community Profile
    Covid19
    Covid-19
    Economic-development
    Education
    Elections
    Financial-health
    Fitness
    Food Inspections
    Good News
    Good-news
    Grain-valley-assistance-council
    Grain-valley-fair
    Grain Valley Historical Society
    Grain-valley-partnership
    Grain Valley Schools
    Health And Fitness
    Health-and-fitness
    Home And Garden
    Jackson County
    Ld
    Local News
    Looking Back
    Lorne-meinershagen
    Missouri House Of Representatives
    Missouri Senate
    Musings From The Middle
    Neighborhood View
    On The Job
    Pets
    Police Blotter
    Quick-news
    Rdn
    Recreation
    Sally-whitaker
    Seniors
    Senior-send-off
    Sports
    Technology
    Tracey Shaffer
    Transportation
    University Of Missouri Extension
    Waynes-world

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018

Grain Valley News

Grain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. 
(c) 2022 Grain Valley News

Contact Us

PO Box 2972
​Grain Valley MO 64029

Privacy Policy
Picture